paper Towels

[daboi]

I just mixed all the components a day ago then put them in an old wine bottle and some juice bottles. I then covered them with folded up a paper towel and tied it with some string I later put another layer of folded paper then time held down by rubber bands. Can I leave them like this or should I get some balloons or make some device

 

[rhythmsteve]

The best thing to do is to buy a $0.99 air lock, if you're serious about this hobby, just buy a couple, trust me you'll need them

 

[sdelli]

Oxygen will hurt that badly.... You need to get it under air lock! Think of it like you just cut a peach in half and left it on the counter with a paper towel over it....what would it look like in the morning? That is your wine!

 

[cpfan]

I just mixed all the components a day ago then put them in an old wine bottle and some juice bottles. I then covered them with folded up a paper towel and tied it with some string I later put another layer of folded paper then time held down by rubber bands. Can I leave them like this or should I get some balloons or make some device

I assume that this is like a primary fermentation. You're good just like that.

However, once the fermentation is nearly complete, you need to switch to air locks.

Steve

 

[sdelli]

Oh... My bad... Cpfan is right... If it is your primary you are fine.... Secondary or older... Airlock. Did not pick that up you were in your primary fermentation...

 

[daboi]

Is primary fermentation the first couple of days? and For now I am using balloons but I will buy some airlocks, when I come across them stores. First time, and I will in the future try and do a small bottle with multiple layers of papertowel and some rubber bands see how it comes out.

 

[sdelli]

Primary fermentation is the process of taking the juice or grapes and adding yeast to get the primary result of alcohol... Usually takes 7 to 10 days.... I recommend you start with a wine kit to learn the basic steps and process.

 

[Jericurl]

I will in the future try and do a small bottle with multiple layers of papertowel and some rubber bands see how it comes out.

Is there a particular reason you want to do it this way? You seem a bit convinced of the idea.

During primary fermentation you cover your container to keep contaminants (like dirt, pet hair, insects, etc) from falling in. Leaving the yeast exposed to oxygen is a good thing.
When it is time to transfer to your secondary however, you want to keep out as much oxygen as possible.
Paper towels and rubber bands will not do this, no matter how many you put over your opening.

As far as the balloon method...well, it is interesting in a grade school science experiment kind of way, but most have an odd chalky residue over them and I've heard they can somehow leach an odd rubber taste to your wine.

Now...can you make wine using your techniques? Probably. I mean, winemaking has gone on for thousands of years without any kind of fancy equipment.
But buying just a few cheap items is going to be the difference between a fun science experiment and something you would actually want to serve your dinner guests.

 

[daboi]

Is there a particular reason you want to do it this way? You seem a bit convinced of the idea.

During primary fermentation you cover your container to keep contaminants (like dirt, pet hair, insects, etc) from falling in. Leaving the yeast exposed to oxygen is a good thing.
When it is time to transfer to your secondary however, you want to keep out as much oxygen as possible.
Paper towels and rubber bands will not do this, no matter how many you put over your opening.

As far as the balloon method...well, it is interesting in a grade school science experiment kind of way, but most have an odd chalky residue over them and I've heard they can somehow leach an odd rubber taste to your wine.

Now...can you make wine using your techniques? Probably. I mean, winemaking has gone on for thousands of years without any kind of fancy equipment.
But buying just a few cheap items is going to be the difference between a fun science experiment and something you would actually want to serve your dinner guests.

Well said, This is kinda like a science experiment thing for me right now, i Just cant wait to drink my own alcohol, Im so excited for it to be done But I will deff refinements to make better and better stuff. thanks for everyone's reply, helped me a lot

 

[dessertmaker]

If you don't want to do an airlock, rubber bands, seran wrap and some aquarium tubing run from your fermenter to a gallon water jug half filled with salt water will work much better with a balloon. I've made blowoff tubes like this while waiting for bungs to come in for odd shaped 1 gallon car boys.

Poke a hole in the middle of the seran wrap with the tube and secure it with several rubber bands, then secure the seran wrap to the fermenter with several rubber bands. Drop the other end of the tube in the water bottle and make sure it stays submerged. If you can't get the rubber bands tight enough, tape the ceran wrap to the tube and fermenter to keep it airtight.

The balloon is a bad idea unless you like the taste of latex and having plastic dust in your wine. You would do better capping the bottles off and burping them every 6 to 12 hours.

 

[Jericurl]

If you are wanting some quick gratification, have you thought about making rice wine?
It has a few less steps and all you need is sweet rice, yeast balls, and water.
There is no secondary fermentation and it takes about 3 to 4 weeks.

 

[jamesngalveston]

come on man..,.a 1.99 cent air lock aint going to kill you.
you pay that for the bottle if you buy a bottle of wine.
primary, who cares what you use, as long as you get oxygen to the must and keep out the critters.
secondary...it all happens here...protect your investment.

 

[daboi]

I will get on making something like that tomorrow, and yea from the people that are saying things here it sounds like the balloon idea is just a fail.

to be fair though i clean out the balloons inside and out with soap if that counts for anything

 

[daboi]

If you are wanting some quick gratification, have you thought about making rice wine?
It has a few less steps and all you need is sweet rice, yeast balls, and water.
There is no secondary fermentation and it takes about 3 to 4 weeks.

hmm this is interesting as well, I will look more online about rice wine, now that im in the mindset of brewing why not make a bunch of stuff its all relatively cheap