Wine started.

[Curly green finger's]

The first of the red wine started.
Im making these into a strong sweet wine hopefully around 15-20%.
Im using this book.


Edit : I've added half the sugar and will add the remaining in three batches at 5/8 day intervals after taking the sg...

 

[Wilco]

How do you clean those airlocks? I find them an absolute pain so switched to a different design.

 

[Curly green finger's]

How do you clean those airlocks? I find them an absolute pain so switched to a different design.

What design mate?.
I soak them in camdon tablets.
They are a pain to use I agree, when using them I crush a third of a camdon tablet in an egg cup with water and use that in the air lock also while fermenting.
Im all for learning or using a better airlock?

 

[drdrday]

That book looks very familiar! Although my mum's wine was barely drinkable. The grapes are just left for the chickens, starlings and pigeons now.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That book looks very familiar! Although my mum's wine was barely drinkable. The grapes are just left for the chickens, starlings and pigeons now.

Yes. I’ve never tasted a decent home made wine.
Seems to be just rocket fuel to get drunk on

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes. I’ve never tasted a decent home made wine.
Seems to be just rocket fuel to get drunk on

You never tasted my auntie Eirwen's elderflower wine, made in the traditional way in an open bowl (no bloody demijohns and airlocks) pure nectar

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wine comes from grapes!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Wine comes from grapes!

used to make a load of wine as a teenager using the tinned wort you get from (in those days) Boots or Woolworths. Always tasted foul or of campden tablets, but usually hit the spot after a few pints of it

 

[pargyle]

C J Berry - First steps in winemaking was the goto book when I was making wine... the worst I ever produced was coffee wine .... followed the recipe exactly... totally undrinkable .. probably cleaned the drains when I I finally gave up on it ! I've made a few fruit wines that have been palatable... sweeter wines tend to be better than dry ones if you are not using grapes as the base. Even getting a decent one out of grape juice is hit and miss... I've always found home brewed beers and ciders more reliable and drinkable....

 

[oliver90owner]

I have made home produce wines as well as a lot of high quality kits (single varietal kits). Nearly all have been successful, but one should always expect some failures. Every expensive kit has succeeded in making a vastly superior wine, compared to supermarket priced examples.

For a start, one should soon learn how to start off a wine fermentation properly - avoiding filling the airlocks with froth. I most certainly would not pay over a hundred quid, for a kit, to see it frothing over, making a mess, losing my product and possibly finishing with a contaminated must.

 

[Wilco]

What design mate?.
I soak them in camdon tablets.
They are a pain to use I agree, when using them I crush a third of a camdon tablet in an egg cup with water and use that in the air lock also while fermenting.
Im all for learning or using a better airlock?

Sorry for slow reply, this style... They're usually cleaner than this one, found it when cleaning out the shed the other day...



Rhubarb wine is my favourite to make, really nice wine when it works but my last few batches have failed for some reason.