Please talk about TANNIN

[arcticsid]

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7924&page=4

I am sold on tannin. It may not be right for every wine but I am sold on adding it to skeeter pee.

The difference is remakable.

I added 1 1/2 teaspoons to 4 gallons before ferment and it is quite noticable. It seems to have done something to the tartness and the mouth feel is significantly better.

So why dont we see TANNIN mentioned more in recipes?

Maybe some of you more senior members in here explain what it is and why that little bit can make such a dfference.

I will never pee again without TANNIN, she was Brandies sister, and she was a fine girl.

It was a significant improvement.

LON??

 

[Wade E]

I use it in almost all my fruit wines but when making a red wine from grapes or juice like a Cab Sauv or something like that then I adjust tannins post fermentation with a better product like Scotts Tancor Grand Cru or similar You have much better control with this and the product is of much better quality. There are different types of tannin. Some are from derived from grape seeds, skins and stems, some are derived from oak, and some are from chestnut. They are a natural preservative and thats why wines with higher tannins will stand the test of time and why wines with much less dont last long. Tannins are also a antioxidant. Adding tannin will increase the "pucker: of a wine but can also increase the bitterness so beware of that! If you are making a wine that will take a long time to be good it is advised to add more tannin so that it can survive that extended time. Tannins add an important flavor dimension in wine but can also add to the amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle as it can make color drop out over time. Yo will see this in commercial wines as well as a dark sediment at the bottom or side depending on how it is kept.

 

[arcticsid]

Well as you know Wade Pee is quite puckerable, this seems to have cut that down.

And the mouth feel is quite improved.

But to back up what you just said. Tannins are different.

As with any additives. Follow the manufactures (on the back of the package) advice.

We had a discussion in here not long ago about nutrients, they could all be different.

So, no matter what it is, is you are unsure give a holler.

As far as this pee is concerned. Its the only way for me.

This stuff has even aged yet(yeah right) and I can tell the difference. I understant the "pucker" factor, it seems to make it a bit "dryer" although I am sure that is not an accurate description.

 

[Wade E]

Its not the same "pucker" as acidic like a lemon would be but more of the dry back of the throat feeling. Do follow the instructions though like you said as each diferent tannin can be WAY different!

 

[djrockinsteve]

Wade you are a wealth of knowledge. What will I learn next?

 

[Minnesotamaker]

I've had the tannin question pop up more than once regarding Skeeter Pee. Some people leave it out because they feel it's not needed, but I put it in the recipe for the reasons you describe and to help with clarity and longevity.

On most of my fruit wines I make, I tend to pick the recipes that include some tannin.

 

[winemaker_3352]

i have always wondered about tannins - when to use them - when not to, So much to learn... So much to learn....

 

[bigabyte]

Good to know about adding it to fruit wines. This place is great! I'll use some in my next batch of pee to compare to the one brewing now with no tannin.

 

[arcticsid]

I pretty much use the "BREWCRAFT" brand of additives. It is whats available. This Tannin came in a half ounce pack, enough for quite a few batches, this particular brand recommends 1/2 teaspoon max per gallon.

Except I did buy 45 pounds of Na-Meta for ten dollars.(sorry, i just had to rub tat in) The post with the bottle score made me want to brag!!! LOL


Anyway the BC pack says, "Especially useful in flower, root, and grain wines. Tannin gives the impression of dryness and zest to flat wines otherwise lacking in character. Not intended for acid balancing.


Tell you what though it makes a signifigant difference in your pee.

 

[BobF]

My tannin use is generally guided by what I'm fermenting, with a bit of experience thrown in. What I mean is that I add tannin pre-ferment for wine that would normally have tannin, but doesn't b/c of the ingredient I'm using, or the way the must is prepared.

Simple example; Welch's Concord grape juice. Normally, a red wine would be fermented on the skins. Along with pressing, this is where the tannin extraction would occur. However, with a juice product you aren't going to have that.

I generally add 1/2 of the recommended tannin up front and adjust to taste when stabalizing/backsweetening.

First, I check/adjust acid in a sample. Then I adjust sweetness. Then I add tannin. I use a liquid tannin product made of chestnut extract when adding tannin post-ferment.

Never add tannin right before you bottle. Tannin will cause another deposit drop. I usually wait 4 - 8 weeks after stabalize/acid/sweeten/tannin process before I rack/bottle. Sometimes longer.

There are some wines that tannins don't 'fit' well, so always test in a small sample if adding post-ferment.

Later, when drinking the wine, I aways go back to my notes and add tannin comments for the next time I do the same recipe - I might, for example, add more tannin up front in a recipe that I previously add tannin to post-ferment.

Experiment. Tannins, like everything else, are very subjective. Use them to your own taste. In this regard, tannins are just like sugar and acid in recipes. You can follow the recipe, or you can test/adjust for finer control of the end result.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I just started a blackberry and a strawberry/peach both 5 gallons in the end and both entirely from fruit. I will add 1/4 teaspoon and a gallon of water today to kill off bad yeasts.

My question, would should I add tannin and how much. I have grape tannin at home. I'll be adding my nutrients tomorrow a.m. and not sure of tannin on these 2 batches.

 

[Wade E]

Id go light on the strawberry and peach but goo on the blackberry as blackberry is a win e that can use and also hide a decent amount as it will satnd more time and tastes great with even some oak. Just my opinion so fare that well.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Since tannin comes from grape skins is there any tannin in the skins of blackberries? For 5 gallons of Blackberry how much tannin would you reccomend? Same question for 2/3 strawberry 1/3 peach batch?

Bueller Anyone