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Wow impressive writeup! I started kegging this year and have it on tap. I sweeten with ribena which gives it a beautiful hue. I don't drink it that often but it's good to bring to peoples houses now that we can go places! One thing I have noticed is that it doesn't carbonate as much as beer. I...

I am newish to TA measurement but I take measurement before fermentation and well after. When I take the first post ferm measurement I shake the hell out of the sample to remove as much CO2 as possible. Hope that helps.

That's a whole new set of problems. You have to use k meta and sorbate to stop the yeast. I would sweeten each glass individually if you are just starting unless you want to carbonate and/or get bottle bombs.

Forgot to mention that pH btn 3.2 and 3.4 is considered good for fruit wines though it's up to personal taste. Also fruit wines often need backsweetening to really bring out the fruit taste.

Welcome to the club. You need a ph meter or test strips. Some fruits are high acid and some are low. Apple and pear are often in the right range.

Hey @DuncB that sounds like a great idea. I've moved more into the wine world over the last few years and just started kegging this weekend after years of hoarding (and then cleaning) bottles. My understanding is that wine people use K meta (potassium) not sodium meta at every racking or...

I would personally pour it into a a pail with a loose fitting lid if it hasn't started yet. Get that oxygen involved. You could also add some ec-1118, not my favorite yeast but should get it going.

My first plum wine looked just like that. It tasted good but there was a big cloudy blob at the bottom. Not visually appealing but really not a big deal. Everything sits in the carboy for at least 6 months now (also a few rackings and k-meta). Cheers.

Sounds like you are going to be adding too much campden. You should add 1 crushed tab per 5 gallons at rackings or every 3 months or better yet 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulfite. You should also age with an airlock, maybe a solid bung after much longer aging but I have no experience with that. You...

I'm confused. You don't check pH but do check T/A? I would buy a modestly priced but decent meter to start with and go from there. Cheers.

I believe you should let it age quite a while before trying more! I like raisin wine at around 12 % abv. The other thing I do is to let them rehydrate overnight before blitzing them.

If your hydrometer reads 1.000 or lower your will know fermentation is basically done. I don't think the alcohol can evaporate away.

Welcome to the forum! If you taste the "wine" does it taste winey? Can you taste some "heat" from a young alcohol? I've never used a vinometer before but I suspect you have done something wrong. If it tastes like juice you have not had any fermentation. You might need to add yeast again. Its...

Call me pedantic but I don't love the term brewing when making wine. Fermenting maybe? With that out of the way, I brew beer but less so lately it seems. I like sour beer. I also like all the various country wines I have been making. I don't have much to add to this conversation other than...

Sorry bout the late reply. I bottled my first sparkling rhubarb quite recently. I left it in the carboy (well re-racked a few times) until just over 5 months. This has been my strategy for bottling cider. The idea is that you bottle before 6 months and there will hopefully be enough residual...

To be clear I don't boil my must but do add boiled sugar water to the fruit. I was led to believe that boiling was good practice for sanitation when using tap water but bow to those with more experience if this is an unnecessary step when also using k meta (which I also always add to my frozen...

Hey Bernard I really appreciate your opinions and ruminations on the art of wine making. I think the idea of hot water being added to the fruit has been promoted as a way to set the colour (Terry Garey) and maybe additionally a means to get the must to a good temp for the yeast. For me...

Welcome to the forum! Two steps you missed, that are not necessary but helpful, are to added a campden tablet per gallon of fruit and before that to add pectic enzyme to help clear the haze. I have never done strawberries and everything I have read is that they are a little more difficult than...

6 inches from the opening is bad for long term storage with wine. Get a 5 gallon carboy and maybe an extra little bottle with an airlock for a future racking.

Without more info it's hard to give advice. However, things are likely just fine and you should still have some residual sulfite in your wine. A lot of natural wine makers use no sulfite additions. You might not want to age it too long to be safe. Skoal?!