Hi

[balgruuf]

Hi,
I'm new to wine-making. In fact I've only been doing it for the last month or so. I've made a batch of white and a batch of red, both a gallon each.

I was afraid to test these gallons out shortly after fermentation. I was afraid I would not have enough time to "clear" the wine and I would get bad gas. Sorry to be frank.

I have had a new gallon on ferment for about a week and a half to two weeks. The bubbles emerging out of my airlock(which is U-shaped) have slowed to about 1 every 25-35 seconds.

I hear that you must clear the wine and then rack for a few months. I am not so detailed about it, all I prefer is something that will be tolerable and not cause imbalances with my biology(regarding the yeast).

What I'm hoping to hear here are whether waiting for the wine to clear does anything really remarkable towards the taste, alcohol content, etc.

Fun fact: I have never bought a bottle of wine from the store, not even for a date. I prefer my alcohol to be straightforward in its effects without making me regret it. I'm simple I guess.

Also, I have a hydrometer, but the depth of the vessels I'm using doesn't allow me to approximate how well the mixture has fermented.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome, Balgruuf!

I have drunk young, uncleared wine, and don't recall having any bad effects on my body, so I don't think I'd worry about that. In fact, many people eat yeast as a nutritional supplement.

But, yes, if you are patient, you can (and should) rack these wines at some point, leaving behind the sediment. At this point, you should add potassium metabisulfite so that your wine will not oxidize or spoil. After a few months, more sediment will accumulate at the bottom, and the wine will be clearer.
It really would be best if you can find a test vessel, like a tall, narrow glass, that allows you to use your hydrometer to test your wine's specific gravity.

 

[bkisel]

Welcome to WMT!

 

[JohnT]

Welcome aboard!

When wine is digested, your stomach acid will kill off any remaining living yeast. It could be that other components of the wine are affecting you (e.g. acid level or tannins).

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Welcome to the forum, Balgruuf!

 

[Arne]

Welcome to the forum. Your wines will improve as they age, but it is fun to try them out right away. They will probably be pretty dry so it mite help some to add a little sugar to your glass. Try it straight first then if it needs it add some sugar. If you are going to add sugar to the entire batch make sure you stabalize it first or you will probably get a referment. Arne.