Recent content by JaimesBeam

I am now having the same problems with my second Italian Floor Corker. I am guessing that the springs in the jaws that compress the cork are getting tired. I don't know if it is possible to stretch the springs to give them their spring back, or insert a shim (penny?) behind the spring to give...

I’ve been making wine successfully for several years, but I thought it would be useful to share and get any feedback on some details on the way I do things. First I make large batches of wine, typically 50 gallon barrels, mostly mead, cider and fruit wines. I typically start a batch off with a...

A new corker solved the problem. My usual meth is to Throw the corks into my pitcher of Star-San, pull them out And let them drip dry a few minutes before I use them. Anybody want a used corker, cheap? :-) Jim

When I make a fruit wine or mead the Yield is often less then I originally calculated because there is often a Large amount of fruit pulp leftover. So I'm wondering if I calculating the amount of honey to add correctly. Usually I end up with about 20% of The volume being lees & fruit...

There's Plenty of headspace. I usually fill to the base of the neck. Jim

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Here are some pictures of the corks. The center of the cork is compressed So much that it detaches from the cork around it. I don't think it's An adjustment issue. Thanks, Jim

Given a starting Refractometer/Hydrometer reading before fermentation, And a Hydrometer reading after/during fermentation, you can calculate The amount of alcohol produced. Jim

Someone said that lemon juice would make it harder for the yeast. I disagree. That lemon juice does add some acidity; which I believe Both the yeast and you will like it. When I make a maple wine/mead I start close to 1.1 SG (24 Brix), and I want to get it down to 1.00 SG if not below...

I'm sure everyone knows how to use a hydrometer.... How about a Refractometer? They are a great tool. Just one drop of liquid, And you know the Brix of your mix! They aren't too expensive these days either. Sadly the Refractometer doesn't seem to work with fermented solutions with...

I have an Italian Floor Corker that I've had for ten years. Lately I've been having problems with it. It chews up the top of the cork or doesn't push the Cork down all way into the bottle. I bought it and my corks from BSG; run of The mill #9 corks for 750ml wine bottles. It helps a little...

Maple Sap doesn't have as many nutrients as a grape wine. Use a mead yeast Which is bred for a honey must closer to maple sap. Use some kind of nutrient Like DAP or Fermaid. Also you should some kind of acid like lemon juice. I've made several batches. Mostly aiming for a dry finish...

Thank You Mr Food Scientist! The link you gave me was very helpful. It told me pretty much how to make sense of things. Except one thing; I don't seem to have a carbonator… Let me go over what I have again in a little more detail, and let's see if it makes more sense now… So in...

So I take it that the black thing on top is the guts of the thing: mixing mechanism. Do the actual dispensing faucets have anything to do with the mixing process? The inside of the fountain behind the faucets looks like it is made to contain something, maybe ice??? I think not, but I'll...