Fermentation Journal

One Pot Cocktail:

Aug. 4, 2011: Bleach-sterilized a glass carboy and rinsed thoroughly. Combined 4 cans Kroger Cran-Raspberry concentrate, 3 cans Old Orchard Blueberry-Pomegranate concentrate, 2 cans Old Orchard Apple-Cherry concentrate, 4 quarts of white sugar, and water to bring to almost 5 gallons. Started a packet of Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast in 1 quart body-temp water w/ a teaspoon or so of sugar. Added most of it to the One-Pot Cocktail must; a bit went to restart the “wild” maple wine fermentation.

Siphoned and began drinking this around Sep. 4, 2011. The wine continued to clear and develop a cleaner flavor over the time I drank it; I think that the one-month recipe was written for bread yeast, and it would benefit from 2-3 months with wine yeast.

Wild Mulberry Wine:

July 6, 2011: After harvesting every 2 days for 6 days, obtained 3 quarts mulberries from a tree in the backyard. Threw into an oven bag lining a stockpot. Smashed the mulberries with 1 quart of white sugar, then filled to 1 gallon and covered with paper towel. Stirred about twice a day, punching holes in the “cap” of smooshed mulberries.

July 14: Racked into a fermentation-locked jug. Taste of mulberries, alcohol, and fizz.

July 2012: Partially fermented and partially vinegarized; dumped down the drain.

Wild Maple Wine:

Feb. 15, 2011: Mixed 1 quart actual maple syrup with water to make 1 gallon, in a stainless steel stockpot (that’s not Halal, kiddies). Sliced 3 small oranges into pot. Covered with paper towel. Stirred about twice a day.

Feb. 25, 2011: Siphoned into a Carlo Rossi jug (leaving orange solids behind) and added a fermentation lock.

July 22, 2011: Racked into another Rossi jug. Drank the dregs: flavor was sweet, sour, alcohol and apples. Moved to a cooler location.

August 2, 2011: Did everything within my knowledge to rectify this wine. Added a lightly baked, crumbled eggshell, 3 medium grape leaves, a few tablespoons of starter from the One Pot Cocktail recipe above, and ~1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient (pelleted food-grade urea and diammonium phosphate). This wine must’ve baked in 100-degree heat while it was forgotten in a room upstairs.

July 2012: Nasty. I think I’ll try making vinegar of it.

Pickles:

August 12, 2012: Put some large cucumbers and green beans in a deep plastic bowl, with 4 cups water and three tablespoons of salt, the end of a jar of garlic powder, some black pepper, and 5 medium wild grape leaves. Put an overturned bowl on top, weighted it down with a glass, and covered all with a clean lint-free cloth.

On August 12, I added two more cups of water with two tablespoons salt, to raise the water level over the overturned bowl.

August 15, tried a cuke and some beans, and the beans were good, but the cucumber was only pickled at its very ends.

Mr. Beer Beer:

You may find the general instructions for the Mr. Beer kit -here-. I use the 32-oz bottles that came with the kit.

When? Made Classic American Blonde Ale, leaving it in the barrel for about 16 days (2 days over the limit). It was a good ale, which I might call red instead of blonde, and slightly undercarbonated. Unfortunately, this beer is off the market.

When? Made Cowboy. I heaped up the teaspoons of sugar to avoid undercarbonation, resulting in overcarbonation. Nice but somewhat dull American style beer.

August 12, 2012: Made Whispering Wheat white beer. (still fermenting).