Costco Wine - Chateau Chardonnay, Tuesday, May 28, 2019
23 L
O.G. - 1.090
Day 10 - 0.995 - ( current alcohol is 12.8% )
F.G. - 0.992
% - 13.5
Just one wine kit for now. Carboys have beer in them. I have 4 to make and will put down another one as soon as any carboys are free. OG is 1.090. That is a first. Best I ever did was 1.086. Don't forget to top up in the secondary when told to with your previous wine. The room really smells strong compared to when I used an air lock. I just put the lid on the pail without securing it or using an air lock. The Wine Shoppe does it this way, as do most others, so me too. No temp strip on pail, but will get one soon.
FERMENTATION NOTES
Having trouble keeping it around 72 F. The room was 78 F once, turned it down to 68 F. With no temp strip it is difficult to deal with. I finally got a temp strip and it said 76 F. Way too high. Shut off heat, but it may be too late as I am on day 9. Racked into my carboy on Day 11 - June 8. The instructions contradict themselves. I am following my own schedule according to the gravity of the wine.
Day 1 - Primary Fermentation in pail. Room way too warm. Adjusted the baseboard.
Day 12 - A day or so late. Gravity is .995. Racked to a carboy.
Day 20 - Check gravity and if below .995 ( which is already is ) degas and add sachets per
instructions.
Day 21 - Add clearing agent.Take downstairs to sit on bench undisturbed for 10 days.
Did a shit job of racking to the carboy. I tried to get as much as I can and my hand
slipped and I got some trub in the wine. No matter as it will clear nice and I filter.
Day 22 - Add chitosan and top up with like wine. Bottle in 10 days. Yea, I used 5 bottles too :(
Day 32 - Filter and bottle on Sunday, June 30 as there is no Smarc ball on that day. Smart Chris.
Checked it on June 29 and it is clear enough to filter.
FINALLY BOTTLED ON JULY 4
I added the wine conditioner when I de-gassed it. This was fermented kind of high for a wine. I didn't
have any place to put it. At one point it was 76 F, not good.
TASTE ON BOTTLING DAY - JULY 4
Seems okay for wine aged an hour. First bottle has toaster leavings in it which seems to be normal. How much wine can you let the filter pump out in the pail? I assume the rest is very clear as it has in the past. Will look at them when I put them on their side for 7 days. 13.5% is the highest yet, but that doesn't mean a lot to me. Taste is everything and this seems fine. Slightly sweet with the 100 ml of wine conditioner added. Good, I like that. I don't like a super dry or even a dry white wine, but will make a decision on later batches whether to add it or not.
O.G. - 1.090
Day 10 - 0.995 - ( current alcohol is 12.8% )
F.G. - 0.992
% - 13.5
Just one wine kit for now. Carboys have beer in them. I have 4 to make and will put down another one as soon as any carboys are free. OG is 1.090. That is a first. Best I ever did was 1.086. Don't forget to top up in the secondary when told to with your previous wine. The room really smells strong compared to when I used an air lock. I just put the lid on the pail without securing it or using an air lock. The Wine Shoppe does it this way, as do most others, so me too. No temp strip on pail, but will get one soon.
FERMENTATION NOTES
Having trouble keeping it around 72 F. The room was 78 F once, turned it down to 68 F. With no temp strip it is difficult to deal with. I finally got a temp strip and it said 76 F. Way too high. Shut off heat, but it may be too late as I am on day 9. Racked into my carboy on Day 11 - June 8. The instructions contradict themselves. I am following my own schedule according to the gravity of the wine.
Day 1 - Primary Fermentation in pail. Room way too warm. Adjusted the baseboard.
Day 12 - A day or so late. Gravity is .995. Racked to a carboy.
Day 20 - Check gravity and if below .995 ( which is already is ) degas and add sachets per
instructions.
Day 21 - Add clearing agent.Take downstairs to sit on bench undisturbed for 10 days.
Did a shit job of racking to the carboy. I tried to get as much as I can and my hand
slipped and I got some trub in the wine. No matter as it will clear nice and I filter.
Day 22 - Add chitosan and top up with like wine. Bottle in 10 days. Yea, I used 5 bottles too :(
Day 32 - Filter and bottle on Sunday, June 30 as there is no Smarc ball on that day. Smart Chris.
Checked it on June 29 and it is clear enough to filter.
FINALLY BOTTLED ON JULY 4
I added the wine conditioner when I de-gassed it. This was fermented kind of high for a wine. I didn't
have any place to put it. At one point it was 76 F, not good.
TASTE ON BOTTLING DAY - JULY 4
Seems okay for wine aged an hour. First bottle has toaster leavings in it which seems to be normal. How much wine can you let the filter pump out in the pail? I assume the rest is very clear as it has in the past. Will look at them when I put them on their side for 7 days. 13.5% is the highest yet, but that doesn't mean a lot to me. Taste is everything and this seems fine. Slightly sweet with the 100 ml of wine conditioner added. Good, I like that. I don't like a super dry or even a dry white wine, but will make a decision on later batches whether to add it or not.
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