# How sanitized is enough?



## cdoss (May 24, 2009)

I am new to home wine making (I just started my first batch 2 hours ago) I have read several websites, articles and such. I have found this foum to be a great resource. Anyway I know that foreign bacteria is a common cause of a bad batch of wine so for my first batch I have tryed to be a sanitarie as possible. I washed everything with the sanitizer that came with my kit twice. However when I was pooring the juice into the primary ferminter my hand came in contact with the inside of the bucket ABOVE the 6 gallon line. I had my brush I used to clean the bucket earlier sitting in my sanitization solution so I just grabbed it and wiped it around the area I touch once or twice. Is my wine ok? do i ever really have to worry about it since it was above the 6 gallon line where the wine won't come in to contact with it. How religious do I need to be with my sanitization?


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## St Allie (May 24, 2009)

morning cdoss,

Don't panic, your wine will be fine. Everyone does things a little differently. I often scald my wine making equipment with boiling water, just before using. Ensure my equipment is well scrubbed before putting it away and leave some sanitiser in the bottom before putting the lids on is what I do. Wine is a little more forgiving than you'd think.

welcome to the forum, what wine are you making?

Allie


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## Wade E (May 24, 2009)

Like said above your wine will be fine. I must say that we as wine makers do go over board with sanitizing but its better to be safe ten sorry after waiting many months or even past the 1 year mark for our product. As far as being ppast the 6 gallon mark there will be wines that will foam up right to the bottom of the lid so yeas the whole bucket including any lid or towel on top should be sanitized as you just never know what this must is going to do. Some will just fizzle like a soda while others will foam out of control. Good luck! What are you making and where re you from?


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## cdoss (May 24, 2009)

Thanks! I am making an Australian Shiraz


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## Wade E (May 24, 2009)

Well, 1 out of 2 questions aint bad!


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## cpfan (May 24, 2009)

cdoss said:


> Thanks! I am making an Australian Shiraz


So, ummm, you live in Australia and grew the grapes yourself???

Steve


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## cdoss (May 24, 2009)

Wade E said:


> Well, 1 out of 2 questions aint bad!



Sorry missed the second question, I'm from Missouri KC area. I really want to try making a fruit wine (I'm thinking watermelon) soon but descided to start with a kit wine so I could follow the directions and get an idea of the process.


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## Tom (May 24, 2009)

cdoss said:


> Sorry missed the second question, I'm from Missouri KC area. I really want to try making a fruit wine (I'm thinking watermelon) soon but descided to start with a kit wine so I could follow the directions and get an idea of the process.


For a newB the kits are the way to go. If you can Read, Understand and Follow the directions you will be fine and produce a good wine. Wait till you have a few kits under your belt before you attempt a fruit wine. 
WELCOME to a great group where you will get answers to ALL your questions. 

What brand of Australian Shiraz is it?


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## St Allie (May 24, 2009)

fruit wines are cheaper! 

and not difficult at all...

( grins wickedly at Tom)

Allie


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## Tom (May 24, 2009)

True!
BUTT, you need to know the basics first. And have all the chemicals needed.  LOL Allie


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## arcticsid (May 24, 2009)

Sorry Tom, could you repeat the question
LOL

I may be the only member in here without indoor plumbing and for me sanitizing is a real pain in the ***, but I do it, I have to heat up all my water before I do anything. Sometimes I look at the pictures of those members washing there bottles in the bathtub and think to my self, "What is that strange vessel full of water, in your house?", "and how did it get there?"

Clean and sanitize everything, like someone just said, do all that work and care and find out 5 yrs later it is not even good enough for cooking because you didn't take the necessary steps.

Just read an arcticle about a guy who took his solo (flying) cross country and assumed there was enough fuel, he crashed and wrecked the aircraft and is okay, he said he's still paying. (What an idiot, the scary thing is he did get his licsence!!). I realize that is an extreme comparrison, but, I just want to point out, "Don't assume", be sure in the begining and you wil be able to cork and uncork many bottles to come.
Troy


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## smurfe (May 25, 2009)

Welcome to the forums. Here's my advice. Clean, then sanitize, then clean. Clean then sanitize then clean. Clean then sanitize then clean. 

If you keep you stuff, your work area, and yourself clean you risk little risk of contaminations. Winemaking is not a sterile process. Sanitation is not sterilization. It is basically getting stuff really clean. If your work area is clean and you wash your hands while working you should be just fine. You are much more likely to get something airborne in your wine than from touching anything. Even than, unless it is a wild yeast that survives it probably isn't going to do a thing to your wine


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## Woodbee (May 25, 2009)

Howdy Cdoss. Welcome to the board. Gald to see someone else from the neighborhood. I live between Lawrence and Topeka.
Brad


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## cdoss (May 25, 2009)

Tom said:


> What brand of Australian Shiraz is it?



Winexpert.


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