Your Winemaking Educational Source
Potassium sorbate (or k-sorbate) is a common additive used in wine kits. It’s usually added in the form of a power after fermentation has completed. But what does it do? What precautions should winemakers be taking when using it?
Simply put potassium sorbate is used to prevent spoilage by yeasts and molds in a finished wine. It does this by rendering these micro-organisms unable to reproduce. Continue reading “Using Potassium Sorbate When Making Wine”
The two most traditional vessels to age wine in at the amateur level is in either glass carboys or small oak barrels. Which is better? You’ll have to be the judge.
Glass carboys have been used as far back as the early 1800’s (per some historians), mainly to hold strong chemicals such as acids. Eventually these vessels were used in water coolers and by amateur wine makers.
Their use in wine making stemmed from the need to have a small and affordable container to ferment and age wine in. Plastic carboys did not come onto the scene until very recently. Thus amateur wine makers had to choose between a glass carboy or an oak barrel. Continue reading “Glass Carboys vs Oak Barrels”
The best way to learn from past successes and failures is by taking detailed notes in a wine making log. Previously I shared how to create a log using a notebook here.
Over time I found that I wanted a more structured document to keep track of all the important measurements. To that end I created a free wine making log that fits on a single sheet of paper that I’d like to share with you.
This has been tailored for kit wine making but can also be used when making wine with frozen must or fresh grapes. Continue reading “A Free and Simple Wine Making Log”
Malolactic fermentation is often associated with red wines and some Chardonnays. Specifically “buttery” Chardonnay. But what is it?
As the name implies it is a form of fermentation. Unlike a yeast fermentation, however, during malolactic fermentation no alcohol is produced.
Instead malic acid is converted into lactic acid by lactic acid bacteria. Clever name I know.