When I offered it to friends and family they were interested but not enthused with my final product. I personally found that the taste of honey wasn't very strong at all. Maybe next time I'll add more honey? If there is a next time. For now I'll focus on grape and fruit wines.
This is the place to read about the enjoyment of winemaking. We make our own wine at home and enjoy the fruits of our labours. We also buy wine and compare ours to the store bought ones. This forum will cover many aspects of winemaking and also wine buying and food paring. Please come back often for updates.
Showing posts with label Wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wine. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Mead Is An Acquired Taste
As the title states "Mead is an acquired taste." My Pyment Mead turned out not too bad for my first try. It tasted tart and had an unusual aftertaste. The aftertaste wasn't bad it just wasn't something I was used to. I found refrigerating the Mead made the flavour more welcoming.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Personalize Your Own Wine
The following is written by Steve Bader who gives seven ways to tweak the flavor of your wine in the fermenter. I take no personal credit for this article but I wholly endorse it.
Personalize Your Wine
Seven easy ways to adjust flavor in the fermenter
by Steve Bader
Making the perfect wine requires a combination of experience, skill, excellent grapes and good fortune. Skill and experience are things you can acquire over time. But finding the perfect grapes is truly a difficult task. Whether you’re growing your own grapes, buying grapes or buying concentrates, rarely do you get the exact flavor you want from the grape juice in your fermenter.
In operating my retail shop, I find that inexperienced winemakers often believe that all you can do is add yeast to the must and leave the rest to the Wine Gods. They sanitize fermenters, top up carboys and maybe even add some oak chips, but that’s about it. They don’t understand how easy it is to fine-tune a batch and create a flavor they love — even after the wine is in the fermenter!
The most important thing is to open your mind to the creative process. Before you begin, spend some time considering what you want each batch of wine to be. Most winemakers think along the lines of the traditional wine styles, like an oaky Chardonnay from California or a traditional Grand Cru from Burgundy. These are terrific wines, but you might also enjoy some sort of “crossbreed.”
The solution: Simply imagine what you want this wine to be and then go about creating it. Among the most common flavor characteristics to consider are: alcohol strength, acid, tannin, oak, fruit aromas and flavors, body and sweetness.
What follows are my suggestions for personalizing the flavor of your wine. Most of these methods are things you can do after the wine is done fermenting, but before you bottle it. In fact, I find it easier to decide what to do after the wine is about three to six months old. By that time, the wine has settled into something that resembles its finished flavor profile.
With most of these adjustments, it is good to go slow, add a little, taste the wine, and then add more if you want. You can always add more flavor, but it is difficult to take flavor away if you have added too much. A great way of determining what you want to add to your wine is to compare your wine before additions to another wine that has the characteristic that you like. This should help you decide what you want to add to your wine.
ALCOHOL:
When using fresh grapes, it’s common to get fruit that’s slightly low in sugar content. “Chaptalization,” which means adding a little sugar, honey or grape concentrate, will allow you to increase the alcohol content to get the proper balance in your wine. While this is prohibited in Italy and California, it is perfectly acceptable in home winemaking (and in France, by the way).
This adjustment is best done when you first add the yeast to your must. Measure your specific gravity and add the sugar as you see fit. In a five-gallon batch, a pound of sugar, whether it’s honey or table sugar, should raise the ABV (alcohol by volume) roughly three-fourths of a percent. Go easy, as too much alcohol is as bad as too little. Avoid going above 13 percent alcohol by volume (about 25° Brix).
ACID:
Acid is what makes wines taste tart. It also contributes to their “structure,” so they’re not flabby and lifeless (tannin, glycerol and residual sugars are compounds that also impart structure). In most wine kits, the acid level is a little on the low side, to give you a faster-maturing wine. You can use a titration-method acid-test kit to measure the acidity of the juice or concentrate. If your titratable acidity (TA) is, say, 4 percent (4 g/L) and you want to bump it up to 6 percent, you can adjust it before you pitch the yeast.
When making fruit wines, acid levels are normally very low, and yeast will frequently not ferment the wine without a significant increase in acid content. In these cases, testing the must with a TA kit — again, before you add the yeast — will help you to determine the amount of acid to add. You may still add more acid later from a flavor standpoint. (You can buy one of these simple kits at any good home winemaking supply shop.)
