E. C. Kraus
HOME WINE MAKING NEWSLETTER

Issue Number 10

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*About This Newsletter*

The E. C. Kraus Home Wine Making Newsletter is a FREE publication
that covers issues and topics of general interest to the home
winemaker. You may pass this newsletter on to friends and others,
as long as it is used in its entirety. Distribution of this newsletter in

partial form is prohibited.

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IN THIS ISSUE:

* Sample Your Wine As You Go
    - Gaining A Unique Perspective
    - What Flavors To Expect
    - What To Watch Out For
* Winemaker's Glossary
* Making Your Own Cordial Drinks At Home
* Wine Making Quick Tips
* Additional Home Wine Making Information

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*SAMPLE YOUR WINE AS YOU GO*

Preface:
I have to be honest. The idea for this article came to me through
a question one of our customers had asked. He was curious as to
how a wine should taste during fermentation. He wanted to know if
the flavors he was experiencing when he took samples was
"normal", and what early flavors in a wine should send up a red
flag.

I found these questions and their answers to be so intriguing
that I felt this newsletter would be an appropriate avenue to
investigate a response.
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Why would anyone want to taste their wine before it's done--while
it's still fermenting--before it starts to taste like wine? The
answer is simple: To give you a better understanding of wine,
whether it be on a more superficial level as a wine consumer or
on a more deep-rooted level as a winemaker.


-Gaining A Unique Perspective

As a wine enthusiast, consider it a luxury that you are able to
taste a wine as it develops--to experience a wine as its
character is being molded. With this rare perspective on wine
comes an insight and understanding that few get to experience.
Even many "experts" who make their living by giving out opinions
about wines they taste do not even have this type of experience
with wine.

Let me change gears for a moment to make my point more clear. It
would be fairly logical to assume that a person who sits and
intently watches as an artist paints a beautiful scene on canvas,
would gain much more insight and understanding of that painting
than someone who was just studying the painting after it had been
finished.

If fact, I feel it would be safe to say that the person who
observed the painting in progress would be able to quickly point
out certain features and nuances to the newcomer that normally
one would have terrific trouble identifying on their own.

This is not because the person who observed the painting in the
making is more versed in the virtues of art. This is because that
person was able to see how the different colors where layered-
-how the artist used various techniques to produce different
textures--how the painting looked before shadow and highlights
where added, and so on.

And to take this analogy a step further, the person who had
observed the artist at work would now be able to obtained a
deeper understanding of other paintings he saw--particularly if
those paintings were from the same style or genre as the painting
he witness being created.

This same idea can be used when creating a wine. By tasting a
wine through its stages--while it's being produced--you gain an
impression of that wine that is more defined. You will later be
able to understand and identify the wine's subtle characters and
complexities more clearly, and understand why they are there.
More so, than someone who experiences the wine only after it has
been produced and aged.

In more general terms, by experiencing various wines through
their stages, you are able to gain a better understanding and
appreciation for all wines. For example, when you taste a wine
you have purchased, certain subtle charters may start to become
more noticeable and identifiable as you relate them back to
qualities you have experienced in your own wines, while they were
developing.

This all adds up to an advancement in your personal understanding
of wine. One that not only helps you to improve as a home
winemaker, but an understanding that allows you to become more
proficient as someone who appreciates wine.


-What Flavors To Expect

During and right after the primary fermentation the first thing
you will notice when sampling the must is that it has a lot of
effervescence. This is from the CO2 that is created during the
fermentation. Along with this effervescence will be a sulfur
aroma. This is also a byproduct of the fermentation.

During this stage the must will usually still be very sweet, but
it can be dry if the fermentation is going faster than planned.
It will definitely have a rough flavor. You will also notice that
the must will have a bitter to woody after taste. This is simply
the yeast you are tasting that is still suspended throughout the
wine. The yeast is also what causes the must to have a milky
appearance.

After the must has been put into a secondary fermenter you will
notice that it has now become drier. The yeasty bitterness will
have the impression of being stronger, more zesty, in the
absence of residual sugars but this character will be diminishing
a little in intensity every few days.

As this yeasty bitterness diminishes you will then start to
experience the development of the wine's actual character. For
example, if the wine is made from grapes, you will begin to be
able to tell it is a grape wine as opposed to a fruit wine.

As the wine starts to become clear, usually around 4 to 6 weeks,
it will start to taste like something closer to wine, but a very
young wine. It will still be somewhat harsh in flavor. The aroma
may have some sulfur to bready aroma. And the appearance will
start to become more translucent.

During the aging process, this is when you will see the wine's
final character start to jell. With most white wines the aging
process is maximized around 9 months to a year. With red wines
usually 1 to 2 years.

During this long period of aging, the wine will slowly change.
Features that once seemed harsh and objectionable will still be
present but with less intensity and in better balance with the
wine's other flavors. The milder version of these once harsh
features will now contribute to the wine's overall complexity.


-What To Watch Out For

As it has already been said, experiencing a wine in progress is a
wonderful way to appreciate and understand a wine more
thoroughly. But, examining wine in this way also has a second
benefit.

After getting a couple of batches under you belt in this fashion,
you will start to get a feel for when something has gone afoul as
well as when it has gone right. You will learn how to more
clearly discern if an odor or flavor is normal, or a potential
problem.

Realize that bad symptoms are very rare. But none the less,
making you aware of them can only be an advantage. What follows
is a short list of some of the characters in a must or wine that
may be cause for concern:

Musty Odor-
It is sometimes described as the odor of wet wood, or the smell
that you encounter when you open the and old dresser drawer or
wooden chest. This can be an early sign of mold or mildew growth
on the surface of your wine.

