Month: December 2024

List of small batch fermentations and their current status. Click the title for details.

First Rack 1 / Second Fermentation
#20 2025-01-04 Grape
~ yeast pitch 2025-01-05 ~ lavlin 71b
~ first fermentation 29 days - complete
~ rack 1 2025-02-02 - complete
~ second fermentation 261 days - in progress
~ next milestone Second Rack 2 overdue by -231 days
~~~ 2025-03-15 bottleday, very sweet, less sugar or diff yeast

#21 2025-01-04 Apple Strawberry Banana
~ yeast pitch 2025-01-05 ~ lavlin 71b
~ first fermentation 29 days - complete
~ rack 1 2025-02-02 - complete
~ second fermentation 261 days - in progress
~ next milestone Second Rack 2 overdue by -231 days
~~~ 2024-11-20 bottleday, semi-sweet, less sugar or diff yeast

---

Backsweeten/Bottling / Aging
#17 2024-12-13 Apple Raspberry
~ total days start to bottling 52
~ bottle date 2025-02-02
~ aged 6 months 2025-08-01 (2 months 19 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-10-30 (0 months 9 days)
~ aged 12 months 2026-01-28 (3 months 7 days)
~~~ 2024-12-20 well, made a wine instead
~~~ 2024-11-26 brilliant idea. Make a mead using juice concentrate and honey. sugar whammy.

#19 2024-12-13 Apple Cherry
~ total days start to bottling 45
~ bottle date 2025-01-26
~ aged 6 months 2025-07-25 (2 months 26 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-10-23 (0 months 2 days)
~ aged 12 months 2026-01-21 (3 months 0 days)

#18 2024-11-24 Wild Blueberry
~ total days start to bottling 64
~ bottle date 2025-01-26
~ aged 6 months 2025-07-25 (2 months 26 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-10-23 (0 months 2 days)
~ aged 12 months 2026-01-21 (3 months 0 days)
~~~ 2025-01-04 Still fermenting beautifully, leave in jar, no rack, wait
~~~ 2024-11-24 really wanted to make my first blueberry really good... today, mashed the wild blueberries, add to primary with water. Took gravity, 7%. Is this because I added the sugar to the fruit last night--bad mixing? Added more water than usual to account for 3lbs blueberry must and two weights. And added 1c sugar syrup bring gravity up to 10% or so... backstep backstep. Don't think I'll do that again, need an accurate gravity reading, sugar syrup + macerated fruit or

#16 2024-11-18 Apple Peach Mango
~ total days start to bottling 48
~ bottle date 2025-01-04
~ aged 6 months 2025-07-03 (3 months 17 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-10-01 (0 months 19 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-12-30 (2 months 9 days)
~~~ 2024-11-24 neglected this darling so far. robust fermentation to start, foam then foam disappears, blubbles then back to foam. haha.

#15 2024-11-16 Frozen Blackberries/Blended Berries
~ total days start to bottling 79
~ bottle date 2025-02-02
~ aged 6 months 2025-08-01 (2 months 19 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-10-30 (0 months 9 days)
~ aged 12 months 2026-01-28 (3 months 7 days)
~~~ 2024-11-23 had to rack to get this fruit tannin out... almost 1c sugar added, it's weak, will need to continue stepping this. ahh it's bubbling now... deep purple-red color, opaque.
~~~ 2024-11-21 tip... After a week lift out the straining bag with the pulp and allow to drain as much as possible, avoid squeezing the bag. that's 7 days from pitch. leaving it in too long adds to many tannins from berry skin.

#14 2024-11-08 White Grape
~ total days start to bottling 36
~ bottle date 2024-12-13
~ aged 6 months 2025-06-11 (4 months 9 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-09-09 (1 months 11 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-12-08 (1 months 17 days)
~~~ 2024-11-19 small bubbles, fermenting continues
~~~ 2024-11-18 add 1/2c sugar today

#13 2024-11-03 Apple Strawberry Banana
~ total days start to bottling 41
~ bottle date 2024-12-13
~ aged 6 months 2025-06-11 (4 months 9 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-09-09 (1 months 11 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-12-08 (1 months 17 days)
~~~ 2024-11-20 pretty dead now, add 1/4c sugar diluted
~~~ 2024-11-19 Calmed down, added diluted 1/4c sugar... go to sleep darling and in the months that come bring forth a delicious ice cold beverage.

#12 2024-10-26 Black Cherry
~ total days start to bottling 49
~ bottle date 2024-12-13
~ aged 6 months 2025-06-11 (4 months 9 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-09-09 (1 months 11 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-12-08 (1 months 17 days)
~~~ 2024-12-01 this one has been dead quiet for 10 days or so. taste reveal harshness. maybe i added too much sugar. Aging will help says everyone... we'll see.
~~~ 2024-11-20 after back stepping, this is still fermenting with a nice krausening line...

#11 2024-10-17 Apple
~ total days start to bottling 31
~ bottle date 2024-11-16
~ aged 6 months 2025-05-15 (5 months 5 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-08-13 (2 months 7 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-11-11 (0 months 21 days)
~~~ 2024-11-12 Step 12 Stabilize. Add 1 crushed Camden tablet
~~~ 2024-11-05 still bubbling, de-gassing

#10 2024-10-12 Apple Raspberry
~ total days start to bottling 23
~ bottle date 2024-11-03
~ aged 6 months 2025-05-02 (5 months 18 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-07-31 (2 months 20 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-10-29 (0 months 8 days)
~~~ 2024-11-03 bottled today, 2 750ml and one big bottle. fg was 0 but it was semi-sweet. watch this could be really good.
~~~ 2024-10-26 juice: 348g of sugar...settling beautifully.

#9 2024-10-07 Blackberry Fruit
~ total days start to bottling 28
~ bottle date 2024-11-03
~ aged 6 months 2025-05-02 (5 months 18 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-07-31 (2 months 20 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-10-29 (0 months 8 days)
~~~ 2024-11-03 bottled today, 4 750ml. very dry even after backsweetening on 10/23.
~~~ 2024-10-26 beautiful color showing through sun on jar today.

#8 2024-10-04 Grape
~ total days start to bottling 44
~ bottle date 2024-11-16
~ aged 6 months 2025-05-15 (5 months 5 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-08-13 (2 months 7 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-11-11 (0 months 21 days)
~~~ 2024-11-12 Step 12 Stabilize. Add 1 crushed Camden tablet
~~~ 2024-11-05 still bubbling, de-gassing

#7 2024-09-16 Blueberry Pomegranate
~ total days start to bottling 19
~ bottle date 2024-10-04
~ aged 6 months 2025-04-02 (6 months 18 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-07-01 (3 months 19 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-09-29 (0 months 21 days)
~~~ 2024-10-03 didn’t pitch enough yeast because turned out really sweet; realized was 2c short due to headspace in 1gal. so maybe sweet from shortage. damn, when did I rack this?