There are three types of acid in powder form. Tartaric acid is the primary acid in grapes. Citric acid is the main acid that comes from oranges and lemons. Malic acid is the leading acid in apples and pears. You can also buy an acid blend that’s a combination of these three acids, normally blended in equal portions.
To increase your wine’s acidity, I would suggest adding about 1/4 teaspoon per gallon to start. Use a blend or choose the acid you think best flavors your wine. Tartaric acid works best for grape wines; citric acid is good for mead; and a blend of all three acids suits fruit wines.
A note on timing: It’s best to adjust acid before you pitch the yeast. Otherwise, yeast that have acclimated to one acidity level may react poorly to a sudden acid shock. This is particulary true if your wine will undergo malolactic fermentation; malolactic bacteria are exceedingly sensitive to acid conditions.
You can also reduce the acidity if your wine is too tart. Potassium carbonate is very effective in reducing overall acidity, and will not give your wine a chalky taste like calcium carbonate might. Go easy with it, since it reduces acidity with a small addition. Start with 1/2 teaspoon for a five-gallon batch and add in 1/2 teaspoon increments until you’re satisfied.
TANNIN:
Tannin is the naturally occurring astringency found in grape skins, often described as a “sandpaper” feel in your mouth. Tannin is primarily found in red wines, since they usually ferment with the skins. Whites contain a lot less tannin than reds, since they’re often crushed and pressed the same day. Nearly all kit wines are low in tannin, again for a faster maturing process, so many red wines can be improved by adding some tannin to the fermenter.
I would add powdered tannin at the rate of roughly 1 teaspoon of tannin per 5 gallons. Add the tannin to 2 cups of boiling water to dissolve, and then add about 1/2 cup of the tannin water at a time, gently mixing it into the wine, tasting the wine after each addition, and stopping when the tannin level is about what you want. Tannin flavors do decrease with time, so this addition can be a bit tricky.
OAK:
Oak barrels are expensive and difficult to use in batches less than 60 gallons. As a home winemaker, oak chips, oak powder or liquid oak flavoring can be added get the oak flavor you desire. Again, wine kits tend to be a little low in oak flavor, so you can add more oak chips to simulate the flavor and aroma that wineries get from aging wine in an oak barrels.
I would add about 1 cup of oak chips to 2 cups of boiling water, let them soak for a half-hour, and then add the chips and water to your wine. Sample the wine every day, at the minimum, to evaluate the flavor transfer, and siphon the wine off the chips when you think you have enough oak flavor. Oak flavor does diminish with time, so it’s acceptable to slightly over-oak.
Oak chips and powder come in several different types, including untoasted American oak, toasted American oak, and French toasted oak. They all will give a different flavor to your wine, so smell them before you buy and pick the one that best suits your style.
FRUIT:
Regardless of the wine you are making, you may want to increase the fruit flavor and aroma. Small bottles of natural fruit flavoring are available that have no sugar, just the great fruit aroma. These can be added to taste just a few days before bottling.
Available flavors inclue blackberry, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, boysenberry, peach, cranberry, mango, hazelnut, apple and apricot. The flavors are strong, so a little goes a long way here. I’d start with two ounces for a five-gallon batch.
Choosing a fruit flavor is a matter of personal taste. Still, I’ll make two suggestions: Peach goes nicely with a Chardonnay, while blackberry adds a fine flavor to a Merlot.
BODY:
If your wine has a thin taste, you can add a body builder called “finishing formula” (glycerin). This is a thick, clear liquid that adds body and a small amount of sweetness to the wine. It also can mellow out some harsh flavors. Use it sparingly, as a little goes a long way. Glycerin is added to taste, so I would add it in increments of about 1 ounce per 5 gallons of wine. Taste and add more if you like.
SWEETNESS:
If your wine is too dry when you are ready to bottle, you can add sweetness to the wine to bring it up to the level that you would like. There are several different ways of adding sweetness to your wine.
Some wine kits contain a finishing pack, which is a liquid concentrated grape sugar. You could also buy “wine conditioner,” a liquid sugar concentrate combined with sorbic acid, which prevents wine from re-fermenting in the bottle.
You can make your own sugar concentrate by boiling a cup of water with two cups of sugar. If you make your own sweetener, you must add Sorbistat K (potassium sorbate and sorbic acid) to prevent the sweetener from starting a re-fermentation. You should also add some campden tablets (potassium bisulfite) to inhibit oxidation.
Remember, this is your wine! You’re limited only by your imagination. Take a sip from the fermenter, and if you think adding a flavor will improve the wine, give it a try and have fun!
