Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Homebrew => Topic started by: Stoatus on June 05, 2009, 10:45

Title: When to bottle?
Post by: Stoatus on June 05, 2009, 10:45

Hello

I am a bit confused as to how long to leave wines in demijons. Once a wine has brewed out, and is clear with no bubbles rising, is it OK to stop it with a Campden tablet then bottle, or should you leave it to sit for longer?
Cheers!

Title: Re: When to bottle?
Post by: alibean on June 05, 2009, 20:15

If it's stopped bubbling then after a week or two I rack mine off, so it's not sitting on sediment, then add a bit of potassium whatsisname to stop fermentation. 
After another week or so take out the airlock and fit a standard bung.  You can bottle at this point but you can also just leave it in the demijohn until it's matured and ready to drink (depends on the wine - most things improve with leaving a while)
Then bottle it or just drink it!

Title: Re: When to bottle?
Post by: Stoatus on June 05, 2009, 20:36

Thanks Alibean. So it's better to leave in the demijon once it's all finished or better to bottle - or does it make no difference?

Title: Re: When to bottle?
Post by: 2peasinapod on June 06, 2009, 03:42

bottle it at some point,

cork never goes back in a bottle once opened here, you ever tried drinking a demijon in one sitting  :ohmy: :D

Title: Re: When to bottle?
Post by: hindy on June 06, 2009, 10:26

Best time to bottle is when its cleared.
Alibean, I think you meant Pottasium Sorbate. It helps stop fermentation and acts as a food preserver.

Title: Re: When to bottle?
Post by: Stoatus on June 09, 2009, 13:19

So, there's no benefit to leaving in the demijon rather than bottling now then?

Title: Re: When to bottle?
Post by: hindy on June 09, 2009, 18:46

Once its cleared theres really no reason to leave it in the demijohn. But some people prefer to do that rather than bottles.
Just make sure if you leave it in the demijohn then make sure you have water in your airlock all the time.