N00b making 1st mash - looking for advice... =D

[timsp8]

Hi,

This is my 1st wine making expedition, just got some basic kit and C.J.Berry's book. Everything is nicely sterilized and I'm raring to go.

I have a 1kg of Brambles and half a kilo of Raspberrys that I picked over the weekend washed and froze.. I've just mashed up with 4.5Litres of water.

I'm just about to put my pectic enzyme in when it gets back down to room temperature. I also have a small bottle of grape extract. Is it worthwhile putting that in before or after I have strained the mash out into my polypropylene bucket?

I'm then to put the yeast stuff in at the weekend.

Any advice would be appreciated..


Tim

 

[Frogfurlong]

The good thing about CJJ Berry is those recipes are tried and tested. You can't go far wrong following them :)

Advice:
Sterilise everything before use
Clean everything immediately after using.
Enjoy it, it's meant to be a hobby not a chore.


Oh, and welcome to the wonderful world of home-wines. :thumb:

 

[timsp8]

Well the plan is : now my mash has cooled is to put the pectic enzyme in, tomorrow night yeast+nutrient and then stir it every day . Then I am going to pop the 200ml of grape extract in after straining my berries and in at the same time as I place the brewing sugar in on Saturday night.

C.J.J. Berry says to fill a demi-john to the shoulder with the final sugary mix and leave a wine bottle to top up with once it's stopped being so frothy.

All this kit and no idea - it is exciting... =D

 

[Frogfurlong]

Wine is alchemy :)

Beer is science with style

 

[alanywiseman.]

Have you added a campden tablet or sodium metabisuphate to the fruit? This will stop the naturL yeasts from fermenting the fruit :thumb:


Oh and welcome :

 

[timsp8]

Hah I nearly emptied my airlock full of water that had campden tablet solution in it - into the bucket with my mash and pectic enzyme.

Perhaps I should pop some toilet bleach in with the critters I am about to enter into the equation tomorrow..

 

[timsp8]

If you pick one day as the fruit is going past it's best. Wash it and then freeze it.. Does this have any benefits when going through the breakdown process? I made sure I avoided any with mould on and they were still viable Raspberry's and BlackBerrys.

I didn't bother adding a Campden Tab in the 1st day of it's ferment. I just put boiling hot water on the frozen fruit and boiled the mix in a 5L stainless steel VAT. I'm hoping that will treat the fruit well got any natural yeasts and will get the fruit liquor out well. Day 2 I had the Youngs wine yeast in anyhow and I guess that culture would take right over?