February 2009 Newsletter
February 2009
News from: Winemakers Depot
SHIPPING SALE - All Orders Ship for $20.00 or Less
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE:
- Tips, Topics, & Factoids
- New Products
- Featured Products/Seasonal Products
- Promotions (SHIPPING SALE – Ship for $20.00 or Less – See Below for Details)
- Industry News
- Drop us a Line
- Recipes from Our Friends
TIPS, TOPICS, & Factoids:
Oaking, Types of, and Timing of Adding:
Type of Oak | When to Add | How Long to Expose | Comments |
Oak Extract | After Fermentation | Instant Results | Lacks full oak character |
Oak Powder | Before or After Fermentation | Results in just hours | Fast – Can be handy in touching up your wine |
Oak Chips | After Fermentation | Days | Quick Results, unless put in mesh sack must rack wine to remove |
Oak Cubes | After Fermentation | Weeks | Direct in wine, drill holes & hang on fishing line or put in mesh sack |
Oak Spirals | After Fermentation | Weeks | Easy to put in and out of a carboy by hanging on fishing line |
Oak Staves | After Fermentation | Months | Easy to put in and out of a carboy by hanging on fishing line |
When oaking sample your wine to determine when you have exposed your wine to the oak long enough, but keep in mind some of the oak taste and character will dissipate over time, so oaking for a little longer past when you think it is done is recommended by many vintners.
- Most Popular Fruit Wines - #1 Raspberry, #2 Blueberry, #3 Cherry, #4 Blackberry, #5 Strawberry, #6 Elderberry
- What will the alcohol content of my wine be when it is finished?
NEW PRODUTS:
FEATURED PRODUCTS:
PROMOTIONS:
Shipping for $20.00 or Less! - During these last three weeks of February Winemakers Depot will Ship All Orders for $20 or Less.
- However, due to their much higher weights and packaging requirements this $20 or less shipping is limited to a maximum combination of two Wine Kits, Equipment Kits, and Glass Products (Carboys, bottles, etc.)
- Click the following link for details - www.winemakersdepot.com/Promotions-W18.aspx
INDUSTRY NEWS:
On April 18
th 2009 the Home Wine & Beer Trade Association (HWBTA) will conduct its yearly wine competition. One is held in Canada and the other in the United States. Gold Medal winners are then eligible to have their wines judged in the Best of Show judging which is held in conjunction with the annual HWBTA conference. For more information click on the following link
www.hwbta.org/competitions.php
· Have a question about a product
· If there is a product you need but can’t find on our website
· If there is there is a topic you would like to see covered in our next or future Newsletter
· If you have a recipe you want to share
RECIPE of the MONTH: (From Liz S.)
- Blackberry Wine Recipe ( 1 gallon):
- 4 pounds of Blackberries ( you can use either fresh or frozen)
- 7 pints of Water
- 2 1/4 pounds of Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Acid Blend
- 1/2 tsp of Pectic Enzyme
- 1 tsp Nutrient
- 1 Crushed Campden Tablet
- 1 pkg Wine yeast
Starting Specific Gravity (S.G.) - 1.090 - 1.095
Wash and drain your berries. Make sure you have removed stems, leaves, and that your berries are fully ripened without any mold on them.
Place your blackberries into a nylon straining bag and mash your berries. Or use your fruit press if you have one. Strain your juice into your Primary Fermenter. Make sure all the pulp stays inside of your straining bag.
Add all of the other ingredients except for the Wine Yeast. Stir it all together and put the lid on your Primary Fermenter.
After 24 hours add your yeast and stir. Put the cover back on the Primary Fermenter.
Stir your wine daily and squeeze the bag of blackberries to push the juice out.
Check the hydrometer reading daily until your S.G. reaches 1.030. This will take about 5 days or so.
Take your bag of blackberry pulp out of your fermenter and squeeze it until all of the juice is out... or at least as much as you can get.
Rack your wine by siphoning your wine off of the sediment into your Secondary Fermenter, which should be a glass carboy.
Attach your airlock.
Your fermenting is done when your S.G. reaches 1.000. This will take about 3 weeks. Rack your wine again leaving the sediment behind.
Reattach your airlock.
In about 2 months rack your wine again. You will rack your wine a total of 3 or 4 times... until your wine is clear. The professional wine makers will usually rack their wine 3 or 4 times.