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Wine This was the Author's reaction to a financial crisis. Most things are bearable with the expectation of a glass of wine at the end of the day. The method evolved over a period of months and produces drinkable wine for 80-90p per bottle. Wine making is a relatively simple process and at its most basic it simply requires care and patience. Five gallons is a workable quantity for home wine making (you need to be able to lift about 60 lb or approximately 4 stone - 56lb). Be thorough, but not obsessive about cleanliness. Rinsing out the residues of sterilization solution is as important as using it in the first place. The desire to bottle (and drink) the finished product is often strong, but be patient, gassy wine full of sediment is not nice, wine will clear if left long enough and there are a couple of ways of accelerating the clarification process. As far as I know this is legal in the UK if your are over 18 but I suspect that attempting to sell the results to anyone is not. If you are less than 18, this is not for you, not only is it illegal it won't taste good until you are over 30. |
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Ingredients (approx. 30 bottles -
cost £25 - £30)
Concentrated Grape Juice: 5 litres Equipment 2 off - 5 gallon/22.5 litre plastic fermentation
vats (approx. cost: £12/each) If you are scientifically minded a hydrometer and thermometer can add to the fun, but are not strictly necessary. Chemicals Sterilising Powder Method Rinse out one of the fermentation vats with sterilization fluid used as directed by the manufacturers instructions. Rinse out the sterilization fluid with copious quantities of water. Ensure that the fermentation locks are clean. Empty the sugar (granular sugar will work) into the vat, add a gallon of warm water and shake the vat until the solids have dissolved. Putting a solid rubber bung in the screw top of the vat will allow you to put the vat across your knee and rock it from side to side. Keep your hand over the bung to prevent accidents. Add the grape juice concentrate and the contents of the yeast sachets, shake around some more. Top up the vat with warm water until it contains 5 gallons (22.5 litres). Place the vat in an out-of the way corner, place a fermentation lock in the vat's screw on lid adding enough water to produce a seal, wrap the heater around the bottom part of the vat. Ensure that the vat is sealed, i.e. the cap is firmly screwed down and the fermentation lock's bung is tightly inserted, a light smear of Vaseline over the sealing surfaces may help. Fermentation will start within two days, and continue for 10 to 14 days. Initially, there will be a vigorous bubbling of carbon dioxide through the fermentation lock, when fermentation has finished, there will be no flow through the lock. If fermentation fails to start or ends prematurely, seek the advice of your local wine making supplies stop, there are packs of "re-starter" yeast which might get things going. When fermentation has ceased, siphon the contents of the fermentation vat into the second vat, the latter having been sterilized and rinsed. Make sure that you have a cup (comes with a siphon kit) on the end of the siphon tube which is in the fermentation vat, this will prevent the sludge at the bottom of the vat getting into the second vat. First, Apply a Wine Stabilization Powder according to the instructions on the packaging, this will stop fermentation and help prevent mould growth, then apply a Wine Fining Gel (or similar compound), this will clear the wine. Leave the vat in a cool place for 7 days (or as long as recommended by the supplier of the fining gel). At this point the wine should be clear and ready for bottling. Filtering the wine as part of the bottling process can ensure that any remaining solids are removed. Comment The same method works for both red and white wine. The alcohol content should be around 10% - 12%. The alcohol content of the wine is related to the sugar content at the start of fermentation which can be determined by the specific gravity of the contents of the vat. Page Updated: 22nd December 2000 |