I'm following the instructions by MKG in 'Taking the fear out of wine making - Part 2'. By the way, I added the yeast nutrient before adding the wine yeast. http://www.selfsufficientish.com/main/b ... -2-by-mkg/
Within several hours there were some frothing going on, but this soon subsided within about fourteen hours and replaced with only bubbles rising to the top. I was under the impression that the yeasty froth would be around for longer. Is this normal?
Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
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surlymonkey
- Jerry - Bit higher than newbie
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 12:16 pm
- Location: Thetford, Norfolk.
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Adding the nutrient before the wine is perfectly OK - it doesn't matter at all.
Your froth disappearing is also perfectly normal - it's the bubbles that matter. Actually, not all wines produce froth - it all depends on the vigour of the yeast and the contents of the must. But - no worries.
Mike
Your froth disappearing is also perfectly normal - it's the bubbles that matter. Actually, not all wines produce froth - it all depends on the vigour of the yeast and the contents of the must. But - no worries.
Mike
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
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surlymonkey
- Jerry - Bit higher than newbie
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 12:16 pm
- Location: Thetford, Norfolk.
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
That's ok then. Many thanks.
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
sorry i put this question in the other area and it should have gone here for anyone to read /respond..so i have cut and pasted it
sorry mate. I think I must have made an enormous mistake with mine as err nothing seems to be happening. I mixed the sugar with the tea bags and boiling water and really did wait for it to cool before adding the yeast and other water but then I remembered the yeast supplement and dashed back stirred it it only about 1/2 hour after the initial yeast had been put in. but it only started to look scummy and a few bubbles came but it did not really come to much. I started this on 7th may so it should be just about finished. Is there anything I can do now or is it too late? thanks
sorry mate. I think I must have made an enormous mistake with mine as err nothing seems to be happening. I mixed the sugar with the tea bags and boiling water and really did wait for it to cool before adding the yeast and other water but then I remembered the yeast supplement and dashed back stirred it it only about 1/2 hour after the initial yeast had been put in. but it only started to look scummy and a few bubbles came but it did not really come to much. I started this on 7th may so it should be just about finished. Is there anything I can do now or is it too late? thanks
On the issue of animals for research "The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can they suffer?'" Jeremy Bentham
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Aha - the exception which proves the rule. Sorry to hear you're having problems, Trinder - it's far from normal with this recipe. I suspect that your yeast may be to blame (too old? etc. etc.).
Okay - your basic must is probably still perfectly alright - unless it smells off, which you'll be able to decide (and is highly unlikely). So, here's the way to go.
Get yourself a bottle of any description - a pint or a litre is fine - anything, really, and make sure it's reasonably sterile (oh dear - alright - absolutely sterile). You can do that with boiling water, sodium metabisulphite (Campden tablets) or anything like Milton. Rinse the bottle well (after sterilisation).
Into the bottle, put a quarter to half pint of cooled boiled water. Add a couple of teaspoons of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice AND a quarter pint of your wine must. Give it all a really good shake (to get oxygen in and to dissolve the sugar). Now add a level teaspoon of your yeast. Plug the bottle with cotton wool and put it in a warmish place. Wait a few hours - up to 24 hours, in fact - then take a look. If you can see bits rising up to the surface and then sinking down again, your yeast is OK and the must is OK. If you can't see this movement, either your yeast is duff or your must is poisonous (the great likelihood is that it's the yeast - replace it). If you do get movement, tip the whole lot back into your must, sit back and wait - the fermentation should begin in earnest within another 24 hours.
Make sure that the fermenting wine is kept in a reaonably warm place - too cold and the fermentation will stop, too warm and the yeast will give up the ghost. Normal kitchen temperature is ideal.
Keep us informed.
Mike
Okay - your basic must is probably still perfectly alright - unless it smells off, which you'll be able to decide (and is highly unlikely). So, here's the way to go.
Get yourself a bottle of any description - a pint or a litre is fine - anything, really, and make sure it's reasonably sterile (oh dear - alright - absolutely sterile). You can do that with boiling water, sodium metabisulphite (Campden tablets) or anything like Milton. Rinse the bottle well (after sterilisation).
