E. C. Kraus
HOME WINE MAKING NEWSLETTER

Issue Number 24

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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.

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IN THIS ISSUE:

* Gift Ideas
* Topping Up Your Wines
    - What Is Topping Up?
    - When Does Topping Up Matter?
    - What Should Top Up With?
    - Other Ideas
* Winemaker's Glossary
* LETTER: How Can I Make A Wine Last 25 Years?
* WINE RECIPE IDEAS: Country Fruit Noir
* Top 10 Reasons For Fermentation Failure
* Winemaking Quick Tip

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*WANT TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE WINE?*

E. C. Kraus is here to help. For over 35 years, we have been
providing individuals with the informational tools and supplies
they need to become successful home winemakers.

Our web site features recipes, articles and valuable bits of
information that will make your adventures in home winemaking a
fun and fascinating experience.

For a jump-start into the world of winemaking see the following
article listed on our web site:

"How To Get Started"


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LOOKING FOR GIFT IDEAS?

Check out the following link to our web site. There you will find
all kinds of gift giving ideas for both the beginner and
established home winemaker.

"Winemaking Gift Ideas"

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*TOPPING UP YOUR WINES*

When you hear the words "topping up" it might bring to mind
several things--like "topping up" a glass of wine, or adding more
gas to the tank of your car. In reality, these thoughts wouldn't
be too far from what "topping up" means to the home winemaker.


- What Is Topping Up?

Topping up, simply put, is the process of adding more volume to a
batch of wine so as to fill any void space that may exist in the
wine's container while it is in bulk. To put it another way, it
means getting rid of any large airspace that may exist with a
wine.

The reason we are concerned about airspace is because we do not
want the wine to come into direct contact with air for any
significant length of time. With time, air equals oxidation; air
equals the growth of unwanted micro-organisms; and in more severe
cases, air can equal the complete spoilage of a wine.

Brief periods of air exposure are of little to no significance to
the quality of the wine. It is longer periods that concerns
us--days or weeks. This amount of air exposure can bring about
these negative effects on a wine.


- When Does Topping Up Matter?

It is important to understand when topping up really matters. For
example, during an active secondary fermentation, when the active
fermentation is under an air-lock, topping up is of no issue at
all. This is because the fermentation creates CO2 gas that drives
out the air that is in the airspace. This CO2 gas has no negative
effect on the wine and is, in fact, a great protector of the
wine.

In the case of the beginning primary fermentation, topping up is
of no issue because the yeast actually needs air during this
time. Air significantly aids in the yeast's ability to multiply
itself. This is also one of the reasons an air-lock should not be
used during the primary fermentation. It cuts off the much needed
air.

So, when does topping up matter? Very simple. It is when the
fermentation has completed and no more CO2 gases are coming off
the must. This is when topping up the wine becomes valuable. This
is the time when air exposure needs to be dealt with. The wine is
no longer being protected by the CO2 gases from a fermentation,
and any air that is in the container with the wine at that time
can actually come into direct contact with the surface of the
wine.


- What Should You Top Up With?

There are many ways you can go about topping up a wine. How you
tackle the job depends, in part, on how much headspace you are
dealing with. If you have a 5 gallon batch with just a pints
worth of headspace, you would handle the job differently than if
the headspace were a gallon or more.

- Water
The most common means of topping up a wine is to simply add
water. This is appropriate if your headspace is around a pint or
less per 5 gallons of wine. Distilled water is preferred. It can
be purchased at any full-line grocery store, or you can use tap
water that has been boiled for a half hour or so and then cooled
down to room temperature.

The idea here is to use water that is void of free oxygen. Distilled
water has no free oxygen and by boiling tap water you can

remove a significant portion of its free oxygen.

- Vodka & Water
If your headspace is closer to a quart, you can still use water
but you might also consider adding some Vodka to the water as
well. By doing this the alcohol level of your wine is not being
diluted. Any cheap, 80 proof, American Vodka will do. Just add it
to the water at the rate of 4 ounces for every quart of water you
use.

- More Wine
Another option is to incorporate a wine from a previous batch or
wine that was commercially made. Obviously you would want to
select a wine that is similar to the wine being topped up. This
is a good option in the sense that you are maintaining flavor and
body as well as alcohol.

- Glass Marbles
You may also want to consider using glass marbles in the wine to
add volume to the batch. The marbles need to be sanitized first
with one of the many safe sanitizers we offer.

The biggest disadvantage with using marbles is that they have the
ability to crack or break a glass vessel. For this reason, we
strongly suggest that you do not use marbles with glass
containers. It seems that regardless of how careful one is, the
worst always happens in this situation.

- A Combination Of The Above
Also realize that any combination of the above methods can be
incorporated together as well. For example, maybe you don't have
enough glass marbles to get the job done. Well then use some wine
or Vodka water as well to finish the job.

- Smaller Containers
As a final note, if you are dealing with a serious amount of
headspace, then usually the best option is to put the wine into a
smaller container or a number of smaller containers. For example,
if you have 6 gallon carboy with only 4 gallons of wine in it,
then your best option would be to move the wine into 4 one gallon
glass jugs.


