Transition from making all grain beer to wine making kit...

[kimosabby]

Gents.

been doing all grain beer for a couple of years and want to try my hand at wine. I've got a Calafornia Connoisseur Carbernet Sauvignon 6 bottle kit as an opener and need advice on a few basics:

I always treat my water for beer brewing with a Campden tablet to remove chlorine and chloramine; does it also apply to water for wine making?

After fermentation is complete by third week it doesnt state in the instructions regarding temperature to keep at for final degassing and clarification stage; is it fermentation temp 20C+ or it doesnt matter?

When pouring bottles of finished wine do you have to decant the whole bottle minus the sediment to stop it mixing with the wine? Reason I ask is i don't always want to drink a bottle of wine in a oner...(strange)

any help greatly appreciated thanks

Kimosabby

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I always treat my water for beer brewing with a Campden tablet to remove chlorine and chloramine; does it also apply to water for wine making?

Its not something wine makers discuss here regularly (if ever) so i would say the answer is no.

After fermentation is complete by third week it doesnt state in the instructions regarding temperature to keep at for final degassing and clarification stage; is it fermentation temp 20C+ or it doesnt matter?

Try to keep it above 20c and below 30c, i used to make all my wine in my kitchen which used to get down to 15c at night i never had one fail but it did take longer at the lower temperatures.

I now have a heat pad for winter wine making and it was one of the best things i have bought.

When pouring bottles of finished wine do you have to decant the whole bottle minus the sediment to stop it mixing with the wine? Reason I ask is i don't always want to drink a bottle of wine in a oner...(strange)

If you syphon properly there shouldn't be any sediment in the bottle.

Have a look at the videos here - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=49462

 

[kimosabby]

cheers for that;

one other thing after bottling it states "wait 24-48 hours before inverting the bottles once corked" - what this for?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I haven't a clue as i have always used screw top bottles i started out using 1.5 litre spring water bottles and now use 750ml glass bottles with novatwist screw caps. https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...le-plastic-screw-caps-for-wine-bottles.56326/

 

[johncrobinson]

I can only think its to wet and swell the corks for a good seal

I used to soak my corks in campden solution before use.

These days a screw cap is as good as anything,But the old fashioned cork did have a bit of "style"

 

[kimosabby]

Yes agree for expansion of the corks.

Do you use shop bought old wine bottles with screw caps? Are they good enough to be airtight

 

[kimosabby]

Its not something wine makers discuss here regularly (if ever) so i would say the answer is no.



Try to keep it above 20c and below 30c, i used to make all my wine in my kitchen which used to get down to 15c at night i never had one fail but it did take longer at the lower temperatures.

I now have a heat pad for winter wine making and it was one of the best things i have bought.



If you syphon properly there shouldn't be any sediment in the bottle.

Have a look at the videos here - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=49462

Using the heat pad do you use with an ink bird or other temp control? Doesn't it get too warm at the bottom of the FV and effect the wine there?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I don't use any type of controller, the wine is constantly moving due to the CO2 being produced so there are no hot spots and I have never had any problems.

 

[Richie_asg1]

First time I used standard corks I boiled in water - and they went mouldy. Next lot were foam plastic "fake" corks - old 2012 stock from a vinyard, but even fitted cold they deformed horribly and needed trimming.
Last lot were composite cork type boiled in sulphited water - brilliant.

Who knew the cork was going to be troublesome?

For degassing I'm just using a white plastic stir paddle in a drill. Have a go - small batches. I've been pleasanly surprised.

 

[kimosabby]

corks sound a weak link...

 

[kimosabby]

I don't use any type of controller, the wine is constantly moving due to the CO2 being produced so there are no hot spots and I have never had any problems.

what make of heat pad do you use? Looked at a few and wary of far east sweat shop ones

 

[foxy]

what make of heat pad do you use? Looked at a few and wary of far east sweat shop ones

I imported a shipment of propagating mats from China with Made in Germany on them along with the German flag and instructions in German and English.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

what make of heat pad do you use? Looked at a few and wary of far east sweat shop ones

I bought mine in Wilko but I don't think they sell them now, most home brew shops sell them I wouldn't buy one on ebay etc.

This is mine https://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/heat-...MIp5OivPiN6AIVRLTtCh0hNg3jEAQYBCABEgIoFvD_BwEhttps://www.googleadservices.com/pa...wiE0Jah34zoAhUGTcAKHaz-AocQww96BAgNED0&adurl=

 

[kimosabby]

I bought mine in Wilko but I don't think they sell them now, most home brew shops sell them I wouldn't buy one on ebay etc.

This is mine https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...wiE0Jah34zoAhUGTcAKHaz-AocQww96BAgNED0&adurl=

thanks for that; one other thing about water temp how do you get it up to 20-30? Tepid water from kettle I presumme? Or cold and then using the heating pad/belt?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have found in winter 3 full kettles of boiling water brings my 23 litre FV to 28c (ish) half fill FV with cold first.

 

[kimosabby]

Is it ok to add boiling water to wine concentrate in same way as adding to beer then?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Is it ok to add boiling water to wine concentrate in same way as adding to beer then?

The Range store make your own wine instructions tell you to fill the FV to 5 litres with water not exceeding 52c (if memory serves) you then add the sugar and the grape juice give it a good stir and bring it up to 22.5 litres and 20c - 25c before pitching the yeast, i have no idea if pouring boiling water onto the wine concentrate would harm it.

 

[johncrobinson]

Boiling water direct onto the concentrate grape juice is not a good idea.

I used boiling water in my first ever grape wine,Disaster it ruined it.!!!
Apart from the cooked notes it refused to clear.

GENTLY warming the tins is enough to get the concentrate to flow.

 

[B2B]

what make of heat pad do you use? Looked at a few and wary of far east sweat shop ones

Hey

We have our own heatpads you can find on our site at a great price. They are 25W so very low energy consuming but great at helping your FV keep the correct temps

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/collectio...products/brew2bottle-25ltr-home-brew-heat-pad

Hope this helps

Thanks

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Hey

We have our own heatpads you can find on our site at a great price. They are 25W so very low energy consuming but great at helping your FV keep the correct temps

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/collectio...products/brew2bottle-25ltr-home-brew-heat-pad

Hope this helps

Thanks

That's a good bit cheaper than the one i bought (£25 if i remember correctly) thumb