Wild Grapes

[NorthernWinos]

That batch sure has a lot fermenting going on...What was the S.G. today when you racked it.
You sure got a lot of those wild grapes....awesome!!!!

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Wish I could answer that, this probably goes under applemans embarrassing moments post, my hydrometer rolled off the table and broke...was like watching it in slow motion, I couldn't react

, been fermenting since 9/25, guessing and hoping its close, new hydrometer coming from LHBS soon. Must of landed just right when I think of how many times I have dropped it, and it survived.


Also, friend at work has a steamer like you use NW, said I could use on the next batch ( WOW what a time saver THAT will be) would you steam on the stems, or take the time to remove them all? That is a very long tedious process on these tiny grapes.Edited by: JWMINNESOTA

 

[NorthernWinos]

I usually remove them from the stems. I did do a batch once with the stems, but that was before I started making wine and it was just a breakfast drink.


I would think you would get lots of tanins, but they render down so quickly that I can't say for sure.Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[grapeman]

I hope your batch behaves itself there JW! The two that foamed all over yesterday were down that farand still overflowed through the airlock. That head looks eerily similar to mine, only my juice looks black in the carboy with burgundy foam! I looks almost identiacal in color to the batch I made last year from wild grapes.

 

[jobe05]

That looks Great JW. My bottles are still sitting to settle out. This week however they go in the wine fridge for a week, then......... They are all mine! If they are anything like the Grape Jelly, it will be awesome! I love the jelly.

What would be a good food pairing? Did you finish it dry, or a little sweet?

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Reading your post Jobe I would say you will be lucky to get food to go with the wine, there are both sweet and dry versions in what I sent, the label with your name on it is the sweet dessert style, the others dry.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Deja Vu all over again...this is the batch I will try MLF on, making it next to the Zin/Shiraz I got from George today, kind of following the same lines as far as oak, etc. Used Pasteur Red for the yeast, Heavy American oak in Primary.

Then at the appropriate time, following Applemans instruction, and using culture from George, try a little MLF. Nothing like another grand experiment on a chilly fall day! Now to try and get the purple off my hands from destemming all those little grapes...maybe just wear my Vikings jersey and tell everyone its Purple Pride!

Edited by: JWMINNESOTA

 

[grapeman]

JW, put that in the refrigerater until almost time to use it. That's why it ships with the chill pack. You don't want it to get too vigorous and use it's food up until ready to use.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Its in the fridge Appleman, thanks.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Going like gangbusters this A.M. Best room freshener there is!

 

[NorthernWinos]

That really is fermenting nicely...I bet those really have a nice strong grapey smell.


I see an orange cap on a carboy....are you racking that one??? Or is there an airlock on one of those tubes???? Hope one tube isn't open to the air??? I am so paranoid...we are really loaded up with fruit flies up here and I am nervous about them....just overly curious.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

There is an airlock on there NW, never hurts to ask, makes me double check myself , and thats good.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Complete opposite of the Zin/Shiraz I have going, started same time, this is Grapes Gone Wild!

 

[jobe05]

MY LORD!!!!!

What did you do, feed that must some Beans????

I don't think I have ever seen such big bubbles.

What ratio of juice to water are you using, and what yeast did you use.

If you can keep it in the bucket, that looks awesome.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

I guess I should of added a tsp beano...same as all others I've done except the yeast, using Pasteur Red.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Got 'er racked to glass today, looking forward to trying the MLF on this. Biggest challenge I have found on the wild grapes is getting the acid level just right, maybe this is the answer. Enough experiment's were done that hopefully next year I can get it right!

 

[grapeman]

I hope that puppy is about done fermenting or you could be in for one of my volcanos there. That's higher in the carboy than I had mine. It took them a few days to quiet down so I could bring them up to about where you are. That's a great color going on there. Hope it turns out great!

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Started MLF yesterday, so now the wait for a couple of months to see what happens...In the meantime, The LAST

batch of wild grapes is proving to be some excitement...this A.M. when I got home from work I checked SG, I have a 3 gal batch, and two 1 gal batches, ready to go to glass....so...Hey, I'll mix em in a 5 gal carboy!

Well....woke up around noon, walked into wine making room and OY

, the walls were purple, all the surrounding carboys were purple, the floor was ...well, you get the idea, a volcano to say the least. So I'm scrubbin and cleaning before wife gets home, laughing and cussin' , in my hurry to stay out of trouble, didn't get a pic, You would see all purple. So, to try and remedy this short term ( I hope) situation, I put a blow off tube in a bucket of water, hopefully this calms down soon. May order more culture and do MLF on this as well, figure why not?

This will be the last of the Grand Experiments...No more grapes until next year, but its been fun!

 

[Wade E]

From the looks of that carboy you couldnt have lost much. You most likely had to much in there for a continuing fermentation and the extra O2 from racking just set it off. What was the SG at racking into that carboy?

 

[jobe05]

From the looks of that carboy you couldnt have lost much.

It's funny how that works.......... Takes 2 gallons of paint to paint that room............................

Takes 1/2 cup of wine to turn it purple.........................

Been there done that...........