All ready to go......

[veggielover]

I am a very very very new eager wine maker! as in i have the equipment but not yet started!

What would be the cheapest wine to make right now, bearing in mind that i will be buying my fruit from local market ( my fruit bushes and veggies just getting going now )

Many thanks for ideas and recipes

[shirlthegirl43]

I would suggest a kit wine for your first go - you will get the 'feel' of the wine-making process that way.

An inexpensive first wine is made with tea-bags ... recipe in this link

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ine_18686.html

[Capsid]

I find using 1 litre cartons of grape juice very easy as a starter.

Use 2 litres of white grape juice, 1 liter of apple juice, 525g of dissolved sugar, add yeast, yeast nutrient and pectic enzyme, then top up demi-john and ferment.

Recipe here

Homebrew wine and country wine including recipes

Scroll down to the white wine recipe.

[veggielover]

Thanks guys, the book i have is all for fruit pulp i never realised i could use fruit juices!! Anyone tried parsley wine? i ask as i have a huge amount growing in my garden at the mo!!!

[veggielover]

so i've sterilised 2 demijohns and airlocks, sent hubby 2 get the juices, first attempt about to commence....... wish me luck ( think i'll need it!!!)

When should i be able to have my first taste? i know when fermentation ceases but how long after that?

[shirlthegirl43]

Taste whenever you fancy! It is easy to get a sneaky taste when you siphon into clean glass once ferment has stopped and the lees are settling. For time to share a taste, wait till the wine has cleared.

[veggielover]

Lol, first set back...... the recipe doesn't say how much yeast!!!

[shirlthegirl43]

Lol, first set back...... the recipe doesn't say how much yeast!!!

A level teaspoon is usually enough for up to 5 gallons - I assume you are using wine yeast?

[veggielover]

lol, i see that on the side of the box, it is wine yeast and now everything is in the demijohn, just waiting for the action to start in the airlock!!! Quite exciting making wine, only got into it because my grandad had grown out of it and let me have everything.

As i said earlier i am very new to this and for the last week i've been reading the threads on here and a book that gramps also gave me.

Looking forward to giving him a bottle to say thanks.

[shirlthegirl43]

It is a great hobby. Just watch that the action doesn't get too vigorous and you end up with froth bubbling through the airlock (very messy). If that happens, remove a bit of the juice and keep in a covered jar or bottle in the fridge and add it again in a few days once things quiet down a bit. If froth goes through the airlock give it a good swill under the tap and replace it.

[veggielover]

We have bubbles!!!! no frothing, so i guess i've done ok so far, time will tell..........

MMMMMM can taste it now ( well i wish i could )

[veggielover]

Quite sad, lol but been watching the bubbles..... every minute or so at the mo and ( what i can only describe as ) foam sitting on top of the liquid. OH thinks i'm crazy but i'm finding the bubble watching rather theraputic, Gonna move the demijohn in the morning into the outhouse.

[shirlthegirl43]

Make sure your outhouse isn't too cold. Wine will stop fermenting much below 18 (if memory serves).

I enjoy watching the bubbles too

[veggielover]

decided not to move to outhouse for now ( enjoying the bubbles still, going great guns now! ) i'll put it out after crazy bubbles have passed and i siphon into fresh demijohn,

[veggielover]

All this bubbling making me want to pee more!! will really have to move into another room!!!