My First Red Grape Wine - The Actual Recipe

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Winemanic

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Okay guys, I thought I should start a new thread because like it or not, here is how it has been done. Furthermore, I wanted to post updates as it progresses.

7 kg Red Grapes (Afraid they had to be table grapes.)
1 liter Red Grape Juice (sugar and preservatives free)
1 cup cane sugar (added after taking hydrometer reading to up the SG to 1.090-1.100)
1-1/2 tsp Tartaric Acid
Yeast starter cultured from fresh grapes

Grapes were lightly washed, put in colanders first in fridge to dry out the added water, then frozen and thawed twice. I then crushed them by hand as much as possible, and added 1 liter of grape juice - Ended up getting around 8.5 liters of must. I had no way of finding the PH of the juice, so based on my taste buds, I added the acid 1/2 tsp at a time, and tasted. Ended up adding 1-1/2 tsp. Hydrometer showed the SG to be around 1.075-1.080, so warmed 1 cup of water with 1 cup white sugar, and added the syrup to the must. Took another reading, and this time the SG turned out to be somewhere between 1.090-1.100. Finally, after adding the starter, 10 liter food grade plastic pail was covered with a thin cotton cloth that was first washed with antibacterial dish washing liquid, then dipped in k-meta solution and then dried. The cloth has been tied around with a string to keep the insects out.


The grape juice had a little lemon juice added to it, as stated on the package and had a hint of the taste, but hopefully that won't have much of a problem.

I will add boiled bread yeast as nutrient if and when required. Don't want to induce that bready smell/taste unnecessarily.

Now waiting fingers crossed... Wishing it would turn out good.

:ft

Must.jpg
 
May Baccachus be with you.

Keep it in a warm room to get it going, then make sure it doesn't get too hot.
 
Good luck! Keep us updated.

May Baccachus be with you.

Keep it in a warm room to get it going, then make sure it doesn't get too hot.

Thank you buddies. As for keeping warm, The temperature down here is in the 80's these days, keeping it warm is never a concern. I just hope it remains this way till at least the primary fermentation is over, as it is bound to rise to around 90, and may even touch 100 next month.

I'll keep you updated! For now the fermentation is in full swing!

Cheers!

:db
 
Okay guys, the carboy is now in the refrigerator. I am going to fine it with gelatin as it doesn't seem to be clearing of itself. Once cleared, I am going to stabilize it with K-Sorbate and then add some sugar, as it has fermented completely dry.

I need to know how much sorbate to add per gallon.
 
The container the sorbate comes in will probably tell you how much to add. Make sure you hit it with k-meta (campden tabs) at the same time. Before it will clear you will most likely have to get it to degas. Co2 in suspension tends to hold the solids from the ferment in suspension. Arne.
 
The container the sorbate comes in will probably tell you how much to add. Make sure you hit it with k-meta (campden tabs) at the same time. Before it will clear you will most likely have to get it to degas. Co2 in suspension tends to hold the solids from the ferment in suspension. Arne.

Thank you, Anne. I do not get wine making supplies down here. I had to get K-Meta and K-Sorbate from chemical suppliers for the food industry that sell the stuff per weight. If I had a package with instructions I wouldn't have asked it here. I have about two gallons of red wine ready to be stabilized. How much K-Meta and Sorbate should I add?
 
When you add the sorbate - do you add it dry? Or mix it first with some of the wine from the batch? Or with water? What about sterilization?
 
When you add the sorbate - do you add it dry? Or mix it first with some of the wine from the batch? Or with water? What about sterilization?

I usually just add it dry. Normally I add it when racking. Usuallly a little wine in the recieving carboy, add the k-meta and sorbate. Both dissolve easily. I normally do not add it until the wine is clear. Last rack, add the sorbate and k-meta, sweeten it and let it set for a few weeks to make sure it does not referment. Arne.
 
Hi again, friend. Can you please advise on above. Thank you so much!

1/2 teaspoon per gallon of potassium sorbate is the dose on my bottle and 1/4 teaspoon of k meta is good for 6 gallons which means and 1/8 would be perfect if you could get that small of a spoon
 

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