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Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

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  1. E

    First Batch

    What exactly is "degassing?" The word isn't used in the instructions, but I take it from googling that it has to do with the removal of CO2 by vigorous stirring. The instructions did have several minutes of stirring, several times before and during the clearing process. Is there more to it than...
  2. E

    First Batch

    Clearing 15 days have passed since secondary fermentation began. The wine bubbled and you could see gas escaping the airlock for the first few days of secondary fermentation, but after that it was pretty quiet. Today I am going through the "clearing" instructions. I have checked the SG =...
  3. E

    First Batch

    Ah, the cap does have little holes. I hadn't noticed them.
  4. E

    First Batch

    Day 7 - SG at 1 So, I racked the wine into the carboy. Interesting experience. I think if I get into this I'll look to buy some sort of a pump, rather than having to siphon. The siphoning ended 2 or 3 times during the process and I had to re-create a vacuum or otherwise coax the remaining...
  5. E

    First Batch

    6th day - SG at 1.002
  6. E

    First Batch

    Right you are. My reading is now 1.012. Does 1.082 sound low? What is the typical alcohol level for wine? It didn't change from that initial reading for two days, so I am somewhat comfortable with that reading (now that you've pointed out the error I was making).
  7. E

    First Batch

    Day Five - SG at 1.22
  8. E

    First Batch

    Day Four - SG at 1.42
  9. E

    First Batch

    Day Three - Something is happening! The SG is now at 1.7. Lots of fizzing happening from the grape/skin bag. I gave it a good stir after taking my hydrometer reading tonight. I'm unsure if it makes any difference if I take the reading before or after stirring things up.
  10. E

    First Batch

    Day Two - SG is still at 1.82. The grape/skin bag was floating. I gave things a good stir prior to taking the SG reading.
  11. E

    First Batch

    SG was 1.82 after 12 hours. Finding out that there are all sorts of things needed that aren't included in the intro kit. Found out that I didn't have a thief to draw wine into the hydrometer tonight, so I used a (sterilized) turkey baster.
  12. E

    First Batch

    5 week crushed grape wine kit - "premium varietal juice." It's a Shiraz.
  13. E

    First Batch

    It's a Cellar Craft kit. I'll check the SG before bed tonight when I give it a stir.
  14. E

    First Batch

    I thought I'd start a post on my first ever batch of wine. Mrs. Cowtown bought me a brew belt yesterday, so that my wine will like the 16C of my sub-basement. The first day instructions seemed relatively straight forward. My biggest frustration was the mess that I made along the way...
  15. E

    Brew Belt?

    Thanks for all the quick responses. I'll look to buy a brew belt, as I don't have a heating blanket / pad. And, I'll try to get it off the floor. No other space is available to me. It's a small house and the upstairs is over-run with jollyjumpers, toy cars, and mischevious toddlers...
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