Newbi from Big Island

[Chirata]

Aloha all. I am a brand spanking new wine maker. I have been dreaming of this moment for 12 years when I tasted my first glass of Jaboticaba wine. I went out and purchased 2 trees. Finally this past couple of weeks I have harvested enough to make a batch! I have been searching online for a week or so for ideas and today found this forum! I combined ideas from another forum along with this one and the fruit wine making you tubes I've seen and just began my first batch.
I started off with about 16 lbs of fruit and added water to the 4 gallon line in my fermenting bucket. Then added the 4 Camden tablets and added 3 tsp of peptic acid to the mashed up jaboticabas. Now waiting 2 days to remove the pulp before continuing with adding yeast sugar and yeast nutrient
My biggest concern at this moment is my carboy is 6 gallons which I think is too big once I take out the pulp. The local stores here have 5 gallon carboys 3 s on order
availablavailablealthough some 3 gallon one

My biggest concern at

 

[robie]

Welcome to the forum.

Hey, get some 3's and several 1 gallon. As you rack and loose some of the wine in the bottom sediment, you can use the 1 gallon to top off the 3, then put whats left in 1.5 liter or 750 ml wine bottles.

 

[Chirata]

Welcome to the forum.

Hey, get some 3's and several 1 gallon. As you rack and loose some of the wine in the bottom sediment, you can use the 1 gallon to top off the 3, then put whats left in 1.5 liter or 750 ml wine bottles.

That was my thoughts today too. As I realized one I remove the pulp I won't have the same volume. The local wine store will have some 3 gallo s available in a couple of weeks. Can I go that long in first fermenter after taking out the pulp and skins of the jaboticaba ?

 

[Julie]

Hi Chirata

Welcome to winemakingtalk. A couple of weeks maybe too long, can you get your hands on anymore fruit?

And do you have a hydrometer?

 

[Stressbaby]

Welcome, and please keep us posted on the jabo wine. There is a country wines section for wines made from fruit other than grapes.

I have a couple of jabos which have produced a limited amount of fruit, but eventually I hope to make a small batch of this wine. I also have a couple of related trees, a yellow jaboticaba and a camu camu. Do you have any exposure or experience with those fruit?

 

[Pumpkinman]

Welcome aboard!

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!!

 

[Chirata]

Great feedback thanks! Checked the trees no more ripe fruit. No 3 gallon carboys on the island so we picked up 2 more 1 gallon bottles of and will get right down to co summing those as quickly as we can
That way i will have 4, 1 gallon bottles to work with. There is so much pulp that I'm wondering if ill even end up with 2 gallons of actual juice
Yes I do have a hydrometer and just purchased a wine only turkey baster. I also just picked up some ph sticks and a nylon bag. Wish I'd had that before I began. Oh well I'm learning as I go!
How do I know when it's time to put in the carboys?
Aloha,
Colette

 

[Stressbaby]

Colette,
The general rule seems to be transfer to carboy when the SG gets to 1.020-1.010.
My experience is that the pulpier the fruit, the lower I let it go before transferring. So a must with more pulp (persimmon, crabapple for me) I'll let get down to 1.010 or lower. Otherwise the pulp doesn't settle right away and floats up like a cap.

 

[Julie]

Your hydrometer will be your best friend in winemaking, with that said, go out and buy another one because when you break this one you will be in a panic to get another one!

I would snap the lid down and add an airlock, then let it ferment to dry in the primary (bucket). Dry would be below 1.000 on your hydrometer. Are you planning on having a dry wine or a sweet wine?

 

[Arne]

Glad to see you have plenty of patience. Waited 12 years to start and now you have to wait again. I know you will be tasting here shortly, but if you can wait at least 6 months the wine should really improve. With that said, welcome to WMT. If you have any problems or questions, folks here will likely jump in and help. Arne.

 

[manibd04]

Welcome to the forum.

Hey, get some 3's and several 1 gallon. As you rack and loose some of the wine in the bottom sediment, you can use the 1 gallon to top off the 3, then put whats left in 1.5 liter or 750 ml wine bottles.

Hi Robie,
I'm a newbie today, trying to get my first batch of Pinneaple in.
Q: I found a recipe here using the fruit instead of the juice, which i already have, for the 6gl bottle. Do you know by any chance what is the juice quantity for the 6gl batch?
Thank you,
mani-VA

 

[Chirata]

Your hydrometer will be your best friend in winemaking, with that said, go out and buy another one because when you break this one you will be in a panic to get another one!

I would snap the lid down and add an airlock, then let it ferment to dry in the primary (bucket). Dry would be below 1.000 on your hydrometer. Are you planning on having a dry wine or a sweet wine?

