Thread for questions and discussion on new winemaker series

[lockwood1956]

Hi Gary

Dont apologise for questions

if you PM me your address i will send you a sample of the crimbo pud wine

regards
bob

[lockwood1956]

Although im sure if you wanted to visit we could organise to pick you up from a railway station

[ukric]

+1 on that, get yourself on a train and join us for an evening Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield etc are all within distance for pickup

We do practical stuff too, we don't just sit round and drink, lots of information, tasting, etc

[Gaztops]

Many thanks for the offer Guys I really appreciate it, but with the wife being the only earner a the moment I'm on a real tight budget.

I,ve never been on a forum where the members are so friendly, a magnificent crowd of people.

Thanks again Fellas

Gary

[Gaztops]

I may be making my first wine out of an old boot (sulphite it first)

I've got a large amount of money to pull out in the next few weeks. My oldest daughter is turns 21 on the 24th June, so I've got that to pay for.
My youngest daughter is 20 on the 10th July and is also graduating from college on the 15th July and my oldest daughter is graduating from Northumbria University on the 18th July.

Two birthdays and two graduations.
This is more expensive than Christmas.

[lockwood1956]

Then I see wine No 1 in your immediate future

1litre grape juice
1 litre apple juice
700g sugar
yeast

6 bottles of wine for around £3.75

(also makes good presents!!!)

[Gaztops]

Thanks for the recipe Bob, I'm definately going to try wine number 1 and keep it simple like you said in another post.
I need to keep to the simple recipes to start with so I can try to understand the process and slowly get to know the wine additives in order to produce a well balanced wine.

Thanks

Gary

[Sharpyuk]

Hi, I've now collected everything I need for wine No1 and wine No2. With the exception of citric acid - I have got a couple of lemons and hoped I could use them instead?

I have got the following juices -

No.1
1ltr Tesco white grape juice
1ltr Delmonte apple juice

No.2
2ltr Welches Red grape juice
1ltr Welches Blueberry

No.1 variation 1
1ltr Tesco white grape juice
1ltr Cracker drinks - Mango & Passion Fruit

No.1 variation 2 (assume it won't need citric acid)
1ltr Tesco white grape juice
1ltr Tesco Pinapple juice

And 10kg of sugar!!

Should have fun tomorrow going all this.. I have various yeasts, and not 100% which ones to use

1x Lalvin EC-1118
1x Lalvin K1-V1116
2x Lalvin Boutgovin Rc212
1x Gervin No.1 GV1 green packet
1x Gervin No.3 GV3 yellow packet
1x Gervin No.5 GV5 white packet

I was thinking of the RC212 for No.2 but not sure which is best for No.1 and my variations, any ideas?

Cheers

[lockwood1956]

I would make a large starter with the K1V-1116 and use it for all, its a cracking yeast, reliable, and produces fruit forward wines

regards
bob

[Gaztops]

A wine number 1 will start the fermentation process this Tuesday, i feel that I have all the information and advice to make a five gallon white.

I shouldn't get ahead of myself, but I would like to thank, the owners, moderators and the members of the Wine At Home forum for all the sound advice given.

I'm going to pay the Hope and Grape a visit with a shopping list on Tuesday morning, I'm getting 2 new 7 gallon fermenters as the ones I have at the moment have been adapted to use aquarium heaters ,I should have my first brew in the afternoon.

I've already bought

5 litres of apple juice

5 litres of white grape juice

4kg sugar

Just need the citric acid, Lavilin K1V-1116 yeast, yeast nutrient and I'm going to get a 1KG of Sodium Metabisulphite.

Thanks again everyone.

Gary

[mcblades]

I would suggest you get a box of kwikclear as well. costs a couple of quid and will clear your wine in a day or 2.

Also, bentonite would be a useful addition to your wine making supplies. Add a tsp per gal in primary and aids in clearing. check the instructions on the box but the stuff I use can be sprinkled on the must before adding yeast. Some varieties need rehydrating in hot water and blending.

good luck

Mark

ps. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the wine you make. I just started drinking a wn1 I made at Xmas and it's MUCH better than the 5 quid a bottle sauv.blanc I had to placate the wife with as we ran out of homebrew whites to drink. It's a great quaffing wine and it's ready to drink insanely early.

[Gaztops]

I've put KwikClear and bentonite on my list. The Hop and Grape homebrew shop is 18 miles away so I need to get everything in one go so I don't have to go back for a while. Also the wife doesn't like driving around Darlington.

Thanks for the Reply

Gary

[Sharpyuk]

I've done a search for yeast starter but can't find the topic for this.. I seem to remember that you basically add some grape juice, citric acid, and yeast nutrient in a jug with the yeast and leave for 24hours until it gets going?

Anyone got the link?

[Sharpyuk]

I was also going to ask about citric acid alternatives for No1 and No2..

I have a couple if lemons, and also some tartaric acid - which is best?

If I use lemons, how much would equate to 1tsp of citric acid?

I understand tartaric acid can be substituted in equal amounts as citric acid?

[oliver90owner]

Citric acid - now that reminds me. Improvisation! Some of these chemicals can be acquired from other sources for comparatively insane prices (brew shop prices might be the 'insane' ones).

£4.80 a kilogram for anhydrous citric acid (is the norm from the brew shops the monohydrate?)

Nutrients made to the well documented recipes are peanuts if you tend to use them regularly. The distiller end of the fermenting market use garden fertiliser!

Doubtless several others can be sourced elsewhere. Sometimes it pays to look if you know what you want, have time to source it (before it is actually needed), and have storage for the not-yet-used portions.

Milking parlour cleaner/sanitiser might also be a candidate for a bulk purchase.

Need to balance use with shelf life and delivery, but savings are there to be had if you work at it.

RAB