Branching out - maybe

[Aes9471]

I am contemplating a foray into wine making, have done a few beers now, but am a little daunted by the thought, (and SWMBO) at yet more alcohol, 'she' being teetotal! Where to start, noted a starter pack(s) but do they give the same results and freedom as does beer brewing? How much more kit would I need, how does it difffer to beer making etc? On the plus side I drink very little wine compared to beer so conditioning won't be so much of a hardship

[BlackBag]

I'd certainly give it a go. When I got back into beer making in June I decided I would try wine as well. From Leyland Homebrew I got a beginners kit (1 gallon DJ and other stuff I can't remember + a Black Cherry wine essentials tin). Couldn't believe how easy it was. With working in smaller quantities you have so much more freedom of time. I've yet to try doing a 5 gallon batch of wine and to be honest probably won't bother. 1 gallon should get you 6 bottles, more than enough. Fair enough if you really like something, and know that you'll be happy with 30 bottles, then just use a regular 5 gallon fermenter and make a big batch. Anyway that Black Cherry I made was delicious, and that was just a basic tin. I'm going to be giving tinned fruit wine a bash next. It's amazing how easy winemaking actually is. Go on, go for it

[Jim]

A good place to get some tips is Horden Hillbilly's website. He's an experienced winemaker and his site is excellent.

[lockwood1956]

Try this wine, it is almost foolproof

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/show ... php?t=1562

hope this helps
regards
Bob

[Aes9471]

Me thinks that I'm gonna have to have a bash, what's to loose?! And plenty to gain.
Jim you were right Horden Hillbilly's site does look good, had only looked at his beer pages previously, clever bugger that he is
And thank you Lockwood1956 that looks like a recipie I may well follow, BlackBag black cherry ain't my thing but you make it sound easy guess I'll have to find out

[Aes9471]

Sorry to resurrect a thread but I have bitten the bullet and currently have a Beaverdale Chardonnay 1 gallon plastic thingy bubbling away in the dining room, it takes up a lot less space than an FV.

So the questions why does it look like a giant pee specimen (both my wife and I are Nurses and independantly of each other both thoought the same thing)?!!
Also the airlock; followed the instructions to the letter, however when half full ie both chambers, one chamber keeps getting the water pushed into the other not worried just curious - it's bubbling away merrily and I'm guessing fulfilling it's intended purpose ie keeping out the airborne nasties and letting out the toxic gases.
However tonight can hear a definite hissing, also bubbling every 10 seconds, with plenty of fine bubbles rising from what I presume to be the yeast bed. Again is this normal behaviour or do I have a poorly fitting stem of the airlock in the rubber grommet or indeed badly fitting demijohn top? Will this be sufficient to oxidise the fermenting wine?
Details of brew - started fri evening and took 48 hrs to really get going at a temp (ambient ) of 15 - 20 deg. now Mon evening. Added the kit yeast and another packet of wine yeast, Gervain, with nutrient. Have way more than 4 1/2 litres in demijohn cos' I didn't mark the level for the correct amount as was too keen to get started, as a guide there is about 2" of head space at the top of the FV

[BlackBag]

I made one of these, and it's very nice if I say so myself.
With regards to your airlock chambers, it's meant to do that. The air rises up and pushes its way out through the water. As to the yeast, you really didn't need to add another packet, the supplied one is fine. What you've got going on is probably a very rapid fermentation. Relax, it should be fine.