Getting the answer you want fast!

[jtstar]

Don't beat yourself up already, We all started somewhere that is why you stopped here for help and that is what you will get. First of all your yeast will react like that when you rehydrate it. Second I believe you will want an sg of 1.085 someone on this forum will tell you for sure. Third I am not sure about your hydrometer but if you look on our home page at the top you will a lot of information there that will help you.

 

[jtstar]

look under tutorials and scroll down towards and you will find what you are looking for on some of your questions

 

[adams54]

Don't know why my post has appeared twice in this thread ... odd ... I made no attempt to repost it. Sorry if it's appeared twice. I've looked through the tutorials before posting. One relates to freezing the grapes first, but I didn't do that and they're already crushed in the bucket now. I'm missing something about specific gravities - changing them etc. And I'm not sure if I should be adding water to the bucket - I can't find anything that says I should or shouldn't.

Just now, I downloaded a little programme that's mentioned in one of the threads called WineCalc. I've entered my starting gravity and the number of gallons, but it wants me to say what my target alcohol should be. I have no idea what to put. Started with 5 but that's below expected values, so entered 9% and then it tells me I need 12.11 ozs sugar. That's a lot different to the reading on the Hydrometer which says 1lb 9ozs per gallon. So now I'm even more confused!

I watched a youtube video to start all this off. Can't post a link because I have less than 5 posts. It's entitled How to Make Wine From Grapes at Home.

The man says that the Hydrometer will tell me how much sugar to use. For 1060 the Hydrometer says 1lb 9ozs per gallon and he says his website will explain how to use a Hydrometer. I've looked there and it makes no sense to me. If I add 1lb 9ozs sugar per gallon, am I going to end up with syrup? The WineCalc programme seems to indicate I will because it suggests 12.11ozs, a lot less!

Jtstar - thank you for giving me a starting point of 1.085 - that gives me something to aim for. The problem is, how do I increase it from 1.06?

Everyone else here seems to know what they're doing ... except me! LOL

 

[BobF]

Rather than try to repeat what's already written, here's a link to a decent primer. Reviewing this, or something like it, will let you ask more specific questions that are easier to address.
http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/MWFHU/MWFHUweb.pdf

I'm not trying to put you off, just trying to establish a bsaic starting point for further discussion.

 

[adams54]

Thanks for the link BobF. I've just looked through the pdf to the point where it talks about Sugar Adjustment Formula. S=0.125(v)(B-A). Reading through the explanation of the formula made me want to go and lie down. In between times, I've found the grapestompers website which has a chapter on how to chaptalize. In simple terms it explains what I needed to know in order to increase the starting gravity. I'm off to do that now with the correct amount of sugar to bring it to 1090. I still need to bear in mind that the gallons on their site are US gallons and they're not the same as our UK gallons - I've found a converter website which will sort that out.

I still don't know if the wine yeast I mentioned earlier is ok for my red wine (it's a wine yeast, but not specifically red wine) and I don't know if I should use the nutrient or not. However, I'm going to push on and "chaptalize" so that at least I'll have the right starting point.

Any tips offered on how not to ruin what I'm doing will be gratefully received!

 

[BobF]

I've not heard of/used the yeast you're using. Doing a starter is a good idea - the only thing you did wrong was to use too small of a container for it

Here's a video for the rest of the process. It uses frozen grapes, but should guide you pretty well anyway.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0wzQXrvcMw&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

 

[BobF]

BTW, you should start a new thread for this to keep it from cluttering up the original thread.

Maybe a mod can move your post & replies ...

 

[adams54]

Thanks for the video BobF. I won't post any more in this thread if it's the wrong place, except to say I've worked out the sugar (2lbs 9 ozs for 3.5 uk gallons), added it and have also added the yeast but not the nutrient. Bit worried about it rising over the top of the bucket when the yeast starts working but have put some black bin liners and a plastic tray under the bucket - if it overflows, this should stop it ruining my kitchen floor. Thanks for the help from all here.

 

[BobF]

Sounds good. Please keep us up to date on progress.

Posting in this thread isn't a big deal. I suggested a different thread so you would have direct visibility to this specific topic.

New thread or old, good luck with it.

BTW, this group loves pictures

 

[CandiKi55es]

sediment

I bottled my wine, it seems to have sediment. I guess I cant rebottle but will the sediment spoil or hurt my wine? I can drink it and not share it but I dont want to get sick with sediment.

 

[FTC Wines]

I've been told I'll drink anything. That said last night I opened a "lost" bottle of 2009 spiced apple, it had so much sediment in it it took 2 coffee filters to decant it! But the taste etc. was wonderful. Been using a vac-pump & WH filter for a few months now so hope most of my sediment problems will be behind me. Roy FightingTown Creek Wines.
Flexible people don't get bent out of shape!