Steve Bader is the owner of Bader Beer and Wine Supply in Vancouver, Washington. He wrote “Confessions of a Wine Judge” in the Spring 2000 issue of WineMaker.
Flavor Overview
• Alcohol: Add sugar, honey or concentrate to increase the alcohol by volume. Don’t go above 13 percent ABV.
• Acid: Add tartaric, citric, malic or blend; start with 1/4 tsp. of powder per gallon.
• Tannin: To increase the astringency, add powdered tannin at 1 tsp. per 5 gallons.
• Oak: 1 cup of chips should flavor a batch in a few days.
• Fruit: Natural flavorings come in many varieties; start with 2 oz. for 5 gallons.
• Body: Add glycerin to your batch in 1-oz. increments.
• Sweetness: Use a “finishing pack,” wine conditioner or make your own sugar concentrate to sweeten the wine.
Personalize Your Wine
Seven easy ways to adjust flavor in the fermenter
by Steve Bader
Making the perfect wine requires a combination of experience, skill, excellent grapes and good fortune. Skill and experience are things you can acquire over time. But finding the perfect grapes is truly a difficult task. Whether you’re growing your own grapes, buying grapes or buying concentrates, rarely do you get the exact flavor you want from the grape juice in your fermenter.
In operating my retail shop, I find that inexperienced winemakers often believe that all you can do is add yeast to the must and leave the rest to the Wine Gods. They sanitize fermenters, top up carboys and maybe even add some oak chips, but that’s about it. They don’t understand how easy it is to fine-tune a batch and create a flavor they love — even after the wine is in the fermenter!
The most important thing is to open your mind to the creative process. Before you begin, spend some time considering what you want each batch of wine to be. Most winemakers think along the lines of the traditional wine styles, like an oaky Chardonnay from California or a traditional Grand Cru from Burgundy. These are terrific wines, but you might also enjoy some sort of “crossbreed.”
The solution: Simply imagine what you want this wine to be and then go about creating it. Among the most common flavor characteristics to consider are: alcohol strength, acid, tannin, oak, fruit aromas and flavors, body and sweetness.
What follows are my suggestions for personalizing the flavor of your wine. Most of these methods are things you can do after the wine is done fermenting, but before you bottle it. In fact, I find it easier to decide what to do after the wine is about three to six months old. By that time, the wine has settled into something that resembles its finished flavor profile.
With most of these adjustments, it is good to go slow, add a little, taste the wine, and then add more if you want. You can always add more flavor, but it is difficult to take flavor away if you have added too much. A great way of determining what you want to add to your wine is to compare your wine before additions to another wine that has the characteristic that you like. This should help you decide what you want to add to your wine.
ALCOHOL:
When using fresh grapes, it’s common to get fruit that’s slightly low in sugar content. “Chaptalization,” which means adding a little sugar, honey or grape concentrate, will allow you to increase the alcohol content to get the proper balance in your wine. While this is prohibited in Italy and California, it is perfectly acceptable in home winemaking (and in France, by the way).
This adjustment is best done when you first add the yeast to your must. Measure your specific gravity and add the sugar as you see fit. In a five-gallon batch, a pound of sugar, whether it’s honey or table sugar, should raise the ABV (alcohol by volume) roughly three-fourths of a percent. Go easy, as too much alcohol is as bad as too little. Avoid going above 13 percent alcohol by volume (about 25° Brix).
ACID:
Acid is what makes wines taste tart. It also contributes to their “structure,” so they’re not flabby and lifeless (tannin, glycerol and residual sugars are compounds that also impart structure). In most wine kits, the acid level is a little on the low side, to give you a faster-maturing wine. You can use a titration-method acid-test kit to measure the acidity of the juice or concentrate. If your titratable acidity (TA) is, say, 4 percent (4 g/L) and you want to bump it up to 6 percent, you can adjust it before you pitch the yeast.
When making fruit wines, acid levels are normally very low, and yeast will frequently not ferment the wine without a significant increase in acid content. In these cases, testing the must with a TA kit — again, before you add the yeast — will help you to determine the amount of acid to add. You may still add more acid later from a flavor standpoint. (You can buy one of these simple kits at any good home winemaking supply shop.)
There are three types of acid in powder form. Tartaric acid is the primary acid in grapes. Citric acid is the main acid that comes from oranges and lemons. Malic acid is the leading acid in apples and pears. You can also buy an acid blend that’s a combination of these three acids, normally blended in equal portions.
