Home Journal

Guides for the home winemaker.

Practical, opinionated writing on the things home winemakers actually run into — fermentation troubleshooting, nutrient timing, journaling habits, and the techniques that earn their keep across vintages.

Stuck fermentation
Fermentation

Why your fermentation stalled at 1.020 — and how to coax it home

A practical guide to spotting, diagnosing, and restarting a stuck primary — the four usual suspects, a step-by-step restart protocol, and when it's time to walk away.

6 min read · April 26, 2026
Nutrient timing
Nutrient Timing

When to add yeast nutrient — a phase-by-phase guide

Why staggered additions beat one big dose, the SG window for each phase, and the late-add mistake that produces hydrogen sulfide.

5 min read · April 27, 2026
The journal
Journaling

What to write in your winemaking log (and what to skip)

Five measurements that earn their keep vintage after vintage — and seven things home winemakers waste time logging that they'll never read again.

4 min read · April 27, 2026