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Maestro

Jack of all trades
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Ok, so we are into our second batch of kit wine now. After we rack it we plan to start a batch of Skeeter Pee from the lees. After that we plan to try some of the recipes from here to make wines from fruit, not from the kits. I know we don't have everything we need so I am asking for a little guidance here.

I'll start off with what we do have equipment wise...

1 - 7.8g plastic primary fermentation bucket
2 - 6g Better Bottle carboys
1 - racking cane
1 - 1/2" auto siphon
1 - triple reading hydrometer
1 - 4' tubing
1 - bottle filler tube thing (half worthless)
1 - Fizz-X degassing tool
2 - 3-piece airlocks
1 - sulphitor/vinitor
1 - 45 bottle drying tree
1 - Gilda compression corker
100 - Nomacorks
4 - 0.8oz packets of C-Brite

Now, that being said, what do we need to buy to successfully make wine from fruit? :a1
 
Equipment wise, not sure this would be classified as that, you'll need a clean stocking or cheese cloth to place the fruit in, which then is placed in your bucket and pushed down at least twice daily.

I'm presuming you have all your chemicals.
 
Nope, no chemicals acquired yet. That's part of what I'm asking about. What all chemical wise would we need as well? The cheese cloth you speak of, is that the same as the nylon straining bags they sell online? Everything I listed is "exactly" everything we have, equipment and chemicals.
 
Hi Maestro and welcome
I would get some Cleaner Like B Brite or one step and Potassium Metabisulfate to sanitize ( By the pound is cheaper IMO) and maybe the sticky thermometer to stick outside your fermenter they are about $ 2.00
Papa B
 
Nope, no chemicals acquired yet. That's part of what I'm asking about. What all chemical wise would we need as well? The cheese cloth you speak of, is that the same as the nylon straining bags they sell online? Everything I listed is "exactly" everything we have, equipment and chemicals.

The cheese cloth would just be any sanitary pourus cloth that your fruit will rest in while in your must. As the fruit starts to break down the yeasts are madly eating up the sugars. You will push down the bag to keep the fruit moist to slow it's oxidation which can start to rot and hurt your wine.

I've use a clean panty stocking I soaked in Potassium Metabisulfite then rinsed well. I have also used cheese cloth available at most fabric stores. The stocking is better generally since the cloth is a large flat cloth you will have to fold around and tie the fruit inside.

Chemicals-Potassium Metabisulfite -you won't need a lot, small bag.
Potassium Sorbate if you plan to sweeten after fermentation.
C-Brite or some type of cleaner for your bottles/carboys. Never mix this with your wine!
Sparkeloid if you like to clear your wine.
I also use hot soapy water and bleach. Never mix any of these cleaners together.
 
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You know what, I didn't even think about the thermometers. We have the sticky ones already on our fermentor and carboys. They are basically a part of those pieces now so they completely slipped my mind. Thanks for the info Papa B.

Keep 'em coming folks, I'm writin' down all the suggestions.
 
This is pricey but makes degassing a no brainer, get yourself an invacare irc1135 vacuum pump!

And I would go with a floor corker, MUCH eaiser.

(oh and ps you could automate it later)
 
More carboys!!! Maybe some smaller ones like 3 US gallons, and 1 gallon. And bungs/air locks of course.

Spare hydrometer(s). The most easily broken item.

Spare air-lock. I just broke one last night. Dropped on floor and now a big crack in it.

Steve
 
More carboys!!! Maybe some smaller ones like 3 US gallons, and 1 gallon. And bungs/air locks of course.

Spare hydrometer(s). The most easily broken item.

Spare air-lock. I just broke one last night. Dropped on floor and now a big crack in it.

Steve

What is the preferred carboy of this group...better bottles or glass???
 
If you get glass you can use a vacuum pump to rack and degas. Better bottles are great uf you're using a drill mounted mixer to degas. I have 2 6 gallon better bottles that I use for degassing. Then I have 2 6 gallon glass carboys, 2 5 gallon glass 1 3 gallon glass and 3 1 gallon (carlos rossi wine) jugs that I use too.
 
Go to the Home Ctr. In the paint department look for 5 gal PAINT straining bag. HD has 2 in a pkg. This is what I use for my fruit. (no cheesecloth/ pantyhose (NEW I hope))
Pectic Enzyme is a MUST for fruit. Like CP said MORE carboys.
Acid blend and a TA kit for fruit wines
Boun Vino Bottle Filler
Boun Vino Mini-Jet (splurge) for fruit/whites.
EXTRA yeast like Cote des Blancs for fruit wines. You can never have enough.
Buying chemicals by the pound is so much cheaper
Clearing agents.
OAK
Chestnut Tannin.
I like glass carboys. Reason is when full and you pick them up you anr not squeezing them. In a BB you will pop the airlock and spew wine all over.
I'm sure I missed something...
 
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...
I like glass carboys. Reason is when full and you pick them up you anr not squeezing them. In a BB you will pop the airlock and spew wine all over.
I'm sure I missed something...

That's why I like to use my BBs for degassing only. :dg
 
So what is the better method of degassing? The drill mounted fizz-x in the better bottle, or the vacuum in the glass???
 
I've only used the drill mounted mixer. Don't have a vacuum pump yet. I'm sure Wade can chime in.
 
Ok, interesting little tidbit to throw in here about degassing. When we bottled this weekend we individually degassed each individual 750ml bottle with the VacuVin hand pump prior to corking. We were quite surprised to see more gas removed from the wine as we were positive that we had fully degassed the wine at the initial degassing stage. Was this last little degassing harmful at all?
 
You can keep sucking all the falvor after degassing. Be careful you dont over do it.
 
sure can a member of my wine club did just that.
 

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