[PlymouthMaid]

Hello all - I am planning on making my first country wine very soon - have elderberries and blackberries in the freezer waiting.  I am having trouble finding a decently priced source of demijohns - have seen the plastic ones but not sure if they are good or not??  Also - was thinking of gettign a starter kit such as

http://www.brew-it-yourself.co.uk/shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=78_114&products_id=374

Good idea/good value??

Are demijohns an essential part of the process or can the brew be left to 'cook' in the bins after straining?  Apologies if any of these sounds terribly ignorant or confused but I have never made any wine before. 

[hank scorpio]

Hello again,

I joined my local freecycle group and managed to aquire quite a few demijohns. Lots of people seem to be giving them away. Most freecycle groups work through yahoo groups, all you need is a yahoo email. I have one i just use for freecycling.

[PlymouthMaid]

I have tried freecycle - everybody here wants them it seems. Splashed out in Wilkos earler today - about 5 1/2 quid each so not too criminal.

[SG6]

Just looked at the link. Doesn't seem worth it. I find that all I need is a bucket, 99p at Wilks to do the initial ferment in, cover it with a tea towel for the week that it is in the bucket and then pass the stuff through a sieve into a demijohn. Add airlock and watch/wait.

You want the yeast and nutrient, a funnel and a wooden spoon helps. After that it is personnel preference for additional items/ingredients.

Actually 2 buckets are a good idea for separating the liquid and fruit from the initial ferment. Pour eyerything through the sieve from the fermeted bucketfull into the second bucket, then pour that through the funnel into the demijohn. Sieve again if you want when filling the demijohn.

I guess the kit has citric acid and tannin in it. Lemon juice will do for citric acid and blackberry/elderberry have more then enough tannin in them. Balckberry/elderberry wine will have to mature for longer because of the amount of tannin present.

In answer to the last question, Demijohns are an essential part of it all.

[PlymouthMaid]

Thank you very much for that long reply - much appreciated.  I have my berries fizzing away in a big bucket at present.  Didnt get the kit as I priced up the bits I needed and got most of it at Wilcos.  Smells pretty good so far. Can I trouble you with another question?? 

The airlock thingies - do you just put them on the demijohns with the bungs or do I need to do anything else with them? Sorry for ignorance.

[maverick]

Can I trouble you with another question?? 

The airlock thingies - do you just put them on the demijohns with the bungs or do I need to do anything else with them? Sorry for ignorance.

Put a little water in the airlock so that you can monitor the bubles. As the bubles slow down over time, you can tell when the yeast has converted the sugar to alcohol. Good luck - I'm hoping to make some Blackberry wine this weekend 

[Etherelda]

demijohns- I regularly see them up at our local tip.