Mosti Mondiale Shiraz with grape pack...

[Darryl]

I all,
I just recieved my Shiraz kit form George!!!! Along with five or six peanuts

...
I have been looking at the instructions... how are yall going to put the grape pack in the primary????? IN a bag or just put it in????


If you just put it in the primary... how are you going to rack into carboy???
Or, can we put it in a bag like you do raisins or skins...


Let me know what yall think,
Thanks,

 

[grapeman]

The bag method works fine and makes racking much easier. You can also squeeze all the must out after when you take it out.

 

[Goodfella]

+1




Use the bag

 

[RickC]

+2 definitely the bag

 

[vcasey]

-1
Well gosh someone has to disagree! I've never had a problem not using the bag, but I think I am the exception. I just dump the skins into the must and when its time to rack put the bag over the racking cane. When finished I press the remaining juice out the skins.
You can always pick up a 5 gallon paint strainer bag from Home Depot or Lowes and give the skins lots of room to free float and make it easier to rack.
Hey George I think you should sell those bags!

 

[grapeman]

George does carry the straining bags- maybe not paint straining, but a higher quality straining bag- here is a whole page to choose from
http://www.finevinewines.com/Home-Wine-Making-Straining-Bags.asp

 

[vcasey]

George does carry the straining bags- maybe not paint straining, but a higher quality straining bag- here is a whole page to choose from
http://www.finevinewines.com/Home-Wine-Making-Straining-Bags.asp

Shows how much attention I pay to the bags, but if I ever decide to use one I know I would rather use those from FVW's.

 

[Wade E]

I have done both ways and really did not see any difference in taste or tannin reduction by using the bag so I say bag but just do a good job punching down the cap everyday. Really get in there and dont just push it down but squeeze the bag and try to disrupt the composition of the bag so that grape skins that are compressed and maybe not getting good exposure are subjected to getting exposure.

 

[Darryl]

I was considering the five gal. paint strainer bag... so i could give it a good mix everyday...
@wade: I had not thought about getting in there and giving the bag a good squeez!!!


How long would yall leave the skins in the must...
The instructions say to rack at 3-5 days(s.g. 1.040 to m1.050), and to add oak chips... leave it 6-7 days(s.g. .996 or less)... rack and clear..


Why not leave it in the primary for 14 days... rack and add oak ????
I would thank that the oak should stay longer than 6-7 days???
Thanks for the all of the help,
I plan on starting this kit soon, maybe tonight!!!!!

 

[Wade E]

Darryl, thats what I do, I leave them in the whole time but when fermentation starts to slow down I would attach lid and use an airlock and just slosh the bucket around some every day to get evrything in there wet so the skins dont dry out on top.

 

[Darryl]

Thanks wade,
I think I will do it that way...

 

[uavwmn]

Darryl, I buy the paint strainer bags from Ace Hardware. They work great.

 

[robie]

George's #4757 muslin bags work well, too. They are about 2 feet long and very stretchy. They don't cramp the grapes skins at all. They are easy to hold under the must with a long spoon after the lid is snapped and air locked.

 

[uavwmn]

Put it in a bag, before you transfer to carboy squeeze out all that good juice!!