[Auntiemogs]

I thought I'd start up this thread as a useful way of keeping track of what works (and what doesn't), as quite a lot of useful info has been posted on various threads. 

If anyone would like to chip in with their thoughts, they would be most welcome.   

Glass bottles, plastic bottles (soft drink, milk cartons), corks (traditional and plastic) and screwtops. 

To start the ball rolling, I took delivery of my Polypins today.  I'm collecting screwtop wine bottles but having recently bought some 30 bottle kits on offer, I don't think I'll have enough storage space!  I was looking for something not too expensive and reusable that will keep my wine in good condition until I drink it ( ).

I looked at 'bag in box' systems but they were fairly expensive as you could only re-use them a few times.

So, after a bit of research, it seemed that the consensus was a Polypin.  It's a reuseable bag which deflates as you empty it, so air doesn't get in and spoil the wine.  It has a cap, which goes on for storage and a tap for when you want to start decanting.

I ordered them online and initially was a bit shocked at the price (as the site didn't say that the prices were without VAT) but this is what I got for my £40.....will look around if I buy more...

Picture is of 2 x 10L Polypins (heavy plastic and I think these will last for ages, comes with cap, tap and dispenser box)
4 x 5L Polypins (supplied with cap and 'push thumb' dispenser, not such heavy gauge but much thicker than a     tradiditonal bag in box so should last a fair while, also supplied with a dispenser box)

Mags

[grinling]

could be difficult to sterelise.
I leave my wine in demijohns until bottles become available. I have currently 12-13 of them...most are fruit from last year due to be bottled Oct/Nov, with 4 being fruit juice wines and another 4 demijohns down stairsdue for racking.
Have about 30-40 bottles in airing cupboard.
Mainly use screwtop, but also have plastic corks and also brown plastic screwtop bottles from a beer kit.
Good source of bottles is a restaurant.

[BobE]

Looks good.
The 5L polypins will let you decant a bottle to last a few days.  Thats about 6 bottles isn't it?
The 10L ones will let you store wine for weeks before you transfer it to bottles later on.
Ive sort of found out that plastic is good for six months.  If you want years then you need glass.  Also I suspect that screwtops are a fairly short life, in months.  So, to build a cellar put 5 or 6 glass bottles, with corks, neck down into deep archive.  Plan to drink the remaining 24 over the current year.
I'll be interested in what the others say.

[Auntiemogs]

Think it'll be really easy to sterilise Grinling as I'll just give them a quick sloosh for a few mins.  I really don't have space for lots of DJs but can probably squeeze these in behind the odd sofa... 

Looks good.
The 5L polypins will let you decant a bottle to last a few days.  Thats about 6 bottles isn't it?
The 10L ones will let you store wine for weeks before you transfer it to bottles later on.
Ive sort of found out that plastic is good for six months.  If you want years then you need glass.  Also I suspect that screwtops are a fairly short life, in months.  So, to build a cellar put 5 or 6 glass bottles, with corks, neck down into deep archive.  Plan to drink the remaining 24 over the current year.
I'll be interested in what the others say.

Thanks Bob.  I've tried to find out the storage life of wine in a polypin but nowt so far...  I'm sure that 'with a little help from my friends' it won't take a year  but I do plan to lay a few down to see how they do (corks on the ready!).
As an aside, I had to decant the new iBrew kit yesterday.  It was supposed to take around 10 days but I guess with the warm weather, there was no movement after 5.  Have to say that I had a wee snifter and even then, was at least £5 supermarket level.  Hoping the Muntons and Cellar 7 are equally good. 

[BobE]

As an aside, I had to decant the new iBrew kit yesterday.  It was supposed to take around 10 days but I guess with the warm weather, there was no movement after 5.  Have to say that I had a wee snifter and even then, was at least £5 supermarket level.  Hoping the Muntons and Cellar 7 are equally good. 

Have you got a hydrometer?.  If yes the kit will tell you the first fermentation gravity.  It will be below 1.010.  Rot it down to what they say.  I no longer use a bubbler in a plastic FV it just doesn't need it, so bubbles are not a good test. (In a demijohn, glass, this is still required but a plastic FV has more than enough give in it.


If no hydrometer then it should taste very dry, or leave it for ten days anyway, nothing to loose.


If you rack it into plastic once again that will be enough give.


Modern wine kits are equal to if not better that £7 supermarket wines.  That is true for reds.  Whites are more difficult, its hard to get rid of the yellow colours without finings and filters.  If you drink a slightly yellow white it will taste ok but more fruity than a bought wine.  But your friends may not like it, because it will look different.


