This is how I make wine.
Day One
I pick around September 10th.
I wash everything and set up the crusher.
I pick as many that are ready.
Into the crusher
As fast as I can
They come out broken
I pour them through again.
I then pour them out to remove the stems
It just takes a bit of time
Primary fermentation tank
Free flowing juice in the must
Take the juice and measure the Specific Gravity,
this will tell you how much sugar syrup to add.
Remove half a gallon of free flowing juice to make the starter.
1 package of yeast for each 5 gallons of must.
Add the yeast and set aside.
To the must add one crushed and dissolved camden tablet for each gallon.
Add 3/4 of teaspoon of pectic enzyme for each gallon.
Camden kills the bad yeast. Pectic Enzyme gets all the juice out.
This is all done day one of making wine.
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Day Two
The starter is working and I made sugar syrup according to the chart
to bring the Specific Gravity up to 1100. Add these to the must.
Now I am making wine.
SG chart
Primary fermentation tank in a cool dark place. Cloth cover to keep
out gnats. 10 days, push the grape skins down 3 to 4 times a day.
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Day 10
Clean and set up press.
I scoop out of tank and into basket it flows easily.
I pour a little in each carboy to keep each consistent.
Smells good
I press by hand first then with the press
When done I fit air lock to the top of the carboy.
More picture to follow
In three weeks I rack (syphon) off the top and leave the sludge on the bottom.
In three months I rack of the top again. I leave in the carboy for a year.