Grape Wine

[Doris_Pinks]

What great friends I have! One turned up this afternoon with 2 carrier bags full of  home grown black grapes! They are very sweet and small, so off tomorrow to get another couple of buckets to ferment them in! This will be another first as I have never made the "real" stuff!!  My house is begining to resemble a winery, yum!  DP

[cleo]

Honestly-what a boozey lot you are!!!.

Good luck Doris,just remember that if they are not `wine grapes` you may need to add a few bits and bobs like nutrients and even maybe a little pinch of tannin.

stephan.

[Doris_Pinks]

I do usually add yeast nutrient...is that what you mean Stephan? And tannin??? hmmmm   Should be interesting    DP

[Steve]

Hi Dorris
You have proberly all ready started the wine but have been away. With grape wine you  must check the must for sweetness also the pips and stalks contain tannin (which gives red wine that puckering feeling like a well brewed cup of tea) also when you crush the grapes leave the skins in the must for two or three days to take on the colour knocking the crust down  and stiring every day.
Good luck with the first batch if I can be of any help let me know.
Steve C

[Doris_Pinks]

Steve, thanks for your reply! Does this mean I have to taste it! It does not look too appealing in the bucket Left the pips in but the stalks went into my bean trench.opps! My recipe says to leave it, stirring daily for 10 days, then put in the demijohn.
Also have you ever made, or is it possible, apple wine with eaters? Or how about a 50/50 eaters and cookers? Someone has given me a load of eaters and they are going off faster than they can be eaten which is a shame.look forward to hearing from you or anyone else! Dotty P.

[Steve]

Hi Dorris
no you don't have to taste it use a hydrometer  available from your local home brew shop or  via the internet as for wine from eaters you could make a nice dessertwine or a sparkling wine once again you will have to determin sweetnes, acid and tannin levels.
Hope this helps
Steve C

[Doris_Pinks]

thanks Steve, our local brew shop has shut down, and now it seems our Boots no longer stocks home brew stuff, so to the internet I go!! DP