First Batch Very Excited

[proksy]

I have wanted to make wine for years and have finally taken a shot at it. I am using very crude equipment and materials so I am not expecting anything spectacular but I am excited. I am using 3, 1 gallon bottles, each a separate batch. In the first batch I followed a recipe that envolves using juice concentrate. In the second batch I used a recipe that called for boxed name brand juice. And in the third batch I used a blend of juice concentrate with some fresh blackberries, rasberries and blueberries. I am on day two now and all three of my jugs are bubbling quite nicely. I have a few questions. How do I make a dry tasting wine? I've had a friend make wine similar to the way I am and his wines generally came out well but were sweeter with less umph than I would buy at the store. Also, are there any tips that any of you would like to give me, things to look forward to and such? Thanks in advance for any advice. I will keep this thread up to date with some pics possibly in the near future.

Current wine status:

Day 2, jugs bubbling, appearence is cloudy with a throfty bubbly cover over the tops

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!

What was your starting SG - generally to make it dry would ferment the must to an SG around .995ish - and really anything less than 1.000 is considered to be fermented to dry.

Just don't back sweeten your wines when finished.

What kind of wines are you making?

 

[proksy]

I currently don't have anything to measure S.G. so for that I have no clue. I have been browsing through the forum and it sounds like everyone monitors their S.G. closely. I should probably get something to measure that for the future I suppose. I am making some red wine using mainly red grape concentrate or 100% red grape juice. My third batch I kinda had fun with and made up as I went along. So how dry or sweet a wine is, is based at least partly on the batch's S.G. readings. I used approximately 2 lbs of sugar per gallon of wine. I had a friend make some and his turned out well and he recommended 2 lbs. I suppose mine will either come out as vinegar or will be pretty seet dessert wine, maybe not I don't know really.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I currently don't have anything to measure S.G. so for that I have no clue. I have been browsing through the forum and it sounds like everyone monitors their S.G. closely. I should probably get something to measure that for the future I suppose. I am making some red wine using mainly red grape concentrate or 100% red grape juice. My third batch I kinda had fun with and made up as I went along. So how dry or sweet a wine is, is based at least partly on the batch's S.G. readings. I used approximately 2 lbs of sugar per gallon of wine. I had a friend make some and his turned out well and he recommended 2 lbs. I suppose mine will either come out as vinegar or will be pretty seet dessert wine, maybe not I don't know really.

The problem with adding sugar blindly - is you don't know how much sugar is already present in the must. Adding sugar blindly you might end up with rocket fuel.

Purchase a hydrometer and an acid test kit - i use those faithful with every batch.

NOTE: The hydrometer i have has a built in thermometer as well - as the hydrometers are rated to read at 60 degrees - there is a temp adjustment chart that i use to correctly identify the SG.

 

[Tom]

The problem with adding sugar blindly - is you don't know how much sugar is already present in the must. Adding sugar blindly you might end up with rocket fuel.

Purchase a hydrometer and an acid test kit - i use those faithful with every batch.

NOTE: The hydrometer i have has a built in thermometer as well - as the hydrometers are rated to read at 60 degrees - there is a temp adjustment chart that i use to correctly identify the SG.

Yep I agree. You cant make decent wine without;
Hydrometer
TA kit
Wine yeast
acid blend
airlocks
a donloaded copy of WineCalc http://www.xs4all.nl/~mpesgens/thwp/winecalc.html

 

[proksy]

A hydrometer is what I need for sure. For an acidity tester, would I use litmus paper or is there something better? I have read that after about 12 - 14 days once the bubbles slow almost to a stop and the appearance of the wine has cleared, it is then time to syphon the wine to another sterile conainer leaving the sediment behind. I then let this set and continue to firment and settle for a couple more weeks, then syphon to the final, corked container...Is this process correct?

 

[winemaker_3352]

A hydrometer is what I need for sure. For an acidity tester, would I use litmus paper or is there something better? I have read that after about 12 - 14 days once the bubbles slow almost to a stop and the appearance of the wine has cleared, it is then time to syphon the wine to another sterile conainer leaving the sediment behind. I then let this set and continue to firment and settle for a couple more weeks, then syphon to the final, corked container...Is this process correct?

For acidity testing is use this:

http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=5400

As far as racking - when the bubbles seem to slow or stop - take an SG reading - if the reading is the same 3 consecutive days - fermentation is done.

