help question

[jlemoine]

I am 5 days old into my wine making career. I bought a kit that came with a plastic primary fermenter and a glass carboy. I started the wine 5 days ago from a kit that contained grape juice and its for an australian shiraz. The firstset of direction said to cover primary fermenter and I did this by putting the top on the bucket and then added my airlock. I then read somewhere about aerobic fermentation and anaerobic fermentation. Did I screw up by adding airlock and what should I do to try to salvage the wine if anything.

 

[Torch404]

With a kit it is always best to follow their directions to a T. They know their product the best and until you have some experience with the kit you probably don't want to be modifying it. There are differing opinions on leaving the top on or off. I'd say most people would leave it to breath and stir often. you might want to wait till you get all the way through a batch via the instructions before you start trying other ways.

 

[Tom]

Welcome!
As above I agree at this point. Continue to follow directions. If you are not sure ck here BEFORE you do anything (justincase). Which brand kit is it?
The only thing outside the directions is let it "age" longer before bottling.
Also, make sure everything that touches the wine is sanitized.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!

I agree as well - one point that i would also suggest - is don't go off the number of days the kits says to ferment. I would go off your hydrometer readings.

 

[jlemoine]

Thanks. The problem came when the directions said to cover the primary fermenter and from making beer for years this means to install cover and put airlock on. What would you suggest I do, take off airlock or leave as is?

 

[Brian]

Welcome Jlemoine, relax you are just fine. Just follow the instructions and like winemaker said use your hydrometer for Specific Gravity reading to tell you when to rack your wine etc. You have a few days to do some research on this website on how you can do things. There is lots of good information already on here about doing kits and if you have a question and can't find an answer just ask somebody is always around to answer.. Welcome to the obsession!

 

[sly22guy]

As far as the lid & airlock goes. If its a fruit that i have to punch down or has skins i just rest the lid on top no airlock. if its just juice i snap the lid down and put the airlock on and just "swirl" the bucket around twice a day.

Also agree with Tom let it "age" longer before bottling.

 

[woodsxdragon]

aerobic -> oxygen. anaerobic -> lack of oxygen.

 

[Runningwolf]

I have made a ton of kits and I aways snap the lid down with the airlock. Your fine. By the way welcome to WMT.

 

[Dugger]

I will suggest that you do the initial fermentation under a loose lid - this one is pretty well done, I would guess, and you will be transferring to the carboy soon, so maybe next time.
Since you are new to winemaking, I think it is important you see what is happening so you can learn from it and the best way to do this is to look at your wine each day in the bucket - see how the fermentation proceeds, smell it, taste it if you want - and this is much easier to do with a loose lid to lift. I would also recommend you take a SG reading each day as well, again to see how it proceeds and an easy way to do that is to just leave it in your bucket ( saves sanitizing each time). Another suggestion would be to not be afraid to carry over some sediment from your bucket to the carboy, so you do not lose too much wine.
Also, different kits use differing instructions at times so it is always helpful to identify what kit you are doing - what Australian Shiraz are you doing?
Finally, welcome to a great forum.

 

[jlemoine]

Thanks for the info. I started the kit and all the directions said for the first step was to cover the primary fermenter. As stated above, I placed the airlock and then was reading a book about wine making and how the first ferment is aerobic and open to the air covered by a heavy cloth and then I started to worry. I'll take the advice and let it go and take readings. Thanks to all that posted. By the way the kit is a Vinters Reserve World Vineyard Australian Shiraz.