Muscadine Final Racking (hopefully)

Been a month since the last racking.  The wine is super clear with some crystal looking sediment. Racked and filtered through a sanitized coffee filter. I adjusted the SG (sweetness) level of both gallons during the previous racking to different levels between the to gallons.  I took very small samples and like the difference in flavors between them.  One gallon I was adjusted to an SG of 1.012 and the other I adjusted to 1.006 and added 1/8tsp of Tannin.

The finished wine is a far cry from the completion of Primary fermentation.

If there is no sediment in next 2 weeks I will be bottling the wine to free up my carboys for wine to make more.

12/3/09:  Still dropping sediment.  Guess I better slow down and wait.  Just let nature takes its course and not try to rush it.

Cranberry Update

The bubbles were noticeably slower today. Checked the SG and it was at 1.012, with it starting at 1.110, puts the wine at. just over 13% abv with a semi sweet finished.   Racked, stabilized and degassed the wine. There was lot sediment left, but since I started 5 qts, I still have a gallon.

Tennessee Apple Clearing

It has bee a month since racking and stabilizing.  Wine has not cleared any since the second day from racking. There is almost no deposits in the jug.  Decided to add some Sparkolloid to try and clear it.  Mixed up a batch and stirred it in thoroughly.  Now I wait and see.

11/19/09: Placed jug in Refrigerator for cold stabilization and help to clear the Apple Wine. Wine appears to be stable but just not clearing, even after adding Sparkolloid.

12/8/09:  Not clearing yet.  Racked and added Bentonite.  Lets see what happens now
12/12/09: Looks like it is beginning to clear.

Polk County White: First True Tasting

The Polk County White is 3 months old and has been in the bottle for a month.  I decided it was time to give one a try.

Nose:  Light fruity and tart aroma.

Taste:  Slightly Tart and Sweet at the same time.  Light fruit with a hint of Muscat or Muscadine taste and a good sweetness balance.

Alc:  I did not have a hydrometer when I started the batch, so I am unable to determine the alcohol content of the wine.  The feel is around 10% if I had to guess.  It definitely is not prominent or over powering at all just sort of in the background.

Final Notes: For a first batch, not bad. It makes for an average White Table Wine. I actually wish I had left it dry and had not sweetened it. It is very easy drinking and goes done very quick.  I might actually be able to make this stuff.
If I make this again I think I will leave it dry and definitely make the alcohol near 12%.

Try another bottle in a month.

Muscadine Update

I was going to wait another 30 days before messing with this wine.  But there had  not been a hint of a bubble in over a month and with cooler temps in the house the air lock level was moving back towards the wine.  So I decided this would be a good time to rack and sweeten.  Racked both gallons to one of my primary buckets.  Adjust the sugar to taste. (measured sg 1.006) Just a little off dry.  Taste other than being high in the alcohol department (over 15%) was good. similar to a high alcohol version Southern Red from Lakeridge Winery. A little lighter on the body but good.  Transferred back to the cleaned gallon jugs. To one jug I added 1/8tsp of Tannin. To the other a little more sugar (sg 1.012).  Airlocks back on and put away for a couple of months.

Tennessee Apple Racking

It has been about 3 weeks since the first racking.  Fermentation has slowed considerably  , bit still some signs of fermentation and thin firm deposit on the bottom of the jug.  Checked the SG and it is .995, that puts it at 12.9% abv.  Racked to a clean jug, added 1 Campden tablet and Potassium Sorbate. Did some degassing and topped up.  Put it away for 2 months.  Taste is a little rough but I could taste its potential.

Cranberry begins

10/9/09: Started my Cranberry Wine today.  The picture shows the cranberries I used in it. I am following the recipe in the previous post.  With one addition; 6oz grape juice concentrate to add a little more body to the wine.

10/10/09: Pitched the yeast this morning from a starter. Decided to use Lalvin 71B-1122.  The must started at SG of 1.110, the higher starting SG combined with the yeast should give about 13-14%abv semi-sweet to sweet wine.  I have about 5qts of must including the rehydrate Cranberries.  As of 12 hours the Must was showing very little signs of fermentation.  I snapped the lid down tight on the fermentor and it was pushing some bubbles but very slowly. If the fermentation does not improve by morning I will probably make a new starter and toss it in.

10/11/09: Checked this morning and the fermentation is starting to get going a little better, I can actually here the bubbles working through the fruit.  Starting to produce that distinct odor of fermenting fruit.  By the afternoon (almost36hrs.) it is rolling good now.

10/15/09:  Been punching the cap and stirring twice daily. Checked SG this morning now at 1.060 (6.5%abv). targeting 1.030 to rack.

10/17/09, Day 7:  Racked to secondary ended up with 1 gal + 750ml.  SG at 1.046.  Fermentation is a little slower than previous batches I have done. Hours later in the secondary lots of sediment appearing.

10/18:  Appears the 1 gal shows no sign of fermentation but the residual in the 750ml is going like gangbusters. The sg on the 1 gal had not changed from 24hrs earlier. Added 1/2 teaspoon of nutrient and by afternoon still no sign of active fermentation.  Recombined the 2 bottles in the primary fermenter and active fermentation again.  I am not sure what happened.  Maybe not enough of the yeast transfer with wine?  Will just monitor and try again in a couple days.  This time wait to rack/transfer until below 1.030.

10/19: Stll not making progress. Added a new yeast starter.  I will have really review my notes to see what went wrong on this one.

10/22-23/09: Fermentation has been continuing since adding a new starter.  Slow but still working.  On 10/22 stirred must and transferred to the secondary fermentation containers. (1gal and 750ml), after a couple of hours a lot of sediment.  10/23; fermentation is still continuing nicely and the lees (sediment) are compacting down.  I can actually see the bubbles coming up from the bottom of the sediment area.  I think it might end up being ok.

10/25/09: Checked on the secondary and it is bubbling good

11/11/09:  Still bubbling