Vegetable Soup/Hot Butter Odor-
This is a sign that the wine is being fermented in too warm of
temperature. The odor is actually the result of the yeast
producing higher levels of diacetyl.

Band-Aid Odor-
This odor occurs when too little yeast is trying to do too much
work. The heart of the problem is usually an unsuccessful yeast
multiplying phase which occurs during the primary fermentation.

Oily/Rainbow Surface Appearance-
This is usually an early indication of mold or mildew. Usually
caused by an unsuccessful or lagging primary fermentation and/or
unsanitary conditions.

Vinegar Flavor or Aroma-
Very simply your wine may be slowly turning to wine vinegar. This
is a symptom that does not occur until the wine has started to
age, as vinegar production takes several weeks. This also may be
caused by a slow starting fermentation and/or unsanitary
conditions.

Carmel/Nutty Odor or Flavor-
This would be an indication of oxidation. In other words the wine
is being exposed to to much air. This symptom does not normally
occur until the aging process. This odor is considered normal for
Madera, Port and Sherry wines.

Again, please realize that these odors and flavors rarely occur.
Most winemakers will never experience any of them in a lifetime.
But by detecting them early when they do occur, a correct fix can
often be made.


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*WINEMAKER'S GLOSSARY*

BODY:
A tasting term used to describe the mouth-feel of the wine. Wines
are usually described as being either full, medium or light
bodied. Full bodied wines tend to have more viscosity on the
tongue and typically have a richer flavor. Pinot Noir or
Elderberry would be examples of a full bodied wine. Light bodied
wines tend to be thin on the tongue and typically have a crisper
flavor. Pinot Grigio or Apple would be examples of a light bodied
wine.

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*MAKING YOUR OWN CORDIAL DRINKS AT HOME*

Did you know that you can instantly make your own cordial drinks
at home with the flip of a blender switch? It's that easy.

We offer a line of 60 different flavorings for making your own
favorite cordials and liqueurs at home. It doesn't get much
easier than this. And, just in time for the holidays.

Choose a bottle of your favorite flavoring and mix it together
with Vodka, sugar and water in a blender as called for in the
provided directions - and that's it, your done. Make your own
Irish Cream, Kalhua, Grand Marnier, Peppermint Schnapps,
Frangelico type drinks, and many others.

And here's the best part - you can make them for just pennies on
the dollar of what liquor stores want to charge today.

Here's an example. Many liquor stores won't even hesitate to
charge you over $20.00 for a 12.8 oz bottle of Grand Marnier.
For $4.95 you can buy a bottle of Orange Brandy flavoring. For
$10.00 you can buy the sugar and Vodka - the cheaper the Vodka
the better - and when your done you'll have 32 oz of orange
flavor brandy that taste incredibly close to the real thing.
That's over twice as much for almost half the price.

The flavorings I'm speaking of are call Noirot Premium Liqueur &
Cordial Flavorings. These flavorings have been used the world
over since 1890. We've been carrying them for over 30 years.

Noirot flavorings are produced in Nancy, France and are
considered the benchmark for the flavor industry. The drinks
they produce are beyond expectation and are specifically designed
to do nothing but duplicate the original intended version.

Try out a couple this holiday season. To see a list of all the
different flavors we offer go to:
Noirot Flavorings


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*WINEMAKING QUICK TIPS*

-- It is possible to temporarily cut back the amount of water
called for in a wine recipe in order to accommodate a
fermentation vessel that's not quite large enough.

For example, if you have a wine kit or a recipe that makes 6
gallons, but your primary fermenter will only hold 6 gallons to
the brim, you can cut back on the water called for by 1/2 gallon
to allow for the foaming until it is time to transfer it to your
secondary fermenter. At that time the shorted water can be added
to the batch after it has been boiled and then cool down to room
temperature.

The maximum amount we recommend shorting the water in a given
batch is 1 gallon to every 5 or 6 gallons. This is assuming that
the shortage will be promptly made up when the wine is
transferred to a secondary container.
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-- Not sure what size cork, screw cap or plastic stopper you need
for your odd-size jugs and bottles. Get our "Assortment of
Closures". It contains one sample of each of the various sizes
and types of bottle closures that we carry. Each is clearly
labeled for easy identification when you order. For more
information about our "Assortment of Closures" go to:

Assortment Of Closures

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*ADDITIONAL HOME WINE MAKING INFORMATION*

- If you are new to home wine making and would like more general
information about making wine at home, see the following article

listed on our web site:

 "How To Get Started Making Wine"

- For a listing of our home wine making recipes, go to our

"Home Wine Making Recipe Page"

- Also, for a general overview of the home wine making process
see the article

 "The Seven Easy Steps To Making Wine"


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*VISIT US ON-LINE*

Visit our web site at www.eckraus.com to view the complete line
of products we have to offer. All products are listed with
detailed information so you can learn as you shop. Purchase
products on-line with our completely secure shopping cart. Never
has shopping on the web been more safe.

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*NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES*

If you would like to look through previous issues of this
newsletter go to our:

"Home Wine Making Articles Page"

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* The E. C. Kraus Home Wine Making Newsletter is produced by:

E. C. Kraus
Home Wine & Beer Making Supplies
733 S. Northern Blvd.
Post Office Box 7850
Independence, MO 64054
Phone: 1-800-383-1906
Fax: 1-816-254-7051

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* Copyright(c) 2002, Kraus Sales, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
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