Ginger wine

I remember my mum making this when I was a nipper, and by hokey did it have a kick! I have just had quite a bit of ginger delivered in a grocery order, and (apart from just sniffing it), I got to wondering if I could make ginger wine.

I have come across this recipe, which seems relatively straight forward:

Ginger wine has been a popular drink for cold winter's nights - or as an addition to whisky to make a "Whisky Mac". This recipe is adapted from the original published in Mrs Beeton's famous work and makes 4.5 litres (8 pints).

Ingredients:
4.5 litres (8 pints) water 1.4 kg (3 lb) sugar One lemon - zest and juice 1 tsp fresh yeast 110g (4 oz) raisins, stoned and chopped 40g (1½ oz) ginger, peeled and bruised 75 ml (2½ fl oz) brandy
Method:
Add the water, sugar, lemon zest and bruised ginger to a very clean saucepan. Bring to the boil, simmer for 1 hour. Remove any scum and transfer to a large bowl. When it is luke-warm, add the yeast and leave overnight.
Next day, strain the lemon juice and add to the mix along with the chopped raisins. Place everything in a suitable vessel.
Stir the wine every day for 14 days. Add the brandy. Stop the vessel down by degrees and in a few weeks it will be ready to bottle.


Now, the bit I don't get is the very last line, and I presume that it relates to the 'suitable vessel' mentioned just prior. What does 'stop the vessel down by degrees' mean? And what would be a suitable vessel?

 

Thanks - it seems they are not too expensive (just seen one for £7 on Wilko's website), so that isn't too scary - - who knows, I might even start a wee home brewing hobby

 

I've just seen a kit of two 5L with bungs and airlocks for less than a tenner on Amazon - this idea could be a go-er

EDIT - bugger it, £7 and they will be here by Monday - ordered!

 

OK - I now have two demijohns with air locks, and will be commencing the brewing at the weekend. Is there any particular type of yeast that I need to buy, or is it simply the stuff from the baking aisle?

 

OK - I wish I had read this before I went shopping. I have got dried active yeast (Allison I think), that apparently is activated by adding water?

I don't have a food grade bucket, but I do have a catering size stainless steel pot (its either 16 or 24 litres capacity, I can't remember, but it is BIG). I am going to have to wing it without the hygrometer at the moment as this is just a bit of fun to start with, and its that time of the year where money is a bit tight.

What is yeast nutrient, and where would I get it? And campden tablets? I only have the plastic demijohns at the moment - again, if it looks like this could become a more than a passing whim, then I will invest a bit more.

I must admit that I am quite interested in turning fruit juices into nicely flavoured wines - be nice to have our own plonk during winter. I think I have enough bottles for this wee experiment, but it looks like I am going to need some more -- is there a cheap way of doing this, other than saving purchased ones?

Thanks for the advice

 

Right, just to get this clear in my head, as I am going to start this tomorrow (and I am going to stick the recipe above this time round);

Water, sugar and lemon zest into a big pot and brought to the boil; simmered for an hour then cooled. When luke warm, add the yeast, cover and leave overnight.

Next day, add the lemon juice, and chopped up raisins, transferred to a clean big pot/bucket and then kept at room temperature, being stirred daily for 14-days.

Then transfer to demijohns with airlocks, and wait for the bubbling to subside, and at that point add a stopping agent (I will be back for advice on which one at some point in the next couple of weeks); once clear, bottle and try not to drink to quickly

 

Ah, now I am unsure if they are stainless steel or aluminium until I dug them out tomorrow - will it not work in aluminium then?