Into the bottle, put a quarter to half pint of cooled boiled water. Add a couple of teaspoons of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice AND a quarter pint of your wine must. Give it all a really good shake (to get oxygen in and to dissolve the sugar). Now add a level teaspoon of your yeast. Plug the bottle with cotton wool and put it in a warmish place. Wait a few hours - up to 24 hours, in fact - then take a look. If you can see bits rising up to the surface and then sinking down again, your yeast is OK and the must is OK. If you can't see this movement, either your yeast is duff or your must is poisonous (the great likelihood is that it's the yeast - replace it). If you do get movement, tip the whole lot back into your must, sit back and wait - the fermentation should begin in earnest within another 24 hours.
Make sure that the fermenting wine is kept in a reaonably warm place - too cold and the fermentation will stop, too warm and the yeast will give up the ghost. Normal kitchen temperature is ideal.
Keep us informed.
Mike
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
thanks Mike. I have done that .I will keep you informed, fingers crossed. I do think that it was probably too cold in the night on the window-ledge. Bear in mind this was started three weeks ago and the nights were a lot cooler. The ingredients were all bought new for the job ( so unopened and in date) lets hope I do it right this time. I am against the clock a bit now though because I will need the bucket for the elderflower..
On the issue of animals for research "The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can they suffer?'" Jeremy Bentham
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Mike I am still not sure about this. I did the restart on Sunday afternoon and it went well it was soon frothy and continued to froth for some hours. I had it in the garden on the table (under the shade) and kept peeping excitedly. Later I took it back indoors to a not too warm not too cool room ( don't forget it was a very warm day and night) however the next day it was pretty much back to flat very little going on perhaps six clumps of tiny bubbles each clump the size of a little finger nail.By the way I did not put more yeast nutrients in.
ha ha just before I submitted this post I had to recheck spelling how funny to notice that I had left the second p out when typing the word peeping made for being more excited than having a nose bleed. by the way I took a photo but could not get it to accept it as it was "file too big" message,. Any good idea?
ha ha just before I submitted this post I had to recheck spelling how funny to notice that I had left the second p out when typing the word peeping made for being more excited than having a nose bleed. by the way I took a photo but could not get it to accept it as it was "file too big" message,. Any good idea?
On the issue of animals for research "The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can they suffer?'" Jeremy Bentham
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Well, if the restart worked at all, there's nothing wrong in there - as you say, it frothed decently for a while. A thought did occur to me - have you tasted it? Quite a few people have reported "unseen" fermentations where the yeast actually does all its work quickly and apparently invisibly. Worth having a sip - what you're tasting for is sweetness. If it's really, really sweet, then there's been no successful fermentation to speak of. If it's only a tiny bit sweet, or even if it's dry, then it's just about finished. That's the first thing to do, anyway.
If you find it is still sweet (and we're clutching at straws now) try giving it a damn good shake (or a really vigorous stir) to get some more oxygen into it. Do this very carefully, though, as it will almost certainly fizz all over the place - best take out some of the wine first and put it back in later.
Ah - and I've just re-read your first post. Did you add any acid (citric acid or lemon juice)? If you didn't, then that may explain everything. Add it now, give it a good stir, and give the yeast that's already in there another chance.
Fingers crossed.
Mike
If you find it is still sweet (and we're clutching at straws now) try giving it a damn good shake (or a really vigorous stir) to get some more oxygen into it. Do this very carefully, though, as it will almost certainly fizz all over the place - best take out some of the wine first and put it back in later.
Ah - and I've just re-read your first post. Did you add any acid (citric acid or lemon juice)? If you didn't, then that may explain everything. Add it now, give it a good stir, and give the yeast that's already in there another chance.
Fingers crossed.
Mike
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
OMG . The very slight (very large) problem is that I have rhinitis and cannot smell or taste very much at all. However I can taste very sweet and guess what . It ain't sweet. yippee. When I started this project I bought a special food quality bucket - more than £7.!! but its not transparent and as I looked into the bucket it looked all cloudy not brilliant i thought. However in trying to taste it I dipped a very small glass in.. Th e wine looks great and has a dryish taste more of a rosie. I will get someone else to taste for the rest of the stages.thanks so much.