Make a few reds before you embark on a white.

[Auntiemogs]

Have you got a hydrometer?.  If yes the kit will tell you the first fermentation gravity.  It will be below 1.010.  Rot it down to what they say.  I no longer use a bubbler in a plastic FV it just doesn't need it, so bubbles are not a good test. (In a demijohn, glass, this is still required but a plastic FV has more than enough give in it.
If no hydrometer then it should taste very dry, or leave it for ten days anyway, nothing to loose.
If you rack it into plastic once again that will be enough give.
Modern wine kits are equal to if not better that £7 supermarket wines.  That is true for reds.  Whites are more difficult, its hard to get rid of the yellow colours without finings and filters.  If you drink a slightly yellow white it will taste ok but more fruity than a bought wine.  But your friends may not like it, because it will look different.
Make a few reds before you embark on a white.

Yes, I have a hydrometer but the kit showed no further signs of life (and tasted fairly good) so I decanted it anyway (not that I can use a hydrometer  , I just looked for the yellow bit with the mexican beer - the sooner they bring out a digital version the better imho).
Oddly enough, there was no bubble kit, which surprised me...and there was no rot limit but I just went with the flow...time will tell I guess...
I have to say that I do like dedicated kit (although I still haven't found a use for the blue 'widget' supplied - maybe it's part of the airlock system?  ) but that's just me (it is a nice blue colour and has a tap at the bottom, which is very useful for decanting).
I have taken your advice and I shall save the Chardonnay kit until I am comfortable, which may be some time (and many bottles) yet. 
Potential "Cheers". 

[BobE]

Auntie,


Run the hydrometer under a very hot tap.
Drop it into the mix, I give it a spin.
Notice were the fluid level is, just its location, don't try to read it.
Take it out.
Put your nail where the fluid level was. (You can do that as you take it out if you like)
You can find 1.000. yes so just see how close it got, it should be just below the 1.000.
If you do it at the start of the kit your looking at 1.070
At the end 0.990, or just under 1.000


If you put wine that has not finished into glass it could blow the cork or even the bottle.
If you put it into plastic then I think it will be ok but might pour a bit fizzy, like beer does.  CO2 trapped in the bottle.


Also after the first fermentation, its best to move it into a large container.  Roll it around to get a foam, then stand it a few hours.  Keep rolling and standing till the foam is very reduced.  This removes any trapped CO2.  Fizzy drinks contain trapped CO2.  Wine is normally not fizzy.

[Auntiemogs]

I really must furtle out my brewing book as it has a temperature compensation chart but tbh, I'm far too tired in the hot weather.  Tis excellent to have a shortcut though Bob, so many thanks for that. 

[Auntiemogs]

Hehehe! I know I'll get told off but... 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDETEPYS3Hs

[BobE]

Yes you probably will.   

[Auntiemogs]

Well, in that case...
Love Santana, my favourite brewing music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9eAl4fp32c 

[BobE]

That lead guitar was wonderful, the pace of the entire song was underplayed perfectly.  Brilliant stuff.

[Capt Zero]

You guys are on a roll here.. as I've upped my wine making I also need to look for better storage. I've always had enough bottles to cover whatever I've brewed, but this year now we have our allotment I'm making way way more than I've ever done. So I need to take a good look at what's out there, looking forward to what you make of your PP auntie, maybe half of doz of them would be the answer?.

Last Sat I did buy a new 25lts barrel with a screw top from Wilkos....I'm wondering if these maybe the way to go?? you can add a tap easy...but then as you draw off air needs to enter the top, not a good idea. With my beer I use Corni Kegs, you gas them no problems. I thought about maybe using a CK for the large brews that I've done, at the moment I've got 50lts of rhubarb half done, with another 25lts waiting in the wings, but I'm not sure about sparkling rhubarb....but there again it could be great 

On top of all this..(84lts in total over 8 fruit wines) tomorrow we're collecting a fruit press, we've been given about 100yds of grapes from a fellow plot owner, he never picks them so he's offered them to us for the odd bottle. We off this morning to see a very small orchard that we've been told to use, a few apple trees and one pear (perry) and a walnut tree, where we're going to find the time from I don't know....but we will 



 

[Auntiemogs]

Sounds like you're going into production Capt!    

Rhubarb wine sounds lovely.   

There are 20L PPs available too but sounds like you need to buy in bulk......

http://www.baginboxonline.co.uk/buyit1.html

[mumofstig]

Do storage and wine - make sense 
I seem to drink it as quickly as I get it