Top 10 mistakes

[herbenus]

I wanted to share the top 10 mistakes I've made in the short time I've been doing this. But then I had to add number 11.Maybe this will help someone else. I know for me I learn best by doing.

1. 
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Trying to rack a 6-1/2 carboy of wine into a 6 gallon.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Going to the local shop with “Brew” in the name for advice on winemaking (or buying “6 gallon” carboys from him). </LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Racking wine with too short of a hose.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Racking wine in a room with carpeting.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Trying to cork a small neck 375 ml bottle with a number 9 cork.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Not taking SG readings from start.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>“Waiting till later” to write the SG reading down.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Not having enough wine to drink.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Gluing on labels with water soluble ink before shrinking caps with boiling water.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Piling too many cleaned bottles in a dish rack.</LI>
   <LI style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" =Msonormal>Going to my in-laws without a bottle of my newest wine.</LI>

 

[admiral]

I could add:

1. Not degassing enough.
2. Leaving bottles in oxyclean too long.
3. Forgetting to add sorbate before bottling.

 

[AlFulchino]

forgetting to k meta or fine if the need is there

not having a sink near your wine making area if at all possible

the big one......not making enough of the wine you love!

 

[Bartman]

My favorites from your list are no.s 4 &amp; 11. Those made me laugh!

I have always used a spare bathroom to avoid a terrible mess followed by a very angry wife. If only it had a kitchen conuter to bottle on - the wife gets annoyed when the bottling process takes over the kitchen for half a day or more.

My additions would be not ensuring I have enough corks before starting to bottle (being 3 corks short means you have to get creative... or very drunk) and not budgeting enough money to make the wines I want when I want. But that applies to most everything in life, right? - never enough $$$ to buy everything I "want".

 

[IQwine]

(or buying “6 gallon” carboys from
him).

Not sure I understand this one ??? the others are right on the money

</font>

 

[herbenus]

Well because they are not 6 but 6-1/2... I like the idea of using the spare bath. Hadn't considered that. But it means hauling carboys through house each time I rack. I think I need a carboy dolly.

 

[herbenus]

What happens when you leave in Oxyclean too long? I've been using washing soda which I think is probably the same. WhenI soak too long I get a white film. I haven't figured out if the film is from the soda or the glue from the labels.

 

[robie]

What's that old saying,
"A day late and 3 corks short"... or something like that.

 

[Brewgrrrl]

I would add:

1. Holding a sterilized piece of plastic wrap over the jar neck and enthusiastically shaking a 1-gallon yeast starter to aerate it before adding it to the must (there was a fantastic explosion - I am still finding crap on the walls and ceiling)

 

[admiral]

If you leave the bottle too long in the oxyclean, the bottle gets a white film on it that is very, very hard to remove. Did I mention that it is hard to remove?

 

[vcasey]

If you leave the bottle too long in the oxyclean, the bottle gets a white film on it that is very, very hard to remove. Did I mention that it is hard to remove?

Use CLR, just make sure you clean really well after wards.

 

[Tom]

Also ADD;
Not doing the 3 "P's" !
Patience
Patience
Patience
and rushing your wine.

 

[intoxicating]

(or buying “6 gallon” carboys from
him).

Not sure I understand this one ??? the others are right on the money

</font>

If I remember right, most of the brew stores sell 5 gallon fermenters, that is what the beer kits make.

 

[OGrav]

This probably could be moved to another topic; but with Oxyclean. I find it works great and rinses clean and odor free. I don't use much, though; about a teaspoon for a few gallons of hot water. I've been using some bottles here in Germany, the flip cap kind. They have a ring where they ride and vibrate sitting in their cases. They recyle all their bottles here, so who knows how many times some of them have been refilled. Anyway, I was soaking for afew hours in the oxyclean, but I noticed that where the glass was scratched and worn seemed more noticeable after the soak. I would almost say it etched the glass where it was already scratched. I guess I could do trials, but since that, I just soak for a few hours in hot water, the labels fall off here anyway. Then I drain, use some oxyclean, soak for 30 min or so, and brush and rinse. Looks good so far, and no effects on the stainless hoops that I've seen.

 

[Runningwolf]

Dang, I was hoping to learning something new from this thread before I screwed something up, but I think I can say been there done that for most of these. Its almost like reading your on biography.

 

[batonrougeguy]

I can add a good one trying to make blackberry champagne with the skins and opening it in my mother-in-laws kitchen(she happened to be looking)
To add to that it was all white and took hours to clean up.

that was like my first batch don't guess when it comes to champange and if you do guess open it outside

 

[Randoneur]

One to add:
Don't lean the window screens to the house in front of your wine rack.
When the corks pop, you have holes in your screens.!!!!!!!

 

[rrussell]

Mine would be to always filter white wine no matter how clear it looks. Did not filter my viognier because it looked crystal clear and now get sediment showing up when I chill it in the frig.

 

[Tom]

Mine would be to always filter white wine no matter how clear it looks. Did not filter my viognier because it looked crystal clear and now get sediment showing up when I chill it in the frig.

Yep ALL my Whites and Fruit wines get filtering. I use the Mini-Jet

 

[gaudet]

Oxyclean residue is removed easily with Vinegar............ Just make sure to quadruple rinse the carboy/bottle with hot water and clean it one more time before use.