On the issue of animals for research "The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can they suffer?'" Jeremy Bentham
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Glad it's OK. And, actually, a salient lesson for all winemakers - hydrometers and acid testers are very good things but, in the end, your nose and your tongue are your best friends (except in Trinder's case
). You should taste at every stage (even at the very beginning when the sugar has only just been added) and you'll gradually build up a mental database of tastes and smells which will help you in determining how the wine's doing.Mike
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
just one little question . If . I had put too much say cordial in thinking a slug of cordial and a slosh of glycerine and a gloop out of the cold tea left in the tea pot. that all resulted in it being a little cloudy. just asking theoretically could I then clear the wine? x
On the issue of animals for research "The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can they suffer?'" Jeremy Bentham
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Yes, you can clear it (with some sort of finings) - although it will most likely clear itself, especially if you give it a chill (don't freeze it, though). There's virtually nothing in there which would cause a permanent haze, but if there is still the slightest yeast activity going on the wine will look a little cloudy. As that activity stops altogether, the wine should clear naturally (I've never ever had a hazy wine from this recipe).
However, that may take a little time - so you should be thinking about getting it all out of the bucket (leaving any deposit behind) and into containers which you can fill almost completely (and ones that would fit into the fridge). Leave the caps a little on the loose side for a while, though, just in case you get another fermentation.
Mike
However, that may take a little time - so you should be thinking about getting it all out of the bucket (leaving any deposit behind) and into containers which you can fill almost completely (and ones that would fit into the fridge). Leave the caps a little on the loose side for a while, though, just in case you get another fermentation.
Mike
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Hello!
I'm trying this recipe, got the tea bags and sugar brewing as we speak, and I bought some Young's wine yeast that calls itself a 'Super Compound'. Looking at the list of ingredients it already contains diammonium phosphate, and says that one whole sachet (7g) is sufficient for a gallon of wine. Would I still need to use yeast nutrient when using this yeast do you think?
I'm trying this recipe, got the tea bags and sugar brewing as we speak, and I bought some Young's wine yeast that calls itself a 'Super Compound'. Looking at the list of ingredients it already contains diammonium phosphate, and says that one whole sachet (7g) is sufficient for a gallon of wine. Would I still need to use yeast nutrient when using this yeast do you think?
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Hi Junkets
As always, the answer is yes and no.
No, you don't NEED to. As you say, a lot of yeast is sold with nutrient already included (but there's not a great deal of it). If you just use it as is, you'll get a fermentation going and it will give you the required end product. As the yeast cells divide and then the older ones die, the cell walls themselves become nutrient and keep the fermentation going. The question is one of time, though - doing it this way, the fermentation goes along at its natural rate.
Adding extra nutrient would give you a super-fast start (as would adding Vitamin B) and a stronger fermentation which would be over more quickly. The difference can be of the order of one month for a natural fermentation as opposed to ten days for an "assisted" fermentation.
I've done it both ways. Sometimes, without extra nutrient, you can end up with a slightly sweet wine (ie the yeast gives up before it's used up all of the sugar). On the other hand, if you add extra nutrient you can sometimes end up with a super-dry wine which needs to be sweetened a little to make it palatable.
So - it's all down to your patience and your taste buds. If you haven't already got some extra nutrient, I wouldn't panic - just add your sachet and let it go.
Mike
As always, the answer is yes and no.
No, you don't NEED to. As you say, a lot of yeast is sold with nutrient already included (but there's not a great deal of it). If you just use it as is, you'll get a fermentation going and it will give you the required end product. As the yeast cells divide and then the older ones die, the cell walls themselves become nutrient and keep the fermentation going. The question is one of time, though - doing it this way, the fermentation goes along at its natural rate.
Adding extra nutrient would give you a super-fast start (as would adding Vitamin B) and a stronger fermentation which would be over more quickly. The difference can be of the order of one month for a natural fermentation as opposed to ten days for an "assisted" fermentation.
I've done it both ways. Sometimes, without extra nutrient, you can end up with a slightly sweet wine (ie the yeast gives up before it's used up all of the sugar). On the other hand, if you add extra nutrient you can sometimes end up with a super-dry wine which needs to be sweetened a little to make it palatable.
So - it's all down to your patience and your taste buds. If you haven't already got some extra nutrient, I wouldn't panic - just add your sachet and let it go.
Mike
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: Question about MKG's fruit teabag wine
Ah, thanks for the info! I decided to splash some extra nutrient in - time is a factor in this batch - and it seems to be bubbling a bit more ferociously.
Many thanks!
Many thanks!