summersolstice

Recipes 

This looks like it'll turn out to be a great wine! The campden tablets won't hurt but after the first couple of batches I stopped using them at the beginning. I just mix the must and immediately pitch the yeast. Their purpose is to kill off any wild yeast and, unless you're using fresh fruit, there shouldn't be any problems. Besides, these commercial strains are aggressive enough to overpower any wild yeast. At least I haven't experienced any problems after 4 years and dozens of batches. It's really important to use the six campden tabs after the wine has finished fermenting and prior to bulk aging or bottling.

Yooper

Recipes 

Well, I have shopped in Spread Eagle. Penny tries to accomodate me- she added the corona type mill for me, I think! But the grain doesn't move very fast, and she doesn't have much variety. She does have hops and yeast, though, and says she'll order some keg parts for me (like quick disconnects). I've bought a couple of wine kits from her, and some wine supplies. That is definitely the closest to me- it's only about 45 miles from me.

I usually order online, or get things in Appleton when I'm there. SuperiorBrew opened a LHBS in Slinger, WI, so when I go to Milwaukee, I'm definitely stopping in. Getting supplies here has been a big challenge- as well as trying to learn the basics on my own. HBT has really been the catalyst that helped me go all-grain and improve my techniques.

__________________
Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

Toivo

Recipes 

Here is a update on my experimental Blackberry/ Welch's wine. Recipe used
12 cans Old orchard 100% Grape Juice
6Lbs frozen blackberries (Walmart didn't have Oregon Blackberry fruit in cans)
4 tsp pectin enyme
6 tsp yeast nutrient
6 1/2 lbs cane sugar total
I took the blackberries and added them to 1 gallon of boiling water and let them sit for 15 minutes. Then I took a potato masher and mashed them. Next I poured them into a meshbag held over the primary. Added 6 cans of concentrate. Added water up to the five gallon mark and tested the Specific Gravity it was1.072. Mixed up more sugar and one gallon of water to bring the Starting gravity to 1.095.
I took a cup of the must and added a pinch of nutrient to it and pitched the yeast( lavin 1116) and when that was bubbling away I pitched it in the primary and away it went.
Today 6 days later I tested the Gravity since activity is real slow in the airlock and it is at .998. Plan is tomorrow to check again and if it is the same I will rack onto oak chips in a carboy.

Right now it smells great and has promise to be a good wine.

summersolstice

Recipes 

Toivo, the fermentation is finished and you may decide to leave the wine on the oak for 3-4 weeks (be sure and keep it topped up completely at all subsequent rackings). Begin tasting after two weeks and when it gets to the point when the oak flavor is slightly more than you want, it's time to rack. I would think that 3-4 weeks on the oak would be all you'd want. When you rack off the oak, add campden tabs, potassium sorbate to stabilize (optional) and add Super Kleer (also optional but this is the best claifying agent I've found). Also stir the crap out of it to drive off all the suspended CO2 (or risk bottling a gassy wine down the road). Let it bulk age at least six months and bottle and you'll have a tasty wine!

Toivo

Recipes 

Thanks for the reply. your pretty much nailed my plans with it. Hopefully it will be good enough to give to family for Christmas.

Toivo

Recipes 

I racked it into a carboy on 20z. of oak chips which didn't seem like much. The package was 40z and said it could be used for 25 gallons. Tastes very good right now although the next batch will have more blackberries added.
Thanks for your help everyone.
Chris