Serve from the carboy?

[lespaul]

My first batch is on it's 6th day and the airlock is slowing down to a bubble every minute. I used concentrated fruit juice, apple juice and water, but I didn't have a hydrometer yet, so I don't know my initial sg. Is it too late to figure out the alcohol content?

I don't care much about taste, only safety. Would it be safe to simply move this glass 6.5gal carboy into the fridge and siphon off a glass at a time? If so, how soon should I do that? Are campden tablets necessary? I have another glass carboy, should I siphon it into there before doing this? I expect it to take me about 2 months to drink it all. Thanks

 

[Noontime]

Without the starting sg there's really no way to know the alcohol (except sending it to a lab for analysis). Wines that have "normal" range pH, acidity, and alcohol are too toxic for anything bad to grow in them, so they're generally safe (meaning they can't hurt you...they can still taste really bad from infections and such). Anything above 8% alcohol is usually considered safe. Since you don't have any information on what the sugar level was at the start, you can't know for sure. But if it was really sweet to begin with and after fermentation it's completely dry (no sugar) you probably don't have anything to worry about. And if you're just going to put it in the ridge and drink it from there within the next few months you definitely don't have anything to worry about. HOWEVER... you do want to rack it off the gross lees once it's done fermenting. All the muck at the bottom will decompose, so you want to get all the wine off of that and in a clean container.

 

[CryptoStorm]

It's probably not going to taste very good if you're going straight from an active primary to drinking it.

If you plan on sweetening it you need to add sulfite and sorbate.

At a minimum you should wait another week or so and rack it off the lees.

Sounds like you're rushing this..

 

[Ajmassa]

I dig the username man.
In the past I used to push the limit on this method without yet knowing the full potential consequences. And out of laziness would fill a bottle at a time as needed. Which would work if you plan to go through the batch quickly.
I noticed my wine progressively getting worse and realized it was from all the oxygen space I was leaving in there causing oxidation.
I would suggest not starting off with bad habits and to bottle it whenever it's ready. A week is probably pushing it. Campden tabs probably aren't necessary if you plan to make it and drink it right away. But if you wanted it to taste good and let it sit longer then tabs are definitely needed.

 

[lespaul]

Ok thanks everyone. I'll wait till the airlock stops bubbling, then wait two weeks, then siphon it into another clean carboy, maybe add one campden tab, close it up and put it in the fridge. Anyone know of a simple, cheap way to introduce CO2 or Nitrogen into the carboy after each time I siphon out a glass? I imagine it would involve expensive tanks/refills?

 

[CryptoStorm]

What the **** dude..

 

[lespaul]

What the **** dude..

What? You said at the minimum wait a week so I'm going to wait two. I took "rack it off the lees" to mean take it out of that carboy. The one campden tablet is because I don't know if the alcohol content is high enough for safety.

 

[CryptoStorm]

You're flying in the face of thousands of years of wine making refinements and perfection.

Campden should be used at a rate of 1 tablet per gallon.. for one.

There is no cheap way of adding co2 to the head. Maybe a small co2 beer tap?

Why wouldn't you just bottle it? Hell, pop bottles will work.

it seems like you're purposefully trying to make prison hooch.

 

[Ajmassa]

Just respond with ...
"#10characterminimum"
If your in prison making hootch with a contraband cell phone. We won't incriminate you.
We can help you out!

 

[stickman]

If you are going to drink right away, you'll be fine, there is enough dissolved co2 to protect the wine for several weeks of abuse. Another simple option is to just transfer the wine to a couple of three gal carboys, or some 1 gallon jugs, it's not much work that way.

 

[Ajmassa]

Seriously. No judgements. Otherwise why ferment juice to booze and not care about if it tastes good or not?
Obviously if this situation turns out to be something like that, (kinda hope it does for my own fascination) then I will most definitely have some curiosity questions. Namely the carboys. Justification through kitchen duty?

 

[hounddawg]

if money is the problem rack a few times to rid it of gas , go to the dollar store and get you some canning mason jars leave a 1 inch head space, , if your new I remember waiting killing me. co get it degassed put it up in mason jars quarts or pints, as someone above said put it in soda bottles and stack in fridge, then as soon as carboy is empty ferment some more rack every 3 months at least three times, mine don't come outta my carboys depending on what I'm making from 1 to 2 years, and if you want strong (ROCKET FUEL) RUN YOUR SG up to 1,20 or 1.30 using ec-1118 or kv-1116 , but if you plan to stay with wine making these people can teach you every thing, ,REMEMBER THIS... during fermentation oxygen is your friend stir daily,,, but after fermentation is done oxygen is your enemy forever more, and time and patience is your friend,
good luck and welcome
DAWG

 

[Scooter68]

There are so many unknowns in your situation that giving a 'correct' answer is essentially impossible.

