Red grape Juice, with dried elderberries

[GDog]

Bit of a delay but the berries are now soaking ready for tomorrow. they already smell like socks.

funnily enough I've just opened a bottle, and it's still got the slight pong of socks soaked in wet grass. It disappears though, I'm just opened a more recent 75g batch to see if it's as nice as the 100g original batch that I've still got some left (it is)

My original batch is a few months old now and it's lovely

 

[Vinotinto]

funnily enough I've just opened a bottle, and it's still got the slight pong of socks soaked in wet grass. It disappears though, I'm just opened a more recent 75g batch to see if it's as nice as the 100g original batch that I've still got some left (it is)

My original batch is a few months old now and it's lovely

The pong disappears after opening or after more time in the bottle?

 

[GDog]

The pong disappears after opening or after more time in the bottle?

Both, although more time in the bottle seems better. My 1st batch has no smell at all.

The newer bottle I decanted at 7pm, is nowhere near as bad now (smell) but tastes lovely.

I've got my last two Dj's of this stuff clearing naturally, and I'm leaving them where they are for 3 months to mature i bulk to see what they are like.


Al

 

[Vinotinto]

Well the berries have turned the juice a nice colour already. Looking forward to some squishing tomorrow.

 

[Vinotinto]

It has just ocurred to me -

Is there no harm / problem with adding the sugar and grape juice to the berries and water etc at stage one when adding the pectolase and Campden. This is what I do with blackberry. Leave 24 hours then pitch the yeast?

 

[GDog]

It has just ocurred to me -

Is there no harm / problem with adding the sugar and grape juice to the berries and water etc at stage one when adding the pectolase and Campden. This is what I do with blackberry. Leave 24 hours then pitch the yeast?

that's what I do too, and my blackberry !

I can't imaging the camden doing anything untoward to the sugar content, and I've not had an issue yet.

I may have mentioned, I've experimented with/without 1 camden tab at stage 1, and didn't have any issues either way but ts probably safer doing it at that stage, and leaving out the later sulphites (if that is your aim)

 

[Vinotinto]

that's what I do too, and my blackberry !

I can't imaging the camden doing anything untoward to the sugar content, and I've not had an issue yet.

I may have mentioned, I've experimented with/without 1 camden tab at stage 1, and didn't have any issues either way but ts probably safer doing it at that stage, and leaving out the later sulphites (if that is your aim)

Forgive me Gdog but your recipe makes no mention of you making it this way hence the observation / question

 

[Vinotinto]

And hey........ what the frube is all the brown sticky resinous stuff that coats the fingers when squidging?

 

[GDog]

And hey........ what the frube is all the brown sticky resinous stuff that coats the fingers when squidging?

haha it doesn't come off does it ! I had brown fingers for days, takes some explaining..

My recipe does mention using / vs not using a campden tablet at the initial stage after squishing the fruit, and before adding the yeast.. (see below)
TBH I've tried both, and I don't notice the difference, so its probably safer to do it as the dried EB can contain bug larvae according to @tau so I wouldn't worry..

In fact the only batch that gives me a bad head had additives x4 times by mistake.. On that early one, I added:

1.--CT at the early stage, as you have done
2.--Stabilized (I never do this, but had some lying around)
3. --Finings (I never do this, but had some lying around, and it contained preservatives. Possibly minimal to just stop the actual clearing product from going off, rather than preserving the finished wine)
4.--CT before bottling.
It's a head buster!

I now just add CT at stage 1, and 4.. (some batches were just stage 4)


----

N.B 1. I've made batches both WITH the camden tablets early on (where ****stars**** are shown), and without, and I've had no problems without. Maybe the boiling water is enough to kill any bugs, and I'm sticking with that from now on to reduce headaches.

 

[Vinotinto]

Right. Got this into 2 x DJs. Actually does not taste too bad although still very sweet at 1.018. Does not smell too bad now either.
Bubbling nicely (100 mile an hour in fact but no frothing) but........

That bl**dy brown resin!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ended up using WD40 on it and it shifted.

 

[GDog]

Right. Got this into 2 x DJs. Actually does not taste too bad although still very sweet at 1.018. Does not smell too bad now either.
Bubbling nicely (100 mile an hour in fact but no frothing) but........

That bl**dy brown resin!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ended up using WD40 on it and it shifted.

did you use straining bags/cloth over a funnel?

I tried squishing once using my wilko plastic spoon, almost had to bin it - used olive oil to get it off in the end.

I've heard stories of ruined FV's when making true elderberry wine, but I never experienced that with the 100% fresh stuff.. The wine was vile, but thats a LONG term storage brew apparently (like 1-3 years )

 

[Vinotinto]

did you use straining bags/cloth over a funnel?

I tried squishing once using my wilko plastic spoon, almost had to bin it - used olive oil to get it off in the end.

I've heard stories of ruined FV's when making true elderberry wine, but I never experienced that with the 100% fresh stuff.. The wine was vile, but thats a LONG term storage brew apparently (like 1-3 years )

Used a muslin bag over a funnel. Chucked the bag. Funnel not too much problem but had some nasty browning in the fv which got worse as wiped. Will remember the olive oil trick. .

DJs now bubbling for England!! How long do yours normally go from now?

Would add - the same Wilko spoon here picked up a few traces too whilst stirring periodically. Got rid with dish soap but took some rubbing.

 

[GDog]

Used a muslin bag over a funnel. Chucked the bag. Funnel not too much problem but had some nasty browning in the fv which got worse as wiped. Will remember the olive oil trick. .

DJs now bubbling for England!! How long do yours normally go from now?

Would add - the same Wilko spoon here picked up a few traces too whilst stirring periodically. Got rid with dish soap but took some rubbing.

I used a muslin cloth when I made my blackberry, did the job but I also ended up chucking it. I've since picked up a proper straining bag and it's SO much better, and washes fine - I've used it tons of times.

Mine take another 3 weeks , so SLOW, I think its the temperature issues I've been posting about. I've had one complete in 2 weeks when it was a bit warmer.

 

[Vinotinto]

Activity on these has now slowed considerably. Been in djs for 5 days. Took an SG as was doing others and it is at 0.994. Quick taste reveals a distinct hint of a 1960's tramp sitting in a pool of sick sucking diarrhoea through a sweaty sock. Colour is ok though Very unpleasant. . Patience will hopefully be a virtue with this one or the 'Dog' will be off to the vet.:)

 

[GDog]

Activity on these has now slowed considerably. Been in djs for 5 days. Took an SG as was doing others and it is at 0.994. Quick taste reveals a distinct hint of a 1960's tramp sitting in a pool of sick sucking diarrhoea through a sweaty sock. Colour is ok though Very unpleasant. . Patience will hopefully be a virtue with this one or the 'Dog' will be off to the vet.:)

oh dear !!! :whistle:

Mine didnt taste like that at all, are you sure it's not just the smell - block your nose and have another sip

 

[Vinotinto]

Early days gdog, early days.

 

[GDog]

Early days gdog, early days.

I bottled a batch last night that has been clearing naturally in DJ's for just over a month (with a CT per gallon), had a tiny sip and it's amazing..

 

[Vinotinto]

Did you rack into dj onto CT once it had stopped. Off the lees?

 

[GDog]

Did you rack into dj onto CT once it had stopped. Off the lees?

yup, then left to clear for a month as I didn't fancy using finings.

 

[Tau]

An elderberry wow I made after adding redbush matured really quickly, 4 bottles had all gone through malo/latic and were fizzy. The other 2 bottles I drank to soon. Might try again but using 1 redbush bag, instead of two.