Help please?

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Are you really sure about that as they do tend to spread there wings a bit in the snug with a few bevvies then some tend to fall off their perch...

I will make myself scarce in that case Gerry. I've had enough dramas for one week ha ha x

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I would first check your FV for air-tightness. (I don't wish to tell my grandmother how to suck eggs lol) because I've found the young's ones aren't airtight. The better brew ones are superior IMHO but harder to manage (they're a bugger to undo when brand new).

@Galena
As Lisa says not all FV's are airtight some members (me included) like to see airlock activity as a bit of peace of mind others dont you will need a hydrometer to check when its finished so it doesn't really matter if its not airtight as the hydrometer tells you when its finished not the bubbles they are just an indication.

If i were you i would buy a demijohn or make one from a 5 litre spring water bottle and try a few different 6 bottle wine kits (most of the 30 bottle kits also come in a 6 bottle kit) then you are not having to drink 22 bottles of something you dont like if it turns out not to your taste, BTW you never get 30 bottles from a 30 bottle kit i usually get 28 unless i fill to above 23 litres when i start (not instructed to do that)

Some links that may help -

Supermarket juice wine - Supermarket Juice Wine How To guide and Recipes.

Novatwist screw caps - Novatwist Reusable Plastic Screw Caps For Wine Bottles.

How to degas wine - How to degas wine with a home made degassing wand

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Just to add to what CT said I would go for the supermarket 5L water bottles rather than the 'plastic demijohns' that the home brew places sell. They're a rip off! They'll charge you over £3 for a bit of plastic (costs pence to make) when the supermarket will sell you one with free water (which you can use for your brew) for about £1.10. Trust me on that! The husband does I.T. for a plastics company (I used to work for them too)

You can get a bored lid (to accommodate the airlock) for the water bottles from home brew shops for 60p x

 

[Polcho]

Screw cap wine bottles are very common these days. You can’t put a cork in a screw cap bottle, well you can, but it’s asking for trouble.
I use these, or similar:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Screw cap wine bottles are very common these days. You can’t put a cork in a screw cap bottle, well you can, but it’s asking for trouble.
I use these, or similar:

They look like the Novatwist caps i linked to in post #22 i have used them for years and am still using the originals.

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...le-plastic-screw-caps-for-wine-bottles.56326/

 

[Polcho]

Yes, Novatwist, prefer synthetic corks really.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Corks are the best for long term storage without a doubt. I would buy the best you can afford though, because I'm having trouble with crumbling ones. They're waxed as well.

 

[Galena]

Plenty to think about then, I use these fermenters and have them in 10, 20 and 30l sizes so I am hoping they will do the job, certainly fairly airtight. I know there are techniques I need to read up on that differ from brewing ale, like racking of at certain SG's etc before I take the plunge.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

All depends on your preferences of the finished wine - generally speaking, I go by this very basic guide.

1.030 dessert
1.020 sweet
1.010 mediium sweet / medium dry
1.000 dry

Also you may need to determine if you want to use chemicals to stop the fermentation at your preferred point, or alternatively keep it going until it finishes naturally (usually dry, depending on how much sugar is in it). Clearly you know most of this from your beer brewing anyway

 

[BartonMillBrewer]

For example @Galena at the moment I'm making a brew that's sugar and water, lime juice and mint. It tastes amazing so far (just clearing) and when finished I'm gonna mix it with some coconut rum for a coconut mojito. So if the wife costs you a bomb in cocktails then you can hand her one of those (I'm that kind of wife)

The brew costs less than £4 to concoct for a gallon. Can't go wrong.

Hi Lisa
Your mint and lime drink sounds great. I brew all grain and make cider and make Pommeau from some of the cider. Pommeau being a blend of cider apple juice and calvados. Unfortunately I don't have a still so instead use non-denatured alcohol. At around £4 a litre and 95% proof its a great and inexpensive way to fortify without needing a distillers licence.
The alcohol will need a few months sitting around to take the raw edge off but the end product is well worth it.
Regards

Ian

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Thanks for the advice Ian. Something to consider.