Pasteur champagne is a nice neutral yeast that is good for delicate flavors. I think that one will do well. The Pasteur red may help to preserve and accentuate the flavor and aroma from the raisins used. So it may be slightly fruitier with the red. But then again this is all new territory for us. Who knows the outcome?
Corn Cob Wine
- Thread starter Jeremy_84
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Pasteur champagne is a nice neutral yeast that is good for delicate flavors. I think that one will do well. The Pasteur red may help to preserve and accentuate the flavor and aroma from the raisins used. So it may be slightly fruitier with the red. But then again this is all new territory for us. Who knows the outcome?
DuckiesRevenge
Well-Known Member
So I have the corn cobs now and just picking up the pieces for this. But I was wondering how yours is coming Jeremy? Tasted it yet? Would have changed anything?
Mine is coming along great! I need to rack it today. OMG there are so much lees. I was going to wait for the raisins to all drop but about half of them have dropped and you can see through the wine but it is still a milky yellow from suspended yeast. I have some of the must that went over the gallon saved so I will probably rack, top up with that must and any water if needed. After that it should only be another 60 days and probably one more racking and it should be clear. I gave it a taste and it is hard to pick out the delicate flavors past the yeast. Good thing is that compared to other yeasty wines I have tasted this one did not make me want to spit it out. I think this will be a nice crisp refreshing white wine.
I do think it may be a little on the sour side but that may be the yeast talking. From first impression I might cut the acid blend I added in half. But I will know better once it is clear.
I do think it may be a little on the sour side but that may be the yeast talking. From first impression I might cut the acid blend I added in half. But I will know better once it is clear.
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DuckiesRevenge
Well-Known Member
Arpolis, thanks for the update, I agree with Jeremy that it seems like it should be an interesting batch. I am thinking of using the recipe you described (minus the vanilla bean since the corn syrup that I got has vanilla added... although I do have some vanilla extract that might be really good... thoughts?), and probably decrease the amount of acid since you can always add more at the end if need be.
I was thinking that I might do a 3 gallon batch since that's the size carboy that I have. I currently have 3 lbs of corn cobs freezing, and about another 2lbs that I recently got from the farmers market and plan to deal with soon. I also picked up some of the Pasteur champagne yeast since I thought that the nutral flavor of the yeast might help let the corn come through a bit more. Not sure, this is only my third wine, but I'm hoping for the best.
I was thinking that I might do a 3 gallon batch since that's the size carboy that I have. I currently have 3 lbs of corn cobs freezing, and about another 2lbs that I recently got from the farmers market and plan to deal with soon. I also picked up some of the Pasteur champagne yeast since I thought that the nutral flavor of the yeast might help let the corn come through a bit more. Not sure, this is only my third wine, but I'm hoping for the best.
I only added the vanilla because my corn syrup does have vanilla in it. I guessed the flavored should meld well but I wanted the vanilla a little more pronounced. Probably a tsp of vanilla extract would be good. I would say at least cut that acid blend amount in half and see how that is.
DuckiesRevenge
Well-Known Member
Good to know. I'll let you know how mine turns out when I get it together.
Cheers!
Cheers!
I have mine racked off the lees now. I stabilized with Camden and sorbate. I topped up with about 8-10 fl oz of must from pre-yeast pitch. And then added 2 tsp bentonite mixed in with a cup of hot water in my blender. She is now resting in the fridge to clear. I will be out of town till the 27th so I will check it then
When you go to make your post, click the icon in the top tool menu that looks like a paper clip. You upload the photos first then you can click the same paper clip icon and then it gives you links to add in each photo. I can do this both on PC and my IPhone just fine.
Ok so I said I ill be out if town but my plane does not leave till 1700 today. I know the wine is still really young and the sulfites probably have not even all gassed off. But I dipped a shot glass into the now crystal clear portion of wine. Lees should compress a bit more over the next couple weeks and I think I can bottle then. The wine is a nice pale yellow in color. Aroma is not really impressive. Basically smelling the alcohol mostly and possibly a hint of something but with my stuffed up nose this morning I can't give a good description. The taste is smooth in alcohol, very silky in body just adding to the cool smoothness. A hint of sweet is there from the back sweetening must. But nothing screams corn. I guess that is a good thing. The acid content is refreshing but i could see some wanting less. so cutting my original recipes acid blend in half is a really good idea i think. It tastes like a cheap white wine. Nothing I am amazed at right now but damn I could drink a couple glasses easy. We will see how this ages and evolves over time. I am curious to see if any different yeast choices bring out more corn flavor.
