Recent content by macshomebrew

I do it with the skins on. No heating. All the color drops out. My recipe is a little different but similar. A great cheap wine. You wouldn't know it was made with tomato's. My wife says Cardonay like. I give mine at least 6 months before drinking.

No amylase enzyme?

Never strain either and always dump it all in the fermentor and I make some fine beers.

share your plans!

Just use wine corks or champiagn stoppers and bails

Looks infected to me. You perhaps have sanitation issues. Are you fermenting in a bucket with a spigot. If so, that is probably your infection source. Get some PBW and soak everything for an hour in it. 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons hot water.

All noble hops are good in Belgian beers. Just don't overdue them. Most Belgians are low in IBU's.

Well what's it taste like? I'd rack it to a secondary myself.

I checked BJCP guidelines. Should be a light to medium body. Mashing at 150 here.

Are you brewing this with a light, medium or full body profile?

I understand why more than 1 vile....it's all about having the needed cell count. I have seen recipe's using 4 vials to get enough cells. Alternately (and cheaper) you can keep building you culture up with fresh wort additions each day. The ring is from broken down proteins. No worries.

I've done many small batches of tomato wine. Done with skins on and off. Doesn't matter. The color still drops out. Very pleased with the wine. You would never know it was made with tomatoes. Similar to a chardonay my wife says. Doing a six gallon batch this year.

I assume grains of paradise are the same as paradise seeds? Do you crack them first? Also I have dried Juniper Berries that I am using. Should I use the same amount as your recipe is calling for? Junipers do not grow in my area.

With any wash you will want to do a starter culture first to multiply the yeast cells. If you pitch on to your original cake you risk picking up some undesirables. I would wash it first to separate it from the leftovers such as the hops from the fermentation. You wash it soon as you remove your...

10lb ~ Briess Munich Malt 2lb ~ Maris Otter Low Colour 2lb ~ Briess Vienna Malt 1lb ~ Briess Caramel 120L 1lb ~ Briess Chocolate 350 L 8oz Briess Midnight Wheat 8oz Dingemans Debittered Black malt 8oz Candi Syrup D-90 (primary) Specific Gravity 1.076 OG (1.068 to 1.079) 18.4° Plato...