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Sorry about that. Us old people have memory problems. We write the same thing OVER and OVER again. :)

Oops. I forgot I wrote that.

Sorry about that. Us old people have memory problems. We write the same thing OVER and OVER again. :)

See. It happens that fast.
 
Adding the Grape Pack

We added 3 packs of Corinth Grapes tonight. to our Cabernet
I had these frozen and at the ready for when I did this kit.
First I defrosted them.
Then I gently pressed them in the bag to smooch them up. (I didn't want to totally kill them, must smooch them to release the juice and get them mushy.)
Then I added them to the bucket.
In a day or so these will float to the top and create a "cap". I periodically will punch them down gently to wait for this to go through fermentation.

I also wanted to let you guys know that it's been chilly here in New Jersey. I had to add bellie bands. (Or some people call them other stuff, brew belts, heat bands, etc.) They basically go around your bucket and heat it up a bit so that the yeast keep on fermenting. (Yeast are not too happy when they get cold.) my ambient in the cellar is at 62 degrees at present.

now I have just created a grape pack

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Cabernet process with grape pack foward

THE PROCESS IN FULL MOVING FORWARD.:wy

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Cabernet in review

BALANCE OF FLOW...........:wy THE SMELL IN THE BASEMENT OF THE CAB-AND THE GRAPES WORKING WITH EACH OTHER IS DELIGHTFUL TO THE SENSES,ALSO THE PH WHEN STARTED WAS AT 3.6.... DEC. 24TH FERMENTATION HAS COMPLETED..TRANFER TO GLASS (WHAT A INTOXICATING AROMA) NICE PRESENT!

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joe,

did you add both a frozen grapes pack you had and a non-frozen grapes?
 
I think I can smell it all the way down here.
Joe I have to say I brought some of my Italian Sangiovese that I tweaked like you, to a family Christmas party and have gotten nothing but rave reviews. The Mezza luna also went over well. Here's to a great tweak teacher! :b
 
Answers

GEEK, if you read back further you'll see that the batch was frozen till ready to use, then defrosted and applied.

Lori, you'll soon be the bell of the south in tweaking,good work on both wines, lady.:mny your muscato was spot on.
 
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I think I can smell it all the way down here.
Joe I have to say I brought some of my Italian Sangiovese that I tweaked like you, to a family Christmas party and have gotten nothing but rave reviews. The Mezza luna also went over well. Here's to a great tweak teacher! :b

Joe & Lori,

I'm getting whiffs of it out here in Arizona...Happy Holidays to you guys and thanks for all your interactions this year. Really appreciated it.
 
Joe writes "I also wanted to let you guys know that it's been chilly here in New Jersey."

Joe - It's chilly in northern AL also. The wife keeps the thermostat on 63. I don't have a bellie belt so I use a bulb on a lamp I made that I set next to my carboys that are in a closet. Keeps them about 76 degrees.

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Simpsini, that is a lot of head space in those carboys.....
 
Geek - You could be right. The Chardonnay is still fermenting & on the 26th I'm going to start Sur lies on it and I will top off with a chardonnay, so I'm not too worried about oxidation. Yesterday I added the sulphate & sorbate to the Pinot Noir. The instructions say not to top it off. I should be racking in 8 days when I plan on topping off. Right now I have a vacuvin wine saver on it & I'm constantly pumping it to degas. I think I'm keeping all the 02 out by doing it. Let me know if you believe I should go ahead & top off now.

I start with 6 Gal in my primary but I always end up with so much less as I rack. Iwant to get some 5 gal carboys to rack into, but haven't had the chance to order them. Any advice is appreciated.
 
Joe writes "I also wanted to let you guys know that it's been chilly here in New Jersey."



Joe - It's chilly in northern AL also. The wife keeps the thermostat on 63. I don't have a bellie belt so I use a bulb on a lamp I made that I set next to my carboys that are in a closet. Keeps them about 76 degrees.


Bulb? Hmmm.... I was thinking less light the better... I also have a small closet I use for primary and secondary fermentation periods... I use a small electric heater and set it at 70 degrees. Works great and does not have to work very hard due to the size of the closet.....
 
Lightning strikes?

THINGS TO REMEMBER=
Lightstrike

Lightstruck wines are those that have had excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, particularly in the range 325 to 450 nm.[8] Very delicate wines, such as Champagnes, are generally worst affected, with the fault causing a wet cardboard or wet wool type flavour and aroma. Red wines rarely become lightstruck because of the phenolic compounds present within the wine that protect it. Lightstrike is thought to be caused by sulfur compounds such as dimethyl sulfide. In France lightstrike is known as "goût de lumière", which translates to a taste of light. The fault explains why wines are generally bottled in colored glass, which blocks the ultraviolet light, and why wine should be stored in dark environments.
USE THE LIGHT FOR HEAT IF YOU CHOSE BUT COVER THEM WITH A BLANKET OR USE OLD BATH TOWELS,FRUIT FOR THOUGHT.:mny
 
Cabernet reviewed

OUR CABERNET HAS GONE FROM A RAW KIT TO A REFINED PEACE OF WORK,THE AROMA IS DEEP AND EARTHY, THE COLOR IS INKY BLACK,AL THOUGHT IT'S STILL NEEDS MORE TRANSFORMATION IT IS QUIETLY SITTING GOING THROUGH WHAT I CALL /TRANSFER SHOCK,FROM TUB FERMENTER TO GLASS,THIS IS THE FIRST TRANSFEREE I WILL DO ,IN ABOUT A WEEKS TIME I WILL RACK THE WINE TO A CLEAN CARBOY AND ADD TANNINS AT THAT POINT,YOU WILL BE SHOWN AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS..

REMEMBER THE FLOW? :wy DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE SG WAS WHEN WE STARTED? OR THE PH? IT IS DOWN TO .998/CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE POTENTIAL ACHOLO WAS AT FINISH?.............THINGS TO REMEMBER..... THESE QUESTIONS ARE FOR BEGINNERS ONLY TO ANSWER. SCHOOL TIME IS IN !

STARTING SG=1.10 =ABV? APP:13% January 2nd we are at rest in glass next week we will do our first transfer and add oak tannin powder
January 4th it just snowed to day the basement is at 58 degrees, we will transfer next Thursday ,WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8TH FIRST RACKING AND FIRST ADDITION OF TANNINS..........THE WINE IS INK BLACK AND HAS A GREAT AROMA ......WILL WAIT TO TASTE . THURSDAY TASTING VERY NICE OAK WITH A TOUCH OF GRAPE THEN A SMOOTH FINISH ,GREAT LEGS AND THE WINE IS STILL A INFANT.

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I just have to share this from my Facebook page. Somehow a bottle of my Joeswine tweaked Sangiovese got in the hands of my daughters' sister-in-law. Here's what she wrote about it. That wine turned out to be a favorite of anyone who got a taste. I'm down to 6 bottles.


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I just started 2 Grand Cru International kits...Australian Cabernet Sauvignon and a California Syrah. Since these came with grape skins is there some thing else I can or should be using to help them alone. It's my first reds and I really want them to be good. Also I know at some point I will need to top off so if anyone has a hint for a commercial equivalent I can use instead of water I would appreciate it.
 
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