Gallon Grape - Frozen Concords (November 2015)

[jeskremer]

DAY ONE
6# Frozen grapes from 2013
5 pts spring water
3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp nutrient
1/8 tsp potassium metabisulfate

Let sit overnight and noted that starting SG was 1.070. Added 1 cup of sugar to bring that up to 1.090.

[jeskremer]

DAY TWO
Added 1/4 tsp Cote des Blancs yeast.

[jeskremer]

NINE MONTHS LATER
Finally racked for the first time. Oops. The airlock had run out of water also. This wine may be shot.

Tastes mildly like grape, but a bit woody and slightly tart. After racking, topped with grape primary juice that had been refrigerated. Degassed.

Added 1/4 tsp Potassium Bicorbonate to reduce tartness. Check again and add some more in a month (NOTE: Never add more than 1 1/4 tsp/gallon total).

[jeskremer]

TWO MONTHS LATER
Still tart. Added more Potassium Bicarbonate - a tsp., now maxed out.

[jeskremer]

Racked February 1, 2017
Split the gallon into two 1/2 gallon carboys. Added 1 1/2 cups spring water each. It was still a bit acidic.

Tested by adding another 1/2 tsp potassium bicarbonate to each. Degassed considerably. Quite a few crystals were in the bottom of the initial secondary before racking.