I've got fruit, but not sure what size batch to use it for

[GeorgiaWhit]

Ok guys. In my freezer I have 3 one gallon Ziplocs packed pretty full of golden scups (muscadines). With the amount of fruit I have, what size batch should I make without going into the category of light body wine? 2, 3, or 5 gallon?

 

[Yooper]

Ok guys. In my freezer I have 3 one gallon Ziplocs packed pretty full of golden scups (muscadines). With the amount of fruit I have, what size batch should I make without going into the category of light body wine? 2, 3, or 5 gallon?

Weigh them and see how many pounds you have.

I love this recipe: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques15.asp but do pay attention to the notes on the acidity of those grapes!

I've used 6-7 pounds per gallon, with great results.

 

[GeorgiaWhit]

Thanks Yooper! And I've come across these recipes a few times. I think I will try one of the two. As far as the grapes, I will weigh them when I get home from work and let ya know. One more thing while I got you.. I have 5 gallons of apple wine I think I may have really messed up with. Its cleared stabilized, and aging in my glass carboy. It was a cider yeast, and seemed to ferment VERY slowly. It started super sweet.and was stabilized super sweet. The thing is is it was as country as it gets! Just sugar water chopped up apples amd yeast. Its so ligjt bodied I doubt any apple flavor is there. Should I bottle anyway? What would you do?

 

[Pyg]

1 lb per gallon will give you a light body wine.
The more lbs per gallon the tastier it will be!

 

[GeorgiaWhit]

Ok, so I know its late. But I weighed the muscadines at just over 13 pounds.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks Yooper! And I've come across these recipes a few times. I think I will try one of the two. As far as the grapes, I will weigh them when I get home from work and let ya know. One more thing while I got you.. I have 5 gallons of apple wine I think I may have really messed up with. Its cleared stabilized, and aging in my glass carboy. It was a cider yeast, and seemed to ferment VERY slowly. It started super sweet.and was stabilized super sweet. The thing is is it was as country as it gets! Just sugar water chopped up apples amd yeast. Its so ligjt bodied I doubt any apple flavor is there. Should I bottle anyway? What would you do?

That I am not sure of- it really depends on how sweet it is, and if it is done fermenting. I'd get a hydrometer first thing, and use that to see if the wine is safe to bottle or if glass grenades are likely.

 

[Yooper]

Ok, so I know its late. But I weighed the muscadines at just over 13 pounds.

I'd make two gallons of wine with that amount, and follow Jack keller's instructions in the recipe. It's a very good recipe, and a good wine in the end. You'll need a couple of one gallon jugs, #6 bungs, and two airlocks, and you should be all set.

 

[GeorgiaWhit]

Hi everyone! Ok, so I've gotten the wine going now butbits been in the primary for 2 weeks now. I started bit a bit sweeter than most so its taking it longer to get to .990. Its in my better bottle so you can imagine how much head space it has. Airlock has activity so I know its pumping gas, and no residual air in my fermenter. How long am I safe for having it in primary?

 

[Yooper]

Hi everyone! Ok, so I've gotten the wine going now butbits been in the primary for 2 weeks now. I started bit a bit sweeter than most so its taking it longer to get to .990. Its in my better bottle so you can imagine how much head space it has. Airlock has activity so I know its pumping gas, and no residual air in my fermenter. How long am I safe for having it in primary?

I normally do primary for 5-7 days. Then protect the wine by racking to an appropriately sized carboy.

 

[GeorgiaWhit]

Ugh!! I have two 1 gallon carboys for my muscadines secondary. They do have excessive fruit pulp, and tonight I racked to get it off that yeast cake and pulp. The issue is that one of the gallons smelled sorta like vinegar! Its also pretty stout as far as alcohol. 14% percent range. Maybe I'm mistaken about it being vinegar that I smell? Or I contaminated the one somewhere down the line?

 

[jensmith]

Did you taste it? If is sharp try adding suger to a sample. If this fixes it then its not vineger. It may just be very dry and still degassing. It can burn your nose sometimes if you inhale the first puff of released gas when you remove the airlock.
Either way. Rack it


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