Hi guys n gals, thought I'd say hello and share what I've been doing with the Range makeyourowndrinks kit.
I've made them all now (barring the cider and IPA) and can say I've not had a totally failed batch that wasn't my fault. (umm, added vanilla essence (too much, sweet vanillaery white wine), ribena (too much, too sweet red wine), a jar of blackcurrant jam (WORKED!) and demerara sugar to a lager (jury's out).
I was getting a faint funny smell which I *think* is sulfur - its not eggy or really bad fart - just kind of very mild yeasty-ish which fades in the glass. I have found this method to be the best.
Least effort method - Rose kit
Step 1 - clean everything. I dishwasher the bucket, paddle and syphon kit. Then rinse, then swill out with the steriliser fluid.
Steps 2-3 - Empty syrup into bucket, fill the pouch with boiling water three times. Use normal sugar - Lidl do the cheapest - add 250g more for fun, and make sure it is fully dissolved. Put the thermometer strip on now.
Step 4 - buy 10 bottles of cheap mineral / spring water. Tesco's do a mineral one for 17p a bottle which has the same trace minerals as evian (which is more expensive than petrol). Empty the bottle into the bucket and immediately replace the cap. You do not need to sterilise the bottle, just keep it for later.
Steps 5-7 Check the thermometer and adjust temperature with bottled or boiling water accordingly. It should land around 30 degrees. I use an aquarium heater (£10.99 from the Range) drilled through the top of the lid with the airhole mostly sealed up with duct tape. Set the temp about 23 degrees. Click the lid down (instruction says not to, but if you use the aquarium heater there will be an imperfect seal for gas to release.
Add yeast and oak chips (plus any experimental flavourings in very small quantities). DO NOT ADD STABILISER like I did and watched my wine do nothing for a week
Step 8 - store it in a cool dark place. Don't worry about the temperature if using the heater. DO NOT PEEK INTO THE BUCKET. It sucks air and bacteria in when you open the lid. Generally leave for 9 days, not the 7 stated.
Step 9-12 If you've left it for 9 days, it will be dry unless something went wrong with the temperature. Add the stabiliser. Add sugar to taste, not 750g as it will be too sweet. Add finings A and stir the **** out of it or use the coat hanger drill bit method. Personally, a whipping action with the paddle suffices. When your arm is ready to drop off you're probably done.
Leave for 2 hours with lid resting on top
Step 13 - it should be largely settled. I now lose about 2 litres of wine by racking it into a fresh sterilised bucket so it doesn't clear sat on sediment. Then I add finings B.
Step 14 - clear for 5 days, not 3. Lid fully clicked down, cool dark place preferably, sat somewhere high so you can syphon it off without moving the bucket.
Step 15-16. You will get better quaffable wine by syphoning it into the 2litre water bottles and leaving it a couple of weeks somewhere cool and dark. If you decant it into a normal glass screwtop to give to a friend etc, just rinse a freshly emptied bottle and decant. As long as it gets drunk within a few hours it'll be fine.
:drink:
Costs:
£40: 2 x Bucket, paddle, syphon kit, thermometer, aquarium heater.
£26: Rose kit, sugar, water.
£66 - about £3.00 per litre on first run.
Subsequent runs, £1.20 a litre (90p a 75cl bottle).
Enjoy :)
I've made them all now (barring the cider and IPA) and can say I've not had a totally failed batch that wasn't my fault. (umm, added vanilla essence (too much, sweet vanillaery white wine), ribena (too much, too sweet red wine), a jar of blackcurrant jam (WORKED!) and demerara sugar to a lager (jury's out).
I was getting a faint funny smell which I *think* is sulfur - its not eggy or really bad fart - just kind of very mild yeasty-ish which fades in the glass. I have found this method to be the best.
Least effort method - Rose kit
Step 1 - clean everything. I dishwasher the bucket, paddle and syphon kit. Then rinse, then swill out with the steriliser fluid.
Steps 2-3 - Empty syrup into bucket, fill the pouch with boiling water three times. Use normal sugar - Lidl do the cheapest - add 250g more for fun, and make sure it is fully dissolved. Put the thermometer strip on now.
Step 4 - buy 10 bottles of cheap mineral / spring water. Tesco's do a mineral one for 17p a bottle which has the same trace minerals as evian (which is more expensive than petrol). Empty the bottle into the bucket and immediately replace the cap. You do not need to sterilise the bottle, just keep it for later.
Steps 5-7 Check the thermometer and adjust temperature with bottled or boiling water accordingly. It should land around 30 degrees. I use an aquarium heater (£10.99 from the Range) drilled through the top of the lid with the airhole mostly sealed up with duct tape. Set the temp about 23 degrees. Click the lid down (instruction says not to, but if you use the aquarium heater there will be an imperfect seal for gas to release.
Add yeast and oak chips (plus any experimental flavourings in very small quantities). DO NOT ADD STABILISER like I did and watched my wine do nothing for a week
Step 8 - store it in a cool dark place. Don't worry about the temperature if using the heater. DO NOT PEEK INTO THE BUCKET. It sucks air and bacteria in when you open the lid. Generally leave for 9 days, not the 7 stated.
Step 9-12 If you've left it for 9 days, it will be dry unless something went wrong with the temperature. Add the stabiliser. Add sugar to taste, not 750g as it will be too sweet. Add finings A and stir the **** out of it or use the coat hanger drill bit method. Personally, a whipping action with the paddle suffices. When your arm is ready to drop off you're probably done.
Leave for 2 hours with lid resting on top
Step 13 - it should be largely settled. I now lose about 2 litres of wine by racking it into a fresh sterilised bucket so it doesn't clear sat on sediment. Then I add finings B.
Step 14 - clear for 5 days, not 3. Lid fully clicked down, cool dark place preferably, sat somewhere high so you can syphon it off without moving the bucket.
Step 15-16. You will get better quaffable wine by syphoning it into the 2litre water bottles and leaving it a couple of weeks somewhere cool and dark. If you decant it into a normal glass screwtop to give to a friend etc, just rinse a freshly emptied bottle and decant. As long as it gets drunk within a few hours it'll be fine.
:drink:
Costs:
£40: 2 x Bucket, paddle, syphon kit, thermometer, aquarium heater.
£26: Rose kit, sugar, water.
£66 - about £3.00 per litre on first run.
Subsequent runs, £1.20 a litre (90p a 75cl bottle).
Enjoy :)