Wine_Kit_Getting

Getting Started -- Set-Up with our Wine Equipment Kit

1). Prepare your Fermenters

Your Food Grade bucket Fermenter, is made of three parts. The Bucket, the Gasket Lid with grommet hole and the spigot.

Start by installing the spigot. Remove the plastic nut and one of the rubber washers. Insert the spigot thread end into the pre-drilled hole at the bottom side of the bucket. The spigot should be tight inserting and may need to be screwed in to the hole to insert. Next place the washer over the spigot threads inside the bucket, now screw on the plastic nut. The nut should be just hand tight only.

Your kit have (2) stick-on thermometers. One for each fermenter, the bucket and the glass secondary. The thermometer strip has a paper back, when removed the thermometer will stick on your fermenter. Measure and mark on the bucket six inches down from the top lip. The Thermometer strip is placed vertical with the 70 degree (21-C) on the mark you made.

Some of the Glass fermenters will have a wide smooth area that the fermenter strip is place. The 70 degree area on the thermometer strip is place at approximately 10-11 inches down from the opening of the glass fermenter. Or near the four gallon level.

2) Sanitizing your Equipment

The next step is to sanitize the Bucket fermenter and accessories. First place a gallon of water into the bucket. Using mild soap wash the inside of the bucket and inside lid. Also wash the mixing paddle, the plastic test jar and air lock. This is a good time to check the seal on the spigot. You may need to tighten the plastic nut if the spigot is dripping at the bucket. Next rinse the bucket, lid and accessories with clear water and then sanitize.

Sanitizing Agent -- ‘One Step’: A chlorine free cleaning solution is used to sanitize all equipment. This product must AIR DRY to work properly, Always use warm to hot water. Follow directions on sanitizing package on how to prepare cleaning solution. (One tablespoon of ‘One Step’ to one gallon warm/hot water) remember to not to rinse the equipment if when using the ‘One Step’ cleaner sanitizer.

After mixing let the equipment air dry and use immediately after. The surface is sanitized for up to 60 minutes after the surface has dried. Only make enough sanitizer solution for the currant use. Placing the Bucket upside down for a few minutes on paper towels to drain, along with the other items just sanitized, works well. (Note: Do NOT use ‘One Step’ on your corks. )

3) Wine Juice

Your Wine juice kit will have directions for the wine you are making. Not all kit are the same.

But remember to look at the kit total amount of wine being produced. (Except for the Special kits such as Port, Sherry and Ice wine.) All Kits Are (6) Six GALLON TOTAL Volume.

In general the wine juice will be added into the sanitized fermenter. Some Juice Kits will start with a small amount of water and ‘Bentonite’ and then add the juice. Some kits will then add water to a total of six gallons. (The wine juice plus the water added will total six (6) gallons ONLY. On the Bucket in this kit, the Six Gallon level is at the Bottom ridge on the bucket.

After the juice volume is completed the juice needs to be blended well. Use the sanitized paddle to blend the juice very well.

3) The Hydrometer

Your kit has a Glass Hydrometer. Handle carefully the hydrometer is very thin glass. The hydrometer has three scales, look at the bottom of each scale and find the one that reads (S.G.) Specific Gravity. Place the Glass hydrometer gently into the plastic test jar. After you have blended the juice well, from the spigot fill the test jar with just enough juice to make the hydrometer start to float. Always read the S.G. level at the liquid line of the juice. (The Meniscus.) This is your Starting Gravity that you will log for later use.

4) The Yeast

The ‘Yeast’ pack provided for your kit should be used. Follow the instruction that came with the ‘Wine Kit’ as to how the yeast is added. Most kits will have you simply sprinkle the yeast on top of the juice. Then seal the fermenter.

Before adding the Yeast: A good tip is to have the fermenter in the Location First, where the wine will start its primary fermentation. (if you have to move the fermenter the yeast will splash and stick on the side of the bucket ) This is the area that will maintain a 68-72 degree temperature. The location should also be high enough so the wine can be transferred down, from the bucket spigot into the glass secondary fermenter with out moving the bucket fermenter.

When you have the primary fermenter is the location you need, Then sprinkle in the yeast.

The Lid & Air Lock

Your Equipment kit follows modern closed fermenting procedures. The fermentation is ALWAYS closed with an air lock to prevent out side contaminates.

The Lid is now locked down in place. Place the lid on top of the bucket, Next - Tip the lid at a 45 degree angle then with the palm of your hand hit the lid to make it lock over the bucket rim. Continue all the way around the lid edge to make sure the lid is locked in place. Next remove the small cap on top of the 3 piece air lock. Wet the air lock tube end and place into the grommet on top of the lid. Only push in about a ¼ of an inch. The air lock does not need to be pushed in more than ¼ of an inch or just when it feels snug. Next place water into the air lock to fill it 1/3 to 1/2 full. DO NOT FILL THE AIR LOCK TO THE TOP. Replace the cap on the top of the air lock; there are small holes in the cap that will allow the Co2 to escape.

Good Tip: After sealing the lid, tip the fermenter up below the spigot end, approximately One inch. (Placing a few sheets of rolled up news paper works well)

Normally after 24 hours you will see the air lock start to bubble. After the first day of fermentation the airlock will continue to ferment rapidly. Most wine juice kits will have a recommended time line. The time line is dictated by the temperature the juice is fermenting at and many other variables.

A Good Rule of Thumb. When you see the air lock start to slow down, this is when you will transfer the juice from the Bucket fermenter down to the secondary glass fermenter. This is ALWAYS done BEFORE the fermentation quits or stops.

5) Secondary fermentation

To transfer the juice from the Bucket, into the sanitized glass fermenter. First remove the ‘Air Lock’. The Glass fermenter, drilled stopper, and tubing should have been sanitized just before use. Place the tubing onto the spigot nozzle, place the open end into the glass fermenter. Open the spigot valve and let the juice run into the glass fermenter down the sides. This is important that the juice does NOT splash. After you have transferred all the juice ONLY, not the debris in the bottom of the bucket. Insert the rubber stopper into the open neck of the glass fermenter. The stopper only needs to be pushed in enough to be snug. NOT all the way down. Next insert the air lock into the drilled stopper. Check the water level and make sure it is filled it 1/3 to 1/2 full with water.

Follow the Wine Juice kit instructions for the remaining fermentation.

6) Degassing and stabilizing the juice.

Simply put this is the step where you will kill off the yeast and get rid of the Co2 bubbles that have been produced by the yeast during fermentation. To degass the wine, simply remove the stopper & air lock. Sanitize the paddle and insert the small end into the glass fermenter. Start stirring and continue until the Co2 bubbles have gone away. This will take about 5-10 minutes depending on how well your arm holds up. You are mixing in the stabilizer additives and Clearing finings at this time also. After degassing is done, reseal the glass fermenter with the stopper and air lock.

Let the fermenter sit undisturbed for two weeks to settle well. Remember to raise the fermenter up to a higher location so that when it is time to bottle you will not have to disturb the sediment on the bottom of the fermenter. This will give you a much clearer wine.

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