First Demijohn

[Stu8706]

Hello all

This is the first time I will make a wine and I have just won a demijohn for £1 on eBay. I have decided on rhubarb as there is plenty on the Lottie. I was hoping to pick the early rhubarb. Is it to early?

I will keep yo posted with some pictures.

Stu



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[Bigmallly]

If you like Rhubarb wine Stu, you'll like this link:

http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/wine

[Bill HH]

If you have got it, pick it I would say.

[ohbeary]

Stu, for 1gallon you will need about 2kg fresh pink rhubarb, clean, chop and freeze it in a sturdy freezer bag, to defrost snip off a corner of the bag and set it in a large funnel over the DJ, as it thaws the pure juice will drip, make up the amount with 2 1/2lb sugar dissolved in hot water, 1lt white grape juice and more water to 3.5lt add 1tsp Pectolase, 1tsp nutrient and yeast starter(EC1118/Champagne yeast), when initial ferment slows down top up the below the neck with water.

[Stu8706]

I have started my first wine today.

I used 20 fruit tea bags
2L red grape juice
Yeast
Pectalose
2 coffee cups of sugar

3 questions

I don't have nutrients! Will it work?

Is 2 mugs of sugar enough?

Could I put lemon juice in left over from pancake day as it is citric acid?

Is it ready ????? 😜

Thank you all in advance

Stu



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[RedThorn]

Not experienced enough to answer first few, however the last.....

[sam 51]

been making me own wine and beer,
since October, never looked back,
beaverdale wine at £1.30 a bottle,
and beer at 60p a pint,
much better than pub beer,
and that price is for kit beer,
all grain is a lot cheaper im told.

[Stu8706]

This is it fizzing away. It's got a real strong smell.


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[RedThorn]

Great feeling ain't it

[Stu8706]

Great feeling ain't it

Hell yeah


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[simon12]

I have started my first wine today.

I used 20 fruit tea bags
2L red grape juice
Yeast
Pectalose
2 coffee cups of sugar

3 questions

I don't have nutrients! Will it work?

Is 2 mugs of sugar enough?

Could I put lemon juice in left over from pancake day as it is citric acid?

Is it ready ????? 😜

Thank you all in advance

Stu



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I am not close to being an expert but based on what I have read about this and my hydrometer readings from my 1st and only batch I think you need around 1Kg of sugar (to get over 10% abv) maybe minus the amount in the 2nd litre of juice unless you want a lower alcohol %. But then I read that you need 17g of sugar per litre per 1% alcohol if this is correct you can check how much sugar is in the grape juice and work out how much you need for what %. Then I saw another thing that said 19g per L per 1% so I have no idea whats correct but it must be something around 17-19g per %, I would assume these figures are when fermented totally so if you stabilise it before you would need more. My final thoughts on this is why people don't use total sugar content rather than hydrometer readings as far as I can tell it would be more accurate unless stablised before fermentation is complete
I am 99% sure lemon juice is a perfect alternative to pure citric acid.
Like I say I am a complete novice when it comes to this but hope it helps.

[Kirk]

You will need more sugar for 1 gallon, a 1kg bag in total is a good general guide, and very convenient, however that will still generally make a dryish wine.

Lemon juice is an alternative to citric acid.

Nutrient, better to find/get some as not sure what is in the grape juice, maybe a handfull of sultanas, these will add a little sugar also.

Which yeast did you use?

Should ferment of 2 -3 weeks in the DJ, then you syphon off the clear stuff. It will need 6-12 months to mature.

Get some Potassium Sorbate called Stabiliser to kill off the remaining yeast after it has stopped ALL fermentation, otherwise a bottle can (will) restart fermentation. If sealed well the bottle can explode if not sealed well the cork blows out.

[Stu8706]

You will need more sugar for 1 gallon, a 1kg bag in total is a good general guide, and very convenient, however that will still generally make a dryish wine.

Lemon juice is an alternative to citric acid.

Nutrient, better to find/get some as not sure what is in the grape juice, maybe a handfull of sultanas, these will add a little sugar also.

Which yeast did you use?

Should ferment of 2 -3 weeks in the DJ, then you syphon off the clear stuff. It will need 6-12 months to mature.

Get some Potassium Sorbate called Stabiliser to kill off the remaining yeast after it has stopped ALL fermentation, otherwise a bottle can (will) restart fermentation. If sealed well the bottle can explode if not sealed well the cork blows out.

When you say stopped ALL fermentation do you mean bubbling? I used Youngs yeast


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[Kirk]

Youngs yeast will produce up to 18% so for a gallon it should easily eat it's way through 1Kg of sugar.
I really asked in case you had used bread yeast.

What should happen in simple terms:
All ingredients in a bucket to do the initial ferment - about 5-7 days, stir daily.
Syphon/pour through a sieve into a DJ, add airlock, watch it bubble.
Forms a sediment and bubbling slows to about 1 plop every 5-10 seconds.
Syphon off the wine, leaving the sediment (most of it as some will get carried up). Wine bit ends up either back in the cleaned DJ or in another DJ.
Add airlock and leave to bubble until it stops, say about 10-14 days.
Should have a slight sediment and clear(ish) wine.
Syphon off the wine (hopefully clear) and add 1 good teaspoon of metabisulphate to kill the yeast.

Suppose you should be able to bottle it now but I generally store in a DJ with an airlock, just in case the metabisulphate didn't work.

Bottle and store for 6 months, or longer.

As you used a juice you could (I think) do all the fermentation in the DJ as you will not have fruit in the initial mix.

[Stu8706]

Thank you all for your tips. I racked the wine today. Not a lot of sediment still fizzing away like crazy.


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