Julie, thx or the tip on getting a 2nd hydrometer. My son thought he saw one in his beer brewing kit that he Gordon for Christmas, but alas it's not. I was sooooo super careful today as I measured, added sugar, measured again. I was afraid to break it. I found a brew shop on the island that ones have a few supplies. I will stop in next one I'm in Hilo and pick up another one.
Aloha,
Colette

 

[Chirata]

Colette,
The general rule seems to be transfer to carboy when the SG gets to 1.020-1.010.
My experience is that the pulpier the fruit, the lower I let it go before transferring. So a must with more pulp (persimmon, crabapple for me) I'll let get down to 1.010 or lower. Otherwise the pulp doesn't settle right away and floats up like a cap.

Wish I'd seen this before I moved on to my net step, however it is what it is and who knows it may all be for the good.....or tasty wine.
I placed the pulp and water with a couple cups of sugar, the Camden tablets and enzymes in the fermenter on Thursday afternoon to just sit Then when I was in town yesterday the gent at the brew shop suggested I go buy some paint staining bags since he no longer carries the wine bags, to when Home Depots are equivelant (once you cut off the elastic at the top) and you get 2 bags for $5 us. He also suggested that I yet the pulp out fairly quickly as there is so much tannin in the skins.

So today I strained out the pulp, tied up the bag and squeezed as much juice out as I could. I debated about leaving it in with the yeast but then the bag of pulp fell on the floor and I figured there goes that idea! So I added the sugar to 1.090, the the yeast and about 3/4 tsp of nutrient as I now have about 4 gall after adding sugar. Not sure if that's correct as the amounts seemed rather vague on the packaging.

Placed the cover on tight, placed the airlock and and now a bundle of nerves! Good thing I returned my grandmaster to my son this am, it was waaaaay to stressful! Thínk ill have a glass of wine....or 2......

 

[Chirata]

Welcome, and please keep us posted on the jabo wine. There is a country wines section for wines made from fruit other than grapes.

I have a couple of jabos which have produced a limited amount of fruit, but eventually I hope to make a small batch of this wine. I also have a couple of related trees, a yellow jaboticaba and a camu camu. Do you have any exposure or experience with those fruit?

No sorry, I have no experience with those. I didn't even know there was a yellow jaboticaba! I must say that the juice today after removed the pulp was an absolutely gorgeous clear red colour! My family all tasted and said yum!

I haven't found the country wines section yet, I will do more exploring of this site now that I have it all in the fermenter
Aloha, Colette

 

[mauijoe]

Aloha Chirata,

Welcome! We usually leave the pulp in just before the first racking. However it would be easier next time to use a fine mesh bag, tie it up good and that way when your're ready to remove the pulp, it's a lot easier than fishing it all out. You might want to check the local Foodland stores that have a bakery in house, ask them for a couple of 2-gal.
buckets that hold their glaze for pastries. Find a boss their that loves wine... and you got a good "food grade" primaries.

 

[Chirata]

Glad to see you have plenty of patience. Waited 12 years to start and now you have to wait again. I know you will be tasting here shortly, but if you can wait at least 6 months the wine should really improve. With that said, welcome to WMT. If you have any problems or questions, folks here will likely jump in and help. Arne.

So I've HAD patience up until now, but am finding myself very impatient at the moment as I wait to see some bubbling in the airlock!

 

[Chirata]

Aloha Chirata,

Welcome! We usually leave the pulp in just before the first racking. However it would be easier next time to use a fine mesh bag, tie it up good and that way when your're ready to remove the pulp, it's a lot easier than fishing it all out. You might want to check the local Foodland stores that have a bakery in house, ask them for a couple of 2-gal.
buckets that hold their glaze for pastries. Find a boss their that loves wine... and you got a good "food grade" primaries.

You would leave the jaboticaba pulp in even those it's supposed to be very high in tannins? I didn't think of the bakeries, you are right the would most likely have food grade buckets...brilliant idea!

 

[Chirata]

Oh dear....I'm worried, it's been 24 hours since adding the yeast and no discernible bubbling. I finally removed the bong to take a quick peek and no signs of activity. I was a wee bit concerned as I sprinkled the yeast on as I saw no sign of foaming like I usually do when I'm making bread with bread yeast. Btw I used lanvin 1116 yeast. I am wondering when I decide its stuck and try another step?
Fr us in hawaii the house was a bit cold this morning too. 67 degrees but the fermenter is on the Tile floor which was quite a bit colder. I placed a heating pad next to it for a bit and placed a couple of towels underneath.
2nd question, the totally embarrassing one....is the air lock cover supposed to remain on or off? I had it on then began wondering took it off and a bubble came up. Then nothing...watched a bunch of you tubes and it looked as though the covers were left on so on it went again....this was over A 1/2 hour period.....

 

[Chirata]

FALSE Newbie alarm! Discovered that the lid was not on tight so air was escaping out the sides and not thur the airlock. Phew! Now I'm dancing a happy dance!
It did bring up another question though and that is is it advisable to stir it every day in the primary fermenter? I read that someone was doing that though I had not read it anywhere else....
Mahalo!