Ok I racked it off the sediment today. Good god there was a lot! I was only able to get 3 perfectly clear 750ml bottles and half another that did suck up some of the sediment. I placed the hazy one in the fridge and ill give it a good tall glass check and see how it tastes once sediment drops out. I added 1/2 tbs of sugar to the other 3. Once they hit room temp ill check the gravity and see where they ended up. They look a lot like the color of my lemon mead if not a little more yellow. Ill mark the 3 bottles in the calendar and check them every 3 months for some good tasting notes.
Hmmmmm I think I might have been a bad brewer. I can't remember now... When I racked off the lees the first time I could have sworn I took a gravity reading and it was at about 1.000. But I did not write that down anywhere and it is not in this thread so I might not have checked the gravity. Well I was curious because I checked the back sweetened wine bottles and they are at 1.025ish! The one partial bottle not back sweetened is at 1.020. 1/2 a tbsp in 750ml bottle should be about 1.004 increase so the difference makes sense. Hmmmmmm. Did the 1116 run dry in that time or did I interrupt it too soon? If it did run dry then my only explanation could be that there was some active amalyse enzyme that transferred the starter to the must. My starter had some in it to try and break down some of the leftover sake lees filled with unconverted rice that I used to get my yeast. So any starches leftover in the wine after I sulfites and sorbate s may have converted to sugar? But man 1.02 points of increase is a lot. I think I messed up and stabilized too soon.
Hower I am enjoying a glass of the non back sweetened cob wine and it is nice. There is no real decernable flavor there lack the flavor "random white wine" but it is super smooth on the mouthfeel. I think the mouthfeel is the best thing about this wine. It is just damn enjoyable. Almost no alcohol bite at all. Probably could deal with a little less on the acid blend. But it is not too much to pucker at. I have a party I am going to this Thursday and I may take a bottle.
Hower I am enjoying a glass of the non back sweetened cob wine and it is nice. There is no real decernable flavor there lack the flavor "random white wine" but it is super smooth on the mouthfeel. I think the mouthfeel is the best thing about this wine. It is just damn enjoyable. Almost no alcohol bite at all. Probably could deal with a little less on the acid blend. But it is not too much to pucker at. I have a party I am going to this Thursday and I may take a bottle.
DuckiesRevenge
Well-Known Member
So between finishing my PhD and starting a new job, you can imagine that I've been busy. But with my wide hanging out with her sister and me at home, I've had time to put this together finally!
Since the smallest vessel I have is a 3 glass carboy, I'm doing 3 gallons of this stuff. Here's what I've done thus far. Took 4.7lbs of corn cobs (frozen with kernels off), chopped them and boiled for 45 min in 1 gal of water.
Since the smallest vessel I have is a 3 glass carboy, I'm doing 3 gallons of this stuff. Here's what I've done thus far. Took 4.7lbs of corn cobs (frozen with kernels off), chopped them and boiled for 45 min in 1 gal of water.
DuckiesRevenge
Well-Known Member
Now I've finished the boil, and it is currently cooling. Plan is to add the following:
96oz light corn syrup
3t tartaric acid
9oz raisins
3t yeast nutrient
3t liquid tannin
1/2t pectic enzyme
Let sit for an hour then pitch the red star champagne yeast.
Then we'll see how it goes! I'll let you know how it turns out.
96oz light corn syrup
3t tartaric acid
9oz raisins
3t yeast nutrient
3t liquid tannin
1/2t pectic enzyme
Let sit for an hour then pitch the red star champagne yeast.
Then we'll see how it goes! I'll let you know how it turns out.
DuckiesRevenge
Well-Known Member
Glad to hear! I just tested mine now (sg) and it is at 1.035. Still has a ways to go but I can see it still fermenting. Hopefully this weekend I will see how it tastes and that it will be done fermenting. Odd question but do the ferm temps have an effect on making wine? Mine is at 68 now.
Often it depends most on the strain of yeast you use as to what temps effect. For instance lalvin d47 if fermented too hight in the high 60*F and especially above 70*F it will give off terrible fusel alchohols which are hot tasting and don't age out well. When lalvin k1v-1116 is fermented below 60*F then it gives off floral notes to a wine. I like to keep ferments below 70*F for most all brews.
DuckiesRevenge
Well-Known Member
Good to know. It seems to be chugging away but I'm considering adding some yeast energizer. I didn't add that initially.
DuckiesRevenge
Well-Known Member
Ugh.... I'm having some troubles. It's still at 1.035 5 days later. I added 1.5t yeast energizer, and another packet of yeast. This was almost three days ago and it hasn't budged... I've heated it up to 70 deg. And I'm out of ideas of how to make the gravity drop....
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
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