1 Gallon Elderberry (July 2017)

[jeskremer]

DAY ONE
3 lb previously stemmed and process canned elderberries
7 pts store purchased water
Added sugar to 1.095 SG (5 1/4 cups)
Tested acid content at 0.2%. Added 1 tsp acid blend, retested at 0.4%. Fruit wines and reds should be between 0.6%-0.65%. I don't want to over-acidify though and will leave it at 0.4% for now and add more acid blend later.
Just under 1/16 tsp potassium metabisulfate
1 tsp Yeast Nutrient

[jeskremer]

TWELVE HOURS LATER
Added 1/4 packet Pasteur Red yeast.

[jeskremer]

TWO AND A HALF DAYS AFTER ADDING YEAST
Had REALLY rapid fermentation at 1.020 SG. Funneled into primary and put a couple of cups extra in the refrigerator for later top ups.

[jeskremer]

A COUPLE MONTHS LATER
Racked off lees.

[jeskremer]

December 12
Racked and topped with 1 1/2 c of the leftover primary must that I had refrigerated.

[jeskremer]

March 15
Good flavor. A bit flat. Tested ph at 4.0. Added 1/4 tsp at a time to 1 tsp to get ph down to 3.8. Recommendation for reds is 3.3-3.6 and whites 3.0-3.3. The lower the ph, the higher the acid level.

Racked and airlocked for next week.

[jeskremer]

Bottled December 2018
Drew up some wine and added 1/16 tsp potassium metabisulfite to kill off any yeast and max 1/2 tsp wine conditioner potassium sorbate/gal, the minimum to stabilize, but not sweeten.

Bottled and degassed each bottle twice with a plunger. Drew off a bunch of CO2.

Tested ph at 3.86.