So my mind turns to wine

ngill111

My first lager brew is on secondary in the fridge. I am not overly confident that it will be a roaring success to be honest, but in a few weeks I guess I will find out.

Time to get some wine on the go then.

I got a BrewBuddy lager kit from HBO so I am assuming using the FV, hydrometer in that kit wont be an issue? Not quite sure of the best procedure for wine so I am thinking of the below and would be grateful if you could let me know if the idea is right or if I am on the wrong track as I dont have 30 empty wine bottles right now.

• Start the primary in the 25 litre FV /  hydrometer that came with the BrewBuddy lager kit (I am hoping you tell me I dont need an airlock on that)
• Buy myself a little bottler to whack on the FV
• Buy myself some of those plastic demi-johns and airlocks
• Siphon from the FV to the DJ's with the little bottler (with airlocks)
• When I have acquired enough wine bottles transfer from the DJ's to the bottles

Not sure what wine I will do yet, but my order will be through HBO thats for sure. Is the LCD thermometer I got with the BrewBuddy kit good for more use or do they need replacing?

 

Cheers

 

HBO_Staff

The beer brewing equipment such as the vessel, syphon tube and hydrometer can be used for both, that's no problem. You need to decide how much wine you would like to make, most ingredients come in 2 different sizes, either 6 bottle, or 30 bottle kits. With 30 bottle kits they often suggest fermenting in one 25 litre vessel, then move to a second 25 litre vessel for clearing, and then syphon over to bottles. If making the smaller 6 bottle kits you could just use a couple of the PET plastic demijohns, then bottle from there. You don't have to have the demijohns or vessels with airlocks and some kits come without, you would just crack the lids open slightly to let gas out and keep any contaminants out (the same with your BrewBuddy lager fermenting vessel).

There are WineBuddy starter packs which come with the equipment to make 6 bottles of wine and an ingredients pack, you just add water and sugar, and then need 6 bottles to put the wine in, much in the same way as your BrewBuddy starter kit. Little Bottlers tend to be more for beers, ciders etc, as with wine you fill bigger bottles so a syphon tube is often used. 'Auto Syphons' are available for small or larger vessels which are great if filling lots of bottles with wine, but if you're just having a go at 6 bottles as a trial use your syphon tube, ideally with a very cheap 'pinch valve' to stop and start the flow to make it easier and will save you money;

http://home-brew-online.myshopify.com/collections/all/products/syphon-pinch-valve

LCD thermometers once fixed to the outside of your fermenting vessel should last for many brews. The wine kit you buy is usually based on price or quality, the cheaper kits need sugar adding, and the more the ingredients cost, generally the better the quality of grape juice and the more expensive ingredients need no sugar adding. The best mid range 30 bottle kits are the likes of Cellar 7, or such as Beaverdale in the premium kits which come in either 6 or 30 bottle versions.

ngill111

Great advice as always, thanks very much.

Will send over an order in the coming days

Cheers

ngill111

Wow was it really Sept 2012 when I started this discussion !

Time flies huh?

Well since this time I have got onto the wine making (lager has been a disaster, but I may have one last go). My first cider attempt is now on the go (not sure how that will pan out....mentioned in cider forum)

I have so far stuck with Cellar 7, 30 bottle Chardonnay for the white, and it has never let me down. A good, drinkable wine that certainly does the trick. Problem is now that I am almost reluctant to move from it.

Also I recently had my first stab at Cellar 7, 30 bottle Merlot and have been pleasantly surprised I have to say. I got that on the go straight after the white was done so I do have a fair amount to get through.

I have gone down the route of using 5 ltr bags in boxes for storage...easy to siphon into and easy to store. I don't think that has affected the taste at all. Just difficult to judge sometimes how much I have consumed....not that I think that is a problem

Not much point to this post really, was just tucking into a white and thought I would have a look on the cider forum and ended up back here.

I can say though Cellar 7 seems to be a good choice..... there is cheaper, there is more expensive. C7 sits right in that middle ground, and will do you well based on my experiences.

Drink well !

Nick

HBO_Staff

That's great to hear thanks Nick, the Cellar 7 is very popular as it needs no sugar adding and is nicely mid range in price as you say, it has a very loyal following and is excellent value. You may well stick with what you know and this is quite common, if you do decide to try an alternative then we would suggest this, it is a very high quality blend of grape juice only with no sugars added and will rival many of the very expensive wine ingredient kits which cost considerably more, making at least a full 30 bottles too which some other ranges don't, and has received great reviews, people in the shop who try a drink sample of this range nearly always change over to it (available at various retailers too);

http://www.home-brew-online.com/wine-kits-c24/sadlers-reserve-house-red-kit-30-bottle-p1520

Thanks for the update, keep up the brewing!

ngill111

Ok, well thanks for the tip on the Sadlers.

The C7 Chardonnay is for sure a fav of mine now...its now tried and thoroughly tested !

As for the red, I am not so loyal to it so I may well give the Sadlers a whirl.

No doubt it is available elsewhere, however I am but a simple man, and I have nothing but a high opinion for your service and price so you will get the order. Might not be just yet, but it will come.

Drink well !

Nick