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SAMPLE "28 Day"
WINE KIT
INSTRUCTION SHEET
(23 litres = 5 imperial gallons
= 6 US gallons)
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It
is recommended that you follow the instruction sheet that is included
inside your specific winemaking kit since instructions do tend to vary by
manufacturer.
STERILIZE ALL EQUIPMENT!
Every
piece of equipment should be sterilized
(sanitized) BEFORE it comes into contact with the must or wine. This
objective can be best achieved by cleaning, sanitizing and rinsing each
item prior to use.
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If
your wine kit contains a "Lot Number" identifier, please take note of
this number now. In some cases, the wine kit manufacturer will require
this information in order to reference their inventory.
Empty
the contents of the bag into a cleaned and sanitized 30 litre primary
fermenter. Fill empty bag with warm water and pour into fermenter.
Add sufficient water to bring contents of the primary fermenter to 23 litres.
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NOTE 1:
Some wine kits MAY require the addition of Bentonite at this stage.
Bentonite is a clay used extensively in the commercial wine
industry. It is usually blended in water and added to the wine. |
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NOTE 2:
If your wine kit contains oak chips, elderberries or elderflowers
or you have purchased them separately, you may add them now. |
Test
the Specific Gravity (S.G.) now and note the reading in your
fermentation notes. The starting specific gravity should be 1.080-1.085.
Add
wine yeast (sprinkle on top or carefully follow the instructions on
the yeast package). Cover fermenter with plastic sheet or preferably with
a lid and an airlock which has been half filled with water or your sulfite
solution.
Place
container in a warm area (22-25C / 72-77F). Fermentation should begin
within 48 hours. Bubbling and foaming are signs of an active fermentation.
Leave wine to ferment until the specific gravity has dropped to LESS THAN
1.020 (approximately 7 days).
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Prior
to racking, test the S.G. to ensure that the reading has dropped to
below 1.020. If gravity is still high, allow a few extra days in the
primary fermenter.
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NOTE 3:
Insufficient warm temperature in the fermentation area will slow the
fermentation process.
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If
the specific gravity has dropped sufficiently, complete a first racking by
siphoning the wine into a cleaned and sanitized carboy making sure to leave
the sediment behind.
Make
sure the carboy is full to within 5 cm (2 inches) from the top. Attach
airlock which has been rinsed and half filled with water or your sulfite
solution. Leave carboy in warm area to ensure a continued fermentation.
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NOTE 4:
If you need to top-up, it is preferable to add a bit of finished
wine (from your own previous production or store-bought; try to
avoid diluting with water).
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All
fermentation should now be complete. Verify this by testing the S.G.
To do so, siphon wine into the hydrometer cylinder and record reading.
The S.G. should be 0.995 or less AND there should be no gas bubbles visible
in the wine around the neck of the carboy.
Siphon
the wine into your cleaned and sanitized primary fermenter and then
back to your carboy. If you have a second carboy, save a step and transfer
carboy-to-carboy. Make sure to leave the sediment behind.
At
this stage, most wine kit recipes require the dilution and addition of
Potassium Metabisulfite (anti-oxidizing agent) and Potassium Sorbate
(prevents re-fermentation). Add to wine and stir.
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NOTE 5:
Most wine kits recommend that you stir your wine several times
a day over a period of 1-2 days. This helps to remove trapped
carbon gas. Refit the airlock after each stirring.
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After
a 48 hour degassing period, most wine kit recipes require the dilution
and addition of a clarifier (fining agent). It is not uncommon for different
wine kit manufacturers to provide clarifiers in either a powdered or liquid
form. In either case, the wine clarifier is blended with wine or water and
added to the wine. Make sure that the carboy is sufficiently topped up. Once
again, attach airlock and leave wine undisturbed to clear.
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d a y 2 8 : b o t t l i n g d a y
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Your
wine should now be ready to filter and bottle. If the wine is not
sufficiently clear, leave for a few extra days.
Siphon
newly filtered wine into clean and sterile 750ml wine bottles making sure
to leave 2.5cm (1" or 2 fingers) head space between the wine and the bottom of
the cork.
Corks
should be lightly sulphited, rinced and inserted promptly using a hand or
floor corker.
Bottles
should be kept in an upright position for a period of 48 hours prior to
being laid on their sides. This will ensure that wine does not seep between the cork and neck of the
bottle.
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