Sparking wine

[Kybren]

Hi, I have never made sparkling wine before and tempted to give it a go. How do you all recommend this? Do I just bottle at a specific gravity or do I need to add more sugar and yeast in post fermentation?
Thanks

 

[Chippy_Tea]

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...to-wine-without-secondary-fermentation.97024/

 

[Kybren]

Interesting, I was thinking more doing a forced carbonation similar to when priming beer into bottles

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Having read the thread and a couple of others i think forced is probably the best method if you have the gear.

 

[Kybren]

I don't gave much gear like that unfortunately. I was thinking of letting it finish fermenting in the bottle, just worried about bottles exploding

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you are going to do this regularly this looks like a great set up -

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I don't gave much gear like that unfortunately. I was thinking of letting it finish fermenting in the bottle, just worried about bottles exploding

That is the problem if using bottles not designed to take the pressure you are also going to need caps that will also take the pressure.

 

[Kybren]

Yh I have some plastic bottles which should be good for it. Which is why I thought let it ferment in the bottle just not sure what gravity to rack it over at

 

[Kybren]

So I out in 4 demijohns of WoW wine to experiment with. Think I will white till gravity is 1 and add a teaspoon of sugar per bottle and leave somewhere warm

 

[Agentgonzo]

Purely for the sake of having a go, I tried the methode champensoise on some home-made cider a year or two ago, just to see whether it works on a home scale.
Riddling the upturned bottles was no problem, and after a while, you could see the yeast collecting in the neck of the bottle against the cap. So far, so good.

Commercially, the dégorgement of the yeast is done (as far I remember) by submerging the neck of the bottle in glycol at -40°C. Obviously I don't have that. The best I could come up with was a tub of saturated salt solution in the bottom of the freezer (-16°C). It didn't work. Whilst I could see a 'bit' of freezing happening, it wasn't cold enough to freeze the yeast plug in the neck of the bottle. I don't know whether glycol has a higher specific heat capacity (and thus at -16°C would be able to freeze the yeast plug or not) than brine. Anyway, an interesting if failed experiment. I don't think that natural carbonation in the bottle is a viable method for the home brewer unless you accept that there will be sediment in the bottle (or buy more expensive gear!).

 

[Kybren]

I have realised I'll have a bit of sediment left, but how much it will effect the wine I'm not sure. I might clear it completely and then add a bit of sugar and yeast again, might get less sediment?
But I was wondering if I leave it enough the sediment might stick better to the bottom of the bottle

 

[Clarence]

Purely for the sake of having a go, I tried the methode champensoise on some home-made cider a year or two ago, just to see whether it works on a home scale.
Riddling the upturned bottles was no problem, and after a while, you could see the yeast collecting in the neck of the bottle against the cap. So far, so good.

Commercially, the dégorgement of the yeast is done (as far I remember) by submerging the neck of the bottle in glycol at -40°C. Obviously I don't have that. The best I could come up with was a tub of saturated salt solution in the bottom of the freezer (-16°C). It didn't work. Whilst I could see a 'bit' of freezing happening, it wasn't cold enough to freeze the yeast plug in the neck of the bottle. I don't know whether glycol has a higher specific heat capacity (and thus at -16°C would be able to freeze the yeast plug or not) than brine. Anyway, an interesting if failed experiment. I don't think that natural carbonation in the bottle is a viable method for the home brewer unless you accept that there will be sediment in the bottle (or buy more expensive gear!).

Here's an account by some guys who tried much the same. It didn't work for them either and I fon't like either of the two alternatives they offer. I don't recall the guy at Gospel Green freezing the necks, I think he disgorged at room temperature and then stuck his thumb over the top. Might be worth talking to him if he's still doing it.
https://www.maltosefalcons.com/blogs/brewing-techniques-tips/methode-champenoise-for-beerhttps://www.gospelgreen.co.uk/

 

[Tanglefoot]

For sparkling wine advice is to either bottle before fermentation has finished ( around 1.008 ) if using appropriate champagne type bottles or let ferment out to around .998 and add teaspoon of sugar per PET 2litre pop bottle.
Latter method is probably safer although I have used both ok.
Planning on doing a batch of elderflower this weekend