The question perhaps should be: Are you trying to catch up? or am I
falling behind!

Ray

"Alfonse" > wrote in message
.. .
> 550 bottles? Ok, I'm jealous..... but I hope to catch up some day!
> Al
>
> "Ray" > wrote in message
> . com...
> > I have 550 bottles going back as much as 5 years and 100+ gal's bulk
aging
> > going back as much as 3 years. Even with an inventory that large it is
> hard
> > to wait on each new batch. This is a tough hobby!
> >
> > Just remember, age is a plus up to a certain point. Most wines do have
an
> > optimal window of maturity beyond which they decline. For some that may
> be
> > 18 months. For others it may be 18 years. No rule works universally
and
> > that includes aging wines. Drink them when they are good. Don't wait
for
> > them to go bad.
> >
> > Ray
> >
> > "Alfonse" > wrote in message
> > .. .
> > > Hi,
> > > It's definitely better to age wine as long as possible. What I did a
few
> > > years ago when I was completely out of wine :-( (I moved and never got
> > > around to it), was to make one 6 week kit and bottled it according to
> the
> > > instructions for immediate consumption. The rest of my wine was
allowed
> to
> > > bulk age for 1 year prior to drinking it. That way you have an OK wine
> to
> > > drink now and better wines to drink when that first batch is gone.
I've
> > got
> > > a banana wine that is only 3 months old and the waiting part is
> definitely
> > > hard as I have never made it before and I am anxious to see how it
> tastes!
> > >
> > > Al
> > >
> > > "Tom" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > Brandon,
> > > >
> > > > Things are progressing nicely, now comes the hard part. Follow this
> > > > exactly.. Place your carboy in a nice cool location away from light
> and
> > > > start a second kit.
> > > >
> > > > In about a month rack the first one wine off the lees that settled
> into
> > > > another carboy. Go ahead and add the Sorbate, sulphite and F-Pack
> that
> > > > came with your kit. Top with like wine or water, check your air
lock
> > and
> > > > forget it for another 3 months. Start 3rd kit.
> > > >
> > > > Rack original kit one more time. Should be clear by now, if not
check
> > you
> > > > levels and put it away. Don't tinker.....Check in another 30 days
> > > >
> > > > Time is a wines best friend from this point on.... You can bottle
or
> > age
> > > > longer if you like. Get a few kits going and in different stages
but
> > > manage
> > > > the same. Don't rush it. These wine in 30 days instructions are
> based
> > on
> > > > our increasing impatient society. I call it the FedEx effect (I
need
> > it
> > > > now!!!) You wouldn't buy a wine that was made just 30 days ago so
why
> > do
> > > > that to your own creations?
> > > >
> > > > Welcome to the hobby!
> > > >
> > > > Tom
> > > > "Brandon" > wrote in message
> > > > ...
> > > > > Everything has been progressing well, I think. I'm only on day 8
of
> > my
> > > > wine
> > > > > kit and have a few questions.
> > > > >
> > > > > The primary fermentation has been very steady, even after racking
> the
> > > > wine,
> > > > > which the kit instructions stated to do when the wine reached an
SP
> of
> > > > > 1.010, which was today. The wine is still fermenting and should
> > > continue
> > > > > until the SP reaches about .996 or less, at which point I'm
> instructed
> > > to
> > > > > stabilize the wine and use the F-Pack.
> > > > >
> > > > > One thing I've been noticing is that the wine is becoming more
> cloudy,
> > > > more
> > > > > so then it was when I started and there was not much sediment when
I
> > > > racked
> > > > > it, virtually none. Is this normal? I'm also concerned about a
> > little
> > > > foam
> > > > > (nice white foam) on top of the wine, which appeared about the
> fourth
> > > day
> > > > of
> > > > > fermentation. I think this started when I began stirring the
wine,
> > > which
> > > > > was done from day 2 to 4, gentle stirring, nothing too serious,
but
> > each
> > > > > time I expose the wine to air it seems to worsen..a little more
> foam.
> > > The
> > > > > foam is about 1/2 inch high. I've been very meticulous about
> cleaning
> > > > > everything that has come into contact with the wine in any way,
but
> > I've
> > > > > read a few posts describing bacteria, although most all of them
were
> > > > > referring to wine that had sat around awhile. Should I worry, or
> > could
> > > > this
> > > > > be CO2 or is it too early to tell?
> > > > >
> > > > > Day Specific Gravity Temp
> > > > > 1 1.080 76 F
> > > > > 2 Didn't Check 72 F
> > > > > 3 1.060 76 F
> > > > > 4 1.050 74 F
> > > > > 5 1.040 72 F
> > > > > 6 1.030 74 F
> > > > > 7 1.020 74 F
> > > > > 8 1.010 74 F (Racked)
> > > > >
> > > > > Brandon
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>