Negodki wrote:

I measure the must volume, and then reduce it by 15% for large grapes (e.g.
"table" grapes) and 18% for smaller grapes (e.g. Sangiovese, Merlot,
Cabernet). 20% would have been a better figure for the cabernet this year,
but I didn't find out until the pressing. And last year, 18% _was_ the
correct figure.

Thanks that seems to make sense... my baco grapes certainly aren't as
large as table grapes. I think I shall go about figuring it out this
evening.

--
charles

"Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were
forced to live on nothing but food and water for days."
- W.C. Fields

Perhaps Bill Frazier can give you a more accurate percentage for Baco's.
What are they like? I've never seen or tasted any before.

"Charles H" wrote
Negodki wrote:

I measure the must volume, and then reduce it by 15% for large grapes
(e.g.
"table" grapes) and 18% for smaller grapes (e.g. Sangiovese, Merlot,
Cabernet). 20% would have been a better figure for the cabernet this
year,
but I didn't find out until the pressing. And last year, 18% _was_ the
correct figure.

Thanks that seems to make sense... my baco grapes certainly aren't as
large as table grapes. I think I shall go about figuring it out this
evening.

Charles wrote "I was wondering how to account for all the grape skins in
calculating
the amount of sugar to add."

Charles - Here's some historical data for Baco.

1999, harvest 200# grapes, foot crush and destem
yield 19.33 gallons must containing 12.5 gallons juice
juice was 64.7% of the whole must

2000, harvest 202# grapes, foot crush and destem
yield 20.0 gallons must containing 13.0 gallons juice
juice was 65% of the whole must

2001, harvest 168.5# grapes, foot crush and destem
didn't get a volume value for the whole must
got 12.625 gallons juice after a hard press

So, it looks like you need about 15.8 pounds of grapes
for each gallon of must. And, at least out here in Kansas,
you need 1.5 gallons must for each gallon of juice after
settling and pressing. Keep in mind that my wife crushed the grapes
by foot in the years mentioned above. Then the stems were removed
by working the crushed mixture through a 2-mesh screen.
This may have resulted in a lot more particulate
mater in the must than you would get if the grapes were more
gently crushed with a crusher/destemmer machine.

I now use a machine to crush but still remove stems with
the 2-mesh screen and I always use the ratio of 2 parts
juice per 3 parts must after destemming.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas

"William Frazier" wrote:

...by working the crushed mixture through a 2-mesh screen.

What's a 2-mesh screen? Is that like 2" poultry netting (chicken wire)?

Got in on the last of this thread but wanted to add 2 cents a bit.

Went over to Bill's and got some of his Baco Noir couple years back. He
allowed me to taste some of his, showed me his numbers and all. As stated
they where a bit high. Now the difference came when I got them home. I could
not press them, all my containers where full. So I had no choice but to
freeze them all. After I think it was 6 months thereabout I pressed them
partially frozen. Once thawed took my readings. E-mailed Bill the findings
Where VERY different than his. AM unsure but think he told me that batch of
his was not as good as expected. However mine has and still is getting
wonderful reviews.

Since that time on some things that I have picked that are high acid whether
fruit or grape I have frozen them 1st, 2 examples this year was my
Gooseberries and Traminette's little high, froze 1/2 and pressed 1/2 at
picking. Frozen bunch had much better readings after thawed and are at this
stage better in taste and color.

Not a Chemist or Science major, un-sure of all the why's yet, just own
experience... More experiments req'd....


Ben & Linda McCune
HoneyCreek Vineyard/Orchards
http://honeycreek.us


"Charles H" wrote in message
...
Negodki wrote:

I measure the must volume, and then reduce it by 15% for large grapes
(e.g.
"table" grapes) and 18% for smaller grapes (e.g. Sangiovese, Merlot,
Cabernet). 20% would have been a better figure for the cabernet this
year,
but I didn't find out until the pressing. And last year, 18% _was_ the
correct figure.

Thanks that seems to make sense... my baco grapes certainly aren't as
large as table grapes. I think I shall go about figuring it out this
evening.

--
charles

"Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were
forced to live on nothing but food and water for days."
- W.C. Fields

Negodki wrote "What's a 2-mesh screen? Is that like 2" poultry netting
(chicken wire)?"

Two holes per linear inch. I use stainless steel screen.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas

"William Frazier" wrote:

Two holes per linear inch. I use stainless steel screen.

Aha! (They call that 1/2" mesh around here). Where do you obtain stainless
steel screen? I searched the Internet, and the only place I could find was
in Asia. The prices were good, but the shipping was a bit steep.

Negodki wrote "Where do you obtain stainless
steel screen? "

McNichols Co.
www.mcnichols.com

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas

Opps, meant Leon's not Baco. Thanks Bill for some reason I am always
confusing this.......


"Ben McCune" wrote in message
link.net...
Got in on the last of this thread but wanted to add 2 cents a bit.

Went over to Bill's and got some of his Baco Noir couple years back. He
allowed me to taste some of his, showed me his numbers and all. As stated
they where a bit high. Now the difference came when I got them home. I
could
not press them, all my containers where full. So I had no choice but to
freeze them all. After I think it was 6 months thereabout I pressed them
partially frozen. Once thawed took my readings. E-mailed Bill the findings
Where VERY different than his. AM unsure but think he told me that batch
of
his was not as good as expected. However mine has and still is getting
wonderful reviews.

Since that time on some things that I have picked that are high acid
whether
fruit or grape I have frozen them 1st, 2 examples this year was my
Gooseberries and Traminette's little high, froze 1/2 and pressed 1/2 at
picking. Frozen bunch had much better readings after thawed and are at
this
stage better in taste and color.

Not a Chemist or Science major, un-sure of all the why's yet, just own
experience... More experiments req'd....


Ben & Linda McCune
HoneyCreek Vineyard/Orchards
http://honeycreek.us


"Charles H" wrote in message
...
Negodki wrote:

I measure the must volume, and then reduce it by 15% for large grapes
(e.g.
"table" grapes) and 18% for smaller grapes (e.g. Sangiovese, Merlot,
Cabernet). 20% would have been a better figure for the cabernet this
year,
but I didn't find out until the pressing. And last year, 18% _was_ the
correct figure.

Thanks that seems to make sense... my baco grapes certainly aren't as
large as table grapes. I think I shall go about figuring it out this
evening.

--
charles

"Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were
forced to live on nothing but food and water for days."
- W.C. Fields