Recent content by khiddy

My wife picked up a 24-pack of this Virtue Rosé last week at our local (northern Indiana) Costco. We've been to their cidery several times, and their rosé is indeed legit - it is very reminiscent of rosé wine, dry and flavorful (and with a slight bit of oak). One interesting note: the packaging...

Resurrecting the thread, I can only say: I did this yesterday, and it saved me $12 over buying one at the LHBS. I cut it to fit the mouth of my Better Bottle, and it worked perfectly when used. Brilliant!

I've got a batch of the Vino Italiano Rosso Magnifico (their "Super Tuscan") that I made not to volume, but to SG of 1.090 - it came out at 5.3gal in primary. I also used Lalvin Bourgovin RC212 yeast, not the EC1118 that came with the kit, as the RC212 is rumored to have a good effect on red...

It could just be off-gassing. The bubbler is not the definitive indicator that fermentation is complete: the hydrometer will tell you. If you take readings on three consecutive days and it reads the same all three, then you're ready to rack. Plus, racking will leave behind most of the yeast...

No, "let ferment dry" means let it go as-is until the yeasts have eaten all the sugars, so that it tastes dry (versus sweet or "off-dry", i.e., there should be no residual sugar left). If you have a hydrometer, it typically means fermenting until readings on three subsequent days all stay the...

Thanks for the recommendations! I'm procrastinating working on a paper that's due tomorrow, so I think I'll rack some wine instead!

My first batch of kit wine has been underway since the start of the month (19 days now), and I thought I'd follow Jack's Extended Kit instructions. One thing he didn't list was the use of bentonite before pitching yeast, even though a packet was included and listed in the included kit...

Wait. The heat will die down. Eventually. Or leave it as-is, keg it, and mix with fresh lemonade as you serve. that will kick up the lemon flavor and tone down the hooch-taste at the same time (think "skeeter pee shandy").

I have and use one, and can confirm that you will go through 2-3 chargers to serve a keg. You do indeed need to carb the keg either with sugar or force-carb with a full-size tank/regulator, but this device beats the pants off of hauling your whole tank/regulator around just to serve at a party...

Degass using Food Saver.... brilliant! Now you got me thinking...

Let me lead off with this warning: I don't have enough experience as a vintner to provide a definitive answer, but here are a few thoughts to consider: *Most kits start with 6 gallons in primary, a portion of which is left behind with the lees each time you rack to another vessel. Thus, you...

Is it possible to cold-crash the carboy and rack off to another carboy to speed things along a bit? I have the space in a fridge to do so, but would it work?

I've not used Steinberg. I have a batch going where I'm using Saflager 34/70, fermenting in the mid-50's. It's happily bubbling away, so I have every reason to believe we're gonna get booze.

Thanks for the link, Airplanedoc! I've been looking for a method to clean my corny kegs that I left a bit of IPA in for a year, and just can't quite get my hand inside, nor was Oxyclean working for me. Much obliged!

About the IBU calculation method, what is the consensus on which one is more accurate? I mean, Tinseth, Rager, Garetz, which one will produce the best prediction of just how bitter my beer will be (taking into account first the method, then the BU:GU ratio)?