Scuppernong Wine

[Sandbar33]

Newbie who has never made wine before. I have a very old recipe from my dad and need some opinions as it seems like everything I see online is totally different.

I have taken a 5 gallon bucket of ripe scuppernongs, mashed them to extract juice and placed the mash into a rubbermaid container. I then dissolved 8 pounds of sugar, added 3 gallons of water and stirred it into the mash and added a pack of wine yeast.

Here is where I get confused and need help (lol). My dad told me the way they made it in the 50's was to run a tube from the fermenter into a jug of water and leave it alone until it stoped fermenting. They NEVER stirred it and left the hulls in the tub the entire time until it was "ready". Should I just leave it alone to do its thing or should I be stirring the mash everyday? I also see where some people take the hulls out after a week or two.

I am just curious as to whether my dads old bootlegger way is the way to go or should I do something different. It has been fermenting for about 2 days now and I want to know anybodys opinions......Thanks!

 

[Sacalait]

The old ways are not always the best. The hulls should be pushed down at least twice daily. Once the S.G. reaches 1.010 transfer the liquid only to a carboy fitted with an air lock. You need not run a tube from the fermenter but do cover with a towel to keep out the fruit flies.

Three gallons is a lot of water, it will be kind of thin and that will take away from the taste. For 30#'s which is what a 5 gallon can will hold the water should have been limited to around 1.25 gallons. What was your starting S.G.?

 

[Sandbar33]

The old ways are not always the best. The hulls should be pushed down at least twice daily. Once the S.G. reaches 1.010 transfer the liquid only to a carboy fitted with an air lock. You need not run a tube from the fermenter but do cover with a towel to keep out the fruit flies.

Three gallons is a lot of water, it will be kind of thin and that will take away from the taste. For 30#'s which is what a 5 gallon can will hold the water should have been limited to around 1.25 gallons. What was your starting S.G.?

Here is the thing.....I travel with my job and can't be there daily to stir it and push the hulls down. That and the fact that I just want to keep this as simple as possible. I do have another question. I am going to pick up a hydrometer. When should I check the concoction for alcohol levels and if it isn't where I want it to be do I just add sugar to it?

 

[Sandbar33]

Also I forgot to ask...What advantage is there to stirring the brew daily?

 

[Sacalait]

Stirring daily helps keep the skins wet so that more flavor can be extracted. On muscadines all the flavor is in the skin. As the brew ferments the skins float to the top and dry out so you're missing out on flavor if they're not mixed in.

If you can't be there to stir daily then some things can't be avoided and you do what you have to do.

In order to get an accurate account of the alcohol content a hydrometer reading must be taken just after the sugar has been stirred in. This will give you a starting S.G. reading which translates into potential alcohol content and you can adjust the sugar content at this time in order to get the alcohol where you want it. If you didn't do that from the beginning then you'll just be guessing what the alcohol will be when finished. A hydrometer is one of the wine makers most important tools and I incourege you to get one.