|
WINEMAKING SUPPLIES, GRAPES and JUICE
for amateur winemakers.
Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe 10110 Hyatt Hill Dundee, NY 14837
Finger Lakes grown grapes, juices: Sept-Oct
Wine
from Juice
Wine from Grapes
Yeast Starter
Basic Winemaking: Wine from Juice
Cold
pressed grapes (red or white) require 15 pounds of fruit per gallon yield.
1. Our juices
are sulfited; no additional sulfite should be added prior to
fermenting.
White grapes are not fermented on the skins. They can be
allowed skin contact after crushing before pressing.
2. To ferment take the level of the juice down to the
shoulder of the carboy and equip with an airlock ½ filled with water.
The balance of the juice may ferment in a glass gallon jug with an
airlock. Our juices are refrigerated. Warm to room temperature by
waiting 24 hours to avoid cold shock to the yeast.
3. Rehydrate the yeast with water according to packet
instructions (no longer than 15 minutes as there are no nutrients
present).
4. Add yeast to room temperature juice to avoid
"cold shock".
5. Ferment 1 to 2 weeks or until a definite line of
sediment is evident. Transfer via siphon to a clean container, add proper
metabisulfite, and top up with the reserved juice or wine to within 1 inch of
the stopper. This is called racking.
6. Ferment 1 to 2 months more. Rack when bubbling has
ceased or has become very slow and a definite line of sediment (lees) shows.
Top up the new vessel with wine to within 1 inch of the stopper.
NOTE: Check your water level in the airlock
frequently. They can go dry. Some winemakers use colored water to
help visibility. Some use a meta solution for airlocks.
7. Rack, sulfite, and fine as necessary. (For
fining go here or see page ~15 of the catalog.)
8. Wine should be brilliant, having fallen bright.
Now, you can cold stabilize. Put glycerin or sufficient alcohol (vodka) in the
airlock to prevent freezing. If you wish to ADD SORBATE, do so now at
the rate of 1-2 grams per gallon (1/2 teaspoon is approximately 1 gram). You
must have proper meta levels when using sorbate. Dose the meta at the same
time you do the sorbate (or run a free SO2 test). Place the carboy
at 20-25o F for 2 weeks or more. Excess tartrates will precipitate
from the wine. This mellows the wine by reducing the acid. It will help
stabilize the wine by preventing these tartrates from settling out after
bottling. Rack into a clean carboy while cold. If you add SORBATE without cold
stabilizing, allow 24 hours before bottling. However, the addition of any
potassium ion will make the wine unstable and this is why cold stabilizing is
recommended after adding sorbate. Add proper metabisulfite.
9. Filter if desired and bottle when stable. Always
rinse bottles with a C-Brite or a meta solution. Drain well. The drainer trees
are very nice for this purpose.
Mitchell's short
cut yeast starter: Sprinkle the yeast onto
warm (40-45oC or 104-115oF) distilled or sterile
non-chlorinated water. Leave for 5-15 minutes (NOT LONGER) and add an
equal volume of sterile grape juice. Shake to aerate. It will take
up to two days to become active. Make up however much you want. (A
5-gram pack of yeast is rated for 5-7 gallons). Making a starter of a
total volume of 1/2 of a gallon will inoculate a lot more than 5-7
gallons.
Starter recipe
in Frishman Enjoy Home Winemaking: (2 cups water, 2
tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon nutrient, 1/4 teaspoon citric acid, yeast)
NOTE: In any recipe recommending ¼ or ½ teaspoon of yeast
nutrient in a small volume of water (4 oz to 2 cups) REDUCE the
nutrient to a pinch – else it will be too hot. The dose for nutrient is 1
teaspoon per 5 gallons of juice. Put it in the juice--and yet a starter
will require some nutrient so use a pinch or the other starter method.
REHYDRATE the yeast first for 5-15 minutes in the water before adding to the
other ingredients.
|