 

[DaDzWinery]

Making my first batch.. It's a Welch's juice, not can. My yeast hasn't seemed to really kick off after 2 days... there are a small layer of bubbles on top and smell is as it's slowly fermenting, but nothing impressive.. Here's my worry.. the yeast i bought has on the back of the pack to soak in 100 deg water before adding.. My supply store told me to just sprinkle on top.. should i do another pack of yeast the way it says on the pack or am i good and being impatient ? I just wonder if i should have gotten the dry active yeast ( i think thats what you call it ).. ?

 

[calledin2tn]

Thanks Wade. I'm just north of Freeort, Illinois. I will assume you like guns, as noted from your photo. A little about me: I was at my range yesterday poping a few caps down range lining my scope in until the heavy snow started. Heading out this evening for some coyotes.

Love YOTE hunting Here! Making nice Wine Too!

 

[gracethomas]

Home Wine Making

So why not just filter or add chemicals. You can, lots of people do. I try very hard not to. Most particulates will settle out given enough time. I’m of the opinion that filtering will remove some of the good with the bad. My friend at the winery says filtering strips the color from the wine. I don’t want to filter, I’m lazy.

 

[Dillinger]

new to wine making

I have been making wine for about 4 months, & all I use is a 7 Gal. bucket, 3 pounds of crushed grapes that I crushed my self, and 5.5 gal. of grape juice. 5 pounds of sugar and one 1/4 OZ packet of yeast. I dissolve the sugar in hot water first. I just poor the packet of yeast and stir. I put everything together at once. Also i don't use fresh grapes every time, I used part of it to kick off the next batch, <-- is doing that wise? now that it's winter time I don't keep my wine at 65 or 70, it stays the temp what ever it is in the garage, that has to be at least 45 to 50 degrees.
I don't use anything else but this method. takes me about 7 to 8 days to make a good batch but i don't really start drinking it until 15 days. I want to increese the alcohol content, is there a way to do this? and does anyone have any tips on what if anything I'm doing wrong?

 

[Runningwolf]

I have been making wine for about 4 months, & all I use is a 7 Gal. bucket, 3 pounds of crushed grapes that I crushed my self, and 5.5 gal. of grape juice. 5 pounds of sugar and one 1/4 OZ packet of yeast. I dissolve the sugar in hot water first. I just poor the packet of yeast and stir. I put everything together at once. Also i don't use fresh grapes every time, I used part of it to kick off the next batch, <-- is doing that wise? now that it's winter time I don't keep my wine at 65 or 70, it stays the temp what ever it is in the garage, that has to be at least 45 to 50 degrees.
I don't use anything else but this method. takes me about 7 to 8 days to make a good batch but i don't really start drinking it until 15 days. I want to increese the alcohol content, is there a way to do this? and does anyone have any tips on what if anything I'm doing wrong?

So tell us where did you learn to make wine or who showed you how. That is quiet a record for making wine and drinking it within 15 days. If you're looking for speed maybe if you just took some grape juice and Ever Clear that would be even quicker and you wouldn't have to worry about temps and you could avoid the yeast altogether.

 

[Dillinger]

never said I drank all of it. and i learned it from looking at some youtube videos.
I was hoping for something helpful from someone not a forum bashing.. Jeez

I have been searching for a good recipes like how much is good to use for 7 Gal. bucket. Am I using to much sugar, or not enough? is that 1/4 pack of yeast enough? do i need to use all grapes or just grape juice? someone told me to use one pound of grapes and 5 gal. of water, is that Possible?

 

[Wade E]

1 lb of grapes and 5 gallons of water would make colored water! There would be no flavor and youd have to add a whole lt of sugar to make any alc at all. If you want to increas the alc content you will need more grapes or have to add sugar to it. You really should get ahydrometer so you know how much sugar to add and know how much abv you will be making because if you push the sugar level to high the yeast wont work or if you just add too much that the yeast will work but not ferment it all the way it will end up very sweet. You know if you let that wine age fpor like a year yoyd probably fid that the wine you are making is really good and it will clear nicely.

 

[Dillinger]

wow thank you so much.. i have been reading through the tutorials also. what about the temp. is that so really important? and is that single package of 1/4 OZ yeast enough or should i add two?

 

[Eyeguy]

TO filter or not

I have the allinone pump and a house filter (I still need to clean the housing out for the filter though). I have a 10 month bulk aged 6 gal batch of Riesling-Gwurt blend from CC. It tastes great. Appears crystal clear now sitting in the refrigerator (in carboy). I want to backsweeten it into 3 batches one dry and 2 more sweet.
I am trying to decide if I should filter or not. I have a 2, 1, and 0.35micron poly filter. I want to give this wine as gifts to some people for christmas coming up and some of them are a bit, lets say, particular. I fear that any sediment even with time may make them question this wine. Likewise I would feel terrible if it blew up or spoiled on them. I even bought a small batch of the "nice corks" for these gift bottles, so I just want to to "look like the store stuff" but still taste better.
Will filtering at 1 or 0.35 (overkill I know) greatly affect the taste of this kit wine, especially if I sweeten it? Would you guys filter it?