Grapes

[sirgiovanni]

I make a zinfandel belgian golden strong. It's, good.

[john mills]

Form an email from Easley Winery
Fresh Grape juice time and home winemaking class!

It is that time of year again. We are preparing to harvest grapes in two weeks. We should have the following juices in the coming 3 months.

ALSO we have a home winemaking class scheduled for Saturday August 21, 2010 from 8:30 am to 12 noon. ½ the class will cover wine making theory and ½ the class time will be a demonstration of grape juice preparation for wine fermentation. Cost is $30 per person paid in advance or $40 per person paid the day of the class. Reservations are required.

To place your order for these juices, please call the winery at 317-636-4516, or fill out this online form and give us your name, E-MAIL ADDRESS, phone number, juice type and the quantity in gallons you would like to reserve.

Then within a day or two of harvest, we will EMAIL you and say your juice variety is in and then you will have about 4 days to come in and pick it up. We typically press the juice and then hold it in refrigerated tanks for the 4 days. All red grapes will be hot pressed to give you the maximum color. When you come to pick up your juice, bring a clean, sterile, PLASTIC or METAL container for us to fill. NO GLASS for transport. We have 5 gallon buckets you can purchase if needed. We may not be able to get all the grapes listed. As soon as we know we are unable to get a certain variety, we will call you and let you know so you can select another type if you want. Juice is on a first come, first served basis. We will run out of some juices. If this happens, we are sorry. We are working with the unpredictable Mother Nature.


1. Blueberry juice $14.50 gallon IT IS IN NOW!!! CALL FOR IMMEDIATE PICKUP

2. Chambourcin $11.00 gallon Red French Hybrid

3. Cayuga White $11.00 gallon fruity White French Hybrid

4. Tramminette $11.00 gallon White French Hybrid

5. Catawba $10.00 gallon fruity, Pink labrusca

6. Vidal Blanc $10.50 gallon white French hybrid

7. Chardonnay $14.50 gallon White vinifera

8. Riesling $14.50 gallon white vinifera

9. Cabernet Sauvignon $16.00 gallon Red Vinifera

10. Chancellor $11.00 gallon Red French hybrid

11 Concord $10.50 gallon fruity, red labrusca

[Chris Alvey]

I will be going out to Alan's vineyard with my neighbor next Sunday (8/22) to hopefully pick about 160'ish pounds of Chambourcin. That date should be at the beginning window of when they're ready. If anyone else wants to meet up and use my garage as a crush facility, by all means let's make a day of it. Just let me know.

Dutch, is the press separate from the crusher enough that I could possibly borrow it? I do have a little press, but that big one would make much easier work of it if it's available.

[Chris Alvey]

Just an update, Chambourcin may or may not be ready Sunday the more I think of it. Regardless, i'm picking (and possibly pressing) something on Sunday.

[john mills]

I haven't heard of Alan's vineyard. Where is it at? How much do they charge for grapes? How much juice will you get from 165# of grapes?
I know, lots of questions. This wine thing is new to me.

[Chris Alvey]

I don't have the address just yet, but I will post it up here. I know it's on the far NW side of town someplace or other.

The grapes are $0.60/lb. if you pick them yourself. I am thinking takes maybe 80# for 5 gal. but I know Peter has said it takes more like 20#/gal (or 100# total.) In reality, I'm probably going to get a big laundry tub full and see how far that goes.

I'm leaning more toward making this Sunday a practice run and waiting on those reds until the weekend (or two) after.

[sirgiovanni]

The last time I made a pure wine, I was living on Long Island and picked about 60 lbs of cabernet sauv. grapes for 5 gallons. It was spectacular and aged great. If you want to put in more, you will only improve it I'm sure.

[Dutch]

Update from Alan Ripplemeier [owner]
Currently he has Steuben 19 - 21 BRIX
Cayuga White 19 BRIX
Niagra White this coming weekend
Concord this weekned
Catawba and Cynthiana coming along
He did say that a couple of OVHA people had been in touch.
I think I will go on the 28th

[Dutch]

I managed to accumulate virtually all of the parts for the press. A bit of a panic as I could not find the vertical legs. I needed replacement bolts and have virtually everything but the hydraulic jack handle. Since Chris will be doing red he should not need the press this weekend. I will be making white and will whole cluster press most likely on the Saturday of the 28th. Anyone is welcome to join in.

