absolute beginers

[toxicelt]

Hi

i am wondering if anyone on the forum can help me with my efforts at wine making?
basically i have several gallons on the go and only some are fermenting ~(bubbling~) in the demi johns.
so can someone clarify please-i make the must as recipe states, add pectolase wait make up yeast pitch later with nutrient, sugar and ferment for 4-7 days in the fermenting bin with the lid on stirring occasionally, then rack into demi john with airlock keep in the dark and ferment for 3 months then rack again until clear and no more bubbles in airlock?
any help with 'simple' general rules of thumb would be great i cann't seem to find the really basic info, like do i have to ferment in a bin, when does the airlock go in the DJ, when is the wine no longer fermenting/making alcohol. i presume longer than 2 weeks? :hmm:
any help would be gratefully accepted many thanks in anticipation of the wealth of vintners knowledge coming my way
all the best

 

[oldbloke]

I only ferment in a bin if there's stuff that'll need straining out. Otherwise I start off in a demi.
Some of my recipes that use a bin have the yeast in it for a while, some just use it for steeping to extract flavour then the yeast gets added at the transfer to demi.
All my demis have locks, all the time. I never leave them open (infection! oxidation!) and when the wine is done but not bottled I leave the lock just in case it isn't really done after all. I do have some solid bungs but can't recall when I last used one.
The only way you can be sure the wine has finished is to use a hydrometer on a sample. It should read lower than 1.000 if the wine's done (unless you stopped it early coz you like it sweet). If it's much above 1, it's got stuck for some reason. Some wines are quite quick, say 3 or 4 weeks, but most of mine run to at least 6. I've got a plum that after 5 months is still making the occasional bubble. Racked it last week, tastes great, but it's staying in that demi with a lock until it learns its lesson and clears (have added extra pectolase and finings)!
There are a few reasons a wine can get stuck, and warming it up a bit may get it going, but the only real cure is to pitch more yeast. How much are you putting in originally? Even though a sachet says "up to 5 gallons", you can't use 1/5 pack for 1 gallon - you want half a pack.

 

[benjaminehill]

hi toxicelt,

first thing first, have u checked the how to writen by moley?

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=10179

a lot of information regarding when a wine has stopped fermenting is in there.

I have found that my airlocks sometimes stop bubbling even though my wine is still fermenting. if u r using clear DJ's, u will see little bubbles rise to the surface of your wine if it is still fermenting.

 

[toxicelt]

HI Oldbloke & benjamiehill

thanks for taking the time to help me out, much appreciated i now feel like i have some solid knowledge to build upon, the article and your own experiences are just the ticket, :clap:
i am now going to crack on with the country brews-in the next couple of months i am going to try making beer from a grain mash. :
so many thanks again and all the best with your brewing Toxicelt