Werzels wow questions

[sour_grapes]

You can add a bit of sugar to your tasting glass. Don't add to the batch or it will referment unless you stabilize it. Stabilizing is adding k-meta(campden) and potassium sorbate.

and also when I backsweeten and put it in the fridge will it referment?

Listen to Arne!

 

[jamesjr]

I kno it will referment normally but will it in the fridge? And also I do listen to arne he's helped with every wine ive made so far

 

[Arne]

I kno it will referment normally but will it in the fridge? And also I do listen to arne he's helped with every wine ive made so far

It mite or mite not referment if you cool it down. If it does referment, it will probably be real slow. If you take it out, let it warm up and sit in the warm for a while, it will almost surely referment if it isn't stabilized. Arne.

 

[jamesjr]

Ok thanks arne.

 

[wineforfun]

If I back sweeten with an orange frozen concentrate how much should I use? For one gallon.and also when I backsweeten and put it in the fridge will it referment?

Hard to say with OJ. When I backsweeten with concentrate, I usually use 10-11oz. per gallon. Never backsweetened OJ with more OJ though. I really believe once you get it stabilized(sorbate) and cleared, you should use plain table sugar to backsweeten it some. It should help A) the taste and B) the acidity of the OJ.

 

[jamesjr]

Ok kool so u think the extra oj would make it to acidic? I like the strong fruit flavors or would it be to strong. But thanks for the input all! And I have no sorbate so I'm going to try and just refridgerate it to stop fermentation

 

[Arne]

Best advice I can give is to get some sorbate and be sure you have the yeastie beasties under control. Get the wine clear, add the k-meta and sorbate, let it sit for a week or so, add the sweetener, let it sit again to make sure it doesn't referment and bottle. I have bottled without waiting, but it is a good idea to try and make sure the bottles don't start pushing the corks out. Arne.

 

[jamesjr]

I'm a small time guy I only make 1 gallon at a time due to a list of things ( money, girlfriend..... yup that's it) lol but really I'm going to do 1 gallon batches for a while because I can work more on perfecting that batch instead of having a whole 5 gallons of wine that I messed up on so what I'm thinking of doing is drinking half and bottling half using some type of plastic bottle ( water soda juice gatoraide bottles). yea I kno a lot of ppl frown on that but that's really my only choice at the moment. Also I heard if using plastic to use the # 1 pete or pet what would be the best choice to use? Or is it really to damn ludicrous to do such a thing? I probably wouldn't be aging to long any how maybe a couple months tops.

 

[Arne]

If I was going to have to use those bottles, I believe I would try and find some screw top wine bottles. I know, folks kind of frown on their use also, but they should be better than the plastic. Just make sure the wines are totally degassed and that they are not going to referment. The screw tops won't push out like corks and you can get some pretty high pressures inside. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[wineforfun]

I'm a small time guy I only make 1 gallon at a time due to a list of things ( money, girlfriend..... yup that's it) lol but really I'm going to do 1 gallon batches for a while because I can work more on perfecting that batch instead of having a whole 5 gallons of wine that I messed up on so what I'm thinking of doing is drinking half and bottling half using some type of plastic bottle ( water soda juice gatoraide bottles). yea I kno a lot of ppl frown on that but that's really my only choice at the moment. Also I heard if using plastic to use the # 1 pete or pet what would be the best choice to use? Or is it really to damn ludicrous to do such a thing? I probably wouldn't be aging to long any how maybe a couple months tops.

james,
Don't apologize for the quantity you make. I mostly only make 1 and 2 gal. batches. I have made two 6 gal. kits and they are alot more work. The reason I make the smaller batches is for 2 reasons, A) I am usually trying a new recipe and B) we don't drink more than 1-2 bottles a week. I have been doing this for two years now and have 140 bottles on my racks. Going to take awhile to drink those.
As far as bottles, do you have any shops around that sell wine, or wineries, etc.? Or friends of yours, your family, your girlfriend, etc. that drink wine? I have over 10 cases of 750's and 375's that I have obtained for free. Started out with a friend of my wife's, who drinks a lot of wine, would give them to her at work for me. Then I got the winery and shop connection. I now have more than enough to keep over 150 full.

