# Smurfe’s Wine Kit Tutorial (Part 1)



## smurfe (Jan 19, 2006)

I got home today and found a couple presents under the carport. My January shipment of Wine Expert Limited Edition Kits had arrived. This month the treats were <?amespace prefix = st1 ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficearttags" /><ST1LACE wt="on"><ST1LACENAME wt="on">CHILEAN</ST1LACENAME> <ST1LACENAME wt="on">MAIPO</ST1LACENAME> <ST1LACE wt="on">VALLEY</ST1LACE></ST1LACE> CARMENÈRE/CABERNET SAUVIGNON and CALIFORNIA LAKE COUNTY TRIO BLANCA
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After a 10 minute brainstorming session with myself. I decided that I would start the Trio Blanca first. I only have one primary (for the moment) so I had to choose. I have made quite a few reds lately so I went with the white. 
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I though I would throw together a little tutorial while I was at it. I actually typed all this out twice but when I went to spell check the first draft it disappeared and I lost about 2 hours of work. So this one is typed in word and pasted in to the text box. This forum really needs vBulletin forum software!
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So let’s get started. Look at your packages for any damage. If you ordered from George, there is little chance for any as he is a packaging genius. If there IS any damage, it was from the shipper. If all that looks good it is time to pull the big old box out from all those Styrofoam peanuts.
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Ok, you have it out let’s open the box and see whets inside. Look for a plastic bag with the ingredients in it. 
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Open that bag and remove the directions, Read these directions thoroughly NOW before you go any further. Read the entire document Now, I am not joking, read it all. 
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As I was reading, I realized I didn’t read, speak or write French. SO turn the directions over and you have English to read! 
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Have you read all those directions? Make sure you do. With this kit and every other one you do. They can change and each variety can be different so don’t take that chance, Take a few minutes and read.
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Look at the top flap of the box. See the little peel off label? Peel that off and save it. I stick mine on the directions page. This is your kit identifier code. It tells when the kit was made as well as other information. If you have any problems with your kit, you will need this code so SAVE IT!
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OK, first thing we need to do is gather our equipment to make our wine. What do we need to gather? Read those directions and it will tell you. You need your primary bucket, sanitizer, a hydrometer, thermometer, Wine Thief, measuring cup, and a stirring device.
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I have gathered my primary fermentation equipment and have sanitized it. I use a no rinse One Step sanitizer. One note on sanitation. It is essential that your stuff be kept clean. We are not talking a living in a plastic bubble sterile environment but just keep stuff clean. Clean before you use it and when you are done and again the next time you use it, so on and so on. If you practice good cleanliness skill you should never have an issue. Here is my sanitized equipment ready to go.
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Ok, let’s make some wine. Take that sanitized primary bucket and add a couple quarts or liters of hot water. Open packet 1 (Bentonite) and slowly sprinkle it to the liquid as you stir to prevent any clumps from forming. 
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While we are talking stirring here, lets cover this a little bit. We will be stirring a lot and I mean a WHOLE lot. Many purchase their equipment in a kit. Most kits come with a stirring spoon.
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Do yourself a favor if you can afford it and buy a premium kit that has a Mix-Stir device in it. These premier kits are not really premier. I consider them essential pieces of equipment. This is what you really need to stir with.
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So let’s get back to winemaking. As you sprinkle that packet #1 in, stir away. 
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Remember, Spoon Bad!
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Mix-Stir Good!
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Sir this for at least 30 seconds to assure proper dispersement and that there are no clumps of Bentonite in the bucket.
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Now let’s look at that big box that has that big bag of juice in it. It is pretty heavy huh? How we going to safely pour that in our bucket? Let look a little closer to the box, see the punch out areas on the flaps on top? Punch them out along with the hand hold area on the bottom of the box.
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Now, grab the neck of that bag and pull it through the hole you punched out
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See the grooves in the neck? Slide then into the slot you punched out of the flap to secure the neck
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And close the flaps around it
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Now, notice that nice little Yellow cap. It looks easy enough to pop off there huh? Give it a try. Can’t get it off huh? Harder than it looks? Yes, it is, they are a real pain to get off without sloshing juice all over you wine making area. How do you get this off? Well, you need this.
