[Capt Zero]

Hi to you both...   I use the same filter folks,  one of the old Boots type, but I believe Harris made them for Boots.

[BobE]

Hi to you both...   I use the same filter folks,  one of the old Boots type, but I believe Harris made them for Boots.

Did it work for you Capt

[Capt Zero]

I find them slow Bob...I'm thinking of having a go at crash cooling... just a trial go at a couple of wines.

must leave you for now..off to bed...think I got a touch of the lergee. .feel like death warmed up....as our old mum would say. Catch you tomorrow..I hope..

[BobE]

OK sleep well.

[BobE]

These are the instructions for the Harris Vinbrite Auntie.  Its not as difficult as it looks.

[Oakdalebirds1]

 :tongue2:got the sav blanc to try and it's still at 20quid in and around Manchester for the 30 bottle so at he moment im sterilising my equipment ...

[BobE]

:tongue2:got the sav blanc to try and it's still at 20quid in and around Manchester for the 30 bottle so at he moment im sterilising my equipment ...

Hey, great, please let us know how you get on.

[Oakdalebirds1]

I also got the large 25 ltr fermenter it's only £14 bargin . This wine works out at £2 per bottle this time but next 30 bottle kit will work out at 75 p a bottle

[Auntiemogs]

These are the instructions for the Harris Vinbrite Auntie.  Its not as difficult as it looks.

Thanks Bob! 

[Auntiemogs]

Ok, the Merlot kit has stopped bubbling now.  I was going to siphon it into another clean beer fermenter but I have a pressure barrel doing nothing at the moment and the tap would make bottling much easier.  So, I have a few questions:-

1.  Should I use the pressure barrel, even though I have no airlock for it, and what's best to do i.e.cover with a cloth of screw a lid on tight?

2. I have 5L of sterilising solution I made up last week.  Would it be ok to use this and give it a good swish about or am I better filling the whole barrel?

Mags 

[BobE]

Ok, the Merlot kit has stopped bubbling now.  I was going to siphon it into another clean beer fermenter but I have a pressure barrel doing nothing at the moment and the tap would make bottling much easier.  So, I have a few questions:-

1.  Should I use the pressure barrel, even though I have no airlock for it, and what's best to do i.e.cover with a cloth of screw a lid on tight?

2. I have 5L of sterilising solution I made up last week.  Would it be ok to use this and give it a good swish about or am I better filling the whole barrel?

Mags 

No need to fill the whole barrel, it would cost too much.  If it is wine sterelising fluid then put in about a gallon.     Swirll it about, run some out of the tap, rinse the cap, rinse the syphon equipment.  When youve covered it all, just rinse it through with cold water. 

You don't need an airlock, wine that has stopped fermenting is not going to develop that much pressure, especially in a plastic barrel, it would strech.  Drop rack it into the barrel.  Screw the lid on tight.  Then you can prep for the storage phase.
Remember to 'drop rack' it to remove a lot of the co2.  Not like beer.
If you have a large head space, (more than 6"). I would move it to its final storage over the next two days.  Air,(oxygen) is death to wine.  There will be co2 released by the wine but there is a small risk of air.

[Auntiemogs]

Thanks Bob.   

I'm hoping there won't be too much head space,  I think it has to stay in there for a while and then go through the clearing process (adding stabiliser and finings and leaving for a while), so probably another couple of weeks max.  If it's a real problem (sorry, I know very little about winemaking) I'll try to find a food grade plastic bag to inflate in the top (to displace some of the air) and screw the lid on tight.

I am a bit puzzled why the kits say to transfer when the wine's stopped fermenting, then leave for a while (5 days for last lot) and then add stabiliser and finings and leave for about another week.  Is this just part of the clearing process or is there some secondary fermentation going on when its transferred?  Sorry for all the questions, I really must look for a good book...

Mags 

[BobE]

Yes this is about clearing.  The idea is to let the dross drop out of the wine.  Don't worry to much about headspace, its difficult in text to explain stuff,  If your barrel is well full of new wine it will fill the headspace with CO2.  Just follow the instructions.  There is a posh word for the very final process.  Metra..... complex word, sorry I don't mean to sound patronising I really can never spell it.  Its a very deep process that goes on for years. 
How much wine have you moved into how big a barrel.  I should have asked earlier. (My brain always works around 30 bottles, 23-25 liters into a 5 gallon barrel.  Please what have you done?

[Auntiemogs]

Hi Bob.  I didn't do anything with it yesterday.  It's stopped bubbling but I it tasted fizzy (I didn't get around to looking at the SG, I'll do that later today), presumably this is CO2? 

Yes, it's a 30 bottle kit and I'm moving it to a 5 gallon barrel.  I'm presuming that if I make sure I give it a good 'sploosh' when I rack it into the barrel (will be about a 3-4ft drop) that there will be enough CO2 left to fill the headspace?

I ordered a couple of books yesterday (A Step by Step Guide to Making Homemade Wine (Judith Irwin) and First Steps in Winemaking (C.J.J.Berry)) but I'll do a bit of reading up too. 

You don't sound patronising at all, I really appreciate the help. 

[BobE]

Hi Bob.  I didn't do anything with it yesterday.  It's stopped bubbling but I it tasted fizzy (I didn't get around to looking at the SG, I'll do that later today), presumably this is CO2? 

Yes, it's a 30 bottle kit and I'm moving it to a 5 gallon barrel.  I'm presuming that if I make sure I give it a good 'sploosh' when I rack it into the barrel (will be about a 3-4ft drop) that there will be enough CO2 left to fill the headspace?

I ordered a couple of books yesterday (A Step by Step Guide to Making Homemade Wine (Judith Irwin) and First Steps in Winemaking (C.J.J.Berry)) but I'll do a bit of reading up too. 

You don't sound patronising at all, I really appreciate the help. 

Good, excellent.  The fizzy is co2.  Drop rack will get rid of a lot of it.  Watch it foam.  The CJ Berry book is one I started with.  Your wine sounds like its going ok.  There will be enough CO2 to protect 23L in a 5 gall barrel.  Before you bottle it you need to get rid of the fiz.  Complete the instructions first.  Then degas.  It sounds like its going well.