seansbrew

Recipes 

__________________
I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they get up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.

Primary: "I Scream for Cream Ale"
Secondary: empty
Aging: Pinot Noir
On Tap: empty
Next: prickly pear mead.

summersolstice

Recipes 

No. Well, the pop-up said I had to write at least 10 characters.

RoastedOak

Recipes 

I guess what I don't really "get" is why the bentonite is being added at the beginning? What purpose does adding a clearing agent serve the wine at that stage?

summersolstice

Recipes 

Bentonite is a negatively charged substance and when hydrated and added to wine, it will attract the positively charged particulate in the wine. As bentonite hydrates and swells, it becomes like a sponge which accounts for it's very large surface area. When it is mixed thoroughly into the wine and is dispersed throughout, the positively charged matter in the wine attaches to the bentonite. The weight of the molecules then cause the matter to drop to the bottom of the container.

There are two different schools of thought on when to add bentonite. One school says to add it to the must before you add yeast. The other suggests that bentonite should be added after fermentation has been completed. There is no right or wrong answer, and with your own experimentation, you may end up with your own preference. Regardless of when you add it, the actions of bentonite are the same. However, some believe that there is an additional benefit when adding to the must before fermentation begins.

RoastedOak

Recipes 

Ya, I wonder what the benefit could possibly be. It's basically a special purpose kitty litter. I just used it for the first time to remove a haze that wouldn't settle out of a fruit juice wine (worked great!) but I don't think I would ever use it at the beginning, seems like just a waste. Once the yeasties get moving they'll be kicking everything back up in the must anyways.

seansbrew

Recipes 

Well, one away. I put a batch to rest tonight. 16 lbs. cherries, 2.5 lbs raisins and 10 cups of cane sugar. The batch size was 4 gallons and the SG. was 1.080. This is the first time I have ever done something like this. I am looking forward to the finished product.

__________________
I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they get up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.

Primary: "I Scream for Cream Ale"
Secondary: empty
Aging: Pinot Noir
On Tap: empty
Next: prickly pear mead.

DLPChris

Recipes 

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but I used this as my first brewing experiment, modified slightly (I added 12 oz ground chocolate), and after the first transfer, it already tastes amazing. Thank you, sir.

kiowawarrior

Recipes 

I have made this wine before and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am getting ready to make it again. I happen to have in the pantry a liter of red grape concentrate I was going to use in a blackberry wine. Do you think this will add well to this wine? If I use it should I delete the raisins and cranberry? Finally, if I add it will it sweetn the wine substantially? I like my wines dry (cabernets, chiantis, etc...). Or will the sweetness come from the back end of the process. I do not have a ton of wine experience so any advise would be appreciated.