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I don’t know why they don’t include this spanner with every kit. It is needed and should be in each kit. The labels should be as well but that is another story. So anyway, we need to pop this baby open. Move that box by your primary and let’s get at it. Remember, that box is heavy so lift safely; we don’t want any gimpy Vintners around here. 
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When you have your box in place, take that Spanner and place it on the cap
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And POP that baby off there!
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Good job! That was pretty easy wasn’t it? Now, safely pick that box up by the punched our hand holds in the top flap and the bottom of the box
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And Lets Pour! Be careful; don’t splash it all over the place!
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Add a little hot water to that juice bag and give it a good shake to get all of the goodness out of it. Pour this in the bucket. The instructions say add a gallon to the juice bag but I normally add maybe a quart. I do this because I use as little as possible of my tap water as I have a well. I could boil the water but I don’t but you may wish to.
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Now, it is time to fill to the proper level with water. Notice this kit pretty well filled my bucket up. You fill to that line.
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Ok, we are at the full mark. Make sure you fill to 6 gallons, no more, no less. This juice is concentrated to this level. If you think adding less water will make better wine, think again. It will throw the chemistry off and produce an off product. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! You did read them right? 
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Now we stir. Remember what I said about stirring? Well, we need to stir like hell for at least 30 seconds to get this Must mixed all up. The juice is now referred to as the “Must” so that’s what we will call it from now on. 
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Ok, now we get to use some of our other cool toys. It is time to check the SG (Specific Gravity). Take your sanitized hydrometer and either drop it in the bucket or draw a sample with your sanitized Wine Thief and drop the hydrometer in it. Give the hydrometer a little spin while dropping it for a more accurate reading. 
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What does it say? What is it supposed to read? Look in your directions. It will tell you. This kit was to read between 1.085 and 1.095. My reading was 1.090 so we are perfect. So you aren’t confused, you may believe the reading was 0.090 but if you look at the top of the Hydrometer you will see the 1.0 mark. All the numbers below are above this level so the 0.090 mark below the 1.0 level is actually 1.090. As the SG drops, the hydrometer will as well until the 1.0 level is below the surface of the Must. 
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Now, drain the must back into the bucket
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Now it is time to add Oak if your kit came with it. Most whites don’t have oak but this one does. Open the packet and sprinkle it into the Must. Time to stir again!
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Once you have stirred the oak chips into the must, pull out your thermometer and let’s check the temperature. It needs to be between 65F and 75F for the yeast to have the proper environment to multiply and begin fermentation. Too cold and the yeast can’t get going, too warm and the yeast will burn themselves out and die off before fermentation is complete. You ferment to a particular SG reading so if you don’t reach that level, the wine will not be correct. SO let’s check that temp!
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Wow, it was on the money! 70F So let’s add the yeast!
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OK, now, if you have read the directions (You did correct?) you know that you WILL NOT STIR THE YEAST IN! 
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So kit brands say to stir the yeast in, some don’t. Wine Expert Don’t! I made a couple Cellar Craft kits and they said you could if you wanted, I didn’t and it didn’t hurt a thing.
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Ok, we have our yeast pitched so now what? Well, we are about done with part 1. It is now time to cover the primary. This will be personal choice. You will hear many ways to do this. Some will snap the lid on and throw in an airlock, some will just lay the lid on top and others may cover with a towel or the like held in place by a rubber band. 
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It is all personal choice. The thought is that the yeast needs oxygen to multiply and get working. If you stirred the Must well you have entered enough oxygen into the must to support the yeast. I personally snap the lid on and throw in an airlock with sanitizer in it. 
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Well, that’s about it for the Primary Fermentation Portion of this tutorial. As the kit progresses, we will add the part 2 portion and so on and so on. Tuneback in 5-7 daysfor the further adventures of Vintners here at Fine Vine Wines as we will go to Step 2, Secondary Fermentation!
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*Edited by: smurfe *


