I finally got around to racking my wine. This is the task I will happily do while supper bubbles on the stove. My goodness! Are there nine gallons there?
The one in the center front I'm going to rack first. Turns out this was the mixed berry that had the awful mold on top if you recall that post. It tastes very good. Not sweet which is a good sign. After 6 weeks of a slow ferment it is doing very well. I watch as it siphons.
This is the dead yeast and solids from the berries.
Here you can see how handy the tip is on the siphon. While some of the solids and yeast getting into the new bottle isn't harmful you definitely don't want this gunk in there.
Remember the strawberry I started? I am amazed at this color! I have never had strawberry wine this dark!
You can see the dead yeast at the bottom. I have been very pleased with this yeast. And the taste of this wine is already quite smooth, and again it isn't sweet. I'm on a roll!
Doesn't that stuff look good enough to pour over ice cream? But trust me it isn't. I pour it in the compost bucket instead. Once I put the air lock back on the jug you can see it is already beginning to ferment again.
Next up are the batches that have been racked at least once and/or made from concentrates. If there isn't dead yeast and material in my siphon I don't have to wash it out between batches and the work goes fast from here on out. This next one is an apple raspberry from a concentrate. It is new to me. It tastes lovely already with the aroma of raspberry and a hint of raspberry after you swallow. This will be a good wine.
If you like a wine that doesn't have a lot of "bite" you will like these made from apple juice. Very mellow and the raspberry keeps it from being bland.
What flavor do you think one is?
No it isn't bourbon. I know I know I live in the bourbon capital of the universe, but it is illegal to brew bourbon in my house so I have this cheap imitation. This is apple cherry. It is much milder than the apple raspberry. And how about that color! Love that rosy goldness don't you?
I can't bear to throw out anything drinkable so I do this.
It is a bit murky and it isn't as tasty as the first sips when I siphon but it isn't bad. When I can drink "the bottom of the barrel" I know my wine will be very good when its ready! And if I let it sit for an hour or so it will clear considerably.
As I look back over my work I notice all but one are reds or rose. I must have been thirsty for reds! I have two gallons that will most likely be ready to bottle very soon. One is a plain white grape table wine and the other a mixed berry. I can't wait to replenish my wine cupboard because it is nearly empty. You must be thinking that is a lot of wine and you are right. I will get about 4 bottles or so from each gallon and I will probably bottle a gallon a month over the next 6 months. I use a bottle a week on average so I try to keep the supply on hand at the rate of a gallon a month. I had stopped brewing for awhile so its time to play catch up!
Of all the wines I tasted tonight I am the least impressed with the white grape wine. Country wines grow on you because they vary in flavor. I like to have a "plain" white grape on hand because when (not if) I brew an inferior wine I can blend it with the white grape and have a very nice end product. In fact, if you look at the label of store bought wines you will find that many of them are blends. And please, exercise caution if you buy a blackberry or blueberry or some such wine. It is a blend. I, personally think it is a marketing tool to disguise bad grape wines. Not a criticism mind you, this is an observation. After all, that IS what a vitner DOES! It is too painful to waste all that hard work and love and time and effort and hope and all those wonderful by products of winemaking and yes I made this run on sentence on purpose.
Now for some wine art.
That is what you see from the bird's eye view down a just racked gallon of wine. This was a concentrate so that is all dead yeast on the bottom. Good thing I don't have a decent camera or I could get dangerous!
Supper is ready! This is the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, leftover tomato juice, spices and some frozen basil from the garden that I need to use!
I really should have put a glug of wine in there! See! I told you it goes fast!
10 comments:
Wow, lot's of wine to enjoy! Well done! I haven't done anything other than the moscato, in fact I am afraid to try as I don't really know what I am doing! lol...hubby brews beer, I made a batch a year ago, a porter. I am going to try another one, probably a pilsner! Way to go on the wine!
Ok, that's it, I have to try to make some. Strawberries are arriving at the farmer's market so I'll try strawberry wine first. Yum.
I would love to try and make some wine, but wouldn't know where to start.
We have brewed beer, but not wine. Your wines sound & look delicious. Mixed Berry. mmm
Sounds like you're really happy with this lot.
Good tip about the apple juice wines - I like a sweet mellow wine which I can chill.
Enjoyed your wine art and, yum, your dinner looks good :)
Chicago Bears Fan~It really is no fail if you don't let the temperatures get too high. Marie~I'm thrilled! A tip for you...the very ripe and less than perfect berries are just fine for wine. I have started using frozen because they make just as good if not better wine. Vi ~read back over my wine posts and email me if you are still confused. Once you settle on a type the rest is easy. Susan ~ I wish I could send you a bottle!
Oh,You are so clever. I've never thought to make wine. We have very good wines in this country and they don't cost the earth either so a bottle now and again is a must with a good meal Maa..
homemade wine that isn't sweet? I just may have to try that sometime...like my wine dry. Your turkey dish looks delish. wish I'd taken the time to freeze some. this year I'll get another chance!
Maa~we have some good wines that still cost less than 10 bucks. However, I can make it on average for $2.50 (recycling bottles and I don't use campden tablets and I like it better except for my favorite Italian wine.
Dmarie~it is a common mistake in winemaking to use too much sugar. The wine can only hold up to around 18% alcohol and if the yeast doesn't eat up the sugar you are left with a sweet wine. You can always add sugar to sweeten the wine to taste. As for the turkey I have been known to carry off the carcass from the office dinner because it had too much meat left to throw it out!
i just love the colors. making wine must give you the same sort of satisfied feeling that making bread, yogurt or cheese gives one, but the warmth from the drink is just so tres meilleur...pardon my poor french
Wow you have been busy. Such skill and I can imagine how proud you feel when you pack it away for the future.
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