Thread for questions and discussion on new winemaker series

[lockwood1956]

Yes,

patience is the key, if it isnt fermenting this time tomorrow, then you need to take corrective action.

regards
Bob

[jamiebooth]

And what would that corrective action be? I am very new to this!

[lockwood1956]

No corrective action is necessary at this point.

the corrective action that would be needed will depend on many factors.

For now...sit back and wait and leave it to do it's thing, patience is the hardest thing to learn in winemaking, (I still dont have it mastered)

If the yeast doesnt fire up on its own, then we will ask you some extra questions, and this will help us determine the correct course of action at that point

for now....take off your shoes and have some alcohol

regards

Bob

[lockwood1956]

No point in filling your head full of things to worry about (you can do that on your own....I certainly did when I was a newbie)

I am 99% certain that the yeast will fire up on its own in the next 12 hours

regards
Bob

[goldseal]

I agree with Bob - it has only been a few hours.

[jamiebooth]

Well, I will in future endeavour to be more patient, and keep my mouth shut!

It has indeed started fermenting, so much so that I have had to take some off the top as it had bubbled through the airlock! I obviously over filled it! I'm right in thinking I can just add this with the water when it calms down? (it's in a sterilised bottle covered with paper towel)

Thanks again for being patient with me! I think I'm hooked already!

PS, can I drink it yet?!!!!

[lockwood1956]

PS, can I drink it yet?!!!!

"just around the next corner"

excellent.

We have all been where you are now, and with experience it is easy not to panic, but those first brews mean sooooooo much to us, it being a new hobby, so don't worry about asking questions, the forum was set up as a place where people could go to get information and ask questions without fear of ridicule or judgement being visited upon them.

Please also use the search facility to see if you can find an answer too, but the only daft question....is the one you didn't ask. From time to time I go back to the first posts I was making on wine making forums and I asked some very basic, and in the minds of some of the people I was asking, "dumb" questions.

You already learned two good lessons, not to fill the DJ too full, and Youngs yeast is a slow starter and big foamer, so you wont make that mistake again. We learn more from our mistakes than our successes.

Welcome to the whacky world of wine and beer making,

airlock watchers R us

regards
Bob

[SiSandrine]

airlock watchers R us

lol.

or perhpas winemakers anonymous.

[unklep]

hi jamie
im a newbie too and i put my wine number one on on saturday. took a littlecwhile to start but is bubbling like crazy at the moment.
good luck and hope we can compare progress.

[Clank007]

wine number 2 questions

Hi,
2 quick questions if I may please?

Firstly, are wines number 1 and 2 suitable to leave to 'age'?
I have one wine number 1 and two wine number 2's on the go which I started making 8 weeks ago.
I've completed all the steps with both but was wondering if I left them for a couple of months would they mature nicely do you think, or should I quaff them soon as?

Secondly, one of my wine number 2's is quite cloudy. Now, I know that red wine technically shouldnt be clear, but my other one is and looks very nice at the mo. (and tastes superb if i do say so myself!) Should I try using Kwik Clear or something similar on it or is that sacreledge with a wine number 2?

Any advice greatly appreciated,
Simon

[lockwood1956]

Hi,
2 quick questions if I may please?

indeed you may

I've completed all the steps with both but was wondering if I left them for a couple of months would they mature nicely do you think, or should I quaff them soon as?

Ageing them a little wont hurt at all

Secondly, one of my wine number 2's is quite cloudy. Now, I know that red wine technically shouldnt be clear, but my other one is and looks very nice at the mo. (and tastes superb if i do say so myself!) Should I try using Kwik Clear or something similar on it or is that sacreledge with a wine number 2?

Using Kwik clear will be perfectly fine (pardon the pun)

regards
bob

[SiSandrine]

Bob beat me to it but I can add that if you are even prepared to wait a year before drinking a WN1 then you have the most valuable asset a winemaker can possess. That of patience. I use Kwik Clear ona nearly all my wines with great results. IMO clear, fined wines taste better.

[unklep]

can i ask a quick question please. have two wn1's on the go and was wondering:
1 how long can i keep the wine with the plastic topped corks i have purchased? will it last 6 mths? 12?

2 are the plastic topped corks reusable?

i am hoping to share some wine with family and friends so need to know if i need to ask for cork and bottles back when finished as new to this and not got many yet!

ps wn1 tasted gorgeous on racking!

[NorthernWiner]

I assume you are referring to what are sometimes called "tasting corks" or "T tops."

These closures are not designed for long term storage. In fact, I wouldn't recommend using them for any longer than a few weeks. You should be using proper corks.

[lockwood1956]

I concur with Steve, these are short term only. (some are reusable though)