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## Waldo (Jan 19, 2006)

Awesome pictoral Smurf...only detected one small glitch though podner...Did not see any pictures of you tasting the must..I know you did taste it but you forgot to include that picture didnt ya


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## bilbo-in-maine (Jan 19, 2006)

So that's what a Smurfe looks like! You have your green Smurfe shirt on, I 
see.





Great presentation Steve - I appreciate how much time and thought you 
put into it.

I hope my kits (arriving tomorrow with luck) will be half as warm as your's 
when FedEx show up.





Bill


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## Harry (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi There Mr. Waldo You posted pictures of grape juice in plastic bottles. I was wondering how many bottles did you use to make 6 gallons.I would like your recipe too if you wanna share it.


Thanks Harry


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## Harry (Jan 19, 2006)

Very nice job Smurfe.


Harry


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## MedPretzel (Jan 19, 2006)

YAY!!!





Way to go Smurf!









What have I learned from this tutorial? Spoon bad, Mix-stir-electro-thing good!


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## masta (Jan 19, 2006)

Excellent Job Smurfe!



I know the time it takes to put that together and it is greatly appreciated.


I have copied and posted in the "read only" topic for safe keeping.


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## rgecaprock (Jan 19, 2006)

Very informative and funny!!!! Cant' wait until the next episode!!!


Ramona


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## jobe05 (Jan 19, 2006)

Steve, Great tutorial!






, A beginners must see! I book marked it and am going to email it to several friends (Along with FVW toy store web site). Friends seem to think it's hard to make these kits and your tutorial really shows how easy and fun it can be, while maintaining the true exactness of the art. Good job!


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## smurfe (Jan 19, 2006)

Waldo said:


> Awesome pictoral Smurf...only detected one small glitch though podner...Did not see any pictures of you tasting the must..I know you did taste it but you forgot to include that picture didnt ya




Well Waldo, actually I don't taste the Must as believe it or not, I don't like Grape Juice. I think it evolves back to when I was a kid. We never got Coke or anything like that. The only thing we ever got to drink besides water was Grape Kool-Aid. I love grapes but can't stand grape juice. I think that is the reason I don't like sweet grape wines.


And thank you for the compliment






Smurfe


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## smurfe (Jan 19, 2006)

bilbo-in-maine said:


> So that's what a Smurfe looks like! You have your green Smurfe shirt on, I
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Thanks Bill, if you pay for them, you get them quicker






Actually, I had a much better presentation all completed and for some reason when I went to copy the text to place in Word to format and spell check, it disappeared and wouldn't paste. I was devastated, I had spent like 2-3 hours on it. So I started over and threw this one together in about an hour. The first one was actually much more detailed and had more pictures. Thanks for the compliment. I had fun making it.


Smurfe


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## smurfe (Jan 19, 2006)

jobe05 said:


> Steve, Great tutorial!
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Thanks for the compliment. I was wanting to show just that. It IS easy and it IS fun. I think when I start my next kit, I will create another one that is more structured and detailed. You can never have enough tutorials. Even on the same subject such as kit making as we all have various styles and tips that we can learn from. 


I am hoping Martina or for that matter any of our memberswill throw a tutorial of her (their)process here for us to see the fine art of wine making by hand without the assistance of a kit. (HINT, HINT, HINT) I am starting to collect my stuff to switch over to this process so I am ready to start absorbing knowledge in that side of wine making.


Smurfe


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## pkcook (Jan 19, 2006)

Smurfe,


Never made a kit wine before. As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words!" Great idea to take us thru the whole process



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I'll be referring back to this post when I start my first kit!


Thanks,


Pat


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## smurfe (Jan 19, 2006)

pkcook said:


> Smurfe,
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Thanks for the compliment Pat. I hope to produce an even better tutorial real soon in even greater details. I love to make wine and I love to teach classes so it is a natural for me, course I always taught EMS classes but this is turning out even more fun. Look for more to come real soon.


Smurfe


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## Funky Fish (Jan 20, 2006)

Smurfe,


Very impressive!



That is quite the detailed, and humorous, step-by-step! Thanks for putting it together and sharing!


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## jcnoren (Jan 20, 2006)

Smurff.... Thankyou for introducing me to "the spanner". I just knew there had to be an easier way to get the lid/stopper off of the bag of must. Bet it costs under $5.00 too.


You are a natural teacher, clear step by step instructions presented in a humorious manner.






JC


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## smurfe (Jan 20, 2006)

jcnoren said:


> Smurff.... Thankyou for introducing me to "the spanner". I just knew there had to be an easier way to get the lid/stopper off of the bag of must. Bet it costs under $5.00 too.
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I tell ya, the first couple kits I made, I had a heck of a time getting the caps off. After I got this tool, they pop right off with no effort. A quadriplegic could get those caps off with that tool. I don't know if George has them in his catalog but if he does, he needs to promote them!



