Ginger/Apple Wine - A couple of questions

[full malty]

I'm so out of practice making wine!

I recently made 2 gallons of ginger and apple wine. The recipe was quite simple : 1 root of ginger, concentrated apple juice bought from Lidl, some white sugar, Gervin high-alcohol wine yeast.

I cut-up the ginger and put it in a saucepan, warmed some apple juice and used this to dissolve the sugar. The first two gallons have brewed out and have been racked to a secondary demijohn. One of the demijohns is cloudy and I believe this is due to the fact I used honey and brown sugar in that demijohn... as I ran out of white sugar.

How much ginger should one use for a gallon of wine ? Any offers on this please ?

Should the ginger be crushed/mashed before use, or will my 'simple infusion' be OK ? (Yes, it's a bit late asking now 4 gallons down the line!)

Now that I have racked off the wine, there is a space of a couple of inches in the demijohn with the racked wine. Could this cause problems with the wine being in contact with too much air space ?

What would you suggest as a temperature range for primary fermentation ? Should I then drop the temperature for secondary/racking (as one does with ale etc) ?

Thanks

[Reg]

Thanks for the intro DAAB, now I have to show my mettle! :huh:

The less air the better but the ongoing slow fermentation of the wine should help you. One precaution might be to strengthen the wine a little with a little more sterile sugar solution or apple juice and allow the fermentation to continue on a little longer. This will also build up your volume to reduce the risk of making ginger wine vinegar, although I'm sure it would make a fine condiment... . Typically you can add some zest to the wine by adding some thinly slice orange and lemon. If you choose to build up the volume with a later fermentation you can do this then.

I hope you used pectolytic enzyme for the apples or you may well be drinking something rather cloudy...

The best way to treat ginger for brewing ginger wine, (which if you don't know goes very nicely with whisky to make a whicky mac), is to get a steak mallet out and think of your worst enemy. Focus your energies into the ginger Glasshopper! Bruised ginger actually makes a nicer wine... Sort of on the cider principle I guess. Some people claim ginger skin is a bittering agent although I have not personally experienced this in the way that say... Elderflower greens would ruin and Elderflower wine.

As you are brewing an apple and ginger wine, I think the principle of bruising the ginger should hold good, but you will need to deal with the apple pectins which don't tend to interact well with all yeasts and risk a haze forming. (Hence why some scrumps are hazy and some are not, it depends on which of the natural yeasts in the apple skins becomes the dominant fermenter.

Anyway... that's my 2p. :blink: :beer

[quaffter]

Hi full malty,
I have made apple and ginger wine before, would not call myself a wine making expert though .
Will also try and answer the points you raised best l can.
1) Honey....when l have used honey in wine making it does tend to give a haze which you do not get with sugar.
2)Ginger.... for 5 litres l have used 2-3 inches of ginger. Bruise the root ginger well( you may find this easier once it has softened) and put it in a saucepan with 3 pints of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for half an hour.
l have a friend who never wastes the ginger after boiling it. He puts it back into a saucepan with half a pound of sugar and a pint of water and boils the liquid to reduce it to a syrup. He then uses it either to add to drinks(whisky being one :blink: ), or to use as flavouring in puddings or cakes. Keeps in the fridge for +1 month.
He is Scottish :stun.
3) I would never leave much head space in a DJ( exception, when starting a brew,why, to leave room for the fermentation to get some wind up, after 24-48 hours top up to nearly the top with more apple juice) or bottle. A couple of inches could cause too much air to come into contact with the wine.
Hope you use an air lock?. Even when into 2nd racking if the space is too much l would add apple juice to bring the level up,its not much and will not really dilute %alc.
4) I have never worried too much about temps, some folks do though.
As long as its warm enough to start fermentation, thats OK. The slower the fermentation the better the wine, they say.I never hurry it. When bottled or into final racking, yes keep in a cool place away from bright light or you may have exploding bottles.

Hope of some help,that's my 2p worth also.
Q :stun

[full malty]

Thanks to ALL who helped by replying.

Regarding pectolytic enzyme, I didn't use any. The recipe I had didn't mention it and I forgot to add it. The wine seems to be clearing though. I can't predict if there will be a haze, but I will double check with the person who gave me the recipe to ascertain if they used it.

Regarding 'head space' on Demiijohn, I will top up. I've got one spare 1.5l container of Apple Juice and this could be used to top up Demijohns.

Ginger is an amazing herb. I've tried growing it. It's too cold and wet in Blighty to grow it :rolleyes:

[full malty]

QUOTE (full malty @ Apr 5 2006, 09:07 PM)Thanks to ALL who helped by replying.

Regarding pectolytic enzyme, I didn't use any.  The recipe I had didn't mention it and I forgot to add it.  The wine seems to be clearing though.  I can't predict if there will be a haze, but I will double check with the person who gave me the recipe to ascertain if they used it.

Regarding 'head space' on Demiijohn, I will top up.  I've got one spare 1.5l container of Apple Juice and this could be used to top up Demijohns.

Ginger is an amazing herb.  I've tried growing it.  It's too cold and wet in Blighty to grow it  :rolleyes:
I bottled the two Demijohns of ginger and apple wine which were started two months ago.

Crystal clear... so pectolase not required in this case.

Tastes very good and I intend to keep until Christmas.