Recent content by Tony Palmer

Hi GV 5 & GV6 are the only Gervin yeasts that allow really quite low temperatures and really only for white wines. Expect about4 C rise from the heat of fermentation and a top heat of 23 C would be good. No tried GV1 the universal yeast at really low temps.

Hello, Wine can spoil with too much heat and maintaining a consistent temperature helps. Normally around 20-22 C. I keep in a cool place and use an electrically heated brewbelt. It can help to start low 18-20 and allow to build up to say 23 C (add insulation jacket) Good luck. Gervin or...

If you take ordinary sugar and sufficent of the right nutrients and a high alcohol tolerant yeast 20% abv is quite easy with relatively low fusel oil production. In any case in most cases a maximum non malt addition of say 30% would be normal in European type beers.

Fusel oils can be created by the type of yeast selection. General rule is the higher the OG the greater the fusel oil production. Refined sugar has little effect it's the gravity. However fermentation is in itself a cleansing process so less pure sugar material does not necessarily increase...

Dear Lisa, Glad it turned out OK. I have never tried mango, but a red fruit + cherry wine would be great for your cooking or mulled wine needs. HNY

Dear Lisa, Thank you for your response. I do not advise Canderel. There are several different types of Canderel but inferior for wine making purposes by far compared to Sucralose (small tablet type). Hermasetas would be second best and saccharin third best. Canderal not on my approved list. Sorry.

Hi, I use Sucralose (the smallest tablet type) in the main because I do not like Sorbate. Sucralose (Splenda) is identical in taste to sugar though you can't add too much. Typically I use 2 tablets per bottle I would reckon 3 would be OK

Hi Appleyard, Sorry to confuse. I was a professional brewer before retirement. I have used a general conversion factor, as used by home winemakers. The Bible for this is Gerry Fowles Must reference. In Brew 1 you correctly state that 1050 OG is 12.4 Brix /Plato. That is a wt/wt measurement...

Hi, A starting gravity of 1050 SG there is 130 g sugar per Litre so that's 25 x 130 g = 3250 grams in 25Litre equivalent to 7.8%ABV. You then added 3750 grams of sugar ( in future never add more than 1Kg at a time, to "bump" up the ABV. This also lets you gauge fermentation progress). With a...

OK Best wishes,;)

Hi Lisa, Would be interested to know what it tastes like!! best wishes. Tony

Well since you asked. I would have used a yeast that is much more suited to the gravity / alcohol inferred at that starting gravity. I particularly like Lalvin EC 1118 which can take higher alcohol and I also use it in Champagne making. An alternative could be the Gervin high alcohol yeast. Not...

Problem is called sucrose inhibition. Your best solution now is to dilute back down to about 1060 with clean aerated water. If after 24 Hours still no good fermentation re yeast. Good luck.

Your starting gravity is high, and I also think the nutrient level is in need of an increase. So I would add nutrient and do a transfer to aerate it a bit more. You don' mention the pitching rate but for that gravity I would have doubled up the yeast throw. In addition I would have put Pectolase...

You need a 50% headspace, and keep the temperature under control. Commercially they use back pressure, fob breakers or anti foam addition