To increase your wine’s acidity, I would suggest adding about 1/4 teaspoon per gallon to start. Use a blend or choose the acid you think best flavors your wine. Tartaric acid works best for grape wines; citric acid is good for mead; and a blend of all three acids suits fruit wines.
A note on timing: It’s best to adjust acid before you pitch the yeast. Otherwise, yeast that have acclimated to one acidity level may react poorly to a sudden acid shock. This is particulary true if your wine will undergo malolactic fermentation; malolactic bacteria are exceedingly sensitive to acid conditions.
You can also reduce the acidity if your wine is too tart. Potassium carbonate is very effective in reducing overall acidity, and will not give your wine a chalky taste like calcium carbonate might. Go easy with it, since it reduces acidity with a small addition. Start with 1/2 teaspoon for a five-gallon batch and add in 1/2 teaspoon increments until you’re satisfied.
TANNIN:
Tannin is the naturally occurring astringency found in grape skins, often described as a “sandpaper” feel in your mouth. Tannin is primarily found in red wines, since they usually ferment with the skins. Whites contain a lot less tannin than reds, since they’re often crushed and pressed the same day. Nearly all kit wines are low in tannin, again for a faster maturing process, so many red wines can be improved by adding some tannin to the fermenter.
I would add powdered tannin at the rate of roughly 1 teaspoon of tannin per 5 gallons. Add the tannin to 2 cups of boiling water to dissolve, and then add about 1/2 cup of the tannin water at a time, gently mixing it into the wine, tasting the wine after each addition, and stopping when the tannin level is about what you want. Tannin flavors do decrease with time, so this addition can be a bit tricky.
OAK:
Oak barrels are expensive and difficult to use in batches less than 60 gallons. As a home winemaker, oak chips, oak powder or liquid oak flavoring can be added get the oak flavor you desire. Again, wine kits tend to be a little low in oak flavor, so you can add more oak chips to simulate the flavor and aroma that wineries get from aging wine in an oak barrels.
I would add about 1 cup of oak chips to 2 cups of boiling water, let them soak for a half-hour, and then add the chips and water to your wine. Sample the wine every day, at the minimum, to evaluate the flavor transfer, and siphon the wine off the chips when you think you have enough oak flavor. Oak flavor does diminish with time, so it’s acceptable to slightly over-oak.
Oak chips and powder come in several different types, including untoasted American oak, toasted American oak, and French toasted oak. They all will give a different flavor to your wine, so smell them before you buy and pick the one that best suits your style.
FRUIT:
Regardless of the wine you are making, you may want to increase the fruit flavor and aroma. Small bottles of natural fruit flavoring are available that have no sugar, just the great fruit aroma. These can be added to taste just a few days before bottling.
Available flavors inclue blackberry, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, boysenberry, peach, cranberry, mango, hazelnut, apple and apricot. The flavors are strong, so a little goes a long way here. I’d start with two ounces for a five-gallon batch.
Choosing a fruit flavor is a matter of personal taste. Still, I’ll make two suggestions: Peach goes nicely with a Chardonnay, while blackberry adds a fine flavor to a Merlot.
BODY:
If your wine has a thin taste, you can add a body builder called “finishing formula” (glycerin). This is a thick, clear liquid that adds body and a small amount of sweetness to the wine. It also can mellow out some harsh flavors. Use it sparingly, as a little goes a long way. Glycerin is added to taste, so I would add it in increments of about 1 ounce per 5 gallons of wine. Taste and add more if you like.
SWEETNESS:
If your wine is too dry when you are ready to bottle, you can add sweetness to the wine to bring it up to the level that you would like. There are several different ways of adding sweetness to your wine.
Some wine kits contain a finishing pack, which is a liquid concentrated grape sugar. You could also buy “wine conditioner,” a liquid sugar concentrate combined with sorbic acid, which prevents wine from re-fermenting in the bottle.
You can make your own sugar concentrate by boiling a cup of water with two cups of sugar. If you make your own sweetener, you must add Sorbistat K (potassium sorbate and sorbic acid) to prevent the sweetener from starting a re-fermentation. You should also add some campden tablets (potassium bisulfite) to inhibit oxidation.
Remember, this is your wine! You’re limited only by your imagination. Take a sip from the fermenter, and if you think adding a flavor will improve the wine, give it a try and have fun!
