Oil like substance floating in my wine?!

[bigorange82]

Excellent to have someone who sees things from my perspective. That's exactly what I'm doing is experimenting right now, slowly acquiring better equipment. I plan on buying those 5 gallon buckets from a local hardware store, and I already have the fancy air-lock and hydrometer.

The idea of using concentrated syrups appeals greatly to me, as I'm looking for the most economical way to make homebrew. Later in to the hobby I will definitely pursue superb tasting wines, right now it's just about a high alcohol content.

Thanks again

 

[smurfe]

I don't remember if your initial question was ever answered. The film very may of been from the dishwasher detergent and/or Rinse Agent. For all out there scolding. The dishwasher can and will do just fine to sanitize IF the proper settings are used AND no soap is used. You first have to clean the bottles. The dishwasher isn't going to be too dependable to clean the inside of bottles. Use the heat/dry or sanitize cycle. Remember, use no soap. Depending on the temps your dishwasher gets it will sanitize them. Mine has a 180 degree heat dry cycle so I can sanitize in just a few minutes if I chose to use it. The combo of heat and steam will indeed sanitize.

People need to get their heads out of the sand and realize that there are more than one way to skin a cat. We get our minds set that there is only one way to do something. This is not right. We shouldn't chastise someone for their ways. If their ways are totally off the mark we should gently lead them to the right. Remember, most who ask questions are newbies who have no idea where to get info or was fed bad info. Remember as well, what is bad info to one may be golden information to another. One region may do things one way while another finds it crazy and a sin.

I personally find nothing wrong with using a dishwasher and have many times with never an issue. You don't have to use one but guess what? If I want to use one I damn well will. Do I? Not often but if I am bottling a large batch of beer I sure do. Saves me a couple hours and I have never once had a bottle with an infection. Remember, they were clean first though. Remember as well, just because I do it don't mean you have to or will have the same results. It's my stuff and if I make a mistake I screw up MY stuff. Just saying I have never had an issue and I brew a lot.

The only problem I found with the initial post is someone wanted to make wine with high alcohol over taste. Remember, you only get as much alcohol as you have sugar. Almost any wine yeast would of gave as much alcohol and a much better flavor. It would of just taken a bit longer. Remember as well, there are many places to get cheap or even free wine making stuff. Some have been mentioned. Try looking at a local donut shop or bakery. Many just throw away the buckets the fillings come in or sell them very cheap. Some trash cans you can buy are food grade. Many ciders or fruit drinks come in one gallon glass jugs. The accounts are endless.

 

[Manimal]

In regards to using a dishwasher, I work in a ferment-on-premise right now and our "bottle sanitizer" is in fact a commercial dishwasher that has been rigged to shoot a jet of hot water into each bottle neck. Of course, as Smurfe noted, we don't use detergent in it... just extremely hot water.