I have brewed several beers with good success. I have done 3 batches of Upstate Mike's Caramel Apple Cider and now have a batch of WGPA fermenting.
Given this experience I had 10# of huckleberries and decided to make a blended merlot. With a cheap kit (last Christmas) & my fruit I adapted this recipe.
HUCKLEBERRY WINE
4 lbs huckleberries
1-3/4 lbs sugar
1-1/2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 crushed Campden tablet
7-1/4 pts water
1 pkt Champagne wine yeast
During primary fermentation I shook bucket 2x daily. Once fermentation died down I racked it to secondary but failed to drain the "must". Now I have 3 gallons of huckleberry wine in an airlocked 5 gallon carboy.
My 2 questions are this?
1) I have read on HBT that I need to eliminate headspace by topping off. What is recommended - buy some bulk wine and top off or put into 1 gal bottles?
2) What did I lose by not draining must into secondary?
Thanks in advance.
Given this experience I had 10# of huckleberries and decided to make a blended merlot. With a cheap kit (last Christmas) & my fruit I adapted this recipe.
HUCKLEBERRY WINE
4 lbs huckleberries
1-3/4 lbs sugar
1-1/2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 crushed Campden tablet
7-1/4 pts water
1 pkt Champagne wine yeast
During primary fermentation I shook bucket 2x daily. Once fermentation died down I racked it to secondary but failed to drain the "must". Now I have 3 gallons of huckleberry wine in an airlocked 5 gallon carboy.
My 2 questions are this?
1) I have read on HBT that I need to eliminate headspace by topping off. What is recommended - buy some bulk wine and top off or put into 1 gal bottles?
2) What did I lose by not draining must into secondary?
Thanks in advance.