Steve Bader is the owner of Bader Beer and Wine Supply in Vancouver, Washington. He wrote “Confessions of a Wine Judge” in the Spring 2000 issue of WineMaker.
Flavor Overview
• Alcohol: Add sugar, honey or concentrate to increase the alcohol by volume. Don’t go above 13 percent ABV.
• Acid: Add tartaric, citric, malic or blend; start with 1/4 tsp. of powder per gallon.
• Tannin: To increase the astringency, add powdered tannin at 1 tsp. per 5 gallons.
• Oak: 1 cup of chips should flavor a batch in a few days.
• Fruit: Natural flavorings come in many varieties; start with 2 oz. for 5 gallons.
• Body: Add glycerin to your batch in 1-oz. increments.
• Sweetness: Use a “finishing pack,” wine conditioner or make your own sugar concentrate to sweeten the wine.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Summer Sauvignon Blanc
On the hot summer days a nice cold white wine is so very refreshing. Sauvignon Blanc is just that kind of refreshing wine. Unlike the richer whites, Sauvignon Blanc can be served directly out of the refrigerator. A nice cold wine spritzer made from Sauvignon Blanc makes a hit at garden parties.
To make a spritzer just mix one part wine and one part soda over ice. Enjoy!
To make a spritzer just mix one part wine and one part soda over ice. Enjoy!
Monday, March 11, 2013
My First Mead
Inevitably making all this wine has led me to now make Mead as well. This is my first Mead. If you didn't know, Mead is a fermented honey beverage. It's just like wine but made with honey instead.
Mead has been made for over two thousand years or more. Some might even argue that it was the first fermented drink. I just thought it would be fun to try and make it.
The directions I used were compiled from many I found on the Internet. The specific name for the Mead I'm making is Pyment Mead. This type of Mead has honey with added fruit or fruit juice. My Mead has organic honey and added white grape concentrate.
It's in it's second week of fermentation. I'll keep you updated as it finishes off.
Mead has been made for over two thousand years or more. Some might even argue that it was the first fermented drink. I just thought it would be fun to try and make it.
The directions I used were compiled from many I found on the Internet. The specific name for the Mead I'm making is Pyment Mead. This type of Mead has honey with added fruit or fruit juice. My Mead has organic honey and added white grape concentrate.
It's in it's second week of fermentation. I'll keep you updated as it finishes off.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Wines aging Nicely
I still have my Zinfandel wine which I made directly from grapes aging in my basement. I made the mistake of over oaking it. My remedy is to mix it with other wine cut the oak.
I also have a nice blackberry aging and a mixed black blend aging.
This week I'll be racking the blackberry and bottle it. From my blackberry batch I'll also make a nice blackberry port.
My wine cellar is starting to fill up nicely.
I also have a nice blackberry aging and a mixed black blend aging.
This week I'll be racking the blackberry and bottle it. From my blackberry batch I'll also make a nice blackberry port.
My wine cellar is starting to fill up nicely.
Stocking my Wine Cellar
Ah yes my wine cellar is getting stocked again. I have so many wines aging in carboys that I needed to make a quick four week Cabernet Sauvignon. As I expected to tastes great especially for a four week wine kit.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Filtering your Wine
I make sure that I really do a great job in fining wines. In case you wondered what fining is, i'll explain it to you. Clear wine has had all residual "total dissolved solids" removed. To do this one needs to rack the wine several times and as well add fining agents to help the TDS to fall to the bottom of the carboy. You then rack (siphon) the clear wine leaving the TDS behind.
You can find fining agents at your homebrew store. But what if you wanted to make your wine sparkle. Well then you'll need to filter it as well.
There are several types of wine filters out there. I use the Vinimat 8 inch disc filter. I attach a large vacuum pump which ends up sucking the wine through the filter. It works really well.
You can find fining agents at your homebrew store. But what if you wanted to make your wine sparkle. Well then you'll need to filter it as well.
There are several types of wine filters out there. I use the Vinimat 8 inch disc filter. I attach a large vacuum pump which ends up sucking the wine through the filter. It works really well.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Health Benefits of Wine
This pic is a repost from my Facebook account. I'm not the author or creator of it, but it's worth reading.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Wine is Healthy
Did you know that alcoholic beverages (such as wine) have the 13 nutrients necessary for human life?
Make your own wine and drink it wisely.
Here's to your health!
