Grape wine help

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

I used this recipe http://www.selfsufficientish.com/main/2 ... ckie-holt/

We put it in the demijohn 11th Oct so our 3-4 months is up at the end of february

Should we bottle it then regardless or do we need to wait until it has stopped fermenting? There's still loads of bubbles going but it looks really clear. Is it worth racking it at all?

[MKG]

No - wait until there's no sign whatsoever of activity.

Lots of things can slow down a fermentation, particularly temperature. Unless you're making a sparkling wine, or unless you stop a fermentation using chemical means, the quoted times are guides only. It's ready to bottle when it's absolutely stopped (and even then, I'd rack it and then leave it in a demijohn for a while).

Mike

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

OK will do, thanks

It's a shame we can't it this weekend though!

[MKG]

Ah - no, I only said don't bottle it.

There's nothing to prevent you from sampling it - I often begin drinking wine (not the big, heavy sort, but the ones designed for quick action) at the stage you're at. I've often been known to be so indecisive about my testing as to have to test a whole bottlesworth.

Mike