My first ever batches are on the go!

[jordankingsford]

Hi all,

I've just started my first ever homemade batches of wine.

One is elderflower made as per the Young's instructions on the label, just to see how it turns out.

The other is a lemon wine, made from scratch.

Although I've never actually made my own wine before, I used to watch my Dad like a hawk as a kid so I kinda know the rudimentaries!

Any advice would be gratefully received!

 

[eddie hitler]

best of luck, be warned that when the instructions say drinkable in 2 mounths (or what ever it says) i means at LEAST 6 mounths

wine needs time...


still good luck and keep us posted

 

[oldbloke]

Nah, now and then you get lucky and do one that's good right away.

I'm doing parsnip tomorrow, and carrot if I have time.
I'll leave the brown sugar out of the parsnip this time!

 

[muddy90]

Oldbloke. Can you post the recipie for your Parsnip sometime. Mums other half asked me for one as he grows lots of veg. :thumb:
Good luck Jordan.

 

[oldbloke]

Reluctant to post recipe as although it came out OK, it's slightly weird. Possibly coz I used 1/3 dark brown sugar, possibly it got oxidised a bit. It should be a nice dry white, but it came out a bit sherry-tasting.
Anyway, I just averaged a bunch of recipes from the net and my books.
4lb parsnips, 1.5kg sugar, 2TBsp citric (still not sure that shouldn't have been 2tsp) 1/2lb raisins, yeast, nutrient, pectolase.
Followed CJJB's method - scrub and slice the nips, simmer about 30 mins, strain onto other stuff, simmer 45 minutes.
Into FV, when cooled pitch yeast and add pectolase, stir daily for 10 days, strain into a demi, proceed as any wine.

 

[jordankingsford]

Well, the elderflower wine that I started on 20.11 is bubbling thru the airlock steadily. Followed Young's instructions on the can to the letter so I'd have been a bit concerned if nothing was happening!

My lemon wine is a tad more inventive and from scratch but it is bubbling, albeit slowly although it's only been 24 hours so I'm not concerned so far!

Will keep you all posted. In the meantime, happy brewing!

 

[jordankingsford]

Is an average of one bubble a minute through the airlock ridiculously slow for. about 48 hours after starting a brew or about right?

 

[muddy90]

A bit!
Of the few brews I've done, they all varey so much. Wow & my raspberry have gone mental, while my strawberry cider & ginger beer were much mmore sedate.

 

[jordankingsford]

Well the lemon wine that was starting to concern me with its slowness to get started is now making me smile. This time yesterday I had on average one bubble per minute - now there's one every 15 seconds... I guessed I just had to be patient! Elderflower wine is bubbling a treat too. Just have to convince the other half that they won't be ready by Christmas!