Make your own wine and drink it wisely.
Here's to your health!
Did You Know?
Did you know that white wine can be produced from white and red grapes, whereas red wine can only be made from red grapes?
Monday, September 24, 2012
Savouring the 1996 Chambertin
My son was able to get a hold of 3 great wines from a friend of his. Don't worry it was all legit no gun fire or thievery involved. One of these wine was a 1996 Chambertin.
I tried to find out more information on this wine with a little success. This Chambertin is a full bodied red burgundy wine. It's vintage is well known. The pricing of it on the Internet ranged up to $556.00. I checked at a local BC Liquor store and the closest vintage with a price they carried was $115.00. However this was not the exact same wine as mine.
We (my wife, son and myself) savoured this wine with beef and mushroom sauce. It definitely tasted mature in that it had more tannin than most wine we drink, plus the oak was evident but not overly powerful. It was a dry wine and as it remained open to the air it became more likable.
My son wasn't overly impressed with it, my wife and I enjoyed the fact that it was a nice wine, different from what we usually drank. I liked that fact that it survived so many years and was a pleasing wine to drink.
In my future posts I'll cover the opening of the 2 other wines my son gave me. These are from California and from the mid 1990's.
I tried to find out more information on this wine with a little success. This Chambertin is a full bodied red burgundy wine. It's vintage is well known. The pricing of it on the Internet ranged up to $556.00. I checked at a local BC Liquor store and the closest vintage with a price they carried was $115.00. However this was not the exact same wine as mine.
We (my wife, son and myself) savoured this wine with beef and mushroom sauce. It definitely tasted mature in that it had more tannin than most wine we drink, plus the oak was evident but not overly powerful. It was a dry wine and as it remained open to the air it became more likable.
My son wasn't overly impressed with it, my wife and I enjoyed the fact that it was a nice wine, different from what we usually drank. I liked that fact that it survived so many years and was a pleasing wine to drink.
In my future posts I'll cover the opening of the 2 other wines my son gave me. These are from California and from the mid 1990's.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
My Zinfandel Wine
My Zinfandel wine has gone from the primary fermenter to the wine press and now to the carboy.
Before I put the wine in the carboy I still added a small amount of yeast nutrient to make sure the primary fermentation comes complete.
In about 4 to 7 days I'll rack the wine off of the rest of the solids. No matter how careful you are in the transferring of the wine from the press you'll have some solids as well. It's best not to let the wine sit with those solids for too long because it might pick up some "off" tastes.
I used 4 boxes of Zinfandel Grapes each weighing 36 pounds. As far as I can figure out I've got about 39 liters of wine after the pressing. With my next racking off the solids I will have a little less wine.
My Zinfandel wine to date has a nice dark colour and a wonderful aroma. Stay tuned for more on this wine.
Before I put the wine in the carboy I still added a small amount of yeast nutrient to make sure the primary fermentation comes complete.
In about 4 to 7 days I'll rack the wine off of the rest of the solids. No matter how careful you are in the transferring of the wine from the press you'll have some solids as well. It's best not to let the wine sit with those solids for too long because it might pick up some "off" tastes.
I used 4 boxes of Zinfandel Grapes each weighing 36 pounds. As far as I can figure out I've got about 39 liters of wine after the pressing. With my next racking off the solids I will have a little less wine.
My Zinfandel wine to date has a nice dark colour and a wonderful aroma. Stay tuned for more on this wine.
Making and Using My Wine Press
Well, after lots of research on the internet I came up with my own idea of a wine press. I'm actually proud of myself for being so quick and industrious in getting it designed and built. I have to give my wife lots of credit because she helped a lot with the cutting and assembly of my wine press.
Thanks Babe!
Here is a short account of my making and using my wine press.
The aluminum frame for the wine press was something that was just laying around the house waiting to be recycled. Actually my buddy was storing the aluminum at my place so that we could bring it in to a recycler for money. I guess I'll just have to buy it from him now.
The plastic buckets that I used were recycled laundry soap pails made from HDPE 2 plastic. This plastic is rated as food grade. I didn't like the blue labeling on the buckets but in a pinch they worked out fine. You see I'm not fermenting wine here I'm just pressing grapes. The contact time of the grapes and juice with the blue label is minimal so there will be no transference of colour or taste. I'm on the lookout for different buckets though.
Both buckets were of the same size. The outer bucket had over 100 holes drilled to let the juice escape. The hole sizes varied from 3/8 to 1/2 inch. The inner bucket which pressed the must was not drilled.
