Recent content by waxwader

I have my first batch of Skeeter Pee finishing up now. I have added the sparkaloid and it is just about crystal clear. I used the yeast cake from a one gallon batch of strawberry wine. I was hoping for a pinkish to red color, but it looks like I've made something closer to straw color. Any ideas...

Thanks for the input. I'm hearing run my planned schedule, but drink them fast. I can do that. However, I was targeting 66-68 degrees because that is right in the middle of the 59-75 range. Seems like in all other cases the middle of the road is safest.

It's seems very clear that the vast majority believe that 3 weeks in a primary, then bottle, then age 3 more weeks is a good practice (no secondary). However I also read that Hefeweizen's mature much faster and should be bottled sooner. This is my first Hef and second batch total. I'm planning...

4385.5 + 5 gallons of Hefeweizen = 4390.5

Thanks. That's what I was thinking. First batch jitters here.

I just bottled my first batch. It is an English Brown Ale. The color is perfect, but it tastes I little bit watery. Is this normal before carbonation? I didn't get an OG but the FG was 1.014.

Update: I racked to the secondary and the gravity readings were 1.014 and falling from 1.029 24 hrs earlier. Yeast lasted a whole lot longer than I expected.

I think I may be confused with the term alcohol tolerance. If I use Montrachet yeast and they say the alcohol tolerance is 13%. What does this mean? The yeast die? Become less efficient?

As soon as I transfer this one to the secondary I'm going to try this one again. This time I will only add enough sugar to get to approx 1.085 gravity.

Here is the recipe I used 3# bananas including peel from every other banana. 1/2# golden raisins 2# sugar 1/2 tsp yeast energizer 1/2 tsp pectin enzyme 1 tbs acid blend 1/4 tsp wine tannin 1 pk Montrachet yeast

Well after 24 hours since pitching the yeast the gravity has fallen to 1.100. Looks like I'm headed in the right direction.

I started with 1/2 tsp yeast energizer. Should I add more ? When?

I'm aware of the long aging process with this one. How do I fight a stall if I get one?

I decided to buy to most ripe bananas I could find. Oh well live and learn.

I've got my first batch of banana wine in the fermenter. However the starting gravity appears to be 1.120. I see most fruit wines should start around 1.070. Is this acceptable? I followed what I believe to be a good recipe from a solid source. What will be the outcome if it is way to high?