GREAT GRAPES INTERNATIONAL, DIY Wine Making Kits Supplier MichiganGREAT GRAPES INTERNATIONAL
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Tips & FAQs We receive questions about winemaking all the time. The following are the most frequently asked by new winemakers:
1. I really want to make wines but don't think I have the space. How much room do I need to make wine and does it smell? 2. I always hear about ageing wines. What's the real scoop on ageing and which is better, bulk ageing or bottle ageing? When bulk ageing, make sure you are topped up and have a bung and properly filled airlock on your carboy. Check your airlock often to make sure it contains a small amount of K-meta. Place your carboy somewhere quiet, cool and dark. I often bulk age 15 liter or greater wines for 6 months then bottle them. When bottle ageing make sure you have bottled properly by using a high-quality cork. Natural corks are more expensive than agglomerated, but are far superior. Synthetic corks are an excellent alternative and will help to preserve your wine. For a standard 750 ml bottle, a #8 works nicely. Another option if ageing for several years is a #9 cork. Ask Bob or LJ if you have any questions and they will be glad to point you in the right direction. When bottling, also remember to add extra sulphite to wines you intend to age longer than one year. The sulphite levels are substantially lower in your wine kits as compared to commercial wines. Many of us have wines in our cellars that have aged in excess of four years. WineExpert advises that if you're aging your wines six months or longer to include 1/4t of K-meta, however it's ultimately your decision. We generally prefer to leave out the chemicals. Make sure you have filled your bottles so that the space between the bottom of the cork and the wine is no more than about an inch. More space may cause oxidation, while less space may stress the bottle and cause leaking. Please remember: when bottling new or recycled bottles, carefully inspect them first for fractures and take precautions against breakage by keeping your bottle on the floor away from hands and feet. Please wear protective eyewear in case of breakage. If you do not have a proper cellar, find a quiet, dark location with cool, relatively constant temperatures, ideally between 45F-55F (7C-13C). Remember that a proper cellar does not have to be fancy...just quiet, dark, dry and cool You can store your wine as warm as 68F (20C), but keep in mind it will age faster as the temperature rises. Completely avoid sunlight and ultraviolet light when you're aging your wines. The humidity should be 65% to 75%, as this keeps the corks from drying and leaking. Synthetic corks do not require humidity to stay sealed. Try to minimize movement or agitation, as it disturbs the ageing process. Ageing your wine in a furnace room or spaces close to a garage are not a good idea! As a rule, the more intensely flavored and darker a wine is, the more it will benefit from ageing. WineExpert's Suggestions for Ageing Periods:
1All of these wines can age well in excess of three years. 2WineExpert advises that they should be at their best and consumed within 1 year. 3These ready are ready in 28 days and should be consumed in 1 year or less. 3. I've noticed that my wine tastes terrific when I am bottling but seem to taste different a few days later. Can this be true? 4. Do I really have to "top up" my carboy and what should I use to "top up"? Once you stablize your wine and effectively stop the conversion process, there is no protection for your wine because the fermentation process has been terninated by the sorbate. Thus, your wine has no protection from exposure to O2. You MUST top up with a wine of similar quality as the wine you are making. When using wine to top up, always use a red with a red, a white with a white, blush with blush, etc. NEVER top up a non-fruit infused wine with an infused wine, and try to avoid topping up a non oaked wine with an oaked wine. Stay away from commercial wines which may introduce an infection (called Brett...often in French and Australian commercial wines) and cloud your beautiful, clean wine. Finally, don't use a wine with elderberry to top off one without. Some home vintners use marbles in their carboys to accomidate the extra space. Be careful if you choose marbles as they are glass and can break or break your glass carboy. Wine Expert suggests you can add up to one liter of water without diluting your wine. Tip: Always put a carpet piece or other padding under a full carboy when the carboy is on a cement or tile floor. The stress of the internal pressure of a full carboy could cause breakage! 5. Can I make wine out of a diet type drink to reduce calories? If you really want to do this, buy yourself some fruit cocktail or concord grape juice,10+ pounds of suger, yeast nutrient and some acid blend. The process will require heating up your fermented substance on the stove top. You can also sweeten up your home made hooch with a sweetener (to taste). Try the Jack Keller web site and maybe he can help you out. Our kits are high quality, guarenteed varietal wine grape products. Using one of our products for making low-calorie/low alcohol wine is a waste of high quality juice and money. 