I have a 6 gallon jug of zinfandel, now what?

[abefroman]

Total newbie here, I have a 6 gallon jug of zinfandel, now what?

Here is what I gathered so:
1. Add yeast, do I keep it in the fridge, or room temp? Add any antibacterial stuff?

2. Let ferment 1 week, do I use that came container or get another plastic one with an air lock?

3. put in a glass jug with an air lock, let rest 2-3 weeks. Add any antibacterial stuff?

4. Check it, stop the fermentation if done. What do I need for this?

5. Let rest 2-3 more weeks.

6. Bottle, how do I get the corks in the bottles?

Any other tips?

TIA

 

[winemaker_3352]

When you add the yeast - try to keep the temp around 75 degrees.

Add potassium metabisulphite in 24 hours prior to pitching the yeast - if this is a kit - may want to read - this may already be present in the juice. Starting SG should be around 1.085 - 1.090 then ferment until the SG is at 1.010 then rack to secondary. Let ferment until complete - once complete (SG is the same for 3 consecutive days) then rack again to a clean carboy. Do not try to stop an active fermentation - let ferment until dry - then backsweeten later on.

Then age about a year before bottling. To bottle you will need to get either a hand help corker or a floor corker - i would suggest the Portuguese floor corker.

 

[Wade E]

This is what I would do. Add 1/4 tsp of k-meta (potassium Metabisulfite) and wait 12 hours, add enzyme such as Opti Red and wait another 12 hours all while getting your temp up to about 75*. Once the temp is there and its been 24 hours you can add your wine yeast of choice. Before adding your yeast though you should take a brix reading with your hydrometer, 24-25 on something like this is normal and sometimes lower on juice buckets which is fine. Anything higher and youll want to dilute it down with acidified water. You really should also check the ph and ta of the wine but Im guessing you dont want to take it that far the first time making wine. After about 4-6b days you should take another reading with your hydrometer. When it gets down to around 1.015 sg its time to get it into a 5 gallon carboy with bung and airlock. I forgot to mention that you really should transfer this juice into a 7.9 gallon bucket and cover it with a lid on loose or a cloth to keep bugs out but let 02 in at this point. When racking to carboy at around 1.015 you should stir it up gently to get all the yeast suspended so that you dont leave behind too much which would result in yoiur wine not finishing fermenting. After ts in the carboy for a week or so again take a spcific gravity reading with your hydrometer as it should be done or almost done. Once you have stable readings for 3 days in a row its time to add another 1/4 tsp of the sulfite to protect it from oxidation and bacteria which is always present. If you have lots of sediment you shoudl rack it off before adding the sulfite so as not to stir this all up again. Now its time to use a fining agen or just let time clear it.

 

[Tom]

Yep! this is what I do with fresh juices.
Get a reading now juct in case it started to ferment cold.

 

[Wade E]

I would do some reading on this site or a book for more info.

 

[wyntheef]

1. add the yeast after you let it get to room temp. and don't refrigerate it again. you could add a campden tablet/1-4 tsp k-meta but not both.

2 n 3. after about a day it will be fermenting. you don't need to airlock at this time, but ok if you do. if not, make sure it's covered w/cheesecloth or something like that for bugs. bucket it came in is ok if it has about 3 spare inches at top for foaming or whatever. might take longer than a week to ferment, but the way we tell is with a hydrometer.(about 7 bucks at a beer/wine store)
we siphon it out of plastic into glass and put it under airlock for sure after it gets down to 1.000 on hydrometer, then let it finish fermenting to dry.
if you didnt put in k-meta before, now is a good time.

4. normally, you don't want to stop fermentation. let it finish.

5. or more, but siphon it off of the sediment first. gotta do that a few times so as to clear your wine.

6. spit on em.

just kidding. you need to borrow or buy a corker. floor corkers are worth every penn.

good luck. winemaking is fun.

 

[abefroman]

Thanks for the great and fast responses!

I read some pdf's and watched a few videos on youtube.

The jug says it already contains sulfates, not sure if thats good or bad. It is not a kit, they had it for $40 at the supermarket, which seemed like a good deal, and something I've been wanting to try.

The lid on my jug is not air tight, when I add the yeast do I want to seal it by putting a garbae bag over the top and then wrapping a bungee cord around it? Or leave it so some air gets in?

For adding the yeast, to I mix it in a cup of the juice first, and the let it sit for 10 minutes before adding to the big jug?

After its been racked for a week or so, and I have SG for 3 days do I add potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulfite and icing glass?

Thanks!

 

[Green Mountains]

Thanks for the great and fast responses!

I read some pdf's and watched a few videos on youtube.

The jug says it already contains sulfates, not sure if thats good or bad. It is not a kit, they had it for $40 at the supermarket, which seemed like a good deal, and something I've been wanting to try.

The lid on my jug is not air tight, when I add the yeast do I want to seal it by putting a garbae bag over the top and then wrapping a bungee cord around it? Or leave it so some air gets in?

For adding the yeast, to I mix it in a cup of the juice first, and the let it sit for 10 minutes before adding to the big jug?

After its been racked for a week or so, and I have SG for 3 days do I add potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulfite and icing glass?

Thanks!

Ok, what supermarket? I gotta get a job with them...

 

[abefroman]

Ok, what supermarket? I gotta get a job with them...

Haha, its called Valley, they are in the Chicago suburbs, this was the first time I've seen it there, they also had a 6 gal jug of white juice.

 

[wyntheef]

The jug says it already contains sulfates, not sure if thats good or bad. It is not a kit, they had it for $40 at the supermarket, which seemed like a good deal, and something I've been wanting to try.

The lid on my jug is not air tight, when I add the yeast do I want to seal it by putting a garbae bag over the top and then wrapping a bungee cord around it? Or leave it so some air gets in?

For adding the yeast, to I mix it in a cup of the juice first, and the let it sit for 10 minutes before adding to the big jug?

After its been racked for a week or so, and I have SG for 3 days do I add potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulfite and icing glass?

Thanks!

the sulfite being added in means thay have already added 'campden' or ' k'meta'. thats ok. (these are different ways of saying the same thing.)

again, in the early stages of fermenting it's ok to have air w/ a cheesecloth or equivalent(so u don't need the garbage bag), but later stages of ferment require airlock for sure.

the way you are saying to do it, is real good with the yeast but not required.

dont rush the last step. instead, while your wine is under airlock and you have plenty of time to, read up on stabilizing. much has been discussed on this and other forums, so be patient and read a lot.