Start to finish wine making, please correct me.

[scubaman2151]

Ok, Im going to make a list from start to finish, ill put questions in so feel free to answer or put in comments where you think i need help.
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Ok, I have my musk (believe that is correct term for just grape juice that I have added nothing to yet.

I put it into my primary fermentor. Now, do I add sugar here or at a later step? How much sugar? Does any chemical need to be put in at this step beside yeast? What type of yeast do you suggest? And when do I take the starting SG, before i add anything to the juice or after i add everthing? And once all this is added, how long does everything sit? I believe it is supposed to sit untill the air lock stops bubbling.

Now after the air lock stops bubbling (8-14 days I presume?), I would rack it all into a second carboy. What needs to be added here, chemical wise or otherwise? Once again, put a airlock on it.

Now, how long do i leave it in the second carboy? Do I need to be stiring the liquid at all during any part of this endevor? and for how long do i stir it?

For this I wont be using a kit, thus i wont get have any of the chemicals.

So if you could name what chemicals are needed, and at what part of the process do they need to be added in.

What temp should this be kept at throughout this time? (im thinking under 75 degress for the entire time).

Also, once i bottle this, how long can i let it age for. It will be a red wine once finished.
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I know its a lot of questions, so thanks in advance for your help.

 

[cpfan]

Scubaman...

Sorry but you won't like my answer.

Yes, but it depends.

First, it's must not musk.

For all of the questions, more info is required. Specifically what are you making?

Steve

 

[scubaman2151]

well im looking to make a red wine from the grapes in my back yard. An dont worry about your answers, whatever they are ill take em.

 

[cpfan]

Do you have any idea what kind of grapes they are? I have not made wine from grapes, but my reading says that native North American grapes are harder to turn into wine than normal wine grapes.

Adding sugar to primary...depends on desired alcohol, and sweetness of grapes. Use your hydrometer to guide you.

If you want a sweet wine, add the sugar after fermentation has stopped, and after adding sorbate. Use your taste buds as a guide.

Additional additives before the yeast will depend on the type of grapes and teh variety of yeast. I believe that some yeasts require additional yeast nutrient.

Variety of yeast? It depends...on desired alcohol content, style of wine, and temperature. EG, EC-1118 has a higher alcohol reach than RC212. RC212 apparently helps to make a fuller bodied red.

I dislike visual signs of fermentation, ie air lock bubbles. I do not use an air lock on my primaries. Use your hydrometer to monitor fermentation progress.

You didn't ask about crushing the grapes, sitting on the skins & seeds to extract colour, and some other stuff.

Enough for now.

Steve

 

[scubaman2151]

Any info you have on crushing the grapes would be also helpfull. As for the grapes, I am going to assume they are pretty good for wine making becuase there is about 8 pretty decent sized vineyards within about a 1/2 hr drive of me that make quite a bit of wine. Ill try to find out what type of grape they are though.

Scuba.

 

[scubaman2151]

These are the grapes I have in my backyard, these are also the most common found grapes where I live. I know you probley wont be able to identify them but I just figured I would show you.