Making Wine in My Own Backyard, Part 2

This story follows after Making Wine in My Own Backyard 1

It's noon and I'm heading for the winery to help punch down the berries in the vats of fermenting wine. At this point in the process, the tanks get mixed 4 times a day. Temperature and Sugar (brix) are checked at 6:30 am every day.

A cap of berries is floating on top of the juice, forced upward by the CO2 released by the yeast during the fermentation process -- they are converting sugar into alcohol now. The smell is wonderful.

Mix each batch for 4.5 minutes - that's what the winemaker says.

Then clean up the mess and seal up the tanks.

Just like TV time -- it's now 5 pm and we are agitating the berries again. The pink foam is on top of the berries, and is a result of the fermentation.

Some of the customers (visiting from Chicago) come from the wine bar back to the winery area and are watching us mix up the tanks. Each tank contains about 1400 lbs / 600 kg of berries and juice.

After every tank is mixed for 4.5 minutes, the plastic tank is wiped with a sulphur dioxide mixture to ensure cleanliness. No mold, mildew, chlorine, etc. is allowed near the tanks or the berries.

It's 6 pm and the process starts again at 10. I plan to be sleeping then...

I love this MIH annual calendar watch. And the wine is nice too.

Cazalea

Temperature and time

By: Lenrock : October 22nd, 2017-04:11

Hi Cazalea, I like your post. What is the temperature and for how long do you keep it i these vans please? Thank you Lenrock

The temperature is very complicated

By: cazalea : October 22nd, 2017-09:21

I can tell you what the instructions are but it depends of course on the temperature of the room, and the must (grape juice and berries) when they start to ferment. And the type of grapes and yeast. All this is in Celsius: YEAST Put yeast food into hot wa...

The must

By: Lenrock : October 22nd, 2017-09:37

Thank you. How long time do you keep the berries on it until you take them off? And for second fermentation what is the temperature in the room until you put in the barrel. Lenrock

I am not the winemaker, just the free manual laborer

By: cazalea : October 22nd, 2017-09:53

I can ask him, but you might have to wait a week or two until the grapes are at that point. Much depends on them and how they and the yeast get along. Also, I just checked our weather forecast and it says 30-35 degrees C for the next 3 days! Very hot for ...

I am not a winemaker

By: Lenrock : October 22nd, 2017-10:20

But I prepare for my personal use about 10 to 20 cases and I would like to have an expert oppinion Thank you Lenrock

The berries have just about finished now

By: cazalea : October 24th, 2017-14:46

Three of the tanks are now like clay in color rather than purple. They are cooling down and the sugar levels are 2-3 Brix. They will stay in the bin another day or two until we press them and put the wine into barrels.