Grapefest 2010 Ferments

[SiSandrine]

Are you sure there were no solids in the jar? That can affect the reading a lot. I think most people are getting readings in the 1.088 - 1.094 range.

Yeah it seems odd but basically I suspend a kitchen sieve in the cap and then use a turkey baster to draw off the juice to put in a measuring cylinder to minimise solids. I am going to give it another go tonight but the monte seemed in the right range.

2 very ripe boxes?

[goldseal]

Yeah it seems odd but basically I suspend a kitchen sieve in the cap and then use a turkey baster to draw off the juice to put in a measuring cylinder to minimise solids. I am going to give it another go tonight but the monte seemed in the right range.

2 very ripe boxes?

It does seem a bit odd

Trebb:

My acidity measurement agrees with yours Bob.

I have just added 78g tartaric and 4.6 litres water to my 11.5l Trebb to get acid and SG right

[SiSandrine]

Pete,

Are you going to add tartaric acid to the merlot? Once I have rechecked the measurement I will determine how much water to add and do a ritchies acid test.

Is there an easy way to work out how much water to add to bring the SG down, other than trial and error?

[goldseal]

http://web2.airmail.net/sgross/fermcalc/fermcalc_applet.html

- this tool is great. It does everything except make the tea.

I would be really cautious before watering down. I'm still suspicious of that SG!

Wait until you have done the acid test. If your SG is really that high, I would expect the acid to be significantly lower than ours.

[NorthernWiner]

http://web2.airmail.net/sgross/fermc...lc_applet.html

- this tool is great. It does everything except make the tea.

I agree completely... it is great. I use it religiously!

And I think there is a "make tea" button somewhere there.

[lockwood1956]

Are you measuring in Sulfuric or Tartaric?

Tartaric

[fatbloke]

Idiot question time.......

Ok, so I've seen the posts relating to high gravity, but as not really a grape wine maker, what's the problem with that ?

It's not that high that it should cause too much of an issue for fermentation (as I understand), yes this is grapes we're on about, but I understood, that wines that are made for long(er) term ageing etc, are often higher alcohol and also quite high tannin as well........

i.e. wines that are made for "laying down", are often quite different from those that are made for relatively quick drinking.... a year or two......

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick ? as it'd be handy thing to know.....

regards

jtfb

p.s. Oh and good on yer's who managed to make the trip - it sounds like a most excellent time was had by all. Ah well, maybe next year........

[Rich]

It's mainly about keeping the whole wine in balance for the style it's supposed to be, so that it's a pleasant drink. Not something you could sell to NASA for the next launch.

Mostly, your meads are meant to be strong and sweet. A dry white wine isn't meant to be 16%+


EDIT: re read that and it does sound a bit blunt and to the point.. please don't read it in a stern voice!

[Her Lushness]

It's mainly about keeping the whole wine in balance for the style it's supposed to be, so that it's a pleasant drink. Not something you could sell to NASA for the next launch.

Mostly, your meads are meant to be strong and sweet. A dry white wine isn't meant to be 16%+


EDIT: re read that and it does sound a bit blunt and to the point.. please don't read it in a stern voice!

OOOOOH Rich, you do stern so well.....

[solly]

The ferment on the Reds has started, I took the buckets off the cold concrete floor and laid them on a 2" slab of polystyrene and then laid a layer of polythene over that to stop any splash's etc getting onto the polystyrene (which seems have done the job)

Brought the Trebbiano into the kitchen as I need to get another piece of polystyrene from work to sit the trebbiano on, but probley wiser to move the contents to a larger better bottle.

[SiSandrine]

[QUOTE=SiSandrine;76252]Thanks everyone, especially Bob and Martina.
SGs (both musts at 16 deg, hydrometer recently calibrated)
Monte 1.080
Merlot 1.108.
QUOTE]

What on earth was I doing?

Monte was correct, Merlot was 1.094.

Can't get the winemakers nowadays.

[goldseal]

Sounds reasonable - I have just checked the SG on the must froma single box of Merlot (making white merlot) - SG 1.096. My hydrometer does overread a tad, so 1.094 sounds spot-on.

Tempranillo is going great, but the Merlot and Monte are a bit sluggish - almost certainly the low temperature. Both fermenters now have foam blocks on top, there is a thermostatically-controlled oil-filled radiator between them and the whole lot is covered by a plastic sheet, so hopefully I now have a warm-air 'tent' in the garage.

The whites and rosés are in the house at the mo (don't tell Mrs G )

[DaveH]

All mine are in the freezer

However, once a package from a certain yorkshire-based home brew shop arrives things will be moving a pace!

Will post numbers here once i kick things off...

Dave.

[SiSandrine]

I couldn't get the titration of the merlot working with anything resembling decent results. Did anyone manage to get a good TA reading of the reds?

[goldseal]

Rich got 3.5, I got 3.8, so take your pick (or an average)

EDIT:
(Measured as sulphuric)

As tartaric that's 5.3 and 5.8