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Pat Parks

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Hi to all! Enjoying this site; I found you by looking for information on polishing. I have started with a Grand Cru kit, ready for bottling according to the kit instructions, though I find them very sketchy, perhaps because we had all the equipment from our beermaking book and from friends, so have none of the basics about what the basics actually mean! I have tapped into my husband's somewhat more extensive knowledge from beermaking (all good over the years) about sanitizing, etc.; I use a mild bleach solution. Does anyone do that anymore? I confess to liking to do things the "Old-fashioned" way just because it could be done, even though bleach hardly comes into that category; maybe it's more of a "things on hand" way... I have a party with my gardening friends every year where the food is all homemade or homegrown, and it's been pretty good! Hence the wine; I like some beers but some guests prefer wine, as do I. I have found lots of good information on bread, cheese, etc., in Mother Earth News, but not much on wine yet. I live in rural Schoharie County, "near" very little; the beermaking supply places we had visited over the years are no longer. Would appreciate information on where to go for supplies, and to thank you all for the great information already available from searching around the site.
Oh yeah - enough windbag - should I filter, and if so with what? And is bleach just a stupid thing to use anymore? The kit only said "sanitize" so I did what I know! This is a Chianti kit from a friend. I hope it's at least palatable!
 
Bleach really isnt a great way to go as you then have to rinse that out thoroughly with plain old water and that water believe it or not can again contaminate the whole process. You hubby who is a beer maker should have either Star San or iodophor on hand for making beer and those are very good sanitizers although a little excessive for wine making. Potassium Metabisulfite (K-meta) or Sodium Metabilsulfite (Na-Meta) are what most wine makers use and are much cheaper. Campden tablets are the same as above and offered at most places as one of the above metas in tablet form for easier measurements in smaller batches. Glad to have you aboard, I dont really know what is available fpr supplies in New York there but here is a great place to shop via internet.

http://finevinewines.com/
 
You will find alot of people who are ready and willing to help you make wine. This site is great and I am learning something every day. Welcome and enjoy the site and great hobby. (obsession):b
 
Hello Pat, glad to have you here :)

Bleach is a last resort on my list at home and does the job. ( I'm a bit old fashioned too!)Thing is to really rinse well with boiling water to remove residue.. Another option is to use the soluble tablets that they sell in supermarkets for babies bottles to be sanitised in. ( usually hospital grade and non toxic) These are both ways of sanitising equipment if you have issues getting hold of the the ingredients that Wade has already recommended.

Allie
 
If you plan on making wine not from kits the I recommend you getting the k-meta and k sorbate.
 
Pat:

Welcome to our great (but addictive) hobby.

Which Grand Cru kit are you making? Several are very good. But I have found some of them to set a lot of sediment (particularly the Chamblaise).

Personally I very rarely do 4 weeks to bottling (more like 8 week minimum), and I usually filter the wine. I use a Mini Jet filter. You can probably make do without filtering if you rack an extra time or two and allow the sediment to settle.

Steve
 
1st CONGRATS on entering WINEMAKING! :b
Its a great hobby.. er OBSESSION. Like said before winemaking is somewhat different than beermaking (I do both). Ask questions here and you will be making the best wine $ can buy.
Follow what Wade said abouot K-Meta for sanitizing. You migh want to buy 4-8oz for keeping it onhand. Kits dont extra.
Keep away from bleach!
 
welcome

Hi
I am just getting started also, I have cran-grape and strawberry going right now. You will love this site these guys know what they are doing. I check this site as soon as I hit the door every day.:r

Koda
 
as far as the filtering goes I dont filter red wines, just my white wines and just for polishing them. Never try to filter a wine that isnt clear or it will just clog your filter and you will have to take it apart very frequently during this batch which will expose your wine to too much 02. I use the Vinbrite garvity filter which is very cheap and works well.

Filtering-1.jpg
 
Heading out -

I found a winery not too far away from me, near Oneonta NY, that has winemaking supplies. Going there today to get the meta/campden tablets, a filter and yeast since I am determined to try a dandelion wine next, and whatever else strikes my fancy and I imagine I can't live without. Here we go...the next new thing! I'll give up on the bleach (that's what our beer book from years ago recommended, and what my husband has always done).
Should I rerack the kit wine (a Spagnol GrandCru Chianti) rather than bottle at 28 days? The instructions say to go right to bottling, but I'd just as soon get the best results I can and try to be patient!
Thanks for the welcome, and the advice.
 
Pat,
Put it this way. It can only get better by age. If you must taste and drink by all means bottle your 1st kit.
 
Heyy there Pat!
I'm brand new to this site, too. Winemaking is very rewarding, and I think you'll enjoy it immensely... Though I think once somebody really gets into they never stop! I've been brewing for a couple of years now, though I still call myself a novice at it.
I just wanted to add my two cents about sanitizing. I really prefer the Iodophor (I think somebody mentioned it previously), because you don't need to risk re-contaminating your stuff when you rinse it. You just let it air-dry.
Kudos to you on going for the dandelion wine! My mother makes a batch of it every spring, and Ive never been able to match it! It's a very delicious treat in the summer.
Have fun and Cheers! :b
 

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