Wine making help

[pmajka]

Quick q.


i started 2 batches of wine...but i forgot to get a Glass Jug for the first racking,

Can i use a plastic water bottle, (like the water cooler ones)/?????

[Don Plumley]

If it is STERILE, AFIK yes.

What are you making?

[Superman]

I've got a glass jug bubbling as we speak. My first batch ever. It's alive!

[craigster59]

I've always done beer with the first fermentation in 5 gal plastic bucket, and secondary fermentation in glass. Never a problem, but sanitize, sanitize, sanitize and all will turn out well.

[Walter_Middie]

pmajka,


A food grade plastic would be better, but a water cooler bottle will work in a pinch - as long as it's sterile (as Don and Craig point out). Wine is acitic so it's hard to grow unwanted flavors in wine (unlike beer that loves to grow bad stuff). My 2nd raking is usually in there for several months, so glass works best. If you eventually get some glass carboys, the plastic will get you through till then. Look at garage sales or wine making shops - they are cheap. And please tell us what kind of wine you are making. I usually make plum, apple, and rhubarb every year.

[pmajka]

ok, wine has been bubbling like mad for 8 days, just racked, it and measured it...its at 0ball.

i guess the yeast ate all the sugar...tastes like it needs a little more sugar...

how many ball should i raise sugar level for the next stage of fermentation???

2, 5, 7???

sould i just feed it sugar???


first batch has slowed, and its wicked sweet , but i think i added too much sugar at the first rack (a week ago)...15 bal for 8 days straigt...still fermenting quickly enough to see but not like mad.


OH, Apple-Pear wine, as Jap beetles have ruined my grape crop for 3rd yr straight.

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by craigster59

I've always done beer with the first fermentation in 5 gal plastic bucket, and secondary fermentation in glass. Never a problem, but sanitize, sanitize, sanitize and all will turn out well.

+1

When dad and I used to make beer, we only ever used plastic buckets & carboys.

Dad doesn't make beer or wine anymore. I get a refill every few months.

[craigster59]

I haven't brewed beer for about a year now, I think I'll start a batch in celebration of Oktoberfest. Jake, are you doing maple syrup again this year?

[Walter_Middie]

i guess the yeast ate all the sugar...tastes like it needs a little more sugar...

A good wine starts with a balance of acid and sugar. When you start the wine, you bring the sugar level up and ferment. When it's done fermenting - it's done. Don't add more sugar - you'll just get more alcohol and less taste, if you can keep it fermenting. If the fermentation stops, it may be hard to get it going again. Just ferment it once, and let it rest for a couple of months. If you want it sweeter, you can either stop the fermentation before it's done, or add something to make it taste sweeter before you bottle. Be careful if you add sugar before bottling, because it will carbonate and pressurize. Tastes great if you don't blow the bottles up.

[Joeaksa]

Plastic is all we used in Saudi and it worked fine. If you are going to use the same container more than once then get something "food service grade" and not a old milk jug.