- Other Ideas:
There are a couple of other ways you can deal with air exposure
in a fermentation or storage vessel.

For example, instead of topping up, you can dissolve 2 or 3
crushed Campden Tablets into each 5 gallons of wine at the very
end of fermentation. Then put the air-lock back on the vessel.
This will cause any airspace in the vessel to fill with SO2 gas
from the tablets. This will create a protective layer of gas on
the wine.

Or alternatively, if you do not open a fermentation vessel after
the fermentation has stopped, the CO2 gasses from that
fermentation will stay trapped in the fermenter, again, creating
a protective layer of gas on top of the wine.

Both, SO2 gas from Campden Tablets and CO2 gas from a
fermentation are heavier than air and will linger in a given
space.


- Related Articles

"Controlling Oxidation In Your Wine"

"Fermentation 101"


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*WINEMAKER'S GLOSSARY*

BENTONITE
Bentonite is a gray, granulated clay that is used to aid in the
clarification of wine. Bentonite is unique in that it possess a
negative electrostatic charge that will cause any suspended
particles to cling to it as it slowly settles to the bottom of
the container.

Bentonite has been the clarifier of choice for most commercial
wineries since the 30's and 40's. Its ease of use and lack of
side-effects makes it a very effective and practical product for
the home winemaker.

- For more information about Bentonite and its use, see the
following article listed on our web site:

"Using Bentonite As A Wine Clarifier"
 

- For more information about the Bentonite we offer, go to the
following link on our web site.
Speedy Bentonite

- To see other winemaking glossary words, go to the following
link on our web site:
"Winemaker's Glossary"


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*LETTER: How Can I Make A Wine Last 25 Years?

Dear E. C. Kraus,

I just met a newly married couple that would like me to help them
make a wine they can store for their 25th wedding anniversary.
I'm aware that not all wines age as well as others and some
should actually be consumed "young". What is it about some wines
that allow for long aging? Do you have any advise for stretching
the life of home made wine?

Thanks,
Eric
Willmar, MN

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Dear Eric,

Wow, this is an excellent question that covers a lot of ground.
Most of what I am about to say not only applies to keeping a wine
for 25 years, but applies to improving the keeping qualities of a
wine in general. So, this answer may be of some interest to all
home winemaker.

It has always been generally understood that commercially-made
red wines keep longer than whites. And, the heavier the red the
longer it will retain an agreeable flavor over time. The same
holds true with homemade wines. But, now to your question, "why?"

From a commercial standpoint, there are two things that
distinguishes a heavy red wine from others. First, they generally
have a higher level of alcohol. And secondly, they have higher
acidity or pH levels.

For example, a typical white wine will generally have an alcohol
percentage around 9 to 11 percent. Whereas, reds will usually be
at least 11 percent and more often than not, 12 to 14 percent.
This extra bit of alcohol goes a long ways in slowing the
negative effects time can have on a wine.

Higher pH levels help out tremendously as well. pH refers to the
acidity level of a wine. But these wines do not have higher acid
in the way of sharp tasting acids such as Citric acid or Acid
Blend, but rather in the form of Tannic Acid or Tannin.

Tannic acid has a dull, zesty to puckering effect on a wine. It
is found mostly in the skin of the grape, along with the grape's
color pigmentation.

When red wines are made they are fermented on the grape skins
during the first few days and then pressed. This increases the
amount of tannic acid that is released into the juice. In white
wine production, the grapes a first pressed, then the resulting
juice is fermented. So, much less tannin is present in these
wines. This is what helps to keep white wines light and crisp in
character.

Tannic acid acts as a strong anti-oxidant to the wine. It retards
the negative effects that oxidation has on a wine, such as
browning of the wine's color and caramelizing of its flavors.
Tannic Acid also plays a role in eliminating the growth of
unwanted organisms, preserving the wine's "fresh" qualities. Both
are obvious benefits to the long-term storage of a wine.

But, what does all this mean to you as a home winemaker wanting
to make a wine last 25 years?

- If making wines from packaged juices, select heavy red
varieties such as: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Borolo,
Sangiovese. These juices have higher levels of Tannic Acid.

- If making wine from fresh grapes, leave the grape skins on the
fermentation for at least five days, but do not exceed eight.
This will give time for the Tannic Acid to release from the skins
and into the liquid.

- Start with a "Potential Alcohol" reading on your hydrometer of
13 percent. Do not exceed 14 percent as this level of beginning
sugar can start to interfere with the fermentation.

Other things you can do to help:

- Use 1/8 teaspoon of Ascorbic Acid per each gallon of wine. This
can be added at any time, but adding it at the beginning of
fermentation would be the most beneficial. Ascorbic Acid has very
little effect on the wine's flavor at the above dosage, but it
will increase the wine's acidity level and help to preserve it
from the negative effects of aging.

- Be sure to add sulfites such as Campden Tablets or Sodium
Bisulfite to the wine after the fermentation has completed and
again when you bottle the wine. This will drive out any oxygen
that may be in or near the wine.

