jeanpaul2007

IMP,
I already started making wine on sunday, is't late to add OAK today or tomorrow?

Thanks for your suggestion

iMP

U're confirming that there's no Oak pack in your wine?!  Sunday is yesterday.  Fermentation normally only start after ~24 hours.  If it's not much trouble, buy a pack from wine making supply store and add it ASAP.  Then give your must(=juice+water) a quick stir(don't worry about the foam, just make sure u disinfect your spoon), initially oak chip/shavings will flow but it'll sink to bottom by itself.  ELSE, u can add oak after wine is DONE.  But by doing so:
- ~40 grams would be sufficient,
- u need to stir the wine, about once a day for few days,
- u can leave oak inside the carboy for 1-3 weeks, it'll sink to bottom.  Then u can bottle.
- taste of oak is harsher, will take a bit longer for oak taste to mellow.

Alternatively, if u don't add oak, wine is bit lighter.  Your choice.

* I'm not 100% sure about prices, sort of $1-$1.5/30-40 grams US Oak, ~$2-2.5/30-40 gm. French Oak. May be~$10-15 per pound.
** Personally, I like oak taste, I double oak(~60-100 gm. total) whenever I could in primary fermentor.  However, that quantity would be too harsh if added to finished wine.
*** there are 2 varietals in your box.  Name of varietal (=flavor) is printed on your juice bag.

jeanpaul2007

it's 8.1 L for each bag.

iMP, I have made 3 times wine. I used tap water to add in to the juice. what kide water u used?

I don't have space where the temperature is suitable for wine ageing. I'm planing to use a carton box to make a sealed chamber which will be ventilated by outdoor air through a tube that passes the window. the outdoor is cold in winter.

iMP, how do u keep the temperature suitable for wine ageing? do u have basement? where do u keep the bottled wine in summer and winter?

iMP

Water:  Manufacturers recommend using distilled/mineral water.  Tap water has Fluoride and Salt.  Leave tap water out for 24 hours, fluoride will evaporate automatically, then only difference CHEMICALLY speaking is only few extra grains of salt.  Written few years ago, posting was deleted, I can't find time yet to rebuild. (some people CLAIM they can taste the difference in wine making from diff. type of water)

Storage:  Wine stored in cold cellar turnout better than those stored in room temperature.  However, flutuation in temp is not good for storage.  Your proposed method for your house (I assume) could be dangerous, u don't want to take any chance in freezing your water pipe(extremely detrimental and costly).  Outdoor air could go down to -2XC in winter, don't take any chance.  Just store your wine in darkness + where-ever coolest + without disturbance in your house.

Once upon a time, I left my wine in entrance porch which was not heated.  After winter, the corks pop out may be 3/4 inches.  Some years, I store my wine in friend's unheated crawl-in basement(~4 or 5 feet high) without problem.  Now I don't bother, just leave wine in room temp.

jeanpaul2007

The wine kits V E I bought doesn't containe OAK. the next day after starting wine making, I bought oak powder from wine making retailer store,  30g Oak powder was added. The oak powder is 0.88$/15g (1 bag)

jeanpaul2007

[ATTACH=CONFIG]561370[/ATTACH]I have some extra carboys, if somebody is interested, PM me

3 plastique carboys, 22L, 10$/each

2 glass carboys, 23L, 15$

1 carboy, 20L, 15$/each

with airlock


50$ for all

iMP

At last, the south shore store holds its once a year event again.  Coffee n Donut, discount on "everything", + "surprise".  I don't know if webmaster would consider this as advertisement, hence not putting all info nor full address here.

Anyone has car n driving from Montreal, I'd appreciate a ride, please PM me.  I suggest taking Papineau bridge as store is in Boucherville J4B 7K1.

iMP

nobody interest?