As you can see in the pictures I used a car jack to provide the muscle along with wood to extend down to the inner bucket.
Everything worked fine. I truly have enjoyed making and using my wine press!
Thanks Babe!
Here is a short account of my making and using my wine press.
The aluminum frame for the wine press was something that was just laying around the house waiting to be recycled. Actually my buddy was storing the aluminum at my place so that we could bring it in to a recycler for money. I guess I'll just have to buy it from him now.
The plastic buckets that I used were recycled laundry soap pails made from HDPE 2 plastic. This plastic is rated as food grade. I didn't like the blue labeling on the buckets but in a pinch they worked out fine. You see I'm not fermenting wine here I'm just pressing grapes. The contact time of the grapes and juice with the blue label is minimal so there will be no transference of colour or taste. I'm on the lookout for different buckets though.
Both buckets were of the same size. The outer bucket had over 100 holes drilled to let the juice escape. The hole sizes varied from 3/8 to 1/2 inch. The inner bucket which pressed the must was not drilled.
As you can see in the pictures I used a car jack to provide the muscle along with wood to extend down to the inner bucket.
Everything worked fine. I truly have enjoyed making and using my wine press!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Making a Wine Press at Home
I like making wine at home because it let's me be creative. With advent of using grapes to make wine at home, I've found the need for a wine press.
The Internet is a great tool for research. I believe I've found a good plan on how to make a wine press at home. As I get the parts together and build this wine press I'll keep you posted.
My current wine in the primary fermenters is a California Zinfandel. I also have a blackberry wine aging in the cellar. My next wine might be a Pinot Noir.
The Internet is a great tool for research. I believe I've found a good plan on how to make a wine press at home. As I get the parts together and build this wine press I'll keep you posted.
My current wine in the primary fermenters is a California Zinfandel. I also have a blackberry wine aging in the cellar. My next wine might be a Pinot Noir.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Crush Those Grapes!
Well, finally our Zinfandel grapes came in from California. Of course in the meanwhile I've had surgery and couldn't do much with them. Fortunately my wife came to the rescue, picked them up and did most of the stomping.
Yep, we crushed them by stomping and not with a wine press. It's amazing how much fun it is to stomp them. I'd say it's even therapeutic.
I added a little pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and yeast to the must. The grapes look great and taste great. I can't wait to taste the final product.
Yep, we crushed them by stomping and not with a wine press. It's amazing how much fun it is to stomp them. I'd say it's even therapeutic.
I added a little pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and yeast to the must. The grapes look great and taste great. I can't wait to taste the final product.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
The Truth about Making Wine at Home
I hope my blog hasn't given you my readers the wrong impression. The truth is that making wine at home can sometimes go wrong. Even I have made wine that wasn't so good.
The one consolation is that commercial wineries have the same problems and bad luck that we home winemakers can have. Every batch of wine from a winery isn't always the "best" or better than the last batch.
In winemaking there are so many variables that can effect the quality of the finished wine. Some of these variables include but are not limited to:
• lack of properly sanitizing equipment
• not adding ingredients properly as directed
• wrong temperature during wine fermentation and aging
• not de-gassing wine enough or at all
• not using proper equipment
• bad grapes or juice
• buying cheap or outdated wine kits
The list can go on. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't be too discouraged if you have a bad batch. It sometimes can happen. Try to figure out what might have gone wrong and fix it for next time. Use your resources to get advice and try again.
Out of the three ways of making wine at home (kit, juice and grapes) the wine kit is the easiest and pretty well sure fire way of getting decent results. Pick a quality kit and follow the directions and you'll have good wine.
The truth about winemaking at home is that like everything else in life, sometimes "crap" happens. Get over it quickly and make another batch. I still really enjoy making wine at home!
The one consolation is that commercial wineries have the same problems and bad luck that we home winemakers can have. Every batch of wine from a winery isn't always the "best" or better than the last batch.
In winemaking there are so many variables that can effect the quality of the finished wine. Some of these variables include but are not limited to:
• lack of properly sanitizing equipment
• not adding ingredients properly as directed
• wrong temperature during wine fermentation and aging
• not de-gassing wine enough or at all
• not using proper equipment
• bad grapes or juice
• buying cheap or outdated wine kits
The list can go on. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't be too discouraged if you have a bad batch. It sometimes can happen. Try to figure out what might have gone wrong and fix it for next time. Use your resources to get advice and try again.