#6 2024-09-07 Pineapple
~ total days start to bottling 18
~ bottle date 2024-09-24
~ aged 6 months 2025-03-23 (6 months 28 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-06-21 (3 months 29 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-09-19 (1 months 1 days)
~~~ 2024-09-24 3 bottles, cool Saturday
~~~ 2024-09-23 Add 1/2c sugar

#5 2024-09-02 Cranberry Raspberry
~ total days start to bottling 19
~ bottle date 2024-09-20
~ aged 6 months 2025-03-19 (7 months 1 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-06-17 (4 months 3 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-09-15 (1 months 5 days)

#4 2024-07-30 Cranberry Grape (64oz)
~ total days start to bottling 33
~ bottle date 2024-08-31
~ aged 6 months 2025-02-27 (7 months 21 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-05-28 (4 months 23 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-08-26 (1 months 25 days)

#3 2024-07-30 Red Tart Cherry (64oz)
~ total days start to bottling 33
~ bottle date 2024-08-31
~ aged 6 months 2025-02-27 (7 months 21 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-05-28 (4 months 23 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-08-26 (1 months 25 days)

#2 2024-07-30 Red Tart Cherry/Apple (64oz)
~ total days start to bottling 33
~ bottle date 2024-08-31
~ aged 6 months 2025-02-27 (7 months 21 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-05-28 (4 months 23 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-08-26 (1 months 25 days)

#1 2024-07-30 Apple Mead (64oz)
~ total days start to bottling 33
~ bottle date 2024-08-31
~ aged 6 months 2025-02-27 (7 months 21 days)
~ aged 9 months 2025-05-28 (4 months 23 days)
~ aged 12 months 2025-08-26 (1 months 25 days)
~~~ 2024-11-27 this was part of first batch...

---

NOTFND

#19 2024-12-13 Apple Cherry
~ primary 1.5gal jar (1gal recipe)
~ oo apple cherry 100% juice concentrate x2 cans
~ sugar from juice 348g
~ sugar 4c
~ ab 2tsp ~ pe 1/2tsp ~ ye 1tsp
~ IG 15%-16%
~ yeast pitch 2024-12-14 ~ Lavlin 71b
~ first fermentation 10 days - complete
~ rack 1 2024-12-23 - complete
~ stabilize 1 camden 2025-01-18 - complete
~ stabilize 2 ps 2025-01-26 - complete
~ stabilizing - complete
~ backsweeten/bottle 2025-01-26 - complete

#17 2024-12-13 Apple Raspberry
~ Irene Moore
~ primary 1.5gal jar (1gal recipe)
~ oo apple raspberry 100% juice concentrate x2 cans
~ sugar from juice 348g
~ sugar 4c
~ ab 2tsp ~ pe 1/2tsp ~ ye 1tsp
~ IG 15%-16%
~ yeast pitch 2024-12-14 ~ Lavlin 71b
~ first fermentation 10 days - complete
~ rack 1 2024-12-23 - complete
~ second fermentation 35 days - complete
~ rack 2 2025-01-26 - complete
~ stabilize 1 camden 2025-01-18 - complete
~ stabilize 2 ps 2025-02-02 - complete
~ stabilizing - complete
~ backsweeten/bottle 2025-02-02 - complete
~ notes
~~~ 2024-12-20 well, made a wine instead
~~~ 2024-11-26 brilliant idea. Make a mead using juice concentrate and honey. sugar whammy.