North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Richard MURPHY" <murphman108@msn.com>]

Hello;

 

Somebody wrote in, a while ago, telling of awful green slime in a wine tank full of Elderberry Juice.

 

Well, that person is correct. I ferment wine in white plastic pails (primary only of course). I tried Elderberry last week. Sho' nuff left a green ring of un-scrubbable crud on the tank wall, right at the surface of the must.

 

Then I filled the tank with my home made winemaker's baptismal fluid; one tablespoon of Oxy Clean to one gallon of water, and left is sitting for a week. All gone. no scrub, no mess. Interesting, all of the purple stained Elderberry wiping rags in the sink went from purple to green, right before my eyes, when this Oxy Clean is poured on them.

 

PS This fluid mix replicates a product that winemaking companies sell as B-Brite.

Oxy clean is Sodium Carbonate and Sodium Percarbonate. It is a good bath to have around when you need to sterilize tools / funnels / measuring equipment when making edible things or wine.

 

PS  The white plastic pails are called 'Life Latch' buckets from US Plastics. They have screw-on lids and an O-ring seal to boot. Wicked handy and cheap.

 

RM