daab
wow a load of questions! will reply later...
Bigsters House White (Help!)
-
Bigster
Are the ingredients boiled?
No - the honey is warmed to 70c in a pint of water to bring the scum to the top but on the last few brews the honey I used hasnt created any.
Is the Pectic Enyme added along with the other ingredients?
Yes at the same time as the yeast
Likewise Bentonite?
Yes
What is Pectic Enzyme?
Removes the pectin haze I believe - more relevant if you are using fruit not juice. Costs a bout £2.50 a tub but will last for many many brews.
What is Bentonite?
It is like little clay granules which some people use to clear wine at the end. Apparently bentonite helps the fermentation but I am not so sure - have made it successfully without.
How long do you ferment a wine like this for ?
I usually leave it alone for 2 weeks - by this time it is almost crystal clear
Does the fermentation need to be stopped to prevent it getting too dry?
You can do but it usually ends up at 994 , and with using honey it turns out medium/dry to dry
At some point the yeast needs to be knocked on the head, I take it you use sodium met? How much?
Not sure on sodium met - is it campden tablets. I use 1 campden tablet per gall and sometimes a little stop fermenter ( pot sorbate ) in a little boiling water
Where does potassium sorbate come into things?
As above after you have cleared the wine
Presumably it goes into a secondary at some point.
Racked off yeast after 2 weeks
Can wine be matured in the secondary to speed up the maturing process?
It does help ( make sure you have added the campden)
How long does it need to sit in the secondary?
As long as you want. For this recipe I ferment 2 weeks, rack to secondary and add campden , shake for 3 or 4 days and then filter and bottle. Guess you wont be filtering so substitute finings if not happy with clarity
How long in the bottle?
This is best drunk young - up to 2 months after bottling. Ours is usually started a week after bottling
I take it gelatine or issinglass would make suitable finings?
Possibly, but dont know. The best wine finings I have used are the 2 part liquid one.
Does anyone have a similar House Red recipe
All of my red recipes involve lots of fruit. I have a Fermenting Tom Blackberry recipe if you are interested and have up to 5lbs of blackberries
No - the honey is warmed to 70c in a pint of water to bring the scum to the top but on the last few brews the honey I used hasnt created any.
Is the Pectic Enyme added along with the other ingredients?
Yes at the same time as the yeast
Likewise Bentonite?
Yes
What is Pectic Enzyme?
Removes the pectin haze I believe - more relevant if you are using fruit not juice. Costs a bout £2.50 a tub but will last for many many brews.
What is Bentonite?
It is like little clay granules which some people use to clear wine at the end. Apparently bentonite helps the fermentation but I am not so sure - have made it successfully without.
How long do you ferment a wine like this for ?
I usually leave it alone for 2 weeks - by this time it is almost crystal clear
Does the fermentation need to be stopped to prevent it getting too dry?
You can do but it usually ends up at 994 , and with using honey it turns out medium/dry to dry
At some point the yeast needs to be knocked on the head, I take it you use sodium met? How much?
Not sure on sodium met - is it campden tablets. I use 1 campden tablet per gall and sometimes a little stop fermenter ( pot sorbate ) in a little boiling water
Where does potassium sorbate come into things?
As above after you have cleared the wine
Presumably it goes into a secondary at some point.
Racked off yeast after 2 weeks
Can wine be matured in the secondary to speed up the maturing process?
It does help ( make sure you have added the campden)
How long does it need to sit in the secondary?
As long as you want. For this recipe I ferment 2 weeks, rack to secondary and add campden , shake for 3 or 4 days and then filter and bottle. Guess you wont be filtering so substitute finings if not happy with clarity
How long in the bottle?
This is best drunk young - up to 2 months after bottling. Ours is usually started a week after bottling
I take it gelatine or issinglass would make suitable finings?
Possibly, but dont know. The best wine finings I have used are the 2 part liquid one.
Does anyone have a similar House Red recipe
All of my red recipes involve lots of fruit. I have a Fermenting Tom Blackberry recipe if you are interested and have up to 5lbs of blackberries
-
Bigster
I wouldnt bother with the pot sorbate for this one - it is well and truly finished after 2 weeks and the campden just protects it.
correct regarding gas.
My filter is a harris vinbrite which uses a pad which isnt sanitised but I do with the filter case and tubing. I think you are right about winemaking - still need to be careful but not as much as in beer making (eg can suck on the syphon tube quite happily
)
Will post the blackberry recipes
correct regarding gas.
My filter is a harris vinbrite which uses a pad which isnt sanitised but I do with the filter case and tubing. I think you are right about winemaking - still need to be careful but not as much as in beer making (eg can suck on the syphon tube quite happily
) Will post the blackberry recipes
-
Vossy1
