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It looks to me like you have a two gallon batch in a six gallon fermentor. If this is accurate, then you have a four gallon void of empty space that has to be filled before you will see airlock activity. This could take some time. Plus, your fermentor may not have a good tight seal at the...

Ooops... I thought he was looking for something MORE simple than a kit. Yeah...just ignore my post above! Go with a kit! Pogo

Juice is all that you need to make wonderful wines! Starting with juice simplifies everything because one carboy serves as both your Primary fermentor AND as your Secondary fermentor, too! It doesn't matter if it is fresh squeezed, bottled, or frozen concentrate, or a mix of any or all...

I guess it all depends on how accurate a reading you are comfortable with. Even using a test jar pressed to the end of my nose, I still have to do a lot of squinting to come up with a reading. Not to mention a bucket fermenter, I've never tried to take a reading through the class/plastic...

You are in a wonderful position to learn much about the traditional method of wine making. If I were in your shoes, I would take the opportunity to emulate everything EXACTLY as they do. You have the rest of your life to hammer on, and tinker with, the process once you thoroughly...

I guess that you surely can make wine from fruit which has been juiced in such a manner. If you have been studying the wine making process, once the primary fermentation (in its open topped vat, tub, bucket) is complete, the fruits juice is then separated from the pulp/meat of its fruit and...

Shylock - Just leave the water out, and use ALL 100% juice. For instance, in your above recipe, instead of using 3 bottles of juice and 5 bottles of water...use 8 bottles of 100% juice. Except, of course, when you are using cans of frozen juice concentrate, then you should add water as...

I understand that it is required, when using the frozen grape juice concentrate, to then add water. But, I'm a little curious as to why you are using bottled grape juice and then diluting it with water? Seems like it will end up being pretty weak stuff! Plus, I'm in agreement with...

Hmm... As y'all were talking about potassium vs sodium metabisulfite, I was confusing those two with potassium metabifulfite and potassium sorbate...hah! I guess That I've got some studying to do, huh? oxeye

I, personally, would strickly stick to the recipe the first couple of times just to establish a solid 'ground-zero' reference point, while getting up to speed on the whole process. While all of this is going on, keep studying and asking questions of the vets on these subjects before changing...

I've come to realize that no matter what endeavor one attempts, OPTIONS are a most desirable thing to have at your disposal. Making wine seems to be no exception. The newer you are at this, the more options you should try to leave yourself! Until you have determined, through experience...

MAN!!! What happened! Did somebody throw a red sock in with those white T-Shirts...or what? :D oxeye

Well use Food-Grade Paint, then! oxeye

Enamel. oxeye

I don't exactly know what the difference is, if any, between yeast nutrient and energizer. The first recipe I made called for either 'nutrient or energizer.' My LHBS only carries nutrient, so that is what I used then, and it is still what I use whenever energizer is called for. So far...

Nah...I guess I've got my wires crossed! A flow restricter/control? That is a new one for me. In the second photo in your first post to the 'First Batch!!' thread, the line you're holding has a red bulb in the line. It kinda reminds me of one of those priming squeeze pumper things like...

Hey...nice toy box, and it's already chocked full of toys, too! Sour mash? What...did a still come with the package of used equipment that you picked up on, too? BTW - I saw a red rubber pumper-bulbie thing in one of your syphon lines. I've been looking for one of those myself, but my...

I found a deal (steal!!!) at a yard sale yesterday. It is a 6.5 gallon glass carboy, in perfect condition, just dusty. The man said that it had been sitting/laying, empty, in a shed since 1980. I've got a long crooked bottle brush for scrubbing carboys, but I can still see a film of grime...

Hey, GettinCorked - Nice closet! oxeye

I saw these today at my LHBS, $15.00 for 30 compared to $9.99 for 30 natural corks. I didn't buy any, cuz my neighbor lets me use his floor corker. If a person makes a lot of wine, he could save enough using corks to pay for a corker. oxeye