New to this a couple of questions.

Hello super duper crafters of great wines. I've been so intrigued by all of this for weeks now that I decided to take the plunge. Money and space and time are a concern because of work and the kids. So Im attempting a basic table house red to begin with.

I got my 5 litre plastic water container from tesco and 2 litres of welches purple grape juice. A packet of wine yeast from Wilkinsons and I've added 300g of sugar to the mix and set the yeast beasts on it all In the jug. Oh and I added a strong cup of tea. I would of made 4 litres of juice but money is literally on a shoestring.

Fermentation is definetely happening, its bubbling away nicely and Im releasing the co2 by loosening the cap only. I hope that's OK?

My questions are during this hot weather how long will my fermentation take? Have I added the right amount of sugar for a roughly 12 to 15% result? And how the heck do I sort things into a couple of bottles when all is said and done? The last part worries me the most like how to remove the sediment and get safely into bottle to age it.

Oh and will welches make a nice red or can I stilm add things like prunes or something for a darker colour.

Thanks guys.

Dan.

Welcome to The Forum.

Sorry if you were expecting to sit down to a glass of wine before the end of the summer but the answers are:

1. Wine takes as long as it takes to ferment out. (It may be up to three months before it's cleared and ready for bottling and then after that add another two or three months for it to mature. It maybe ready by Christmas.)
2. You only mention the 2 litres of grape juice, the cup of strong tea and 300g of sugar, but not how much water you added. The amount of water will set the % of alcohol that will be produced. If you added 2 litres of water then it will be quite a pale wine with a low ABV.
3. Yes you can add stuff to the brew but it's not recommended.
4. Sorting out the sediment (trub) from the wine is relatively easy. Wait for it to settle and then take the clear wine off the top into the bottles.

Welcome to the art of brewing. You are on what is called "A Learning Curve" that will last you the rest of your life.

It's a brilliant and rewarding hobby that you have chosen and however your first brew turns out you can brag about it to your grandchildren, even if it becomes undrinkable.

Enjoy!

PS

If you want a quick "wine" then I suggest that you make a Bourru:

• Use a 1.5 litre water bottle.
• Pour in one litre of Grape Juice (red or white as you prefer).
• Fill the bottle up to 1.25 litre with water.
• Shake in a little bit of dried yeast.
• Stand it somewhere nice and warm for 24-36 hours with the cap loosened.
• When it is fermenting away nicely, put it in the fridge for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours it is nicely chilled, not very alcoholic, sweet, fizzy and ready to drink.

Notes:

1. A bottom fermenting yeast looks better because it minimises the krausen floating on top of the Bourru; but it's just cosmetic.
2. Obviously, because it's still fermenting the Bourru is never clear and you drink the yeast along with the Bourru; so drink it in small amounts until you know what your stomach will stand.
3. When the bottle only has about 1cm in the bottom just pour in some more Grape Juice, add the requisite amount of water, put it somewhere warm and away you go again.

It's a perfect drink for warm days.

In France, the season only lasts two or three weeks and the shops announce the arrival of the "Nouveau Bourru" with great fanfare, and these people know a great drink when they see one!
Enjoy!

Hello...do you like cider??

Thanks dutto and I didn't add any water to the mix yet. Its just the juice tea and sugar and yeast.

And yes I love cider.

Search "turbo cider" in the forum.... basically supermarket apple juice...cheap as chips and very easy to make!

Have a look at this it shows the method and its a quick to make and its drinkable when it's just been made http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=49462

Dan1985 said:

Thanks dutto and I didn't add any water to the mix yet. Its just the juice tea and sugar and yeast.

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In that case, you should get a couple of bottles of table wine that will be ready by about Christmas. I suggest that you loosen the top of the container so that the CO2 can escape, keep it somewhere nice and warm, leave it alone for at least six weeks and then check to see if it has stopped fermenting, it has cleared and it doesn't smell like a Turkish wrestler's jock-strap or vinegar!

If it is clear and smells okay then nip out to Wilko and get some Stabiliser ...

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-wine-stabiliser-30g/p/0022657

... sanitise two bottles, transfer the wine to the bottles, use the stabiliser as per the instructions, seal the bottles and then sit them somewhere cool and dark.

At Christmas you can pull out the bottles with some trepidation knowing that it will either be:

• The best wine you will ever make.
• A palatable wine.
• A drinkable wine. (Remember that to survive it's possible to drink your own urine!)
• Heading for the drain or to be sprinkled over your chips.

The last two are by no means certain and by Christmas you should have at least another five brews maturing!

Seriously, enjoy the experience. When you make something that is superb it's hard to remember how you did it so my last Tip is that you start a Diary NOW to record your every move!

Wow guys. Thanks Clint. Chippy Tea and Dutto. I don't think I've ever signed up to a message board where I've had such fast and helpful responses before. I'll follow your advice Dutto and Clint I'll probably try the cider too.

Thanks for making a newbie feel welcome here.

Dutto said:

If you want a quick "wine" then I suggest that you make a Bourru:

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I can recommend Dutto's vin bourru. It's certainly refreshing and, as he says, you can keep it going indefinitely by topping up the bottle. It's about beer-strength (deliberately vague).

Hi guys me again i'll keep all my posts in here. Here is my red. Is it normal that bubbles have stopped at about day 7? when i close the cap and open it now, thres no more fizzing or very little.
Also what does fermenting right out mean I keep seeing that around?

Cheers.

Sorry here it is.

Dan1985 said:

Wow guys. Thanks Clint. Chippy Tea and Dutto. I don't think I've ever signed up to a message board where I've had such fast and helpful responses before. I'll follow your advice Dutto and Clint I'll probably try the cider too.

Thanks for making a newbie feel welcome here.

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Try a balloon airlock!
Take a normal children's ballon, turn it inside out (because of talcum on the inside), puncture a hole in it with needle and pull over the bottle mouth, as in the picture. It's really prison-style :)

Dan1985 said:

Hi guys me again i'll keep all my posts in here. Here is my red. Is it normal that bubbles have stopped at about day 7? when i close the cap and open it now, thres no more fizzing or very little.
Also what does fermenting right out mean I keep seeing that around?

Cheers.

Click to expand...

"Fermenting out" means that the yeast is finishing, by cleaning up and getting rid of byproducts. There will be hardly any bubble activity, but it will still be active. Just not producing that much co2. So don't open it too often. Give it time.

Thanks guys