California Connoiseur Pinot Noir

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Vinotinto

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Been a busy boy today
Started this as per recipe but having noted Chewie's advice in another thread I added 1.5l water and extra 750g sugar to minimise volume loss from racking and giving the final abv a boost.
Starting OG still 1.090 so all well thus far. Apart from the slightly less quantity of juice than the Kenridge kit all seems very familiar. No oak or berries etc with this kit.
In fv and awaits the yeast waking up. Will update as necessary.
 
Oh that is a good idea ! I have just started a Kenridge white but not pitched yet and might just actually do that also .
 
I think its a meager 11.5% so you are right to add. the Sauv Blanc I am doing is only 12% so will add in some sugar to get me to 1090.
 
The CC website lists all there wines as coming out at around 11.5, just invested in some corkscrew retardent underwear btw :eek: . Defo expect to give this a minimum of 6 months to start to improve, there Rioja i made this time last year is now a very nice wine but only 8 bottles left.
 
Which brings me nicely back to the Vinotech thing whereby they suggest / recommend that 1/4 tsp of potassium mbs is added IF you want to lay it down for more than 6 months BUT they do not supply this in the pack ( other than the pouch instructed to apply at the earlier stage ).

Still no reply from suppliers on my Kenridge kit with same issue!

Is it me?
 
I didn't add any extra and had no problems with it. Only chems added where the ones supplied.
 
This is certainly bubbling nicely. Far more active than the Kenridge Barollo. Maybe due to the extra sugar I gave it? Surprising really as the room it is in struggles to get to 18c most of the day / night.
 
Day 8 stage tomorrow looms. Still bubbling well. Took sg today aNd it is 1.014, a tad above the 1.010 it should be < b4 1st rack into dj. Tastes pretty **** and well cloudy but both expected at his stage I suppose. Will leave it to do its stuff a few more days I think. The extra water and sugar together with borderline temperatures are coming into play here I think.
 
Day 8 racking done today at day 9. SG 1.002. Filled the dj nicely so pleased with the extra volume.

IMG_3182.jpg
 
Slight issue here guys. I am a couple of days over the adding bentonite and into fv stage to degas. Not a great issue as there is still activity at the neck but...........

I have buggered my back up somewhat badly so will have to delay the next stage considerably. Do you think this will matter? As you can see there is very little air at the top and the lock is fine. It will just sit on the dead yeast longer before the next stage.
 
It will be fine, I usually leave mine sitting in its primary FV for a month to clear up before racking and adding all the little sachets, a few days isn't going to make any difference.
 
Passing this through the vinbrite as I type. Nice and clear and nice, albeit young and harshish, taste. Perfectly acceptable now and should improve after being in the bottle for a while. Sourced some proper potassium metabisulphate so 1/4 tsp of that will be going in before bottling as recommended.
 
Bottled today. No hint of the horrid metallic taste I had with a Kenridge having dropped it onto 5 Campdens so The Potassium MBS will be the way forward for me from now on.

Despite the added water etc I still only just squeezed 29 bottles out of this. Funny how the 'tastings' add up.

All in all, I am very pleased with this and will come back with an update once it has been in the bottle a while.
 
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