Thanks for the compliment






Smurfe


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## Funky Fish (Jan 20, 2006)

smurfe said:


> I tell ya, the first couple kits I made, I had a heck of a time getting the caps off. After I got this tool, they pop right off with no effort. A quadriplegic could get those caps off with that tool. I don't know if George has them in his catalog but if he does, he needs to promote them!
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He does:


http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=9989


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## jobe05 (Jan 20, 2006)

"I love to teach so it is a natural for me, course I always taught EMS classes" 


Next class all you have to do is bring a stretcher home with you, set up in you kitchen, use it as your tableand you'll feel right at home



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## Casper (Jan 20, 2006)

<?amespace prefix = v ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-com:vml" /></vtroke></v></v></v></v></v></v></v></v></v></v></v></v></vlas></vath><?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o:lock aspectratio="t" vxt="edit"></o:lock></vape>Bon travailsSmurfe,






Now I don't needto explain my friends at work,how to make wine from wine kit. I just have to send them this link. 


Thanks, well appreciate


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## djcoop (Feb 22, 2006)

Loved it! As a newbie, I saw a couple of mistakes I made. First of all spoon bad, mixer good! Why did I use the spoon and not the mixer??I'm sure I didn't give it enough oxygen, _because_ SPOON BAD! I will never forget that one. Thank you so much! ~D


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## smurfe (Mar 10, 2006)

Hey all, jut a note to let you all know that I haven't forgotten the rest of the tutorial. It is just taking forever for this wine to clear. I did miss on small step when I racked the wine last. i didn't have a camera available or anyone home to take the pics as I more or less did it on a lunch break one day. The wine is now crystal clear so i hope to be able to bottle this weekend.


Smurfe


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## PolishWineP (Mar 10, 2006)

I for one am looking forward to it! I just love your method of teaching! This would make a great book that could be laid out on the kitchen table for the truly new to follow, step by step with you! Or even a video with STOP sections for the novice to do their work after watching you do it!


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## smurfe (Mar 10, 2006)

PolishWineP said:


> I for one am looking forward to it! I just love your method of teaching! This would make a great book that could be laid out on the kitchen table for the truly new to follow, step by step with you! Or even a video with STOP sections for the novice to do their work after watching you do it!




HMMMM, I guess If I could get one of these big companies to sponsor me, I might make them a video!






Smurfe


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## smurfe (Mar 12, 2006)

Well folks, I have some bad news. I had major corking issues and had to end up putting this kit is gallon jugs. I do have a couple other kits ready to bottle in the next week or so so I might be able to take up with those where I left off with this one. Aftergoing through over100 corks, I finally gave up and dumped it in gallon jugs like cheap supermarket wine after I filtered all the cork particles out of the wine.












Smurfe


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## rgecaprock (Mar 12, 2006)

Smurfe,


What happened to the corks? Looks like your dog got ahold of them...


Ramona


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## Waldo (Mar 13, 2006)

What happened Smurf? Have never seen anything like that before*Edited by: Waldo *


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## smurfe (Mar 13, 2006)

Waldo said:


> What happened Smurf? Have never seen anything like that before




I guess my corker is gorked



I went through over 100 corks and finally gave up.


Smurfe


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## MedPretzel (Mar 17, 2006)

How did you cork them? Dry? Do you have a portugese/italian/double-lever? I forget.


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## smurfe (Mar 18, 2006)

MedPretzel said:


> How did you cork them? Dry? Do you have a portugese/italian/double-lever? I forget.




No, I soak them, not over night or anything but for like an hour or so. I have the Blue one, the Italian Floor corker. 


Smurfe


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## MedPretzel (Mar 21, 2006)

Try dipping them in water just to get the outsides wet. It seems like they are getting too impregnated with water (even if "just' for an hour), and might cause them to be more unstable.


I am not familiar with the italian corker, but it should be the same as mine. Still, I'd try the dunk-n-cork method.









Let me know if that works out better for you.





Edit: I see in another post that you are getting a new corker.



I guess then you won't need this advice!!!



