Wine Making: Difference between revisions

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This is something I want to try someday, maybe someday soon. I want to try [http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques65.asp this] approach to get started - it looks cheap and it's supposed to produce a pretty good wine.
I want to try [http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques65.asp this] approach to get started - it looks cheap and it's supposed to produce a pretty good wine.


http://www.michiganwines.com/buy-sell-grapes
http://www.michiganwines.com/buy-sell-grapes


== Equipment ==
http://www.klinekrestcertifiedorganicproduce.com/KlineKrestCertifiedOrganicSmallFruits.htm
* [http://www.amazon.com/Gallon-White-Bucket-Lid-Contains/dp/B00X6HNLOQ Primary Fermenter]: Just a bucket, $30 / 3
* [http://www.amazon.com/Kegco-KC-FP-CB-06-Carboy-gallon/dp/B00JWYRGU2 Glass Carboy]: $38
* Bung and Airlock: $10
* [http://www.amazon.com/Watts-SVGE10-Pre-Cut-Diameter-10-Foot/dp/B000HE5DUG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1450193333&sr=8-3&keywords=plastic+tubing Hoses] $6.25
* Hydrometer & jar: $6
* [http://www.amazon.com/Portuguese-Double-Lever-Corker/dp/B000FRWJNE Corker] $12


Starting Cost: $102
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41825


== Materials ==
=== Results ===
* Sulphites
The wine is good, a tiny bit more sour than I'd like. I back-sweetened just a little. My original numbers were quite a bit off. I ended up needing 6 bottles of juice for 5 gallons. It made 21 bottles, but I also spilled a lot in the process (and drank a bit at various stages). I think 5 gallons should make 24 bottles.
* yeast $7 / 10
* yeast nutrient $8 / lb
* juice
* sugar
* bottles
* corks ~ $0.10 each
* [http://www.amazon.com/Campden-Tablets-sodium-metabisulfite-100/dp/B0064H0KC6 Campden Tablets] $0.06 each ($5.50/100)


== Single Concord Batch Estimates ==
UPDATE: After the wine sat for a few weeks, the sour mellowed out quite a bit. It's pretty good now, on par with a cheap bottle.
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRa4vGyyjEU
* http://the-gift-of-wine.com/how%20to%20make%20grape%20juice%20wine.html
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_483697&feature=iv&src_vid=MVjr2obchpI&v=AWWho1u8FUQ


To make a single batch (~4gal) of Concord Grape wine (basic recipe), about 20 bottles.
Still, it was about $30 for the juice, negligible for the rest; $1.50 / bottle is pretty good. I'm looking at wine kits that run ~$70, that will be about $2.30 / bottle.


* Juice: 2 x $3.50
== Kits ==
* Corks: $2.00
These look good
* sugar
* http://www.northernbrewer.com/master-vintner-winemakers-reserve-cabernet-sauvignon
* yeast nutrient
* http://www.northernbrewer.com/master-vintner-winemakers-reserve-malbec
* Pectolase
* Wine tannin
* 2 Campden tablets $0.10


Need calculations to find the amount of sugar necessary.
== Bentonite Clay ==
* 2 t clay
* 1/2 C boiling water


So, probably around $15 for everything, coming in just under $1/bottle.
Stir and let sit at least 4 hours


Considering a bottle costs us about $8, the break-even is around 15 bottles.
Mix 2T/gal into the wine and mix the wine every hour for a few hours. Be sure to have used a campden tablet to stop fermentation. This is also a good point to degas if you're doing that by hand.


=== Time ===
== Nylon Bag ==
It looks like it will take about 3 hour, but only about 30 minutes will be active work.
The best use of the nylon bag for filtering is not to fill it up an let it drain, but only fill it about 10% and then slosh the liquid around inside. This is easier and prevents it from clogging. About every 3 cycles the bag needs to be flipped inside out and cleaned.


Wine sits in the primary fermenter for 4 days. Secondary fermentation can take up to 2 weeks.
== Timing ==


== Notes ==
=== Bottling ===
Look at the price per volume in bottles.
Cleaning 30 bottles took about 45, but there was a lot of labels, can do it in less than 30 if there are no labels. Bottling and corking took about 20 minutes each.


It looks like roughly a 1:4 ratio of juice to water.
[[Category:Wine]]
 
Look into using frozen fruit. Watermelon wine looks good. Orange wine. Actually, some pumpkin wine recipes look good (with raisins and cinnamon). Beet wine. Lemon.
 
Also, look into freeze distilling in the winter.
 
With our water, I'll want to use a charcoal filter.
 
For more alcohol look for "high gravity" wine or yeast. When using it, add sugar slowly over several hours while it's fermenting.
 
== Grapes ==
All the grape juices I've found (at least so far) that are intended for wine-making are highly marked up. I'd like to try making it from grapes. I could do a few batches over the late summer as various types are available.
 
== Beer ==
I should also make some beer for Lauren.
 
Malted barley looks like it costs around $2.50/lb and around 2.5lbs/gal. Hops run around $20/lb but only a few oz are needed for a few gallons.
 
[[Category:Projects]]
[[Category:On Deck]]

Latest revision as of 02:01, 2 August 2019

I want to try this approach to get started - it looks cheap and it's supposed to produce a pretty good wine.

http://www.michiganwines.com/buy-sell-grapes

http://www.klinekrestcertifiedorganicproduce.com/KlineKrestCertifiedOrganicSmallFruits.htm

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41825

Results

The wine is good, a tiny bit more sour than I'd like. I back-sweetened just a little. My original numbers were quite a bit off. I ended up needing 6 bottles of juice for 5 gallons. It made 21 bottles, but I also spilled a lot in the process (and drank a bit at various stages). I think 5 gallons should make 24 bottles.

UPDATE: After the wine sat for a few weeks, the sour mellowed out quite a bit. It's pretty good now, on par with a cheap bottle.

Still, it was about $30 for the juice, negligible for the rest; $1.50 / bottle is pretty good. I'm looking at wine kits that run ~$70, that will be about $2.30 / bottle.

Kits

These look good

Bentonite Clay

  • 2 t clay
  • 1/2 C boiling water

Stir and let sit at least 4 hours

Mix 2T/gal into the wine and mix the wine every hour for a few hours. Be sure to have used a campden tablet to stop fermentation. This is also a good point to degas if you're doing that by hand.

Nylon Bag

The best use of the nylon bag for filtering is not to fill it up an let it drain, but only fill it about 10% and then slosh the liquid around inside. This is easier and prevents it from clogging. About every 3 cycles the bag needs to be flipped inside out and cleaned.

Timing

Bottling

Cleaning 30 bottles took about 45, but there was a lot of labels, can do it in less than 30 if there are no labels. Bottling and corking took about 20 minutes each.