Thread for questions and discussion on new winemaker series

[lockwood1956]

Using a good quality wine yeast has more benefits than just compact lees (although its a good enough reason on its own) it can enhance flavours and taste.

(Youngs GP yeast is the work of the Devil, but ok if you cant find anything else)

I like the Lalvin and Gervin range of yeasts, my swiss army knife yeast would be Lalvin K1V-1116

for whites i use LAlvin D47 or 71B-1122

for Reds i use Lalvin RC-212 or K1V-1116 (K1V-also good for whites)

see here for yeast details

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=945

and see here for making this more expensive yeast last longer

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=908

hope that helps
regards
Bob

[SE11]

A quickie for you old hands...

Body, every llike a nice bit...I like my WN1 varieties but think they would be improved with a bit more body. I read a lot about adding grape juice concentrate to get this.

Is this the same stuff I see on all the HB websites, i.e Young's or Richie's in various colours and sizes for about £4 for 250ml? Or should I be looking for else?

Ta

[lockwood1956]

Thats the stuff.....

I would reduce the sugar to keep it at 1.080 start though, the concentrate will give it vinosity. You canrt build too much body into a light style of wine like this though, a little is ok, but too much would likely spoil it

regards
Bob

[Clank007]

Hi,
Well I racked the wine off into a receiving bucket and then racked back to a clean demijohn.
However, because I had so much sediment at the bottom it meant that I had to add 3/4 of a litre of pressed grape juice to get what was left to 2cm below the airlock bung.
Am I likely now to have ruined the wine by doing so?

Also I didnt stir after racking as that wasnt in the instructions, was that right or did I miss it?

Based upon the answers to these questions I'll siphon off my 2nd demijohn tomorrow eve and hopefully have better results.

Hope I havent cocked the first one up
Simon

[lockwood1956]

topping up with grape juice is totally fine....no stirring required at all at this stage....all is well....worry not

[jayv]

Just racked first batch of wine no.1 after 3 weeks. It was already pretty clear and tastes promising. I found a small bottle of unripe grape juice with sodium metabisulphite (no idea what its supposed to be for) in the supermarket, so I put 45ml of that in to try and prevent it oxidising. Hopefully it will clear fairly quickly so I can de-gass and bottle.

[Clank007]

Wine number 3 question

Hi,
I was just having a squiz through the other wines being made in the winemaking series and have a question about wine number 3 if I may?

I was always under the impression that wines made from fruit pulp would take at least a year to get from the making stage to the drinking stage, which is why i've not actively considered starting one.

Looking at Mr Lockwood's wine number 3 made with kiwi fruit however it seems to have taken just 2 months? Is there a reason for that?

I'm really keen to have a go at making this wine now if there are no hidden catches!
Simon

[lockwood1956]

Hi there

The wine No3 will improve greatly after one year of ageing, but it is a fairly light in style so is also an early drinking wine

regards
Bob

[Clank007]

Hi,
Thanks for replying.
I have another quick question if I may?
It says in the guide to wine number 3 to use a bucket to start off with, dunking the must into it every day for about 7 days before racking to a demijohn. Does that bucket need to be covered with it's lid or should it just be left open?

I understand what's said in the guide in that the primary fermentation vessel (the bucket) doesnt need an airlock, but should it need a lid?
Simon

PS. Kiwi fruit has been bought - just need other ingredients now and i'm on my way

[waggoner]

On my bucket that i use,,i drilled the lid and fitted an airlock to it,,keeps everything nice and sealed and anything nasty out,,but allows the gas to escape.

[Delmonteman]

You might find you don't need an airlock even with the lid on. Not many buckets are so air tight that they wouldn't let the CO2 out under a little pressure...

If you want to add one, by all means do so, but personally I don't think they are necessary...

[spritzer]

On my bucket that i use,,i drilled the lid and fitted an airlock to it,,keeps everything nice and sealed and anything nasty out,,but allows the gas to escape.

Thats exactly what I have.
I feel better knowing that no bugs can fly into it, and ruin it

[Knight03]

i made my first 2 No. 1's last night sort of. My first recipe is 1.89l Juicy Juice Apple Raspberry.( I can not buy appple and grape in 1 liter so I got a mixed juice bottle. 700g sugar, 1 tsp yeast nutrient and 1/2 of a lemon. and K1-V1116 yeast. Followed all instructions to a T. My den smells funky 24 hrs later. Not awfull but funky. SG 1.092
My second batch was all the same except for I used 1.89 Welch's Peach Medley and Red Star Cote de blanc yeast. SG 1.110
Will these taste OK. I figured i would give them atry I only have $4 in each gallon so it is ok to expiriment with.
Nice meeting you all.

[grandmawoods]

I have used a peach medley before, not welch's though. And it turned out a bit thin, but fine. Keep experimenting. It's fun.

[Knight03]

Well it does not bother my wife, so maybe its just me.