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CeeGee

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Hi all,

Just put on my first ever WoW, in fact my first ever anything. Not an orange wine, but a variant thereof, sugar totals just over 1100g, all bubbling away nicely now.

Was just wondering about the 'giving the dj a bit of a shake' thing. I Appreciate it gets the goo up top mixed back in, but doesn't that introduce oxygen? - was intending to make beer first, and read a lot about that being a bad thing, or is that not applicable to wine somehow?

Also wondering about back sweetening. After racking, stabilising and fining, yes? Then how do you mix it it up in the Dj? Surely that stirs up sediment again, or will that all drop back out again?

Daft questions maybe, but total beginner here. Very excited watching that airlock blooping away!
 
You say it is a variant. What is it you have used? Some things are livelier than others and create a 'brain'. Pineapple is a bugger for this. I have done wows using tropical juice and they are a bit lumpy. Let it go its course. I do not see why you would need to shake it all up. When it has fermented out you may find that much of it has sunk. If not then you will be able to rack the wine through the head into another dj then top up etc. I have never back sweetened one of these so others may help but , using a hydrometer, you could stop the ferment at around 1.000 which will give you a sweeter wine than letting it go down further. Or you can back sweeten after it has finished and yes, after it has stopped fermenting and been racked, degassed, fined etc. Especially if you want to sweeten using sugar or a syrup or similar as if there is still yeast there you will start it off again which is not wanted. If using splender or a proprietary sweetener ( expensive ) then just add it prior to bottling adding a small amount at a time and to taste.
 
Made up from 1L Waitrose Merlot Grape juice, 900mL Innocent Blueberry, Blackcurrant and Cranberry, and 600mL of Lidl multivit juice. All 100% juice/ a little purée in the innocent. Like I say, worked out to a tad over 1100g of sugar. Everything else as per recipe.

Was going to let it ferment right out, but if mouth-puckeringly dry would like to know how to back sweeten if need arises!

Chippy mentions giving it a liitle shake after a few days, was just wondering about O2 issues.
 
Sometimes a little shake will encourage the 'brain' material to clog and sink maybe. Don't worry about O2. If still fermenting the CO2 will soon layer up over the surface again especially if the dj is well topped up after initial 'explosion' of activity.
 
Chippy mentions giving it a liitle shake after a few days, was just wondering about O2 issues.

As V has said as long as CO2 is being produced your wine will be protected, give it a bit of a swirl rather than a shake it does the same job but is a lot less violent, if you have the old bubble type airlocks be prepared for what is inside to come out, i use the handy 2 piece airlocks from Wilko and just take the top part off while i swirl so lose no fluid.
 
Oh, something else I meant to ask: when I top up, where do I top up to. Where is the 'line'? Just a standard Wilko demijohn. Water fine, or do I need more juice? Currently at about shoulder level.
 
Top up to the base of the neck but don't do it until you have racked and degassed as shaking a full DJ and releasing the gas gets messy, i used to top up with juice but due to several starting to ferment again i gave up and now use water.
 
Ah yes, degassing! Thanks Chippy. Makes sense to leave the gap. Stabilise, de-gas, then fine, yes?

Do I also recall you saying at some point in the wow thread that I should let it ferment out, then leave it a week before racking, just to make sure? Or am I imagining things?

I'm intending to bottle this lot up (assuming I've done everything right and don't end up with vinegar!) in empty soda wate and bitter lemon PET bottles. I understand that will be fine as it doesn't need aging?

Enjoying the process after so much lurking on these forums before getting a chance to get stuck in!
 
The original WOW recipes advised leaving a week for the yeast to clean up after itself but a few members tried ignoring this with no negatives so now we don't bother.

PET bottles are fine even for ageing for a short time in fact as plastic is air permiable they help the ageing process and speed it up.
 

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