- Use a good quality cork on the wine bottle. Preferably 1-3/4
inches long. It only stands to reason that if you want a bottle
of wine to keep 25 years that the bottle's seal must be without
compromise.

- Store the wine correctly. Keep the wine out of warm
temperatures and avoid storage areas that have daily temperature
fluctuations. The ideal storage temperature is 55 degrees F., but
65 degrees is a whole lot better than 75 degrees.

I hope this helps you out.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus


- Related Articles:

"Making High Alcohol Wines"

"Controlling Oxidation In Your Wines"

"Corking Your Wine Bottles"

"Wine Bottle Storage And Temperature"


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*WINE RECIPE IDEAS: Country Fruit Noir

Cherries and plums have always worked well together when making
wine. But, add this winning combo to the Pinot Noir grape and top
it off with the herbal characters of wild flower honey, then you
really have something special. This recipe produces a full-
flavored wine that is wonderfully rich and fruity.

Not only is it a great tasting wine to drink on its own, but it
also makes a great wine for blending. For example, add some to a
finished Merlot to enhance its deep fruity characters. Or, try
blending some with a Borolo. Any heavy red wine is a prime
candidate for blending with Country Fruit Noir.

Country Fruit Noir
(Makes 5 Gallons)

1 Can Sun Cal Pinot Noir
1 Can County Fair Cherry
1 Can County Fair Plum
11 Cans of Warm Water
3 lbs. Wild Flower Honey
4 lbs. Cane Sugar
6 Teaspoons Acid Blend
5 Teaspoons Yeast Nutrient
3/4 Teaspoons Pectic Enzyme
1/2 Teaspoon Wine Tannin
1 Pkg. Lalvin ICV D-47 Wine Yeast

Just follow the instructions that you will find on the side of
the can of SunCal Pinot Noir. Use the recipe above, but follow
the "Instructions" on the can.

To view the SunCal concentrate instructions on our web site, go
to the following link:

"SunCal Concentrate Directions"

- For more information about blending wines see the following
article listed on our web site:

"Blending To Improve Homemade Wines"


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*TOP 10 REASONS FOR FERMENTATION FAILURE*

Reason #5
Using An Air-Lock At The Beginning Of Fermentation:

During the first few days of a fermentation, the yeast is in a
multiplying stage. It is devoting a significant portion of its
energy to reproducing itself. On average, the yeast will multiply
itself to around 100 to 200 times the amount of yeast you
originally put in the must.

This is known as the "Primary Fermentation." Later, once the
yeast has fully created the number of cells needed, it will then
devote most all of its energy to creating alcohol. This is known
as the "Secondary Fermentation."

The cell reproduction stage is necessary to successfully sustain
a healthy, vigorous fermentation. If the yeast does not multiply
successfully then the remainder of the fermentation will become
sluggish and drawn out, and in many cases the yeast will give out
completely before it has completed the task placed before it.

For the yeast to be able to multiply itself to it fullest
ability, it needs air during the primary fermentation. Using an
Air-Lock during this time seals the fermentation from much need
air, in effect, suffocating the yeast and putting a damper on its
reproductive activity.

Instead of using an Air-Lock during the Primary Fermentation,
simply cover the container with a thin towel, cheese cloth or
something similar. You can secure it by tying it down with a
string to make sure it doesn't get knocked or blown off. By doing
this you will allow the yeast to get all the air it needs without
allowing bugs and other little nasties from getting in the mix.

After about 4 to 6 days of fermentation the yeast will go into
its slower, secondary fermentation. This is the time when the
air-lock should be used. The air is no longer needed, and in
fact, is a detriment to the must at that point.


- To read about the other "Top 10 Reasons For Fermentation
Failure," go to the following link on our web site:
 

"Top 10 Reasons For Fermentation Failure"


- Related Articles

"Fermentation 101"

"Air-Lock Basics"


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*WINEMAKING QUICK TIP*

Try using Glycerine in your air-locks instead of water. There are
several advantages to this. Glycerine does not evaporate like
water can over time. The amount you put in is the amount that
will be there 3 months later. Glycerine is not as susceptible to
becoming moldy or spoiled as water can over time. And if some of
the Glycerine gets drawn into your wine by accident, no problem.
Glycerine is perfectly safe. In fact, Glycerine is one of the
natural by-products of a fermentation and is in the wine to some
level already, anyway.

For more information about the Glycerine we offer go to the
following link listed on our web site:
Glycerine


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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 article, "How To
Get Started Making Wine" listed at the link below:
"How To Get Started Making Wine"

- For a listing of our home wine making recipes, go to:
"Wine Making Recipes"

- Also, for a general overview of the home wine making process
see the article, "The Seven Easy Steps To Making Wine", listed at
the link below:
"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:
"Back Issue"

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please cut and paste the full URL into the location or address
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* The E. C. Kraus Home Wine Making Newsletter is produced by:

E. C. Kraus
Home Wine & Beer Making Supplies
Post Office Box 7850
Independence, MO 64054
Phone: 1-816-254-7448
Fax: 1-816-254-7051

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* Copyright(c) 2003, Kraus Sales, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
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