Is This A Bad Start For A Beginner?

[howitzer89]

I don't have money to throw around to make wine, or any of those tools you guys use like a hydrometer and stuff so I tried to make my own wine in an poor way. Will this provide me with an "ok" wine with at least some alcohol content?.

I used 1 can of frozen minute made pure grape juice, i let it melt to room temp (18-20c)

I poor the juice into a sterilized mason jar, and added about 3/4 of distilled water.

I then put in 2 teaspoons of sugar, less then a teaspoon of dry active yeast and shook it up really well.

On the mason jar lid, i have a sterilized plastic flexible tube going from the lid of the mason jar, into a water bottle half filled with water. It is not resting in a dark spot in my bedroom that is about 20 degrees celcius.

 

[Tom]

You cant make wine withought a hydrometer.
You are just making alcohol

 

[howitzer89]

You cant make wine withought a hydrometer.
You are just making alcohol

I always thought that the hydrometer was to tell you how much potential alcohol your wine would have.whoops.

Well if i let this current batch ferment and all that stuff will it be drinkable?

 

[Tom]

nope it tells you that and how its fermenting, If its finished and if backsweetening how much sweetness.
Drinkable... your call.. will it kill you.. nope..
Seams alot of work for a glass or two
Look into some frozen concentrate wines and make at least 3 gallons. Remember, it can take months before you can bottle.
Best to get the proper equipment and start with a low end fast drinking kit.

 

[jet]

Are you saying you are making wine in a 1 pint mason jar?

 

[tjbryner]

That sounds like what my neighbors kid just got in trouble for except his was a cheap beer kit.

You can Start by getting some used equipment ( check the local papers,internet,etc) and a hydrometer would only cost you about $11. It's a must have item.

 

[gwm72513]

Well, it will end up coming out something like the Egyptians made.

 

[tonyt]

That sounds like what my neighbors kid just got in trouble for except his was a cheap beer kit.

Kids are so smart these days. I just paid my older brothers to buy my hooch. Never thought to make my own.

 

[Giovannino]

There's always kijiji always stuff on there.

 

[greyday]

You cant make wine withought a hydrometer.
You are just making alcohol

I respectfully disagree. If you're following a recipe and using an airlock during primary fermentation, you can "play it by ear" and still get decent results. Not advisable, of course, but you can get away with it, you just have less control over ABV. As for back sweetening, I never use a hydrometer; once the sorbate is in I just sweeten to taste...

And I do have to say that the kid did some good MacGuyvering with the tube and the water bottle, most people who make "dorm hooch" just use a balloon.