 

[proksy]

oh wow, thanks for the info! Now I am planning on buying some more materials and starting 3 more batches so I can monitor S.G. and acidity on them closely and keep track. I am a huge science geek so now I am going to measure my sugar out to the gram and record readings every day haha..I am going to LOVE this. I would like to try some cranberry and or cherry whith my red grapes. Any thing I should be careful with? In my third batch I added fresh whole fruit to some very hot water and worked them down into a juice. Is there a better way of adding fresh fruit to the batch? Thanks a ton

 

[winemaker_3352]

oh wow, thanks for the info! Now I am planning on buying some more materials and starting 3 more batches so I can monitor S.G. and acidity on them closely and keep track. I am a huge science geek so now I am going to measure my sugar out to the gram and record readings every day haha..I am going to LOVE this. I would like to try some cranberry and or cherry whith my red grapes. Any thing I should be careful with? In my third batch I added fresh whole fruit to some very hot water and worked them down into a juice. Is there a better way of adding fresh fruit to the batch? Thanks a ton

Simmering the fruit can extract the juice - but i always just freeze the fruit - let thaw and add pectic enzymes to help extract juice.

Use 5-6 #'s of fruit per gallon of wine.
Fruit wines should have a starting SG = 1.080 - 1.085 and acid at .60.

 

[Tom]

For acidity testing is use this:

http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=5400

As far as racking - when the bubbles seem to slow or stop - take an SG reading - if the reading is the same 3 consecutive days - fermentation is done.

This what I use
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/acid-testing-kit.html

Always check your hydrometer before racking.

 

[winemaker_3352]

This what I use
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/acid-testing-kit.html

Always check your hydrometer before racking.

Isn't that basically the same this as this:

http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=5400

 

[Tom]

Thinks so just different manufacture

 

[proksy]

Ok, I'm about to start three more batches tomorrow with a different type of red grape concentrate I found at the store today and more of it with some more berries and some cherry this time. I only used 1 can of concentrate with one of my 1 gal. batches and am skeptical on how it will turn out. I know I have a sufficient amount of sugar to make some alcohol but I do enjoy some acidity and body in my wines and am going to try three more batches with varying amounts of fruit and juice concentrate. I have read posts of people on this forum preferring two cans of concentrate per gallon and some who prefer three. Any recommendations? Like I said I tend to like dark, full bodied, heavy tannin, red wine. I know the dryness and tannin level will improve with experience, ingredients and equipment but what would you all recommend two or three cans of concentrate? Thanks!

day three:

Still sizzling and bubbling strong. The appearance of the wine is still cloudy with a throfty cover.

 

[proksy]

I still haven't started the other 3 batches yet but plan on doing it tonight. Again I am going to do varying amounts of concentrate and berries with each. With one batch I am going to do two cans of concentrate, another three cans and the third I will do two cans of concentrate and about four cups of fresh berries. I have all my ingredients written down for each batch just in case one actually turns out well.

Day 5:

Bubbling has slowed a slight bit but the jugs are still sizzling. The appearance of the wine is still cloudy but seems to be clearing up just a little. I have noticed that there is about a half inch to an inch and a half of sediment at the bottom of each batch now. What is this stuff? I have been giving each jug some agitation to stir the mix around every day but have stopped for now because I actually don't know if I'm supposed to do that at all. Should I agitate the mixes every day?

 

[winemaker_3352]

That is called lees - with you stirring it back into the must - is not a bad thing - but if you aren't careful you could mess it up. I think what you did is a somewhat a form of battonage - stirring the lees up every 2-3 weeks.

 

[proksy]

Aww..I looked up battonage and learned something. I don't think I am going to stir my lees back into my must anymore and just let them be

 

[winemaker_3352]

Aww..I looked up battonage and learned something. I don't think I am going to stir my lees back into my must anymore and just let them be

If you let it age on the lees - that would be more of a Sur Lie Aging technique. But with this - you stir up about once every month or two until you get the desired taste you are looking for then rack off.

 

[proksy]

impaled my pinky this morning, that was fun...

Day 6:

Bubbling has slowed way down. The appearance of one of my batches is really clearing up and I can see light through it. The other two are also clearing up but I still can't see light through them but then again they have more juice/fruit in them so I would expect that. I suppose I have another week before racking ::

 

[proksy]

Day 7:

Bubbling is at a very slow crawl and one of my batches is hardly bubbling at all. Two of the batches seem to be getting more and more clear each day. My other batch with all the fruit in it is dark but seems cleaner and darker in appearance each day.

 

[proksy]

Day 8:

Bubbling has stopped on two of the three batches and is extremely slow on the other. Their appearance is darker in color but and I can see more light through the wine. It is really looking tasty