Wine froth entered airlock

[Two_Sheds]

when steeping the teabags (or whatever ingredient), do you loosely cover with a muslin to stop and bugs getting in or just leave it open?

I leave it open. Fruit/vinegar flies aren't attracted to fruit tea, just real fruit or wine

add the grape juice and stuff to the d/j, THEN add the tea bag infusion, and sugar until the right reading.

I chuck it all in together, give it a stir, then take a reading.

I stir the mix twice a day, lifting the lid to release build up.

Same here. Use a lid on your bucket, lift it up for just a second so the mixture can have a good burp but not so long that vinegar flies get in.

Remember to sterilise whatever you're stirring with: I use a wooden spoon, sterilised by pouring boiling kettle water over it.

if you add sugar syrup do you add it when it's cooled down - I couldn't seem to get my brew down to 20 degrees, it was 30 odd.. Still is.

Let me think >>>>

(I don't use a thermometer)

I chuck it all in, bar the yeast & nutrient, keep stirring till the sugar's all dissolved (it should be, if you put it in boiling water).
Sometimes, if I'm feeling rich, I use supermarket grape juice instead of sugar & water. Not UHT though, or anything with preservatives in.
It's about 90p in Aldi or Tesco.

When it's cooled down a bit (doesn't take long in my kitchen, brrrr) I take an SG reading, THEN when it's about 20c (ish, I don't measure), I add the yeast & nutrient.

Leave it in the bucket for 4 days for the primary, vigorous ferment, stirring twice daily.

On day 5, it goes in the DJ, but only up to the shoulders, as it may still be quite vigorous (as you discovered). There's a really funny picture somewhere in the old threads, of someone's wine. There's more on the table and up the walls than there is in the DJ, lol.

When the bubbles in the airlock have slowed down (if you use plastic DJs like I do, you won't always have bubbling because the plastic bottle expands & stretches with the gas) I top up to the neck with grape juice (it's less faff for me than making a sugar syrup).

[chris]

Thank you for taking the time to write that

What's the point in topping it up - sounds daft, I know - but just to increase volume?

[Two_Sheds]

^ No, it's to keep oxygen out and prevent oxidation (sp?) of the wine

[Feral007]

Chris, I mix mine all up in a bucket, cover with a muslin cloth for a couple of days and then pour into the demijohn.

I can't help imagining one of the cats or the vegetarian dog helping themselves to the mix tho. I'd have to go for a lid.

[Two_Sheds]

^ it's usually fruit flies you try to keep out of the must, not cats n dogs

[ohbeary]

Seems to me the only mistake was putting into the DJ too soon, as previously mentioned initial ferment in covered bucket, the CO2 will protect it, after 5 days strain into DJ and fit airlock.