Short bottling session

[pkcook]

Got off early yesterday and ran hometo bottle some small batches to clear the cabinet. I filtered all of these starting from the lightest color to the darkest. I had never used the filter for more than one batch at a time, but I'm pleased with the results. I don't get to fancy with making sure the bottles are all the same on these test batches.

From the left is 6 bottles of Peach Port, next is 4 bottles of Joe M's Ancient Orange, the dark bottles are 5 each Cherry Melomel, and the last is 7 bottles of standard Mead.


Now I've got to make some labels

. Not my favorite task!

 

[Wade E]

Nice job there, I never worry about what kind of bottle there in as long as I have enough bottles for them.

 

[pkcook]

These bottles were on the top so that is what I used. I really like the bottles on the left. They are mead bottles with flowers molded into the bottle. Pretty cool!

 

[Wade E]

I' created labels on my computer for just about evert wine I've
made(most of them are already gone) but have never printed any yet, nor
have I printed any yet or even bought label paper. One of these days
I'm going to at least print one of those puppies out and stick it on a
bottle.

 

[pkcook]

These are the first "naked" bottles of wine I have made. I usually have the labels made printed and cut waiting on the wine to finish, but I've been preoccupied here lately with work and retirement preparations.

 

[pkcook]

Forgive me for posting so many photos. I just opened the first bottle of Cranberry wine I made last year in celebration of a University of Kentucky Football victory over Georgia!

I can't remember the last time UK beat Georgia in football!


If you didn't know it, you would think it was a red grape table wine. Very clear and crisp and the color is very nice. I'll definately be looking for the whole cranberries on sale again this year!

 

[Waldo]

And I'll definately be looking forward to Thanksgiving

 

[pkcook]

Waldo,


The second row in the photo is the Waldo row!

You have a dedicated shelf, at least till the new year!

 

[Waldo]

Dang......Gotta see about getting that second row filled

 

[Wade E]

I hope my Vintners Harvest Cranberry comes out nearly as good as yours. Mine looks more like a pink lemonade.

 

[NorthernWinos]

That Cranberry wine looks awfully tempting....will also be looking for Cranberries in the next few weeks.

We have some High Bush Cranberries planted in a wildlife shelter belt of trees and bushes....I tasted some this fall....they smelled like dirty feet....Don't think they are the same as the ones in the store...

But you never know what wine might be like out of them...

 

[pkcook]

If you had asked me when I started this wine if it would be any good, I'd have told you, "not a chance!" It just wasn't what Ithought would make a good wine.


The wine could use another year to be prime, but very good right now!


NW,


I found my Oceanspray whole cranberries onsale at Aldi for about a buck for a 12oz package. I ended up using 3 packages for a gallon.

 

[bmorosco]

They all look great ...I can't wait until I advance a little bit and dare to make my own wine not from a kit...

 

[pkcook]

Thanks bm,


I have receivedmore pleasure from makingcountry wines than any of my kits. Don't get me wrong, I love grape wine and probably prefer them over country wines, but making them isn't as fun. Neither is difficult though!

 

[smurfe]

I hope my Vintners Harvest Cranberry comes out nearly as good as yours. Mine looks more like a pink lemonade.

Wade, did you make a 3 gallon or 5 gallon batch of Vintners Harvest? I have been wanting to try them but have heard they are a little "thin". I have heard as well they are better as a 3 gallon batch or use 2 cans for a 6 gallon batch. Anyone have any input on this? I would like to try the blueberry since my local source for blueberries no longer exists.


Smurfe

 

[Wade E]

I actually strethed the Black currant out to a 6 gallon batch and you
can ask Waldo how it was. He immediatly bought some and has a batch
fermenting right now. Look under the post (what the heck is Black
Currant from last week. I currently have another batch of that going
and a batch of the cranberry going as well. The black currant is in no
way thin. As for the others, the cranberry smelled pretty strong out of
the can but the Marionberry was very week and I accidently overdosed
dosed it with sulfite the first time I used powdered k-meta OOps