Out of the three ways of making wine at home (kit, juice and grapes) the wine kit is the easiest and pretty well sure fire way of getting decent results. Pick a quality kit and follow the directions and you'll have good wine.
The truth about winemaking at home is that like everything else in life, sometimes "crap" happens. Get over it quickly and make another batch. I still really enjoy making wine at home!
Monday, September 10, 2012
No Gas in My Wine
That's right there is no gas in my wine. Every batch of wine I make is de-gassed at least two times.
The mistake novice winemakers are guilty of is not enough de-gassing. Without proper de-gassing wine will tastes fizzy and weak.
Commercial wineries let their wine sit for a year or more. During this time the wine naturally de-gasses on it's own. With wine kits the process is speeded up with stirring the wine several times.
Don't do a short cut by missing the de-gassing step. Only Sparkling wines are to have gas in them, not the rest.
Instead of having to do all the work by hand to stir the wine, use an electric drill with a de-gassing rod or a long spoon. You'll get the job done faster and without getting tired.
The mistake novice winemakers are guilty of is not enough de-gassing. Without proper de-gassing wine will tastes fizzy and weak.
Commercial wineries let their wine sit for a year or more. During this time the wine naturally de-gasses on it's own. With wine kits the process is speeded up with stirring the wine several times.
Don't do a short cut by missing the de-gassing step. Only Sparkling wines are to have gas in them, not the rest.
Instead of having to do all the work by hand to stir the wine, use an electric drill with a de-gassing rod or a long spoon. You'll get the job done faster and without getting tired.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Stomp Those Grapes!
September and October are the months when the wine grapes are picked and stomped. The large commercial wineries will use big stainless steel crushers. For me the romance of stomping the grapes is part of my enjoyment of making wine from grapes.
If you choose to make your wine from grapes why not stomp them with your feet? Even if you only do a small bunch with your feet it will be a memory you'll never forget.
Wine grapes really benefit from being stomped by feet. Somehow the compression from our feet bring out the flavor more than a mechanical crusher.
Oh, by the way any germs or fungus from our feet are "killed" during the fermentation process. Alcohol is a disinfectant.
If you choose to make your wine from grapes why not stomp them with your feet? Even if you only do a small bunch with your feet it will be a memory you'll never forget.
Wine grapes really benefit from being stomped by feet. Somehow the compression from our feet bring out the flavor more than a mechanical crusher.
Oh, by the way any germs or fungus from our feet are "killed" during the fermentation process. Alcohol is a disinfectant.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Bottling our Carmenere Wine
Today was an exciting day. My wife and I bottled our Super Premium Kit Wine, Carmenere. This wine came with 18 liters of juice, grape skins and Oak chips. Some 45 days after having started the wine we're bottling it. I made sure I did several rackings to remove the TDS (sediment) and several stirrings to remove all gas.
The Carmenere wine is still young but it's taste is one of cherries and plums. I also love it's deep dark red colour.
We've got our bottling system down quite pat with 30 bottles being washed, sterilized, filled, corked and labeled in about one hour.
The bottom photo gives a hint of our bottling process. I took one of the bottles and have started the process of turning it into a nice red wine Port.
The Carmenere wine is still young but it's taste is one of cherries and plums. I also love it's deep dark red colour.
We've got our bottling system down quite pat with 30 bottles being washed, sterilized, filled, corked and labeled in about one hour.
The bottom photo gives a hint of our bottling process. I took one of the bottles and have started the process of turning it into a nice red wine Port.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Look at the Dregs
Dregs are the leftover "things" from fermentation, like dead yeast, sediment from the finings and skin from the berries.
Most often the dregs rest on the bottom of the carboy. As you can see in the picture below some of the dregs collect on the sides of the carboy.
These dregs where placed on the sides of the carboy due to aggressive fermentation of the blackberries.
It's nice to know that racking wine leaves the dregs behind and produces clear wine, at least most of the time. I rack my wines several times before bottling to ensure clear wine every time.
Most often the dregs rest on the bottom of the carboy. As you can see in the picture below some of the dregs collect on the sides of the carboy.
These dregs where placed on the sides of the carboy due to aggressive fermentation of the blackberries.
It's nice to know that racking wine leaves the dregs behind and produces clear wine, at least most of the time. I rack my wines several times before bottling to ensure clear wine every time.
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