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**rrs18** · 10-11-2007, 04:35 PM

Originally posted by bugle View Post

Any way my couple of questions were...

The kit says its best to start in a bucket and rack at SG 1010, just to check I'm not being daft, this is from the bucket to a normal fermenter yeah? just seemed it might be in the bucket for quite a while?

Also all i've got to ferment are a plastic bucket (youngs 5gal) and plastic fermenter (youngs 5gal) both have been used for a larger i did a short time ago (only time they have been used), i've given them a good soak in a strong chlorine based sterilising solution and after good rinsing they are both odour free... all i wondering is, is my nose good or will the wine pull out some strange flavours? cant really see it myself but what do you guys think? Anyway cheers lads

I think the bucket you should be using for the starting fermentation is a food grade bucket like the one pictured somewhere here. This one is a little over 7 gallons and has a lid and airlock. I have used this arrangement on 134 kits. I have an Italian Barbaresco in the fermentor in the photo. Lots of folks don't use a lid like the one pictured, but i think it serves to keep out the nasties.

I sanitize with potassium metabisulfite. It is cheap enough. I would really hesitate to use a chlorine based solution such as bleach to sanitize because of lingering odor concerns.

Good luck.

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**lockwood1956** · 10-11-2007, 04:44 PM

Well...after using chlorine based products i think the best advice would be rinse it till you are sure there is no bleach residue left, and then rinse it the same amount again. Any doubt and you should rinse again......

I'm not a fan of these so called sterilising products...you cant sterilise, only sanitise.

and for my money, the best sanitising solution is sodium metabisulphite solution at 10% take 100g of sodium metabisulphite and top it up to 1 litre with water, this solution has a multitude of uses, including sanitising, also for sulphiting musts and sanitising utensils (keep some in a spray bottle)
I also use it to keep my DJ's sweet in between uses, a little of the solution in the DJ, and a bung in, will keep the DJ ready to use for weeks, just rinse and go....

hope this helps
regards
Bob

**bugle** · 10-11-2007, 05:30 PM

the sanitiser i used was milton.

I worked in the water purification industry for a time and am familiar with chlorine and its use, my problem was getting rid of the smell of beer from the plastic, which is now gone as is the smell of chlorine and any residual free chlorine has been treated with food grade sodium metabisuphite i used to use as a preservate/biocide in reverse osmosis membranes (chlorine degrades the membrane)

i usually just use the sulphite and citric acid to sanitise, but was having trouble with the beer smell...

as i'm not too worried about the chlorine leaving a taste (i'm not gonna bother charcoal filtering the tap water, so there will be chlorine there anyway) do you think i'll be ok from the beer taste?

cheers all

**lockwood1956** · 10-11-2007, 05:34 PM

Originally posted by bugle View Post

do you think i'll be ok from the beer taste?

cheers all

Yep, after all that cleaning and sanitising , I'm sure you will be fine

regards
Bob

**bugle** · 10-11-2007, 05:39 PM

cheers bob

i should think so

have you or any one else tried this kit? what do you think?

**StockeyDAW** · 10-11-2007, 06:14 PM

Originally posted by bugle View Post

I've decided to give it a go on a decent sized kit. Getting married in August so thought it would be good by then...

Decided to go for Beaverdale as its for a special occasion and I've never heard anything bad them...

Went for the chardonay, any one tried it?

Any way my couple of questions were...

The kit says its best to start in a bucket and rack at SG 1010, just to check I'm not being daft, this is from the bucket to a normal fermenter yeah? just seemed it might be in the bucket for quite a while?

Also all i've got to ferment are a plastic bucket (youngs 5gal) and plastic fermenter (youngs 5gal) both have been used for a larger i did a short time ago (only time they have been used), i've given them a good soak in a strong chlorine based sterilising solution and after good rinsing they are both odour free... all i wondering is, is my nose good or will the wine pull out some strange flavours? cant really see it myself but what do you guys think?

Anyway cheers lads

Kev

For the kits that I have made and that is many I have always used the plastic food grade fermenter as the primary fermenter and then rack to a clean sterilized GLASS DJ or carboy as they call it here. You will find it easier if you have a 23 liter glass DJ or carboy - syphon in one is easier than shifting back and forth between 1 gallon (4 liter DJ's) or two 5 gallon ones.

For your 5 gallon plastic fermenters that you have cleaned out and ready to go these will be to small to have the entire batch in on 5 gallon plastic primary - I have 10 gallon (45 liter) primary fermenters to handle the 23 liter batches. You can use the two 5 gallon ones but it will be kind of extra work - and you will have to make sure that you do not fill one to full to have it bubbling over and the other with to much air space between the lid and the top of the must - this could encourage bacteria contamination problems to develop. Cheers DAW

-- the white wines will not take as long for ageing; I usually have my whites in the glass carboy for three months bulk ageing and then bottle. Hope this helps.

**lockwood1956** · 10-11-2007, 06:26 PM

It's ok Daw the youngs plastic bucket fermenters are about 32 litre, so they have plenty of headroom for the kit wines.

**lockwood1956** · 10-11-2007, 06:29 PM

Originally posted by bugle View Post

cheers bob

i should think so

have you or any one else tried this kit? what do you think?

I'm a big fan of the Beaverdale kits, they represent good value middle range kits that produce decent quality wines, be sure and age them 3 months before drinking.....(well as many bottles as you can....I know you will want to drink them all straight away....but keep at least 1 bottle to three months and 1 till its 6 months old)
the extra age makes a huge difference

regards
Bob

**bugle** · 11-11-2007, 02:56 AM

well hopefully i can hold this one away from my gut for awhile as its being made for a special occasion!

thanks for all the help plp! I notice that you mention these kits as being middle range... If i was going for a high range kit what you suggest?

cheers,

kev

**Richard S** · 11-11-2007, 09:47 AM

I have made quite a few Beaverdale kits and they are good value for money, a 30 bottle kit works out at about £1.23 per bottle. IMO the reds are far better than the whites and the Merlot, Barolo and Veiux Chateau DU Roi kits are the best of the bunch. Having said that, I have just bottled a Rioja and that is very good as well. I will pop something in the review section about these kits soon.

**bugle** · 11-11-2007, 04:59 PM

nice one richard, i'm liking the reviews!!

**bugle** · 11-11-2007, 05:03 PM

Just looking at the instructions on this kit, it says best to start in bucket, but then says fit the lid and close with an air lock... I do have one of those grommets so i could pop a hole in the lid and airlock it, but from what i've read most plp do primary with loose fitting lid?

what does every one think? isnt putting an air lock on just the same as starting in fermenter?

cheers

kev

**lockwood1956** · 11-11-2007, 06:49 PM

Loose (ish) fitting lid is ok, as long as you keep the nasty flies and dust out

just be sure to move to glass at 1.010

**bugle** · 12-11-2007, 06:30 PM

glass glass glass... after this one is done, or while its in primary I think I'll be getting a glass carboy!!

he he more expense.

Oh and big cheers to everyone thats helped!

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