Fermentation Log #7: House Merlot

This fermentation log is for the following kit. This batch is only for half the kit because I don't have enough glass to hold on entire kit. Started (Nov 16th 2024) by mixing the following in 5gal plastic bucket:

• ~3.5L of Merlot Juice Concentrate from kit (sg estimated at 1.272)
• ~4L of water
• 15g bentonite
• 1 packet of oak chips

Final mix gravity was 1.090. Yeast was EC-1118, which was rehydrated as not per instructions. Great smell, especially with wood chips added! Rest of juice was placed in sterilized 1gal glass jar, sealed, and placed in the fridge.

Nov 21st 2024: Measured sg at 1.000. Primary fermentation has accelerated past what it should be per the instructions. Leaving until Nov 26th so that we follow the instructions and enough air is introduced. There's no major bubbling/activity going on.

Rating:

• Appearance: 1/3 - Poor. Slight haze. Very dark burgundy. Translucent if you hold it up to the light. #210000
• Aroma: 3/6 - Pleasant. Pungent. Oak. Cedar. Resinous. Yeast. raisins.
• Taste: 2/6 - Acceptable. Yeasty. Dry. Wood. Tartaric acid.
• Aftertaste: 2/3 - Good. Mouthcoat. Pucker.
• Overall: 1/2 - Good.
• Pleasant: 9/20

Overall it's pretty good. Still has a ways to go. Yeast is still there. It's dry, and there's too much oak flavour. It's missing a bit of body, but at the same time it's not light enough to be considered fruity. Might make sense to mix this with the second batch of this kit to dilute the oak flavor.

Nov 27th 2024: racked into two 1 gal glass jars. Affixed airlocks. Tastes like a really cheap wine. Secondary fermentation until Dec 5th 2024.

Dec 20nd 2024: bottled into 8x 750mL bottles.