Grapefest 2010 Ferments

[koomber]

Go On Rich. Pop up another stabby photo.

[Rich]

Your wish is my command.

Did you hear about you have to return borrowed carboys full?

[koomber]

Your wish is my command.

Did you hear about you have to return borrowed carboys full?

But full of what?

[Rich]

But full of what?

ooooooo, now theres a thought.

Beer?


Pic of lees settling out of the last bits.

[spritzer]

But full of what?

Something that you would wish to receive yourself

[kampervan]

monte an merlot both pressed got 5 1/2 off each could have got more but using skins to make c cherry winw and also a cab sav

[goldseal]

All the rosés and the Trebb in closed fermenters with no headspace now.

The Trebb is going a bit slow - only 1.043 ish. A little nutrient added and plenty of splashing during racking (to aerate) may help.

Just finished making a monster starter, basically 13 litres of white grape juice, sugar to 1.075, nutrient and 3 sachets of K1V. This'll be used to get the 2nd runs going like a rocket, so the K1V should overpower the grape skin's yeast when they are introduced.

[SiSandrine]

Hi All,
Well I don't know what happened just then it posted itself before I had completed my post.

Must = ISBN 0 9504594 6 1

Both are well worth getting.

Silverfox

Super thanks Paul. I was trying to remember the name the other day.

[solly]

Pressed the Monte today with me new press, new bad got about 4 gallons from 4 boxes

Also pressed the 70/30 blend, got a gallon but there was a lot of sludge in the bottom of the DJ so it will work out less then a gallon.

Mrs Solly was none to pleased as I dropped the strainning container and it splashed all over her Units and the net curtains on the kitchin window

Pressing the Merlot tomorrow night as down to 1.005................busy busy day on wine making.

[koomber]

Pressed the Monte today with me new press, new bad got about 4 gallons from 4 boxes

Also pressed the 70/30 blend, got a gallon but there was a lot of sludge in the bottom of the DJ so it will work out less then a gallon.

Mrs Solly was none to pleased as I dropped the strainning container and it splashed all over her Units and the net curtains on the kitchin window

Pressing the Merlot tomorrow night as down to 1.005................busy busy day on wine making.

10% sulphite will just yomp through the stains from the red wine. Just make sure you wash it REALLY well afterwards!

[Cellar_Rat]

I also wash down with TFR (traffic film remover) with is a caustic based cleaning solution - BRRRILLIANT. Dried on, caked on, can't reach it - don't matter!

[goldseal]

Tempranillo and Monte down to 1.000.

I'm not 100% confident of my hydrometer readings now because I'm trying to float a hydrometer in something the consistency of oxtail soup. I suppose I could run it through a mesh, but I'll go with Steve's suggestion of waiting for the cap to sink.

I'm not here tomorrow so I won't be able to punch down for 24 hours. I'm also away Thursday, so I suspect everything will be pressed Wednesday regardless

Meanwhile, the mega-starter is going well.

[SiSandrine]

Over the weekend then pressed the Monte and Merlot.

Monte - SG 996, 3 boxes = 3.5 gallons.
Merlot - SG 1.023. 2 boxes = 2.5 gallons.

Little dissapointed with the speed of fermentation of the Merlot. Bit slower than expected and I kept it in a warm kitchen all the time c17deg.

Seems to be bubbling away now in its demijohns though.

[goldseal]

Oh no! Caps have sank in the Tempranillo and the Monte. I discovered this 1 hour before leaving to work away from home on Tuesday. Brilliant timing

This means they'll be untouched until early wednesday morning.

(nervously waits for Steve K to come along and tell me not to worry)

[NorthernWiner]

(nervously waits for Steve K to come along and tell me not to worry)

erm... well...

Kidding!

Take a piece of cling film, and lay it directly on the surface of your wine. Then put the lid tightly on your fermenter. There should be plenty of CO2 present to keep it in good shape until tomorrow.

But I'll keep my fingers crossed as well.