As someone suggested if you just want an alcoholic drink you seem to be getting there but taste, and the amount of alcohol - there's no way to know. As far as putting into the fridge that will only keep it cold, it won't really assure you that the beverage will keep. Basic steps are just that, basic. Skipping or doing them out of order, incorrectly or incompletely is likely to result in a beverage that may not even have enough alcohol to give you a buzz after several glasses. (It sounds like that's all you are after here)

We like to help folks but if you don't follow basic wine making steps, you may wind up with vinegar or a beverage that is not even good enough to get drunk on. You might as well buy a jug of apple cider, pop it open and put a balloon on it and come back to it in a couple of months. Even then if it has preservatives it may not ferment decently.

 

[lespaul]

I'm not in prison and I never get drunk...that's why I said I expect it to take me 2 months to drink. I simply want a drink before bed and can't afford to buy any kind of booze sold here in Canada. The prices are crazy. The big pop bottles are a good idea, thanks all for the help.

 

[richmke]

Is it too late to figure out the alcohol content?

See how many glasses it takes to feel tipsy. Compare that to something you know with a known alcohol content (beer, wine, etc.).

Would it be safe to simply move this glass 6.5gal carboy into the fridge and siphon off a glass at a time?

Use anything you can that is reusable and has an airtight seal. Collect used beer bottles (without screw tops). A capper and caps are cheap.

Screw top wine bottles work too. If you top them off, they will last long enough. If you can't drink an entire bottle at one sitting, then get a vacu vin, or similar type thing to remove the air from the bottle.

Are campden tablets necessary?

"required" - no. "Advisable" - yes.

I have another glass carboy, should I siphon it into there before doing this?

Yes. You want to get rid of the sediment.

 

[meadmaker1]

. Anyone know of a simple, cheap way to introduce CO2 or Nitrogen into the carboy after each time I siphon out a glass? I imagine it would involve expensive tanks/refills?[

 

[meadmaker1]

. Anyone know of a simple, cheap way to introduce CO2 or Nitrogen into the carboy after each time I siphon out a glass? I imagine it would involve expensive tanks/refills?[


OOps
Local fermenter center has aerosol cans of blended co &nitro
Or local welding supply store $50ish for a regulator and $30ish for bottle deposit , a 20" tall nitrogen bottle will last for ever and only $15ish for refill. Prices im sure can be bettered by Amazon or some other on line source.

 

[Scooter68]

I'm not in prison and I never get drunk...that's why I said I expect it to take me 2 months to drink. I simply want a drink before bed and can't afford to buy any kind of booze sold here in Canada. The prices are crazy. The big pop bottles are a good idea, thanks all for the help.

At 8 ounces a serving your 6 gallon carboy of 'wine' is going to last you over 3 months (96 x 8 oz = 768 oz) 6 x 128 oz (US Gallon) = 768

12.5 oz x 61 days = 762oz
As mentioned you need to bottle it or get the air out or that wine will turn into swill in a month or so even in a fridge. In fact it may pick up odors and flavors of other stuff in the fridge.

Not trying to be a real PITA here but realistically that's a lot of wine to drink at bedtime especially if it's not a very tasty wine. And having resorted to a glass (4-6 oz) of wine at bedtime I can tell you that you can expect to wake up in about 3-4 hours. As my doctor said alcohol is not a good sleep aid - as much as I hate to say it - he's right. A little wine an hour or so before helps but don't expect a 12 oz glass to put you under for the entire night. and in fact you may find yourself up in 3-4 hours AND needing to empty 'the tank.'

 

[Mismost]

The problem I see with serving out of the carboy is you run the risk of contamination every time you open the carboy.....and the dadgum things are heavy too!

 

[Arne]

If you are doing a 5 gal. batch, find 5 one gal. jugs. Be best if you have airlocks for them. Fill 4 to the top, airlock them and set them back. Put the leftover wine in the 5th one. Put it in the refrigerator and use it to drink out of. When it is gone, put another one in. Bet before you are done you will wish that you had let more of it sit for a longer time. It will let you see how the wine tastes as it ages. Arne.