I've been brewing beer for some time now but am getting ready to make my first wine. I've been working on a berry farm all summer and have a freezer full of alpine highbush blueberries in 1# ziplocs that were harvested from the best plants throughout the summer. With something like 25-35 pounds to work with, I want to start off with a 5gal. batch.
QUESTIONS - With all of these berries, can you over-berry the must? Does anyone have a formula for determining how much juice is obtained from a certain poundage or volume of blueberries?
Most recipes that I have seen include 1-4# of raisins, grapes, or grape concentrate. I have 2# of frozen Concord Grapes that are also fro the farm. When picked, the skin split easily, they are fairly dark, the scent is incredible, and the juice under the skin is delicious. However, the "meat" is rather bitter and has a thick gelatin-like consistency that is tough to bite through.
QUESTIONS - Are these under-ripe for use in this recipe? Are 2# sufficient to add the body and tannin these other recipes are calling for? Should I just toss them and use raisins or a concentrate instead?
I'm on a tight budget. I already have a 5gal. glass carboy, a 5gal. bucket, and two 6.5gal. buckets. However, I need the rest of he "wine stuff". My shopping list includes:
Go-Ferm Protect
Fermaid K
Potassium Sorbate
Potassium Metabisulfite
Bentonite
Acid Blend
Pectic Enzyme
some sort of Tannin
a wine yeast - thinking the RC212 Burgundy Bourgorouge
QUESTIONS - Am I missing any additives? Is any of this likely to be unneeded for this wine? The powdered tannins are cheap - is the extra cost for the fancy liquid tannins (i.e. Tannin Riche extra, etc.) worthwhile? It may be some time before I do another wine - which of these do I need to be concerned about shelf life?
The additives don't cost too much, but I'm concerned about the various testing kits adding up fast. Tests for TA, new pH strips, SO2 tests, ML chromatography tests, et al. I already have a hydrometer. My beer pH strips only go down to 4.0.
QUESTIONS - How likely is it that I can get away without some of these? Which ones are absolutely essential? Someone mentioned that pH strips don't work with must as dark as blueberry - is this true?
QUESTIONS - With all of these berries, can you over-berry the must? Does anyone have a formula for determining how much juice is obtained from a certain poundage or volume of blueberries?
Most recipes that I have seen include 1-4# of raisins, grapes, or grape concentrate. I have 2# of frozen Concord Grapes that are also fro the farm. When picked, the skin split easily, they are fairly dark, the scent is incredible, and the juice under the skin is delicious. However, the "meat" is rather bitter and has a thick gelatin-like consistency that is tough to bite through.
QUESTIONS - Are these under-ripe for use in this recipe? Are 2# sufficient to add the body and tannin these other recipes are calling for? Should I just toss them and use raisins or a concentrate instead?
I'm on a tight budget. I already have a 5gal. glass carboy, a 5gal. bucket, and two 6.5gal. buckets. However, I need the rest of he "wine stuff". My shopping list includes:
Go-Ferm Protect
Fermaid K
Potassium Sorbate
Potassium Metabisulfite
Bentonite
Acid Blend
Pectic Enzyme
some sort of Tannin
a wine yeast - thinking the RC212 Burgundy Bourgorouge
QUESTIONS - Am I missing any additives? Is any of this likely to be unneeded for this wine? The powdered tannins are cheap - is the extra cost for the fancy liquid tannins (i.e. Tannin Riche extra, etc.) worthwhile? It may be some time before I do another wine - which of these do I need to be concerned about shelf life?
The additives don't cost too much, but I'm concerned about the various testing kits adding up fast. Tests for TA, new pH strips, SO2 tests, ML chromatography tests, et al. I already have a hydrometer. My beer pH strips only go down to 4.0.
QUESTIONS - How likely is it that I can get away without some of these? Which ones are absolutely essential? Someone mentioned that pH strips don't work with must as dark as blueberry - is this true?