Red Grape Must & Skins

[asterof]

I got a line of five gallons of Red Grape Must with Skins
The information is Brix: 24, pH: 3.8, TA: .4
Is this acceptable for a Merlot
Thanks

 

[ibglowin]

Seems like it needs a fair amount of tartaric acid.

 

[asterof]

When they arrive and I start a batch,I will be sure and ask some questions because up till now using Kits is all I did. Time to move to the next level.

 

[ColemanM]

Asterof, I just recently made the move and the one piece of advice I can give for sure is watch your nutrients. Kits seem to ferment to .990 in six minutes while frozen musts need to be coaxed to dryness.

 

[asterof]

Asterof, I just recently made the move and the one piece of advice I can give for sure is watch your nutrients. Kits seem to ferment to .990 in six minutes while frozen musts need to be coaxed to dryness.

Are you saying to add some nutrients prior to primary ferm ?

 

[ibglowin]

This is not a kit soooooo yes you need to have a nutrient addition plan. Have you done any reading on what all you will need to be doing/adding here in order to have a successful fermentation?

 

[asterof]

To some extent... also been watching some YOUTUBE vids
I also have a CD with all kinds of documents but most including those on YOUTUBE
do not indicate adding yest food,although I do have some in stock

 

[ibglowin]

I would strongly recommend downloading the Morewine Guide to Red Wine Making and follow it.

 

[nicklausjames]

Add fermax and dap. If you don't use nutrients you may get a stuck fermentation or worse the rotten egg smell. Look them up, you add them at different stages of fermentation.

 

[asterof]

I thought Fermax contained DAP
I can not locate a product called DAP
Any links

 

[ibglowin]

Just get some Fermaid K It is all you need.

 

[terroirdejeroir]

Just get some Fermaid K It is all you need.

I agree with Mike on this, but just so you know DAP (Di-Ammonium Phosphate) is the primary ingredient in common yeast nutrient.