Where to Start

[Ryanshidyak]

Hi there,

I'm new to wine making and horrible at it. I'm horrible at it because I listened to people on Youtube. Basically I got some grape juice that has no preservatives, added about 20% sugar by volume and regular yeast. That turned out horribly and it tastes like poisen. Since then I have purchased red wine yeast, and a hydrometer. The problem is I have no idea how to use them or where I should start. Are there articles that can give me instructions on how to make red wine from grape juice? I can also buy an airlock if need be.

Thanks!

Ryan

 

[CBell]

In the forum where you posted this, the beginners forum, there is a big thread right at the top for hydrometer use for newbies. So for your hydrometer, go there.

You will want a fermentation bucket, a carboy, and a carboy bung and airlock. Also a siphon to rack from one container to the next.

You can make a batch of grape juice wine from this if you wish.

Your other options are to buy a wine kit or to buy wine grape juice or frozen must, which would yield a result that will taste slightly less poisonous

Instructions
Put juice in bucket
add wine yeast
add sugar until you get the ABV you want. You will measure this with your hydrometer

Stir daily during fermentation

When fermentation stops and wine is dry (again, use hydrometer to verify)
use siphon to rack wine off of lees and into your carboy with airlock.

Leave it alone for awhile. Let the rest of the lees fall out of suspension. Rack again to another carboy off the rest of the lees.

At that point, if you want a sweet wine, you will need to stabilize your wine with potassium metabisulfate and sorbate, and then you can add sugar to taste. If you want a dry wine, skip the sorbate, but you still need to add potassium metabisulfate

Then you can bottle if you want.

Most people here will tell you that your wine needs to 'bulk age' or sit in the carboy for months-years. It's nice if you have the patience and facilities to do so.

 

[CBell]

and google Jack Keller. He tells you pretty much anything you could ever want to know on his website, plus recipes for pretty much any kind of wine you would ever make.

 

[jamesngalveston]

agree with all cbell has told ya. oh...might as well make plans for a wine rack that will hold at least 50 bottles...for starters.

 

[dralarms]

agree with all cbell has told ya. oh...might as well make plans for a wine rack that will hold at least 500 bottles...for starters.

Fixed it for you.

 

[jamesngalveston]

yep...forgot a 0, most thanks do you dr

 

[Julie]

Hi Ryan,

Welcome to WineMakingTalk, we have a section right above the beginners that says tutorials and references. There is a lot of good information there to help you get started and you can always ask questions on the forum as we'll. good luck and let us know what you will be making next.

 

[Turock]

MoreWineMaking. com has a nice book that's good for new winemakers called Guide to Red Winemaking. It's available for free as a PDF download from the MoreManuals section of their website. You can also just buy the book from them.

 

[Ryanshidyak]

Ok! Thanks for all of the responses! I will get reading.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Here is a tutorial on WMT that can help you.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f5/basic-juice-fermentation-wine-18266/

I did a several tutorials on basic wine making here.

 

[closetwine]

What Julie and Steve said.... and there's no such thing as a bad batch of wine.... They are drinkers or learning experiences.... the 'poison' got you here so that's a big +. And yes, you defin want an airlock.... and 20 more carboys. Welcome to the group... Where you're paycheck is gone but we have plenty of wine!