Any newbie bottling tips out there?

[redderthebetter]

Well my first wine, merlot kit, is ready for the bottle Any tips that aren't found in the manual. I have 2 dozen bottles that I'm plannig on running through the dishwasher then into a bucket of the no rinse sanitizer that came with the kit. I'm not to sure about the corker they gave me. Is this something worth practicing with before screwing up a finished product? I also spent some time tonight drilling 2 inch holes in scrap wood to make into a bottle dryer. Any advice will be well recieved.Thanks


Check the fruit wine board in a day or two. My cranberry is coming along kind of slow and I may be looking for some answers.

 

[earl]

Well I just bottled my first wine and I have a few pointers.


1- Read the Fine Vine Wines tutorial on bottling.


2- Rack into the primary and bottle from there.


3- If your bottles are clean then skip the dishwasher and rinse with sulfite then bottle. You don't want residue from the dishwasher.


4- Don't drag your racking cane into the lees, you can re-rack your wine into another carboy, off the lees, then let it sit for a week or 2 then rack into the primary to bottle.


5- Search the board for bottling techniques.


My first bottling did not go too well. I got a bunch of cloudy wine into my primary and called George. He helped a bunch. I guarantee you there are veteran bottlers on this board and they will give you great advice.


Welcome aboard


earl

 

[Waldo]

Some very good advice from Earl redder. Not sure what kind of corker you got in your kit but a couple of dry runs with it would definately be worth the cost of the practice corks used up. If it is one of those little cheapy plastic jobe I would chink it..get on the phone with George and have hime send you at a minimum a good double lever corker http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4039Edited by: Waldo

 

[pkcook]

Redder,


I agree with earl, if the bottles were clean to start with, skip the dishwasher. There should only be a little carton dust to take care of if anything at all, so sanitizing is the important part.


I bottled over 100 bottles with a plastic hand corker and was only unsuccessful on one bottle on the first try(maybe I'm lucky). If you are going to try it, make sure your bottles are on a solid surface and ensure your plunger is dead center on the cork before you start to push. I soak my corks in cold water with a crushed campden tablet for a few minutes prior to bottling. This will soften the cork a bit and provide some lubrication for the corker as well. This type of corker does require quite a bit of upper body strength to push the cork in. Putting the bottles between your feet as you cork will help stablize the bottle if you are working solo. The double-lever model Waldo recommends is SOOO much eaiser to use.


One other important point is the level of wine in your bottle as you cork. Shoot for 1/4" airspace between the bottom of your cork and the wine. Any less and you are not likely to seat the cork (fluids do not compress). A bottling wand is a nice inexpensive tool to aid in this process. Good luck!


Pat

 

[AAASTINKIE]

I always rack to my bottling bucket, it has a spicot on the bottom to
use the bottle filler, I use the cheap wand type even though I have a
new gravity filler still in the package here (it just works good!) my
3/8ths filling wand leaves the correct head space usually by filling to
the top, then when you pull it out the level goes down to the correct
level for corking.

After I bottle I put some water in the sink and wash the bottles off or
you will have to do it later to get the sulfite off, it dries as salt
stains, then I put on my shrink caps if using them and I am then all
done doing anything that gets the bottle wet, you don't need to dry
them upside down, they will dry just fine I have found.

I have some really tall bottles here that don't fit in my floor corker,
I use my double lever hand corker and have found GEO's amalgamated
corks go in so smooth with it, I use synthetic corks with the floor
corker, but can't get them in fast enough by hand, but GEO's corks go
rather nicely!! (#9's the long ones)

One other thing, fill a dozen or so and then cork them all at once,
this will help you get used to corking better and it makes things go
faster.

ONE, ONE, other thing, have fun, don't get stressed, corks that don't
go in right or stick out a little are OK, they still drink the same!!


Edited by: AAASTINKIE

 

[Angell Wine]

Drink the first onewhile bottling.

 

[redderthebetter]

Greatadvice everyone.


I got 28 bottles in last night with no real problems. I think I see an opening to get an auto shiphon though. I had a couple of stoppages when racking from the carboy and then I didn't have the racking cane clipped to the bucket right and had a stoppage midway through one of my final bottles. I had a little trouble getting the line primed with the bottling cane attached and had to pour the last 1 1/2 bottle with a funnel. Corking was a snap. I practiced a little first and kept my pliers handy for a quick adjustment to the corker when I didn't get a deep enough seat.


In all of the excitment I almost forgot to sample the fruits of my labor. I can't wait till it get a little aging on it for the real tasting.


Again, thanks everyone.

 

[masta]

The first one is the toughest....good job and it is just fine tuning the process from here.

 

[PolishWineP]

Congratulations!

It should be easier from here. In this hobby, experience is the best teacher and the best reward. Well done!

 

[jobe05]

redderthebetter:


Congradulations on your first bottling. I have used the wand for bottling until my wife got me the Buon Vino Automatic Auto Bottle Gravity Filler from George.


http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4887


I have used it 3 or 4 times now and wouldn't bottle without it now, I love it! Well worth the price. I can adjust it to fill to the level that I want and it fills each bottle to the same heigth, gives that little extra proffessional look. Something to think about.


Again, congrats, and have fun with this






Edited by: jobe05

 

[OldWino1]

I understand I have used a wand for ever. and I dont have a problem with taking it apart to clean and sanatize. How is that gravity thing on taking apart and keeping beer lace clean?