Zinfandel/Blackberry Updates

12/27/2009:  Created starter with Premier Cuvee.  After adding the Yeast energizer it appeared to die.   Started a new Yeast Starter with Montrachet without energizer.  After a few hours the starter was foaming real good.  Added to Must.

1/1/2010:  Stirred the must twice daily until the SG was 1.023 in the AM.  Racked in the afternoon.  Split between a 3g and 3l carboys.

1/14/2010 Checked SG 0.990  Waiting for my Orange Muscat to reach 1.030 to free up my 3.5g carboy.

as of 1/20/2010 still waiting  Orange Muscat is now at 1.036

2/27/10:  Taste tested today for Oak Level.  The Oak is definitely present in the wine and at a level I think will be good.  So I racked it off the oak and topped up the 3g carboy with the non-oaked wine in the small second container. The Mouth feel of the wine is getting better with a nice Oak taste on the palette.

New Label (Cranberry)

She did it again.  I need a label for my Cranberry wine, so I asked my daughter, and she pulled out real winner again.

Bottling day

Bottled the Orange/Muscat Port Kit today.  It's taste is good.  I think it will get better with time. Here is the picture of another killer label from my daughter.

Grapefruit

I was in Webbs Candy the other day and was looking at their Florida Wines.  They sell a lot of Wines made by Florida Orange Groves Inc, and Winery.  I noticed a wine from Grapefruit, it had a nice pale straw color. Then I remembered I had a fellow co-worker give me a big bag of Ruby Red Grapefruit the other day. I got thinking, OK, I could make make Grapefruit wine.  Did some looking on the internet, of course Jack Keller was the first instinct.  And of course he did not let me down.  Several versions of Grapefruit Wines.  And here is the one I decided on using:

----------------------------------------

GRAPEFRUIT WINE (Dry) (1)

• 6 large grapefruit
• 2-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
• water to 1 gal
• 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1 tsp yeast starter
• Sauterne yeast

Scrub grapefruit clean. Peel one grapefruit thinly, making sure no white pith adheres to peel. Put peel in primary with half the sugar, the crushed Campden tablet, juice from all six grapefruit, yeast nutrient, and enough water to bring up to one gallon, stirring well to dissolve sugar. Cover primary with clean cloth. After 12 hours, add pectic enzyme. After additional 12 hours, add yeast. After two days of vigorous fermentation, add remaining sugar, stir well, and allow additional two days vigorous fermentation in primary. Discard peel, transfer to secondary and fit airlock. Rack every 30 days, topping up each time. After fifth racking, bottle and set aside at least 6 months. [Adapted from Dorothy Alatorre's Home Wines of North American

----------------------------------------

I did not have what I would call large Grapefruit, so I used 8.
I added 1.5lbs of the sugar. Fermex Yeast Nutrient and used Montrachet Yeast.
SG=1.080
Recipe calls to add 1lb more sugar, the only problem that would put the PA way above where I would like it.  So I will probably add only 5-8oz more sugar to add 0.015 to the SG. This should make a nice dry wine around 12-13% abv.

2/21/10:  Added the rest of the sugar about 6oz raised the SG by 0.010 so the effective starting SG would be 1.090 which will put it in the 12% range when finished.

Cranberry Bottling

Cranberry stayed clear and only small dusting on the bottom of the carboy after racking off the Bentonite 2 weeks ago.  Wine finished at about 13% abv with some residual  sugar at a SG of 1.012, for a semi-Dry Finish, Tastes a little like a White Zinfandel with a some tartness from the Cranberry.  Now to let it age for a couple months before tasting.  Hopefully it will smooth out some.

Mead

I have friend who brought up the idea of making some Mead.  I have tried mead only once, Chaucer's Mead.  It is sweet mead at 10% abv and not too bad.  I thought that possibly a little more Alcohol and not as sweet would be a good start. for some Mead.  I did a lot of searching and decided to use Jack Keller's Recipe for semi-dry as a guideline.

2.5 - 3 lbs quality varietal honey
1-1/4 tsp yeast nutrient
1-1/2 tsp citric acid (Acid Blend)
1/4 tsp yeast energizer
Water to make up 1 gal (about 3 liters
1 sachet Montrachet yeast (Côte des Blancs)

My Actual Recipe

9 lbs Clover honey
4 tsp yeast nutrient
1-1/2 tsp Acid Blend
3/4 tsp yeast energizer
Water to make up 3 gal + a finger width
1 sachet Côte des Blancs

I decided to make a 3 gallon batch since I have a 4 gallon carboy and a 3 gallon emptying soon.  I got 9 lbs of Clover Honey from Wal-Mart.  I decided to use a different Yeast than Jack used.  I did some research and decided to try Côte des Blancs.It appears to have some favorable characteristics for Mead making.  Starting SG 1.103 (with temp adjustment)
Target SG 1.015
This will put it near 12% abv and Semi Sweet.  Just what I am looking for.
Stay Tuned

2/16/10  The little yeasties appear very happy this morning
2/20/10  Checked SG this morning 1.040

New Wine Batches

Started 2 new batches. Cinnamon Wine and another batch of Apple Wine.  Used the same recipe as the Tennessee Apple since it came out so good. But the juice is from Whole Foods here locally.  Got the jug of juice when acquiring 1 gallon jugs.

Cinnamon Wine?

Ben Evert posted this Cinnamon Wine recipe on his Beer and Wine Making Blog. It sounded interesting and the next day I just happened to be at Dollar tree and there was a pack of a 18 Cinnamon Sticks.  So I thought I would give it try.  I also thought I could blend some of the finished wine with some Apple that I am starting at the same time.

Here is the recipe:

---------------------------------------------

Cinnamon Wine

* 12 six-inch cinnamon sticks

* 3 lbs granulated sugar

* 7-1/2 pts water

* 1 tsp yeast nutrient

* 1/8 tsp tannin

* 3 tsp acid blend

* 1 crushed Campden tablet

* Champagne wine yeast

Put cinnamon sticks and one quart water in a pot with a tight-fitting lid.

Bring to a simmer and hold for 10 minutes with the lid on, turn off heat, and let steep for two hours.

Strain the water into a secondary and discard the cinnamon sticks.

Add sugar to remaining water and bring to a boil.

Turn off heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Add all remaining ingredients to secondary except Campden and yeast and then pour in the sugar-water.

Cover with a napkin held in place with a rubberband and allow to cool.

Add Crushed Campden, stir, and allow to sit 24 hours covered.

Add activated yeast and recover.

Ferment 5-7 days, or until specific gravity falls below 1.030.

Fit with airlock and continue fermentation 30 days.

Rack into sanitized secondary, top up, and refit airlock.

Ferment another 3 months, rack again and ferment additional 3 months.

Stabilize, sweeten to taste, and let sit under airlock additional 10 days.

Rack into bottles and store in dark place.

---------------------------------------------

Tennessee Apple: Bottled

The Apple stayed nice and clear after sweetening. I got five bottles and a glass. Well of course I had to drink it.  I think it came out really good.  It has real good body and hint of the apple on the taste buds.  The alcohol is not over powering but gives it a nice little bite.  Should be about 12-12.5% abv.  I stabilized it at 12.9% but with rackings and topping up I am sure it dropped a little.   After a couple months in bottle it should be even better.  I will make this again.  Soon