Working on my first batch of WE VR Gewurstraminer, Here is my progress so far... in case anyone cares 
but any constructive info passed along would be greatly appreciated.
Saturday March 8th: cleaned, sanitized, and began primary fermentation in the 'bucket' with airlock. my room thermometer has been constant at 68 degrees sometimes reaching 70. I was hoping to do this in the basement but being wisconsin in latter part of winter the temp down there is generally about 60 degrees, too cold for my setup. Anyways... beginning SG reading was 1.074 at 5pm
Tuesday March 11th, pure curiosity caused me to pop the top and check the SG. Todays reading is 1.042, Given the 5-7 days to reach the 1.010 or lower SG, it seems as i am on track for my anticipated Friday or Saturday movement onto stage 2.
I also sanitized my carboy because i wanted to sanitize my wine theif, which is really long, so i figured i would just kill 2 birds with one stone. after sanitization i bunged (?) the carboy. i created a siphon, which i never did before, to empty the carboy. that was fun.
Lessons learned:
1. i have no patience, well, i already knew that. haha.
2. i will be buying a drill mounted stirrer!
3. creating a siphon! woo!! hah.
should iI re-sanitize the carboy before transferring when the time comes, I am assuming so.
How do you guys sanitize a wine theif?
for degassing... what do you guys recommend, a whip? or the Mix-stir thing?
thats all!
will probably post more later this week.
but any constructive info passed along would be greatly appreciated. Saturday March 8th: cleaned, sanitized, and began primary fermentation in the 'bucket' with airlock. my room thermometer has been constant at 68 degrees sometimes reaching 70. I was hoping to do this in the basement but being wisconsin in latter part of winter the temp down there is generally about 60 degrees, too cold for my setup. Anyways... beginning SG reading was 1.074 at 5pm
Tuesday March 11th, pure curiosity caused me to pop the top and check the SG. Todays reading is 1.042, Given the 5-7 days to reach the 1.010 or lower SG, it seems as i am on track for my anticipated Friday or Saturday movement onto stage 2.
I also sanitized my carboy because i wanted to sanitize my wine theif, which is really long, so i figured i would just kill 2 birds with one stone. after sanitization i bunged (?) the carboy. i created a siphon, which i never did before, to empty the carboy. that was fun.
Lessons learned:
1. i have no patience, well, i already knew that. haha.
2. i will be buying a drill mounted stirrer!
3. creating a siphon! woo!! hah.
should iI re-sanitize the carboy before transferring when the time comes, I am assuming so.
How do you guys sanitize a wine theif?
for degassing... what do you guys recommend, a whip? or the Mix-stir thing?
thats all!
