Ginger wine

Discussion in 'The GC 'Buttery'' started by Fat Controller, May 30, 2015.

  1. Fat Controller

    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    As the recipe (x 3 of the below)

    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
     
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    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

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      I reckon you should have got around 16.5 Litres of strained liquid from those ingredients, plus sufficient to fill three 5 Litre plastic demijohns, with 1.5 ish Litres to spare which could have been kept in a 'top up' bottle (or 2) plugged with a wad of cotton wool to keep nasties out, and used to top up the DJs after first racking off the sediment.

      How come you only filled 2 demijohns?
       
    • Fat Controller

      Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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      I got somewhere in the region of 15 litres all in, but only had two demijohns so had to use the whiskey bottles - its all back in the bucket for now though, as the taste was very thin and no gingery fire, if you know what I mean? The pecotlase arrived today, and has been added at the specified dose, and whilst I was at it I added another wee knuckle of ginger that I had spare. I'll stir it up daily for the next week or so and then go from there.

      How do you rack off sediment?
       
    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

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      Use a syphon tube like one of these
      http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-accessories+equipment/wilko-syphon-pack/invt/0022573 to transfer the clear liquid above the sediment into another DJ onto a crushed Campden Tablet. If using ribbed DJs waggle them around a bit beforehand to shift sediment of the ledges. Gently tilt the DJ as you get near the bottom to get the max amount of sediment out. Top the newly filled DJ upminto the neck to about a finger's thickness below the underside of the closure to reduce airspace to reduce chance of oxidation. By pouring all the sediment into a tall container and letting it settle can yield further clear wine, keep the top covered whilst it's settling. NB If intending to use ex-whisky bottles, check the cup on the end of the syphon tube will fit through the neck first.

      If your wine doesn't fall clear you might want to consider using finings, the wine above the sediment can be syphoned from the 3 DJs back into the bucket onto 3 crushed CTs (these will have the addional beneficial effect of inhibiting oxidation when de-gassing), thoroughly trash with a long spoon to de-gas (remove CO2 in suspension that prevents sediment dropping), have finings [1] added, left covered for 24 hours and then it will be perfectly clear above a very thin layer of sediment and ready to syphon back into DJs.

      [1] One of these sachets would do your 15 litres http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-accessories+equipment/wilko-wine-finings-a-and-b-65g/invt/0253122 (I use one for up to 6 gallons).

      P.S. If you intend adding sugar to sweeten to wine at a later stage, add Potassium Sorbate when racking off onto the CTs.
       
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        Last edited: Jul 6, 2015
      • Fat Controller

        Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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        Thanks @Scrungee - I have ordered another two demijohns with air locks, so by the time I am ready to transfer again I should have four to play with (one spare) and the bucket if I need to transfer stuff back to if I need to clear it further.
         
      • Fat Controller

        Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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        I have kinda hit a bit of an unexpected issue - I was just about to whack the plastic demijohns into the dishwasher to sterilise them, and decided just to check if they were safe (PET 1), and it appears that they are not.... clearly, I cannot use my normal method I use with jars (oven), and don't have any sterilising tablets or fluids handy. Any ideas?
         
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        Wait until you get some tabs or sterilizer from HB shop/Wilko. Airlocks in 1L polythene jug of water with 1 Tesco baby sterilizing tablet, 2 tabs in 1st DJ for 20 mins, pour into 2nd for 20 mins fitting airlock to 1st, then 3rd. Be prepared for money off coupons for nappies in your next Tesco Clubcard mailing.

        What have you been using to sterilize your other stuff? PET DJs would have melted in a dishwasher
         
        Last edited: Jul 12, 2015
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        Or you might want to risk [1] a bleach/cold water sanitizer, only use unscented thin bleach, it's more effective with cold water. Google for concentration. It can cause clear plastic to go cloudy. If you try using it to clean a DJ with a crusty layer of sugar at the bottom you will get an exothermic reaction.

        [1] I only use for cleaning up stuff before putting away. It has been identified as a cause of cork tainted wine.
         
      • Fat Controller

        Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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        Great minds think alike - I had used plain thin bleach on the other stuff, so decided to use that for the demijohns; been standing for just over half an hour, so I will be rinsing etc shortly and then make the move to get the stuff out of the bucket. If I am reading the hydrometer right, the alcohol level is 8.7% at the moment - I expect that will go up some?

        I have a feeling that glass demijohns are the way to go though?
         
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        You're reading it wrong, alcohol levels on a hydrometer are potential alcohol, not actual alcohol, the current % ABV will be higher than 8.7 because there's now alcohol with an SG lower than water in the mix. Take the Current SG from the OSG and divide by 7.36. I previously the final ABV should be about 13%

        Being slightly smaller than 5L they are handy for final racking, leaving last of sediment behind without need for topping up, they also have smooth sides that don't collect sediment, plus they're easier to clean. £1 each from car boots.
         
      • Fat Controller

        Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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        Ah, I didn't take the original reading, so I have no idea - - the reading today was 1.062 if that means anything?

        Once I have this lot bottled, I am going to have a go at something else and try to give myself a better run at it. I was thinking something made with either mixed berries or even fruit juice? If I used berries, would it matter if they were frozen and defrosted?
         
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        That's the best way to do it as it helps them break down and release juice, colour and flavour, don't fast freeze as with normal freezing of fruit, just put bags in with weights marked and the freezing process will rupture the cells nicely.

        Should be Blackberries in profusion next month.
         
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        • Fat Controller

          Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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          I presume that the current batch is going to continue to ferment in the demijohns - how do I know when it is done, so I can then add the campden tabs?
           
        • Scrungee

          Scrungee Well known for it

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          It will probably appear to cease fermenting for a short while, the yeast gets a bit of a shock from straining, plus CO2 comes out of solution and it needs to become saturated again before all CO2 being produced appears as bubbles out the airlock.

          When it's ceased bubbling for a few days plus you get a hydrometer reading of 0.990 it's likely to be finished. Bubbling can continue after it's finished due to CO2 coming out of solution (de-gassing). You need to decide if you're going to also add Potassium metabisulphite because a CT alone wont ensure a wine with residual sugar wont re-start.

          See what SG it goes down to.
           
        • Fat Controller

          Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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          The three demijohns are bubbling away good style beside me - fairly regular glugs as they release, so I reckon there must be quite a bit to go yet; I had a wee taste earlier, and it was still very sweet so there must be a load of sugar still to ferment?
           
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