Several Simple Wine Questions

[RighteousDrinker]

Hey guys, just started my 1st 1 gallon batch but i feel like i messed up!
My questions in are you supposed to add water do wine when first making it?
When should i put the airlock on my primary fermenter?
Are you supposed to wait a few hours/days to add the yeast?

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Can you tell us some more info

What type of wine
hydrometer readings
type of yeast
temperature
ph - if you were able to take a reading
grapes - or juice and so on

 

[RighteousDrinker]

Can you tell us some more info

What type of wine
hydrometer readings
type of yeast
temperature
ph - if you were able to take a reading
grapes - or juice and so on

Sorry about that, it's a pomegranate wine, juice was derived from real pomegranates and not store bought juice.
I don't have a hydrometer, i currently can't find one near me and don't have cash for online shopping.
It's stored in room temperature, it's cool temp.
No Ph was taken.
Yeast-Red Star Dry Active Yeast.
I added pectic enzyme and acid blend.
I added 2 cups of water.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Sorry about that, it's a pomegranate wine, juice was derived from real pomegranates and not store bought juice.
I don't have a hydrometer, i currently can't find one near me and don't have cash for online shopping.
It's stored in room temperature, it's cool temp.
No Ph was taken.
Yeast-Red Star Dry Active Yeast.
I added pectic enzyme and acid blend.
I added 2 cups of water.

I would really recommend a hydrometer to see if you may need more sugar ?
I don't know how much sugar is in a pomegranate juice ?

no air lock needed until it is done fermenting - just throw a towel over the bucket or such

Yeast - you can pitch it in anytime - best to use some yeast nutrient or possibly yeast energizer

 

[heatherd]

You don't need to add water. I second that you will need a hydrometer in order to tell when your wine has completed fermentation. You can "wing it" on some of the testing but not that one. Probably run you $10-15.
Heather

 

[the_rayway]

For a beginner, I highly recommend you pick up (or borrow from the library) a copy of "The Joy of Home Winemaking" by Terry Garey.

The recipes are simple, instructions are very clear, and she works you up from the basics to complicated port-styles and sherries. I found it exceptionally useful when I got started.

 

[BernardSmith]

Hi RighteousDrinker. Others on this forum may disagree but in my opinion if you are fermenting fruit juices (like your pomegranate juice) there is really no reason to dilute the juice. When people buy kits they add water because the juice in the kit has been concentrated and the addition of water brings the juice back to its original concentration but unless you would consider diluting any juice you wish to ferment then I would say that you don't add any water. The only exceptions I can think of include wine from flowers (hibiscus or elderflowers, for example), or wine from fruit such as dates or figs or bananas, and perhaps traditional country wines such as carrot or parsnip.