My first Batch and need help

[shadow7x]

Hey guys im from India and im new to wine making , i dont have access to all equipment , so made some light reading and started my own wine making , Pls do help me with suggestions so that i could make my next batch better

Ingredients:
4 Kg - Grapes from super market
220 G - Honey
1 Packet bread yeast

How i made it :

I crushed the grapes in a plastic bucket , added 1 liter boiling water to it to kill bacteria as i dont have campden tablets, Added the honey to it and stirred , after some time added the yeast stirred again and closed the bucket with a piece of shirt and tied it,didnt disturb it for a night. Then for the next 3 days i opened it thrice a day and stirred to help the fermentation, the bubbling settled down on the 3rd day so i left it over night and on the fourth day i strained the must and transferred them to a plastic PET bottle, Used a balloon for airlock, im planning to do the second racking in 3 months and bottling 2 months after the second racking, Please give me some advice on improvements
Thank you

 

[richmke]

Then for the next 3 days i opened it thrice a day and stirred to help the fermentation

Make sure you sanitize your equipment, even the stirrer.

, the bubbling settled down on the 3rd day so i left it over night and on the fourth day i strained the must and transferred them to a plastic PET bottle,

I would have waited at least one week.

Used a balloon for airlock, im planning to do the second racking in 3 months

Rack after 1 month.

Can you find Potassium Metabisulfite? Without k-meta (campden tablets), I would plan on drinking the wine within 1 year.

 

[shadow7x]

Thx for the reply , sanitized everything the first time , but washed stirrer before and after use din sanitize every use , will do that in my next batch

Its been only 8 hrs since i did the racking, can i move it back to the bucket or let it be

Okay ill do the second racking in a month and how long should i ideally do the second racking

Actually i found some campden tablets online and planning to buy them too , so if i plan to consume the wine within one year i dont have to use the campden tablets?

And thank you!!

 

[shadow7x]

I've just tasted the wine its neither sweet nor bitter ,

 

[richmke]

Its been only 8 hrs since i did the racking, can i move it back to the bucket or let it be

Let it be. When you racked, you removed a lot of the yeast, and it may have not been done fermenting yet.

Okay ill do the second racking in a month and how long should i ideally do the second racking

Do you have a hydrometer? If not, do the first racking after about 1 week. Do the 2nd racking a week after that. At the 2nd racking add the Campden tablets.

Do the next racking about 4 weeks after that. Add more Campden Tablets at that racking.

After that, you can rack every 3 months, adding more Campden tablets.

Actually i found some campden tablets online and planning to buy them too , so if i plan to consume the wine within one year i dont have to use the campden tablets?

No. Wine without sulfites will spoil a lot more quickly. Hence, expect to drink it quicker. Without campden tablets, you risk spoilage.

If you were going to drink in a month or two (like if you are making hard apple cider), then I might risk it. Otherwise, better safe than sorry.

 

[shadow7x]

I've already moved my mix to the fermentation tank and added 250 g sugar to it and the mixture is bubbling merrily again.the wine tasted a bit better after adding sugar but I didn't taste it after fermentation began.

Next time if I want a sweeter wine should I add sugar after fermentation or during fermentation ?

I don't have a hydrometer yet , but I've just found one and ordered it ,at which sg should I rack ?

Okay will consume this batch by two months

Its one Camden tablet per gallon right ?

And thanks a lot for the info!!

 

[shadow7x]

There are weird brown particles floating about that wasn't there before, how do I find out if it's some kind of bacteria ?

 

[wineforfun]

@shadow7x richmke is right on with the hydrometer. Everything is just a guess without it.
Only other thing I will add is to get some potassium sorbate. Add it if you are going to backsweeten(add sugar when done fermenting), which I assume you will to pull some flavor out of your grapes.

 

[shadow7x]

@wineforfun Ordered the hydro meter will use the hydro meter on the next batch. , So far what I have read is to add sugar to get 1.1 SG for 13% alcohol , and when do I rack the wine ? 1.01??

Also weird brown particles are formed in my current batch but still bubbling , should I be worried ?

 

[wineforfun]

@shadow7x 1.100 will get you closer to 13.5% ABV if it ferments dry.......down to approx. .995.
As far as racking, you will get a ton of "preferences". For me, I usually rack when it is close to 1.000. Some will rack when it is 1.010 -1.020. Anywhere in there is fine. I wait to rack longer so I don't bring over so much sediment.
Can't help you with the brown particles. Post a pic if you can so we can see exactly what you are talking about.

 

[shadow7x]

@wineforfun Image added

https://goo.gl/photos/KT5rg9XDZ92D41sw6

 

[wineforfun]

Not sure, it almost looks like yeast sticking together but really hard to tell. Are you stirring it twice daily?

 

[Tnuscan]

Could these particles have come from the side of your fermenter? After the fermentation subsides what is left on the side will dry and harden, maybe you've knocked some loose? while you were stirring? I can't see the image that well to tell.

 

[shadow7x]

@wineforfun ya I thought it was yeast too , but this appeared after I introduced more sugar into the mix after primary fermentation was settling down so was worried whether I contaminated it , ya I'm stirring it twice a day

 

[shadow7x]

@tnuscan , oh that could have happened too found some hard stuff in the side and have attached a picture

https://goo.gl/photos/MvmrKLwGiTwQKyPK6

I'll just hang tight now and hope for the best

 

[richmke]

I've already moved my mix to the fermentation tank and added 250 g sugar to it and the mixture is bubbling merrily again.the wine tasted a bit better after adding sugar but I didn't taste it after fermentation began.

The yeast will ferment the additional sugar, and all you will end up with is more alcohol, and not any more sweeter.

Next time if I want a sweeter wine should I add sugar after fermentation or during fermentation ?

If you want to sweeten the wine, then:

1) Wait until fermentation is done. Ideally, the SG (from the hydrometer) is below 1.000, and does not change for 3 days.

2) Rack off the sediment

3) Add k-meta (campden tablets) to kill whatever yeast is left

4) Add Potassium Sorbate to keep whatever is left from multiplying. Stir in the k-meta and k-sorbate.

5) Wait a day or two to let the k-meta and k-sorbate work.

6) Add sugar to sweeten. Go light on the sugar. be careful about going too far. The wine will sweeten after a week or so, so re-taste then before adding more sugar.

I don't have a hydrometer yet , but I've just found one and ordered it ,at which sg should I rack ?

at 1.010 or below to a secondary to complete the fermentation. Include the thinner sludge. "if it flows, it goes". leave the thick stuff behind.

Its one Camden tablet per gallon right ?

Yes. Make sure you crush it into a fine powder.

 

[shadow7x]

Thx a lot guys !!