First batch of grape wine...need sime help

[christinahammer]

My husband and I just mixed up our first batch of wine ever. We're using crushed grapes we grew ourselves. My question is how long after the first fermentation phase do we let the wine continue to ferment. The recipe I found says to just close the lid up and let it sit for 6-8 weeks, but that seems too long. All the other recipes I've found say anywhere from 2-4 weeks. If you have an approximate time your grape wine took that would be great. Thanks!

 

[seth8530]

Woo, wine making intervention! Let us help!

First off, what kind of grapes are they?

Second off, do you know what a hydrometer is?

Third, can you tell us about the recipe?

Fourth, do you have any airlocks?

Firth, if you do not know what I am talking about please say so and we can set you straight.

 

[christinahammer]

We just moved into a new house that had two old grapevine in the back yard so we don't know what type they are. They are small purple grapes with a green center.

I do know what a hydrometer is, but I don't have one.

The recipe I chose was the simplest I could find, since it's our first try at this I didn't want to try something too complicated. It was 5 cups smashed grapes, 5 cups sugar, 1 tbs lemon juice, then fill with water to one gallon mark. We did this 4 times to make 4 gallons. And added on packet of yeast.

Were using a 5 gallon bucket to ferment in. We made an airlock in the lid with clear vinyl tubing.

I hope this is enough info. Thanks in advance!

 

[vernsgal]

Are you near any wine supply shop?

 

[saramc]

This should help: http://www.winemakermag.com/new/fresh

I know you are working off of 5 cup increments but were these 5 cups of whole grapes or 5 cups of crushed grapes? You didn't happen to get a weight at any point of the grapes; if not, the next time you pick could you get a weight of even one cup, though five would be better, in the format matching how you actually measures, whole vs crushed?

Do you have a link to the recipe you are using?

Suggestions:
-buy two hydrometers, one is your spare (trust me)
-take the lid off the bucket and clean it & set it to the side, do same with your blowoff tube, now cover the bucket with a clean towel, secure with bungee cord/rope IF you need to but it should just drape over the opening.
-you need to 'punch the cap' down on your batch at least twice a day, three would be even better.
-if you did not do so before you pitched the yeast you really need to add potassium metabisulphite, aka k-meta/KMS/Campden, follow pkg instructions; you need to sanitize this must, stun the wild yeast and allow the wine yeast to dominate
-I would also add pectic enzyme, per pkg directions; grapes are loaded with pectin & failing to address it will leave you with a cloudy wine
-I would also add a bentonite slurry on/around Day 3, start preparation 24 hrs in advance, per 5 gallon batch: heat 1 cup water to boiling, remove from heat, sprinkle 2 tsp bentonite on surface of water, allow to sink into water on its own for 3-4 hours then stir it & then allow to rest at room temp, covered, for a total of 24 hours. It will expand during this time, will be thick clay goop. You then want to stir this into your must in increments, do not just dump it all at once, make sure it is fully incorporated. The action of the ferment keeps it in solution since you add around Day 3. Don't freak over the color change, or be concerned there is now clay in your wine, it all comes out in the wash--well, when you rack it a few times.
-call your area agriculture/county farm extension office, see if they can ID your grapes

Welcome to WMT Christina!!
...Sara

 

[seth8530]

We just moved into a new house that had two old grapevine in the back yard so we don't know what type they are. They are small purple grapes with a green center.

I do know what a hydrometer is, but I don't have one.

The recipe I chose was the simplest I could find, since it's our first try at this I didn't want to try something too complicated. It was 5 cups smashed grapes, 5 cups sugar, 1 tbs lemon juice, then fill with water to one gallon mark. We did this 4 times to make 4 gallons. And added on packet of yeast.

Were using a 5 gallon bucket to ferment in. We made an airlock in the lid with clear vinyl tubing.

I hope this is enough info. Thanks in advance!

My advice, is listen to what saramc has to say. However, since this is your first batch and you lack much of the proper equipment ( I recommend you join the darkside and get that equipment) here is what I would do to try and make the best of the situation.

Ferment your wine for around 2 weeks with a towel over the bucket. Once that is done transfer it to a carboy. If you lack a carboy transfer it either to a bunch of gallon sized glass jugs or if it comes to it even a large water container. Once you do that either make or buy an airlock for that container.

Let it sit for a few months and give it a taste.


What I just said is a gross simplification of the wine making process and following these steps will result in unreliable possibly subpar wine. So I recommend that you join us on the darkside and give in to the wine. Learn the nice sciency stuff and all the tips and tricks that make wine making a reliable science/art. Then, in the future use what you end up learning to make your next batch under more ideal conditions where you are the one pulling the strings in the wine making instead of the dice.

BTW welcome to the forums.

 

[jamesngalveston]

I knew I was in the right place seth....The Dark Side...

 

[christinahammer]

Thank you everyone! These are some great tips. The 5 cups is crushed grapes. And I do plan on buying all the fancy equipment to make wine the proper way. But the recipe I found didn't call for any equipment other than bottles. We would have waisted the majority if our grapes if we didn't do something with them now. No time to wait for equipment. We don't live close to any home brew shops. But there are plenty of vineyards around here (central valley) so I'm
Sure I can find somewhere to pick up at least a hydrometer for now. Thanks again for all the help!

 

[christinahammer]

Oh and here is the link to the recipe I used. I just used the recipe.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5672311_make-homemade-wine-mason-jar.html?dmsp=manual

 

[seth8530]

Glad to see you plan on moving upward and onward. Fortuantly the most of wine making equipment needed for the home scale is relativly cheap.

 

[jswordy]

All of this advice is great.

I just wanted to add that the recipe you are following is a common one on the net or YouTube. It is how to make Hobo Wine Or Prison Wine, since this is how prisoners do it, pretty much.

It will result in a sweet fluid with alcohol in it that you can call wine.

But all this other stuff everyone is telling you will result in a wine that is like the $10 and up per 750 ml bottle stuff you buy in the store. REALLY good wine.

I see some pix of your grapes in another thread. You can take a sample of the grape cluster, vine and some leaves to your extension agent and they can tell you what they are, I am told.

 

[christinahammer]

Thanks! Well hopefully it's drinkable. I'm not big on super sweet wine. I wasn't expecting a cab, or zin from the recipe we used, but we did modify to add equal part grapes to sugar ratio. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

 

[Arne]

If you make an order from a wine making supply place, make sure you get some k-meta or campden tablets as well as a hydrometer. When added after fermenting, they will help preserve your wine. K-meta is potassiummetabisulfite (I think that is right, we just usually use k-meta for short.) It is a powdered form of campden tablets and actually easier to use. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[seth8530]

Yeah, give the forums a read and come up with a shopping list. Then let us have a look at it before you order it. That way you can learn about all these tools before you buy them and actually know how they work. Plus you get the assurance of knowing you wont be getting useless stuff.