Seamonkey84
Well-Known Member
I’ve started myself on a slippery slope. I think I’m more culturing and growing yeast than doing this for the wine itself at the moment. Two weeks ago I made an oversized starter for a Melomel I was putting together. After that was split and pitched, I’ve been continuing to feed and split this colony. Basically treating it like I would a fish tank... or like when I was growing green water algae for breeding fish.
Anyway, the newest growth medium I pitched some of my colony into is a gallon of watermelon and raspberry juice. I Cut the top off a gallon sized watermelon, used a potato masher to pulp and extract the juice. I poured everything through a strainer, then squeezed as much juice out of the pulp as I could through cheese cloth. I purposely put a few chunks of melon in the juice, and was left with a bit under a gallon. I dissolved one Camden tablet and added 6 drops of liquid peptic enzyme to the juice, and topped Off to a gallon with 12oz of frozen raspberries. I let the whole jug sit in the fridge with the top loosely on for 36hrs to let the tab and enzymes do it’s thing, stirring occasionally and mashed the berries some. Afterward, I put it all through a kitchen strainer, let it sit out to room temp and added the sugar and yeast. Starting gravity is 1.130, I’ll be following the BOMM protocol with this batch as well I’m still using the same Wyeast 1388. So potassium, Fermaid-O and Fermaid-K added at pitch, and Fermaid-O will be added at 1/3 and 2/3 sugar breaks along with degassing (not aerating) until stabilized. Should stop at 1.010 for residual sweetness.
Anyway, the newest growth medium I pitched some of my colony into is a gallon of watermelon and raspberry juice. I Cut the top off a gallon sized watermelon, used a potato masher to pulp and extract the juice. I poured everything through a strainer, then squeezed as much juice out of the pulp as I could through cheese cloth. I purposely put a few chunks of melon in the juice, and was left with a bit under a gallon. I dissolved one Camden tablet and added 6 drops of liquid peptic enzyme to the juice, and topped Off to a gallon with 12oz of frozen raspberries. I let the whole jug sit in the fridge with the top loosely on for 36hrs to let the tab and enzymes do it’s thing, stirring occasionally and mashed the berries some. Afterward, I put it all through a kitchen strainer, let it sit out to room temp and added the sugar and yeast. Starting gravity is 1.130, I’ll be following the BOMM protocol with this batch as well I’m still using the same Wyeast 1388. So potassium, Fermaid-O and Fermaid-K added at pitch, and Fermaid-O will be added at 1/3 and 2/3 sugar breaks along with degassing (not aerating) until stabilized. Should stop at 1.010 for residual sweetness.