Recent content by lukebuz

Update?

Do you backsweeten? Add sugar after stabilized and ferment is complete.

Cranberries have natural sorbic acid - a preservative. To get CB to go, you need a really active strong starter. Acclimate the starter to the CB juice, and then pitch. Start the yeast 36-48 hours early.

10+ year living dead thread! Nice! I do blends with Habanero wine. Cherry, Raspberry, Apple. Sweet taste, just a bit of burn on the finish!

Y'all should ALWAYS use a starter! Makes for a more more foolproof ferment. 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar, yeast. Let sit overnight.

speaking of bombs...don't do it. read up on bottle carbonation first, please!

Cotes des Blancs from Redstar or it's equivalent. Classic fruit wine yeast.

Use a mid-shelf vodka in your airlocks. Big 1.75L bottle only $30. Don't get bottom shelf, some will always get sucked into your wine. Rather Vodka than sanitizer or yucky water.

I disagree with many posters here. This product makes great CB wine. It's like 30% juice and some water and sugar. Just use that pure "juice", bump your SG up to 1.090, and ferment away. I, and everyone who has tried it, really likes it. You'll want to backsweeten to taste. Ocean Spray...

In what country is that an old saying??

Skip the PH measurement and acid titration kits. Way overcomplicating things. Make your wine, and when it comes time to bottle, have a sample. Is it a little flat? Lacking "zing"? Add a teaspoon of acid blend. Stir, sample again. Add until you've hit a spot that tastes great to you, but...

Plus, who wants to water down their wine?? Keep an extra few bottles with bottle sized plug/airlock for backfilling.

Well?

The advice about making a super-duper starter are the key. Start it 2 days in advance, in a little sugar water. When it's good and foamy, add a bit of must. Repeat. Repeat. Have a monster starter, and it'll go!

Ditch the test kit! Add acid blend to taste. Done! PS 1 tsp per gal is enough for most!