6. How long does it take to make wines? Take a look at the "wine selection" range accross the top of this website. There are lots of wines which are ready to enjoy in 28 days, but many should rest in ageing for at least 6 months.. If you want that big, earthy red with lots of body and character, choose a higher volume juice kit and plan on waiting a few months. 7. Why don't I get a headache/miserable hangover from these wines? a. These wines are substantially lower in preservatives, sulfites and sorbates than commercial wines. That's why when ageing for extended periods you should add K-meta (potassium metabisulfite). Many people feel that they are sulfite sensitive and swear that it is the low sulfite levels in our wines that relieve them of the horrible headaches previously suffered when ingesting red and to a lessor extent, white wines. We love the compliments but have to admit our wines contain sulfites...but at a substantially lower level. It is impossible to alleviate sulfites from the production of wine- they are a natural byproduct of the fermentation process, are a necessary antioxidant and will kill any nasty little beasties & organisms that you don't want in your wine. However, the amount you add is up to you...the vintner. b. The second line of thought is more widely endorsed by the scientific and medical community. To put it very simply, these wines do not go through a conversion process called secondary fermentation where malolatic acid is converted into latic acid. The process is completed in most commercial vineyards in order to soften acidity and make the wine smoother. The secondary fermentation process...through decarboxylation, produces histamines and and that's the little bugger that commonly treats the wine drinker to a red nose, bad headache, sneezes and that classic hangover. 8. Do I have to filter my wines? Filtering will not avoid wine diamonds or a fall out of sediment from the ageing process but will give you an aesthetic masterpiece. Filtering can be accomplished with a mini jet automatic filter or a simple gravity filter. Ask Bob about filtering- he is the master of using the low cost gravity filter! You can email him at bob@imakewine.com 9. Should I use campden tablets, potassium metabisulfate or sodium metabisulfate and are they the same? Tips for using K-Meta:
10. Does it matter what I serve my wines in and does temperature effect how the wine tastes? The temperature at which you serve your wine also makes a significant difference. Reds are best when served at cool room temperature, between 62 and 65 F. Anything above 74 F can make your reds taste too hot, flat, lifeless or flabby. However, serving your reds too cold they make them overly tannic or acidic, and very unpleasant. If you have a cellar or wine cooler make sure it is at "cool room" temperature. If not, a few minutes in the refrigerator will wake up your reds. Whites, blushes, Beaujolais and sweeter wines like cooler temperatures, from 56 to 60 F. As with the reds, avoid serving them too cool. As a general rule, the more straw colored the white means a warmer temperature. Learning the perfect temperature at which to serve your wines takes practice, but you will eventually be able to feel the bottle and determine approximate temperature. The glass you serve your wine in also greatly affects the taste. This is not a question of etiquette, the fact is great wines require great stemware. The shape, color, thickness and size of the bowl all effect how the wine aerates and will enhance your experience. Just as you wouldn't serve an elegant meal on paper plates, you should try and use quality stemware when enjoying your wines. In general, reds require a big bowl glass. In order for the aroma/boquet to collect, you need the ability to swirl your glass. As the red oxidizes it ages and develops, releasing boquet. Whites require a taller glass with less of a bowl, while sparkling wines do best in the classic sparkling wine glass. Enjoy those bubbles with a long flute! Speciality wines, ice wines, ports, and sherry do well in a small glass with a semi bowl, which allows you to enjoy the bouquet. 11. Can you sell me the type of wine bottles that I need? TIP: Always inspect recycled bottles for breaks and mold spores. Toss out any that were not properly rinsed or have any dried or sticky substance on them. 12. Do you have other wine kits or equipment and supplies that I can order? Question not answered here? View our customer service page for easy ways to contact us.
16128 Harbor View Dr, Ste A, Spring Lake, MI 49456 P: (616) 846-7500 F: (616) 845-5962 E-mail: help@imakewine.com Web: www.imakewine.com Founded 2002 Bonded Premises: MI-15083 Personnel: Owner, Laurie Clark; Winemkr., Robert Sztoko Annual Case Prod.: 50,000 - 499,999 Products: table wine Tasting Room: Yes Wine Club: Yes % Sales DTC:60
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