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In the "What I'm brewing ..." thread, I posted on Dec.6th about my panic when I realised I wouldn't have any wine ready for Christmas. So I started off a couple of gallons of fruit teabag stuff on Dec. 4th, looked after it like a baby and kept my fingers crossed. It's not only finished fermenting, but it's as clear as a bell - and it was like that two days ago. So that's wine, start to drinkable finish, in eleven days. I am, apart from being very happy, gobsmacked.

Here you go, then - Superspeed wine.

Box of fruit teabags
I kilo sugar
Squirt of lemon juice

You know the stuff - boiling water onto bags and sugar, stir and allow to cool. Remove (and squeeze) bags, put liquid in demijohn, add squirt of lemon juice, make up to a gallon with tepid water. But now the panic measures, which certainly did the business ...

Add TWO level teaspoons of yeast nutrient and at least 20mg of vitamin B1. That's twice the normal dose of both. Stir and then add a level teaspoon of yeast. Put an airlock on and then - also very important - find a nice warm and draught-free place to put it in.

If you're that way inclined, you could speak nicely to it on a regular basis. I restricted myself to the occasional loving stroke. Whether that works or not, eleven days in the middle of winter is a record for me.

Mike

sounds like some healthy yeast :)

Wow thats impressive!!! Wonder what'll taste like?

Sh'fine. Tashtes fi'. Carishmas? Who menshunnt Crashmiss?

Mike

Where do you get the yeast nutrient and vitamin B1 from?

I read on here about the tea bag and adapted the recipe and ingredients to make my own kits to give away as xmas presents, I used 4 teabags, in a mixing bowl and the wine is ready in about a week. I'm not saying it's the best wine ever but I like it!

Well done m8 i did not think you had a cat in hells chance of getting these done for xmas
I take my hat off to you
the only way i thought you would do this is by using turbo yeast lol
merry xmas MKG

No - I didn't really think it would work, either. But as it did, I started some more off yesterday. It's already going like a rocket. I'll let you know if that's ready for New Year.

Potter's Farm, the nutrient is just general purpose stuff you can get from any homebrew supplier, as is the yeast - this lot came from Boots. The B1 I use used to come in 10mg tablets from a specialist supplier - but that wasn't cheap, so I looked around. It's now the 100mg B1 tablets you can get from any healthfood store - a lot cheaper, and just as effective. It's easy to divide the tablets into quarters and, given my recent results, I feel a standard 25 mg dose is going to be used in future.

Mike

The latest batch is ready - once again, clear as a bell.

A whole new research project for 2012 has been born

Mike

well done again m8 and a happy new year
i'm defo having a go at these in the new year
i will let you know the results but i will be trying with juices rather than tea bags

Okay Mike, I have just one or two points that I perhaps can help others with or will get shot down for, as I have misunderstood.


(1) you said a box of fruit tea bags. I got a box from aldi -40 diplomat refreshing berry fruits ( I think it was about 50p but that was a little while ago so maybe 80p today) Pumpkinandpiglet said she used 4 teabags I suppose to make a bottle whereas by my calculations you are saying nearly 10 bags per bottle ?

(2) my other point is I hope plain helpful (H&B) sell the B1 vitamin at 100mg tablets (100 per bottle) for £3.odd just call it £4 so the B1 is actually v cheap/inexpensive.

I made up a batch today and the tea /sugar mix was like treacle really thick.
I did not finish and cork the demi until about 5pm but by 9pm it was actually bubbling. excited or what !!

The boxes I use contain 20 tea bags, which is what I use per gallon (so between 3 and 4 bags per bottle). Using double that amount will enhance the flavour considerably, and may be an improvement - let us know how it tastes. You can add as much water to the tea/sugar mix as you like - as long as it doesn't go over one gallon (so that you can get it all in the demijohn).

And a 4-hour start is pretty impressive

Mike

Well I'm not into home brew but as I have a packet of Yeast nutrient I picked up for 50p and a cupboard FULL of fruit teas, all I need is the B1 tablets and I think I will give this a go, especially as alcohol is getting to the point where it's just out of our price bracket now ( I know that's a lazy attitude, but it's an area where I've just never really been all that ish).

Apart from the Demijohn which I have and an airlock, do I need anything else MKG?

No - and you don't NEED the vit B1 either - that's just going to speed the whole thing up. But teabags, yeast, sugar and water will make wine for you (oh - and the nutrient). In the present winter conditions, the fermentation (without B1) will take anything from 3 weeks to a month, depending upon how warm you can keep the whole thing. But not TOO warm, or you'll kill the yeast. A cosy kitchen is ideal.

Go on - have a go

Mike

Thanks Mike. Honestly it is the colour of beetroot and is bubbling as fast a as a pan on a very low light. actually it's not really bubbling more like frothing!