Month: November 2024
latest news
12/13
– start #17, #19
11/29
– rack 18 early rack but needed to get fruit out?
– rack 16
– rack 12
Next likely apple raspberry or maybe apple cherry?
11/26 what if I made a mead from apple raspberry juice concentrate and 2.5lbs of honey?
11/23-11/25 prepped #18 Wild Blueberry, pitch yeast 11/25
11/19 white grape is stalling for no reason…
11/18 more prepping and racking fun today
11/16 bottled #8 and #11. prepped all new fruit
11/11 The last three 1gal batches I’ve been experimenting with–differently. Added another 1/3c sugar to the black cherry and its fermenting again slowly, the apple is ready to be stabilized and then sweetened soon.
11/03-11/04
~ Start #13 (steps 0,1,2)
~ Bottle #8, #10
Pearls: Conditioning Fruit Wine
Fruit wine typically needs several months to a year of conditioning and clearing after fermentation is complete. During this time, yeast cells and solids settle out of the wine, producing a clearer final product.
The length of conditioning time depends on the type of wine. Red wines generally require 6 months to 2 years while whites typically need 3 to 6 months.
By racking the wine periodically during this conditioning phase, you accelerate the clarification process and improve the final quality of the wine.
1 gal Mead Recipe
If you don’t have a recipe or protocol, this works… (Is a great way to start learning the process.)
Sanitize everything (Hands included) that touches the Must / Mead.
1 gallon Spring Water
3 Pounds Honey (Warm the honey in some hot water for 15 – 20 minutes)
1 Packet (5grams) Cote Des Blanc Yeast (Or yeast of your choice)
Fill jug with 1/2 gallon warm spring water (100 Deg F +- a bit)
Pour warmed honey in and shake the dickens out of it to dissolve the honey and incorporate some air.
Fill the jug to the top of the shoulder on the jug with additional spring water.
Check your Gravity with a hydrometer. Should be somewhere near 1.105
Add nutrients following the protocol of your choice. (SNA. TOSNA 2.0 or 3.0)
Sprinkle in the yeast and shake it again.
Position an airlock and place in a roughly 65 Deg F location.
Wait for it to complete primary fermentation (Somewhere near 1.010 SG and likely about 30 days then rack from the lee’s.)
Add 3 pounds blueberries – Freeze them for at least 24 hours prior – Helps break down the skin and release the juice. You can thaw them prior to adding if you want but not necessary. (You could add the berries to primary instead and remove when primary is nearly complete just be sure to thaw them prior to adding them.)
After 10 days if added in secondary remove the berries and rack from the lees. Check your SG again if not at 1.000 then let it “finish” for a few weeks.
Rack form the lees as necessary
After it is done taste it. It may need to be clarified and require a little vanilla and acid to round out the flavors.
Bottle and age it for 3 – 9 months (Longer is better)
Pearls: Adding Sugar to Fermenting Wine
What is the best way to dissolve sugar in wine must?
When adding sugar to wine must, it is crucial to ensure that the sugar is thoroughly dissolved to prevent any issues with uneven sweetness in the finished wine. One effective method for achieving this is to create a sugar syrup by dissolving the sugar in a small amount of hot water before adding it to the must. This will help ensure that the sugar is evenly distributed throughout the must, leading to a more consistent and balanced final product.