[Chris Alvey]

We're going to hold off on the reds until maybe the 28th, so I will not need the press until after that date sometime. We are going to go this weekend and get some whites, but I have a little press that I think we can get by with.

[Chris Alvey]

Did some grape-picking yesterday. Ended up pressing close to 6 gallons of Cayuga white at 17 brix and 5 gal. of Steuben (currently includes skins) at 18.5 brix. The Chambourcin grapes just aren't ready yet, but I suspect by next week they might be close enough. I didn't get the acidity, but suffice it to say this Indiana and they're plenty tart.

As far a yield goes, I think we picked close to 120 lbs. of Cayuga Whites to get that 6 gallons, but we did a very light press partially of necessity because my little press, while functional, was pretty half-assed. Also, those were pressed directly so no skin maceration or anything took place that would normally increase the yield.

I will be adding sugar to get these up to 21 brix (11.4% abv). If you find yourself with some grapes, here's an easy way to calculate this: Find your SG; get the corresponding sugar/gal; Subtract that from the desired sugar/gal value; multiply x gallons of must (grape juice after pressed); divide by 16 to get lbs. of sugar to add.

((desired s – current s)*gal/must))/16 = lbs. sugar to add

SG sugar/gal brix %alcohol
1.040 14 oz. 10.0 5.1
1.045 16 oz. 11.5 5.8
1.050 18 oz. 12.5 6.5
1.055 19 oz. 14.0 7.2
1.060 21 oz. 15.0 7.8
1.065 23 oz. 16.5 8.6
1.070 24 oz. 17.5 9.2
1.075 26 oz. 18.5 9.9
1.080 28 oz. 20.0 10.6
1.085 30 oz. 21.0 11.4
1.090 32 oz. 22.0 12.2
1.095 33 oz. 23.0 12.7
1.100 35 oz. 24.0 13.4
1.105 37 oz. 25.0 14.1

[Chris Norrick]

Chris, you covered the topic very well last night. I'm now committed to making some fresh wine. What time are we picking on Saturday? Dutch, will the press be ready and available for pressing the weekend after (Sept 4)?

[Chris Alvey]

I confirmed and Alan is going to be out at the vineyard Saturday morning. I am hoping to do my best to be at the vineyard by 8am but there are a few things that are going to be out of my control that morning... so I will do my best.

The vineyard is located here'ish: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8& ... 5b5cc9c0d6

It is at the Northwest corner of Marx & Koressel road on the Northwest side of town. There is no house on the property, but one near. There is a little out building. Google maps is not up to date on the satellite image if you go look there.

Things to bring: A big container or two and a small buckets (5 gal.) to hold your grapes. When in doubt bring more buckets. Some pruners. You may or may not want gloves. Change of shoes if it rains the day before. Water. If you're allergic to bees or wasps (is that possible), whatever you need to take care of yourself - there is a good chance of getting stung this time of year around sweet grapes.

My cell is 812.454.4897 if you need help finding it.

[Dutch]

Well,
I've been up at Portland IN at "The Mother of All Antique Shows" this week. I then went to see the museum curator to whom I supply restored machinery. Dug around in someones front yard to unearth a machine on the ground for 75 years! Felt like an anthropologist?
Then stopped in at Jungle Jims in Cincy and just got home.
I will assemble the press this afternoon [after bottling CHERRY LAMBI] - all should be OK to press here Saturday. Maryann and I are planning to pick Saturday AM. Not sure if Catawba or Cayuga or Niagara are the best [we will pick two hoping to make 5-6 gal of each of two varieties.

[Chris Norrick]

I've got two 6.5 gallon buckets and three 5 gallon buckets. Is this enough space for all my grapes for a 5 gallon batch?

Dutch, I'm going to try and pick the Chambourcin to do a red so I'll need to press the weekend after (Sept 4 & 5), will you be around then?

See you all Saturday! I ran into Peter at the Co-Op after work where I was buying yeast and he'll be there too. Should be a party.