Wilko Chardonnay Starter Kit

[KolinUK]

Brought it today after seeing FrogFurlong and awalton007 talk of the kit.

I even brought a hydrometer but I lack a trial jar >< Nevermind. Future use :)

I started about an hour and a half ago. Sterilised the kit and added the goodies with the use of a funnel (Thanks again frog).

However I was rather sloppy with the brew sugar, hopefully that wont absolutely kill the batch I'm slightly paranoid about that.

I'll stick to a single demi for now I think. Figured this first batch is effectively (and hopefully) going to be my worst if I plan to make a decent hobby out of wine and later beer. I don't mean that badly just feel this is very much something you work on.

I took some pictures of my attempts on my phone. Can I upload them on here ok?

 

[Frogfurlong]

Pics are always great, but for best results upload to a 3rd party host e.g. Photobucket

I'm glad my review has inspired your choice for first kit and as you say this IS your first. It probably wont be your worst though, as you experiment with flavours you will find the perfect anti-combination that'll have you gippin when you smell it :sick:

Onion, not good, seriously :lol:

But that is the best thing about this hobby, you can make, experiment, change, adapt, throw-out-the-rules and blag-it.

Have fun, and enjoy it

 

[KolinUK]

Can't seem to upload photos yet due to my post count/newbieness, a shame but an understandable precaution.

I went down this morning (about 13 hours into brew) and there was a layer of bubbles, a layer of what I assume is the brewing sugar on the bottom.

25 hours on (when I got home from work) and the demi seemed to be actively bubbling well and visibly brewing. No bubble layer on the top now and the sugar seems to have dissolved from the bottom considerably.

 

[KolinUK]

Topped the demi off Wednesday night. Think I might have added a bit more then 3 pints at the start, seems closer to 5. Opss.

Was actively fizzing and bubbling this morning as it was when I had company round and showed off my brew last night. Might have convinced someone else to come over to the darkside :party:

Adding more bits next week.

 

[KolinUK]

So I'm adding the rest and 'degassing' this Wednesday. What is a good way to degas? Also I noticed there's a layer of white/grey sediment on the bottom of the DJ. Sugar? is that normal?

 

[Snokrystal]

Did the wine stop fermenting? The grey sediment is normal, its not sugar (unless not disolved properly) its dead yeasties that have done their job.

 

[KolinUK]

It seems to have stopped fermenting. Virtually no airlock activity now. I would go buy a second DJ for 'racking' but I'm due to add stuff tomorrow and I don't have time to go buy one till the weekend.

I like your wording on the dead yeasties Snokrystal. Think I might take a few sips silence for the yeasties that laid down their lives for my first batch :drunk: :P

 

[Snokrystal]

I would get the wine off the sediment as soon as you can. I believe keeping the wine sitting on it will spoil the end flavour. For degassing, I usually put my hand over the DJ and shake, repeating a couple of times thoughout the day. There are attachments that can put onto a drill aswell, they always looks dangerous to me :shock: