Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Homebrew => Topic started by: claireb on October 23, 2016, 14:16

Title: First attempt and questions about how far to fill demijohn.
Post by: claireb on October 23, 2016, 14:16

This is my first attempt at home brew and I'm making some mead. Its been in the demijohn and bubbling away for the last week. I've been reading up more on home brew and I'm not sure I've filled my demijohn up far enough. The liquid comes up to the shoulder of the demijohn where it starts to get narrower. Should I leave things be or do I need to get rid of this space by adding water or sugar and water?? Would appreciate some advice please.

Title: Re: First attempt and questions about how far to fill demijohn.
Post by: ghost61 on October 23, 2016, 17:15

IT doesn't matter.  It will just take longer for the bubbles to make it to the airlock.  I often have one full one and then the surplus in a small demijohn, half full.  Results are the same.  Don't dilute with water as that will affect the alcohol content!  Enjoy!

Title: Re: First attempt and questions about how far to fill demijohn.
Post by: claireb on October 23, 2016, 17:27

Thanks Ghost61! Hopefully my first attempt will be successful. I'm currently starting a batch of ginger wine too. Very excited to try these!

Title: Re: First attempt and questions about how far to fill demijohn.
Post by: New shoot on October 23, 2016, 20:18

Homemade ginger wine is much nicer than the bought stuff.  I've made it before and can recommend it  :)

Title: Re: First attempt and questions about how far to fill demijohn.
Post by: claireb on October 24, 2016, 12:30

Thanks New shoot  :) I've started my ginger wine off and the recipe says to leave it in a lidded container for 10 days stirring daily. Is there not a risk of unwanted bacteria/yeasts getting in every time I take the lid off and stir??

Title: Re: First attempt and questions about how far to fill demijohn.
Post by: New shoot on October 24, 2016, 12:46

I'd have to check my recipe at home, but I'm pretty sure it starts off much the same. 

A lot of home-brew wines do have a period where you ferment the main ingredients with sugar and water before straining.  Sometimes the recipe says sterilise the must with a campden tablet, but I assume your ginger brew is fresh ginger, some sultanas or raisins and lemon.  There isn't much danger of wild yeasts on those type of ingredients and you usually pour boiling water over them to start, so that also helps.

If you sterilised the container before you started and use a clean dry spoon each time, you should be fine.  The lid is only off for a minute or two at a time :)

Title: Re: First attempt and questions about how far to fill demijohn.
Post by: claireb on October 24, 2016, 16:06

That's very reassuring! :) Thank you. It smells really yummy already. Very excited to see how it turns out!

Title: Re: First attempt and questions about how far to fill demijohn.
Post by: grinling on November 05, 2016, 21:39

I always fill to the shoulder to begin with as if the ferment is too much it bubbles over. After a few days/ week I top up to the base of the neck and allow it to continue for some months before it is racked into another demijohn for storage (you could bottle at this stage).
I have the demijohn filled to the base of neck then use a stopper which allows gases out. I allow my demijohn to mature as a whole before bottling as I have space to do this.
I have wine dating to 2014 & demijohns from 2015.