# Is this an "OK" recipe to try for my first time???



## dantrubak (Oct 31, 2011)

*Ingredients:
*15 cans of juice concentrate
*4 gallons of water
*1 package Pasteur yeast
*6 lbs. of sugar
*5 Campden tablets, crushed
*3 tsp. yeast nutrient
*1 1/4 tsp. potassium sorbate

*Equipment:
*Hydrometer
*5 gallon food grade bucket with lid
*5 gallon glass carboy
*Air lock and stopper
*Siphon hose
*Wine bottles with new corks
*Corking tool
*Sanitizing cleanser


1. Prepare the Equipment

Obtain your equipment. Specialized wine-making equipment such as hydrometers, glass carboys and siphons can be purchased from stores specializing in brewing and wine making. There are also online resources available. Costs for a complete wine-making kit generally run between $150 and $300 U.S. Other items can be obtained from your local retail department store.


2. Sanitize all equipment that will come in contact with the ingredients prior to making your wine.

3. Obtain wine bottles from friends, local restaurants or save them yourself. It's less expensive that way.


4. Prepare the Juice and Adding Ingredients 

Mix 15 cans of juice concentrate and an equal amount of water in the 5-gallon bucket. Make sure that you use 100 percent real fruit juice without preservatives. Avoid juice "cocktails" and other blends that contain high-fructose corn syrup. This juice is also called the "must."

If the concentrate contains citric or ascorbic acid as an ingredient, stir in 2 tsp. of baking soda to balance the acid in the must.

5. Add the 5 crushed Campden tablets to the must, stirring well to dissolve them completely, then let it sit overnight. Campden tablets will sterilize the must, killing any wild yeast.

6. Dissolve the 6 lbs. of sugar in 1 gallon of boiling water. Once it has reached room temperature, add it to the must. 

7.Add the yeast nutrient and enough water to bring it up to the 5-gallon level and stir the must again.

8. Check the specific gravity of the must using the hydrometer. The specific gravity should be around 1.09 or higher. If not, add more sugar and test again.

9. Add the yeast to the must. There is no need to stir.

10. Place the lid on the bucket loosely.

11. Fermentation

Watch the must for fermentation to begin within the first 24 hours. Foam will begin to accumulate on the surface of the must.

Check the specific gravity of the must around day 5 to 7. If the must has reached 1.04 or less, it is ready to move to the glass carboy.

12. Use the siphon hose to transfer the must from the primary fermenter to the glass carboy, which will act as your secondary fermenter. Ensure that there is sufficient head space between the must and the top of the carboy.

13. Sanitize the airlock and stopper, then fill the airlock properly with water and place them into the top of the carboy. This will seal the carboy, protecting the must from contamination.

14. Observe the fermentation process in your carboy each day. You will notice bubbles rising in the carboy and carbon-dioxide gas escaping from the airlock.

15. Allow the must to sit in the carboy until the yeast settles. This may take several weeks.

16. Siphon the liquid into the bucket when the yeast sediment is about an inch thick, being careful to leave the sediment behind in the glass carboy.

17. Stir the wine vigorously in the bucket to drive off any excess carbon-dioxide gas.

18. Clean the glass carboy and siphon the contents of the bucket back into the carboy and replace the airlock. Top off the wine with water to leave about 2 inches between the liquid and the top of the carboy.

19. Repeat steps 7 through 10 occasionally until the wine clears, usually within 2-3 months. During this time, the must will be turning into wine.

20. Bottling and Storage

Take the specific gravity of the wine occasionally. When it is at or below 1.00, the wine is ready to bottle.

21. Siphon the liquid into the bucket for the last time, leaving the sediment behind in the glass carboy.

22. Stir in 1 1/4 tsp. of potassium sorbate to the wine to stabilize it and prevent yeast from further developing once the wine is bottled.

23.Siphon the wine from the bucket into the sanitized wine bottles.

24. Soak the wine corks in warm water for about 15 minutes.

25. Cork each bottle using the corking tool.

26. Store your wine in a cool, dry place. To keep your wine from spoiling, store your wine on its side to keep the corks moist.


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## dantrubak (Nov 1, 2011)

I know its basic, but is it worth my time? I have never done this before.


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## winemaker_3352 (Nov 1, 2011)

It looks alright.

I would suggest getting an Acid Test Kit - and add acid accordingly.

Also you stated the SG should be 1.090 - if not add more sugar. 1.090 is probably a good starting SG - i wouldn't go any higher than 1.095.


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## dantrubak (Nov 2, 2011)

The acid test kit and adding acid is NEW to me. Are there different types of acid to add?


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## cpfan (Nov 2, 2011)

Dantrubak:

I don't like the 5 gallon bucket/primary for making 5 gallons of wine. I would go with a minimum 8 gallon primary. Very difficult to stir vigourously when the pail is FULL to the brim, and if the ferment foams you'll have a mess.

I don't think the campden is necessary if using commercially prepared frozen concentrates. Perhaps somebody who uses these can comment.

I don't agree with transferring to the carboy at 1.040 or lower. I prefer 1.005 or lower.

Don't bottle the first time that the sg is below 1.000. Make sure that the wine has finished fermenting by haveing constant sg for say a week. Also make sure that the wine is clear. You don't want sediment appearing in the bottles.

Steve


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