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Wine Alcohol Content Calculator

Calculating the alcohol content of a wine that you made is always fun. While amateur wine makers don’t need to report this value to anyone it’s just neat to know how much alcohol you’ve produced.

Use Wine Equations and Calculators Only

A winery lab setup for determining alcohol content.
Winery determining alcohol content through distilling.

There are many formulas out there for calculating the percent alcohol of wine and beer. You may have noticed that they’re not the same. Largely this is because the relationship between the specific gravity and the amount of alcohol produced is not linear.

What this means is that specific gravity and alcohol content have a complex relationship that is not easily represented with a simple equation. Non-linear equations can be pretty nasty to deal with. Continue reading “Wine Alcohol Content Calculator”

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Adding Potassium Metabisulfite to Wine

Potassium metabisulfite is a necessary preservative in wine making. It provides sulfur dioxide which helps prevent microbial spoilage and fight off oxygenation. However, figuring out how much to add can be complicated.

By the end of this article you’ll understand how this stuff works, how to calculate what you need to add, and what equipment you need to do it. Let’s get to it. Continue reading “Adding Potassium Metabisulfite to Wine”

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Choosing The Right Wine Making Yeast

Choosing the right wine making yeast is a critical part of a successful fermentation.There are many factors that go into choosing a wine making yeast. This is the second most important decision you’ll have to make next to picking the grape varietal to make your wine from.

Choosing the right yeast is important for two reasons. First, different yeasts produce different flavor and aroma profiles to finished wines. This has to do with how the yeast processes the must when it’s digesting the sugars and nutrients. Continue reading “Choosing The Right Wine Making Yeast”

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The Difference Between Primary and Secondary Fermentation

There is a bit of confusion out there as to what the difference is between primary and secondary fermentation. Sometimes secondary fermentation is confused with a second fermentation and other times malolactic fermentation. Let’s set the record straight.

Primary Fermentation

The beginning stages of primary fermentation.
A Primary Fermentation Bucket

Before we talk about secondary fermentation lets start at the beginning with primary fermentation. This stage starts as soon as you add your yeast to the must. During this stage the yeast population is growing rapidly.

You know you’re in the primary stage because there’s a lot of visible activity. There’s often a lot of foam on top of the must and your airlock will be bubbling like crazy. Continue reading “The Difference Between Primary and Secondary Fermentation”

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How Oak Affects Wine

Oak, also known as the winemakers spice cabinet. It affects wine not only the flavor of wine but its chemistry as well. It is important to understand that not all oak is the same.

Different Oaks for Different Folks

American and French oak impart different textures to wines. The choice of which to use is an important one.I’m sorry I couldn’t resist that. It is true though. Oak from different countries impart different flavors and textures to the wine it comes in contact with. This is why you see French and American barrels and oak chips at wine making shops. Continue reading “How Oak Affects Wine”