 Sanitation is very important in wine making. If not
properly done your wine is likely to spoil. First you must realize that
sterilization is very difficult in the ordinary home environment, so we as wine
makers must try to sanitize our equipment to keep bacteria to a minimum. This
allows our yeast to rapidly grow and make conditions unfavorable for bacteria
growth. By far the best way to do this is to make sure everything is physically
clean and sanitized using cold water and cleansers / sanitizers. Rinse all
equipment in a solution of 1 tablespoon of "no-rinse" sanitizer per gallon of
water.
Yeast is a living organism. It turns that sweet, syrupy mixture
into wine. To do this it must have the right conditions for growth. It needs a
slightly acidic environment, nutrients, and warmth. Your wine kit will have the
proper balance of nutrients and acid added. If making wine from fruit you
should determine the nutrients and acids required. So it's up to you to get the
yeast off to a proper start. Do this by first making sure your mixture in the
bucket is at the proper temperature. The wine kit (or recipe) will provide you
with the proper temperature range for the wine you are making. Do not depend on
your senses to determine this, use a thermometer. If the temperature is too
warm (generally over 30° Celsius) then your yeast may be killed or weakened
resulting in a slow, incomplete or no fermentation at all. If the temperature
of your mix is too cold (generally below 20° Celsius) then fermentation may
be very slow to start (3 - 4 days or longer). If your fermenter feels warm to
the touch the mixture is too warm, your yeast will almost certainly be damaged.
Once you get the mix at the proper temperature, add your yeast by
sprinkling it on the surface of your mixture (called must). Do not stir. Let
stand at approximately 20º - 25º Celsius, until fermentation begins
(about 24 hours). Then let ferment at approximately 18º - 20º C.
Fermenting at these temperatures will give you a superior wine and is more in
line with commercial practices. All wine kits have their own specific
instructions and should be followed. This is an outline of the basic procedure
for making a 4-week wine kit. Follow the specific instructions of your wine
kit. |
