What's going on in your winery today..

[Rich]

the dark brown sugar version looks like creosote any ideas apart from the obvious unrefined nature of the brown sugar.

Yup, I've an idea, paint fences with it, and see if it preserves them like creosote

Or, more seriously, do they taste a lot different? I've just back sweetened one of my half gallon trials with some brown sugar, it's now gone a bit hazy so it's back in the cupboard for a while longer.

Today, I've mostly been clearing up and getting ready to get a couple of ferments on

[wisp]

I've been really edgy today. Haven't been able to get out and get some sugar so that I can get more wines on [I need someone to take me]. I have fermenters and buckets and DJs just sitting around not earning their keep.

Don't know why I'm into this wine making lark as it can be so frustrating!

[wisp]

Yup, I've an idea, paint fences with it, and see if it preserves them like creosote

Preserve them? If I know OB's wine, it'll rot them!

[goldseal]

Pete...

did those packets of 71B ever get hot, or did you store them in the fridge...


It would seem that one batch we got did contain a few dud's. they all (bar 1) worked ok for me (stored in fridge) but M had a couple of non starters too.

Not really sure. I store them in the fridge, but I don't know what happened to them beforehand. I think I know where they were from (non-WAH source) but maybe I should start to keep notes.

It does make you doubt yourself when suddenly your fermentations start to fail for no apparent reason, doesn't it?

[wisp]

[lockwood1956]

It does make you doubt yourself when suddenly your fermentations start to fail for no apparent reason, doesn't it?

Indeed Pete,
we all have our moments of doubt from time to time, be we all have each other on here

[wisp]

Is that Bob getting sentimental?

[ms67]

moved the 3 gallons of pineapple wine number 1 to secondary

started 3 gallons of the pomegranate version of wine number 1

lots of thinking of how best to manage my DJ's (bottle some wine a bit earlier than anticipated?) as i have reached capacity ...... or if i need more

[wisp]

My pineapple #1 wine was a wee bit sickly to begin with. I must admit, though, that it hadn't been in the fridge. Tell you what though, after a wee bit in the bottle and the shortest time in the fridge it was nectar. The future is bright ... the future is pineapple!

[goldseal]

Getting a starter going - it looks like my 5 gal Wine No.1 has stuck. Weird.

Starter now has about 1.5l must in it. Ticking slowly, but I wouldn't expect it to be going like a rocket at 1.010. ANY movement is welcome at the moment

[Rich]

Cleaning/sterilising and getting a couple of ferments on today. The cheap Choc rasp port that Goldseal pointed out a while ago and another 5 gallon red.

I was donated some bits from a chap at work that used to make his own. I borrowed a valve spring compressor off him, so gave him a bottle of nice wine when I returned it. He brought me 3 demijons, a beer barrel and a box of stuff. pic attached

Also, cleaning up a pyrex glass carboy I've acquired. Very odd thing with a tap in the bottom too.

[goldseal]

Careful with that ancient yeast, Rich. I'm not saying it looks old, but when you rehydrate it, it might swell up into a Tyrannosaurus

[ms67]

love the carbuoy! bet it spent some time in a chemistry lab in its former life. i remember similar vessels from my geochemistry lab days, used for collecting the products from a still that was always on, separating waste organic solvent mixtures.

[NorthernWiner]

I picked up my Winexpert Petit Verdot kit yesterday, and plan on starting it this evening. While at the HBS, I also picked up a 5-gallon pail of frozen Sauvignon Blanc juice. I may also start that tonight or tomorrow if it's thawed.

[wisp]

?.....were they potable?

as if it would have mattered to you!