*Edited by: MedPretzel *


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## uavwmn (Oct 7, 2007)

After much confusion on my part, I found your Part 1 "for dummies" tutorial. What a HUGE relief to find this!! AND I laughed thru alot of it as you are a funny guy!! Seriously, this helped me much more than the CD with no pictures!! Thank you Smurfe. uavwmn


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## yoyo (Jan 15, 2008)

smurfe, in your tutorial what do you mean by put sanitizer in the airlock


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## yoyo (Jan 15, 2008)

hey smurfe i forgort to ask can you use the whip degasser to stir or will that cause a huge mess in the bucket.


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## Wade E (Jan 15, 2008)

It works great to stir everything up and we encourage that as you will get a truer Starting SG and actually introduce more O2 into the must for a better start of fermentation.


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## smurfe (Jan 16, 2008)

yoyo said:


> smurfe, in your tutorial what do you mean by put sanitizer in the airlock




What I and many do is take some sanitizer solution such as K-Meta and use it in your airlock. You can use water but it will offer no bacterial protection. Have I done it and do I do it? Yes, but only when I don't have any sanitizer made up which is rare. You will see where some will use Vodka in the locks as well as the alcohol will kill the cooties as well but to me that is a waste of good alcohol.


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## MajBob (Feb 19, 2008)

So, it's been a little over 2 years - isn't that wine ready for stage 2 yet??





Seriously, though, what did you do with all that Bentonite solution? Me thinks that I'll have a huge mess on hand if'n I just dump the juice in on top of it. Maybe I need a larger fermentor?


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## smurfe (Feb 20, 2008)

MajBob said:


> So, it's been a little over 2 years - isn't that wine ready for stage 2 yet??
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Bob, look around herefor Part 2 that finished the kits. I regards to the Bentonite, there isn't that much in a Wine Expert kit. Maybe a tablespoon or two. It is pretty easy to mix in particularly if you have a Mix Stir device for the drill. It is a fine powder that dissolves pretty easy.Just add a bit of warm water to the primary and sprinkle the Bentonite in and stir it all up with the Mix Stir. You could mix it in a cup in warm water with a spoon as well and dump it in the bucket. 


Mosti kits use a bit different form of Bentonite that you put in a measuring cup and let rehydrate in water for around 15 minutes or so before adding to the bucket. Theirs looks like Maggots to me. Little white pellet looking things. After they have re-hydrated you stir the slurry up with a spoon and they dissolve pretty easy and you dump them in the bucket.


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## masta (Feb 20, 2008)

The complete tutorial is located here in the "read only section" 


http://www.finevinewines.com/Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1136


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## MajBob (Feb 20, 2008)

Thanks.

I'm sure I am not the first, nor will I be the last, to thank you for a most valuable contribution that will probably be my standard for making my own wine. This tutorial is simply amazing; it is clear that a lot of work went into making this. Thank you sincerely. You da man!

Maybe we can even all get together and raise enough money for socks! You know "Save the Wales," "Socks for Smurfe" . . .

There is a large gap at the end of the tutorial - is that an issue I have with my browser? The last shot I see is just as you are fixin' to stabilize - filled carboy in the center, some U/I must on the right, and a bazillion bottles of wine on the left, all neatly stacked. (They look very nice, BTW.)

Again, I would like to thank Smurfe - and all the others here - who have so generously contributed to my enlightenment. I hope I will be able one day to do the same for some others. Thanks.


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## grapeman (Feb 20, 2008)

Open it again MajBob. I have a feeling it just hadn't finished downloading all the pictures yet. It takes a while. Do ye get to where he filtered and then bottled? If not you didn't get all the pictures. Smurfe did a super job on it, and I especially liked him barefoot and in pajama pants


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## montyfox (Feb 20, 2008)

I agree with appleman. Sometimes I have to refresh the page in order for all the pictures to load correctly.


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## smurfe (Feb 20, 2008)

I have the pictures hosted on Photobucket. Sometimes there is a lag from their server. I did upgrade my account there though from free so I wouldn't run out of bandwidth. I almost ran out last month so the tutorial here must be getting some hits. I have never came close to using all of my allotted bandwidth.


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## MajBob (Feb 21, 2008)

Looks like it's a browser issue. I generally use Mozilla Firefox - that's where I had the problems. When I opened the tutorial in Internet Explorer - it looks just fine. 

Again, my thanks for an outstanding tutorial. 

Cheers!


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