 

[jamesjr]

The closest brew store is a far ways a way and NONE of my friends drink wine lol seriously we all drink beer I'm just the odd ball making wine now but I will wait and try and find some bottles and also do I order the corks?

 

[BernardSmith]

Might your friends donate some beer bottles? I know the "preferred" bottle size is 750 ccs but beer bottles can hold wine just as well as wine bottles and if you have a capper and some caps ... ? Rather than 5 bottles/gallon you can bottle 8-10 /gallon...

 

[wineforfun]

The closest brew store is a far ways a way and NONE of my friends drink wine lol seriously we all drink beer I'm just the odd ball making wine now but I will wait and try and find some bottles and also do I order the corks?

Yes, you will need a corker and corks. I think most on here use a floor corker. I am in the minority and use a cheap $10 hand corker. I cork all mine with 1 3/4" #9's. If you are only planning on keeping these bottled for a few months, then you could use the 1 1/2" #8's.

Or, you could look at going the route Bernard proposed too, especially if you have access to the beer bottles.

Once you get all your fellow drinkers converted to wine, then you will have your wine bottle supply.

You may just need to keep making some of these "off norm" wines to get your fellow drinkers to like wine. Most people equate wine with the very dry reds, whites, etc. There is a lot more out there than those.

 

[sour_grapes]

Might your friends donate some beer bottles? I know the "preferred" bottle size is 750 ccs but beer bottles can hold wine just as well as wine bottles and if you have a capper and some caps ... ? Rather than 5 bottles/gallon you can bottle 8-10 /gallon...

This was my thought exactly. Plus, if you are the only one drinking the wine, might as well not have a whole 750 cc bottle open at a time!

 

[jamesjr]

Ok great thanks for the info I was just at a job and got some wine bottle screw cap and some liquor bottle screw caps a customer gave me as a tip lol I guess my winter beard makes me look like a wino and as a bonus there was plenty of liquor left. Also quick question I live in central florida would it be ok to store some of the bottled wine in a dark place out in my workshop? No tempature control out there but its good and shaded from a few big pines. Or maybe under my house as I live in a house 3 feet of the ground and its fully in closed under there so no critters ( we live in a flood zone) but no water ever goes near there

 

[wineforfun]

Biggest keys to storing is a dark place without vibration or constant movement. It would be beneficial if you could keep them around the 60-65 degree mark, if possible.

 

[jamesjr]

Ok thanks for the quick reply ill take a few temperature reading under there

 

[Arne]

james,
Don't apologize for the quantity you make. I mostly only make 1 and 2 gal. batches. I have made two 6 gal. kits and they are alot more work. The reason I make the smaller batches is for 2 reasons, A) I am usually trying a new recipe and B) we don't drink more than 1-2 bottles a week. I have been doing this for two years now and have 140 bottles on my racks. Going to take awhile to drink those.
As far as bottles, do you have any shops around that sell wine, or wineries, etc.? Or friends of yours, your family, your girlfriend, etc. that drink wine? I have over 10 cases of 750's and 375's that I have obtained for free. Started out with a friend of my wife's, who drinks a lot of wine, would give them to her at work for me. Then I got the winery and shop connection. I now have more than enough to keep over 150 full.

I believe the only reason D.J. makes gal. batches is he can't lift the 5 or 6 gal. ones and he doesn't have a vac. pump. (check out his aviator) LOL, Arne.

 

[wineforfun]

haha
You figured me out Arne.

 

[jamesjr]

Haha do u do strong man comps or power lifting? I really thaught about trying it out a couple years back but I lost a lot of strength I had.