Wine of the month March 2016 anyone?

[OhCrap]

Has anyone started this yet. I can't seem to find one.... Not sure whether I'm good enough to start it lol
Here's what I'm at

Can someone more knowledgeable (that won't be hard [emoji23]) throw an eye over this recipe please....

Red and black currant wine

2 gallons
6lbs red and black currants
13 pints water
3.5 lbs sugar
1 tsp pectic enzyme
2 tsp nutrient
? Tannin (not sure here....how much or if any )
1pk Lalvin yeast rc 212 (I'll check)

Normal procedure etc...
Thanks in advance

 

[Julie]

Not sure if you seen what I posted on your last post that you deleted but this is what I said

I would add a couple more pounds of currants. Normally I like to have at least 4 pounds per gallon, preferably 5 pounds per gallon. And don't add a particular amount of sugar, add enough sugar to bring your sg between 1.080 and 1.090 and adjust your ph to 3.5 - 3.6

 

[OhCrap]

Not sure if you seen what I posted on your last post that you deleted but this is what I said

I would add a couple more pounds of currants. Normally I like to have at least 4 pounds per gallon, preferably 5 pounds per gallon. And don't add a particular amount of sugar, add enough sugar to bring your sg between 1.080 and 1.090 and adjust your ph to 3.5 - 3.6

Sorry I didn't see it .... Ok I'll see if I can get more berries and if not I'll reduce volume [emoji4] again sorry I didn't see post before moving it

 

[Arne]

With the red currants I grow, three pounds makes a pretty flavorful wine. I usually go a bit more, but have made it with three pounds and it was still good. Adding more berries per pound will give more flavor, tho. Anyway, an extra pound of currants is a lot of picking. The little berries do not add up very fast, but they do make a very nice wine. Worth the time spent picking them. Arne.

 

[OhCrap]

With the red currants I grow, three pounds makes a pretty flavorful wine. I usually go a bit more, but have made it with three pounds and it was still good. Adding more berries per pound will give more flavor, tho. Anyway, an extra pound of currants is a lot of picking. The little berries do not add up very fast, but they do make a very nice wine. Worth the time spent picking them. Arne.

Cheers Arne
I ended up with 11.5 lbs after raiding sister in laws freezer....
I used your recipe as a guide tnx

 

[the_rayway]

Oooohhh, sounds lovely!

I would love to do a proper WOTM for March, but may have to wait until we have word on putting the house up for sale. Sometimes a ferment smell is off-putting for folks! Lol!!

 

[vernsgal]

sounds yummy! Will follow your progress!!
I agree with Julie as to adding more fruit and don't add specific amount of sugar.Watch your SG!!

 

[OhCrap]

Did this yesterday and used 11.5 lbs with 13L water and added sugar to 1.090...
Added all other ingredients after that except yeast that is going in tnite

 

[OhCrap]

I was out degassing and racking various wines and beers and decided to take a peek st my r/b currant wine, looks great smells great BUT it has only dropped from 1.090 to 1.075, it's only 4 days but it seems slow, there as fizzing last night but not so this morning and also no foam anymore, hmmmmm. Anyway without panicking I put it back a hopped on here for words of encouragement lol[emoji12] yeast was Lalvin rc 212 , any experience out there?

 

[Arne]

Did you let it get cold? Get it warmed up to about 70 F. or so. A bit warmer won't hurt. Try to keep it under 80, tho. Give it a good stir, Keep the o2 in it for right now. :Maybe a bit more yeast nutrient and a little yeast energizer. Usually, tho this time of year around here people let it get too cold and it slows down or sticks. Worst thing if it won't take off, hit it with Red Star champaine yeast or think the lavlin answer is something 118. Havn't used the lavlin yeasts, don't know the right numbers. No reason other than I started with the red star and have had good luck with it. Arne.

 

[Jericurl]

I know March is almost over, but I'm considering making a March WOTM club batch.

I've got a one gallon batch going right now that we are calling Oh Henry! It's peaches, figs, and roses. And OMG, so far it is knocking it out of the park.

I've got about 15 lbs of peaches in the freezer and some lavender cooking extract, so I'm thinking of doing a peach/lavender mead for March.
Our peach/lavender jam is out of this world and we usually have people lining up to buy it every year. I figure it's time to attempt to translate it to jam.

 

[OhCrap]

Did you let it get cold? Get it warmed up to about 70 F. or so. A bit warmer won't hurt. Try to keep it under 80, tho. Give it a good stir, Keep the o2 in it for right now. :Maybe a bit more yeast nutrient and a little yeast energizer. Usually, tho this time of year around here people let it get too cold and it slows down or sticks. Worst thing if it won't take off, hit it with Red Star champaine yeast or think the lavlin answer is something 118. Havn't used the lavlin yeasts, don't know the right numbers. No reason other than I started with the red star and have had good luck with it. Arne.

All is good. It seems to be happy again, temp is 69 constant I'll up it a touch. But panic over

 

[OhCrap]

I know March is almost over, but I'm considering making a March WOTM club batch.



I've got a one gallon batch going right now that we are calling Oh Henry! It's peaches, figs, and roses. And OMG, so far it is knocking it out of the park.



I've got about 15 lbs of peaches in the freezer and some lavender cooking extract, so I'm thinking of doing a peach/lavender mead for March.

Our peach/lavender jam is out of this world and we usually have people lining up to buy it every year. I figure it's time to attempt to translate it to jam.

ROSES interesting, peaches sound nice

 

[Stressbaby]

I would like to see these WotM threads back. I did a 1 gallon "Tutti Fruiti" in January that would qualify - all miscellaneous tropical fruit. It has promise actually. Cloudy as #*%$ though, going to need fining.
Blog post 1
Blog post 2

 

[the_rayway]

I would love to see WOTM back again too! With life being so busy, I've barely touched my wines in quite awhile. They've just been ageing away in their carboys. Might be time to get them stacked away in preparation for a potential move! Also, there is still SO much fruit in the freezer...

 

[Jericurl]

I would love to see WOTM back again too! With life being so busy, I've barely touched my wines in quite awhile. .

Yes. This!
Life has been good, but life has been so busy.
I haven't made much of anything lately and I need to get back on it.
Over the last year I've made a lot more mead than wine, but I still feel like I need to get back in the saddle on production!

Also, I've been too busy the last couple of days and won't be able to start anything tonight either.

Why don't I start a WOTM Club for April tomorrow and we can see how it goes?

 

[Boatboy24]

I'd love to see some updates on earlier WOTM batches.

 

[the_rayway]

I like these thoughts!
Also Jim, you are right, I think I need to go back and have a peek to see about updates.

 

[OhCrap]

I love days off, Was out working on some wines today, racked and fined 6gal Dragon blood, racked my shiraz kit, racked a 1gal rhurbarb experiment and checked my red/black currant wine..
It had only dropped from 1.090 to 1.035 in 10 days so I upped the temp a couple of degrees and repitched ec1118 yeast, that should get it down

 

[OhCrap]

I love days off, Was out working on some wines today, racked and fined 6gal Dragon blood, racked my shiraz kit, racked a 1gal rhurbarb experiment and checked my red/black currant wine..
It had only dropped from 1.090 to 1.035 in 10 days so I upped the temp a couple of degrees and repitched ec1118 yeast, that should get it down

Meant to post a pic, rhurbarb and DB in background