Wine making rookie needs help please

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MikeDigital27

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Hello all,
I am very new to wine making and I started to make my 1st batch with very little to no knowledge of the specifics regarding adding K-meta or Camden tabs to the process. So this is whats going on. My wine mixture fermented for 6 days then I strained it today into a half gallon glass jar. Through my research after the fact, I realized that MANY things should have been done different up to this point, but for this batch, I'm just worried about bacteria. So my question is can I add K-meta or Camden tabs at this point to kill bacteria ?. Please help
 
Hello all,
I am very new to wine making and I started to make my 1st batch with very little to no knowledge of the specifics regarding adding K-meta or Camden tabs to the process. So this is whats going on. My wine mixture fermented for 6 days then I strained it today into a half gallon glass jar. Through my research after the fact, I realized that MANY things should have been done different up to this point, but for this batch, I'm just worried about bacteria. So my question is can I add K-meta or Camden tabs at this point to kill bacteria ?. Please help

Mike - yes you can. The question is whether you should right now.

It would be helpful to know what you're making, what yeast, what your gravity was when you started, what it is now, and what's going on that's giving you concern.

If you sanitized your equipment, bad bacteria shouldn't be a problem. But, you're going to want to finish your ferment (an SG below 1.000) before dosing with Kmeta.

One last thought: what are you using to guide you through the process? If you want, go on the MoreWine website and download their guides on white and red winemaking. They're very good.
 
Mike - yes you can. The question is whether you should right now.

It would be helpful to know what you're making, what yeast, what your gravity was when you started, what it is now, and what's going on that's giving you concern.

If you sanitized your equipment, bad bacteria shouldn't be a problem. But, you're going to want to finish your ferment (an SG below 1.000) before dosing with Kmeta.

One last thought: what are you using to guide you through the process? If you want, go on the MoreWine website and download their guides on white and red winemaking. They're very good.


Good advice here.
 
Mike - yes you can. The question is whether you should right now.

It would be helpful to know what you're making, what yeast, what your gravity was when you started, what it is now, and what's going on that's giving you concern.

If you sanitized your equipment, bad bacteria shouldn't be a problem. But, you're going to want to finish your ferment (an SG below 1.000) before dosing with Kmeta.

One last thought: what are you using to guide you through the process? If you want, go to the MoreWine website and download their guides on white and red winemaking. They're very good.
Everything actually seems fine. There aren't any weird smells or odd things forming in the wine mixture. I just want to make sure that I don't get sick when its all done. I'm sorry to say that I started this process from a video I've seen on youtube at the time. I didn't even know that there was a very large home winemaking culture until a couple of days ago. Therefore I started this process in the most caveman-like way. Crush fruit and bread, sugar and warm water. Add contents to container and seal but leave a hole so the by-product gases of fermentation can escape. Lol. So yeast type and gravity readings are luxuries I have not yet experienced. For my next batch, I shall use a kit and take the proper steps to ensure the best possible outcome. I really do appreciate the help.
 
Everything actually seems fine. There aren't any weird smells or odd things forming in the wine mixture. I just want to make sure that I don't get sick when its all done. I'm sorry to say that I started this process from a video I've seen on youtube at the time. I didn't even know that there was a very large home winemaking culture until a couple of days ago. Therefore I started this process in the most caveman-like way. Crush fruit and bread, sugar and warm water. Add contents to container and seal but leave a hole so the by-product gases of fermentation can escape. Lol. So yeast type and gravity readings are luxuries I have not yet experienced. For my next batch, I shall use a kit and take the proper steps to ensure the best possible outcome. I really do appreciate the help.

This is pretty cool. I wouldn't think 'caveman.' How about just 'old school.'

Okay, so we'll take a swag at where you are right now... your wine is basically shedding co2 and finishing up fermentation. Give it a few more days, then taste. It will be sharp and fizzy due to the remaining co2. But, look to see how sweet it is. If there's no major sweetness, you're done fermenting and you can dose with Kmeta.

From here, you're just waiting for it to clear and degas. Place in a dry area that's somewhere north of 70*. If you're doing a small batch, you can agitate your wine to assist in degassing (rock it back and forth a few times a week). In 2-3 weeks, your wine should be clear, degassed and at least drinkable. You probably won't like it.

But... welcome to winemaking.

Get yourself some decent equipment and try the best kit you can afford next time. Look at 18 liter kits, and for reds - make sure they come with grape skins and decent oak. The WineExpert Eclipse and Selection Premiums; RJS En Premiere, and similar kits from others like Cellar Craft... they'll give you your best chance at wine from a kit that you'll brag about to your friends.

Once you get a feel for the process, the sky is really the limit.
 
This is pretty cool. I wouldn't think 'caveman.' How about just 'old school.'

Okay, so we'll take a swag at where you are right now... your wine is basically shedding co2 and finishing up fermentation. Give it a few more days, then taste. It will be sharp and fizzy due to the remaining co2. But, look to see how sweet it is. If there's no major sweetness, you're done fermenting and you can dose with Kmeta.

From here, you're just waiting for it to clear and degas. Place in a dry area that's somewhere north of 70*. If you're doing a small batch, you can agitate your wine to assist in degassing (rock it back and forth a few times a week). In 2-3 weeks, your wine should be clear, degassed and at least drinkable. You probably won't like it.

But... welcome to winemaking.

Get yourself some decent equipment and try the best kit you can afford next time. Look at 18 liter kits, and for reds - make sure they come with grape skins and decent oak. The WineExpert Eclipse and Selection Premiums; RJS En Premiere, and similar kits from others like Cellar Craft... they'll give you your best chance at wine from a kit that you'll brag about to your friends.

Once you get a feel for the process, the sky is really the limit.

Thank you for the words of wisdom.
 
Search Skeeter Pee and Dragons Blood. I’d recommend doing one of these. The ingredients and process is well documented on this site. Try to understand why you are doing, what you are doing vs. just following the directions.
 

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