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Problems and Mistakes When Winemaking
from: Maxx Guide to WineWhether you're a novice or experienced winemaker who's experienced some problems, you need to understand common mistakes made during winemaking so you can do your best to avoid them.
The absolute most common difficulty that causes most winemaking failures has to do with inadequate equipment. Too many winemakers make the mistake of using common household items for winemaking because they're similar to the carboys, spoons and air locks required in the process. However, you must understand that specialized winemaking equipment is constructed of special materials, so trying to use products made from other materials will likely have a major impact on your finished product.
Generally, it's a mistake to reuse products previously used for other items -- especially foods. Though you may believe the container is clean, too often food odors have become immersed into the plastic, thus tainting your wine. Also, it isn't wise to use even brand new plastic pails because the UV protectants used in plastic might leak into the wine.
It's much better to just invest in proper winemaking equipment so you've certain the success of your wine won't be affected by poor equipment.
Another typical mistake is not following instructions. The process of winemaking might seem, to some novice winemakers, to be complicated. Thus, there' may be a strong urge to simplify the process -- which is more often than not a mistake. If you're an experienced cook, you likely understand and appreciate how important it is to follow the recipe's directions. Trying to make adjustments to the recipe usually results in disaster -- which is also the case in winemaking.
The quality of your water also has an impact on the quality of your wine. Hard water, which is water with a high mineral content, could result in wine with flavors that are somewhat off or even have somewhat of a haze. It's important to know that water from a salt-exchange water softener should never be used for winemaking. To make sure you producce the best quality wine, it's often a good idea to use bottled water for winemaking -- you'll definitely appreciate the difference.
Another essential is proper yeast handling. Have you ever made homemade bread? Yeast must be moistened at the proper temperature to become activated. Therefore, if the temperature is too cold, yeast will fail to activate and too hot, it will kill the yeast. This is because yeast is a living organism and it must be handled properly to achieve success.
As a result, it's critical for you to maintain proper temperature control during the fermentation process. Ideally, it's best to maintain a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and make certain the temperature stays consistent. If the temperature in your fermentation area is too cool, the formation process takes too long, which usually leads to excess fizz in your wine.
Eliminating the sulfite in the wine is another common mistake winemakers make -- the most common reason being sulfite allergies. It's true, some people are allergic to sulfites; however, even if you eliminate the sulfite from the wine, the wine still won't be totally sulfite free becasue the yeast always creates additional sulfites anyway.
The purpose of the sulfites is to prevent spoiling and oxidation. In less than a month, your wine will start to taste somewhat off and in less than three months it will be rendered practically undrinkable.
Finally, make sure you're patient with your wine and give it all the time needed. Successful winemaking is definitely an art form. To fully appreciate the results of your labor, it's always best to wait the full amount of time needed for your wine to improve before drinking it. In way too many situations, novice winemakers thought they had a bad batch of wine when the real problem was they tried to drink it too soon.
Be patient with your wine and you'll have a better chance of fully appreciating your effort.
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