This article won't go in the the step by step details but there are many guides available on the internet that will do this for you.
The biggest secret to making sure your wine comes out perfect is Sanitizing. You have to sterlize and sanitize everything you are going to use and everything the wine will come into contact with. You can use many different sanitizing agents, I personally like something called B-brite sanitizer. You could also use a sulfite solution.
Why do you need to sanitize everything, even the spoon? Because the wine has to stay in the fermenter and then the carboy for weeks. Remember, you have a room temperature, sugary solution we are dealing with. This is a perfect environment for any kind of microbe or bacteria to grow in. If there is any type of microbe, it will just love the enviornment you have put it in and it will grow and multiply and basically have a feast on your sugar and juices.
That is NOT what you want to happen.
The only microbe that we want growing is the yeast. That's it. The warm sugary solution is wonderful for yeast but you must first make sure that you do not insert any kind of competition for the yeast.
So - STERILIZE everything that will come into contact with your wine.
The second big secret is sulfites.
Many people claim to be alergic to sulfites, but, in fact, are not. They are usually alergic to something else in certain food products but then they just associate the symptoms with sulfites.
The fact is that sulfites are the number one food preservative in the world. Just about everything you eat or drink has sulfites in it. If you think you are alergic to them, you should consult with your doctor and find out for sure - don't guess.
Sulfites act as both a preservative AND a microbe killer in winemaking. Many yeast strains are somewhat sulfite resistant so the yeast is not readily killed by the sulfites. This is perfect for winemaking. When you rack your wine from one container to another, it's always a very good idea to add sulfites. The exposure to air during racking could introduce some of that good 'ole acetobacter microbe and you could quickly end up making 5 gallons of vinegar.
The third "insider scret" is a little chemical called Pectin or Pectic Enzyme. This is a chemical that will break down something called pectin. Pectin, simply, is what makes jelly have it's jelly like consistency. Fruits are full of pectin. if you are going to make any kind of fruit wine, you will need to add this enzyme to break down the pectin. You don't want wine with a jelly consistency, right?
The big area that pectin enzyme will help you in is clearing your wine. Pectin in your wine causes it to be a little thicker and will also cause solids to stay suspended in the wine longer. Adding pectin enzyme will break dow the pectin and allow the solids to settle to the bottom of your carboy much faster.
With these three simple tips, you should be on your way to making fine wine with a nice polish! Enjoy.
Wine is no exception.
Making wine is truly an art. “Scientific” approach and procedures will get you so far, but to make a perfect batch of wine it will take your personal touch.
To start off, the best fruit for making wine is grape. This is truly the fruit of the “gods” as it is the only fruit balanced in every respect. It has the right equilibrium of sugar , acids (tartaric, Malic, Ascorbic etc.), yeast nutrients, tannins, water content, etc. Most other fruits, although will produce good wines, are usually lacking either one or more compounds to attain perfection.
Wine is produced by anaerobic fermentation. The alcohol content is directly proportional to the sugar present in the juice. For more details go to www.july4-recipes.com All of the other ingredients, whether natural or supplemented, are to enhance the taste, ability of yeast to convert sugar to alcohol, catalyze the conversion process, and to add the bouquet to the finished product.
If this is your first time attempting the art, the following fool proof, easy method should be your first try. Purchase five gallons of good quality grape juice from local wine supplier or a grocery store.
If white wine is preferred, some of the better juices are: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc.
For red Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc.
Most of the juice producers have already sulphanated the juice (for sterilization) and added the yeast.
Open the pail, smell, and taste the juice. There should be slight wine-like odor and the juice should taste like premature sweet champagne. This indicates that the primary fermentation is on its way.
Transfer the juice to a clean five gallons sterilized carboy leaving approximately three inches from the top. Place the air trap and leave it for approximately one month.
If the juice is not fermenting and it has not been sulphanated, add two campden (sodium/potassium-metabisulphate) tablets for each one gallon of juice (10 tablets for 5 gallons). Make sure that it has dissolved completely. Crushing the tablets speeds up the process. Cover and leave for 24 hours.
The sulphur from sodium/potassium-metabisulphate, once released throughout the juice, will destroy any yeast within twenty-four hours. For more details go to www.chef-123.com .There are millions of wild spores present in the fruit, so do not play the hit and miss method with your wine. Purchase good quality wine yeast and add it to the juice following the manufacturer's instructions. It usually comes pre-packaged for five gallon batches.
The juice is usually packed in a five-gallon polyethylene/polypropylene pail. This container is perfect for primary fermentation. Make sure there is room for expansion as it will overflow. Once a day for the following week, open the pail and stir the juice with a clean ladle, plastic paddle, etc…. Place the lid on top of the pail and make sure the seal is not airtight.
Both Mike Carraway & Gurcharan Singh are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Mike Carraway has sinced written about articles on various topics from Food And Drink, Wine and Spirits and Internet Marketing. Mike Carraway has been making fine homemade wines for 21 years. You can get a FREE COPY of his book, "How to Make Your Own Wine" by going to this link: