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Thanks for doing this MKG - you inspired me to start brewing wine and much good fun I've had mucking around. I've had some success using jam rather than fruit teabags...

Well I thoroughly enjoyed that, looking forward to the next part.

Just found this after posting my homebrew newbie questions. It's brilliant! I really mean that. It makes so much sense and has definitely taken that mystery, and my apprehension, out of the whole process. I feel much more confident with embarking on the winemaking process. A huge thank you.

stickweaver don't be fooled. He doesn't tell you that it's important not to glug the stuff when you move it from the "demi or storage" to the bottle.
ASK him about that !!!
Sorry mike couldn't resist it xx

Oh yes he does! I refer the troublesome Trinder to this paragraph in Part 2 ...

"But it's still in the bucket and there is a layer of inactive yeast cells at the bottom of that bucket which, if you're not careful, will swirl upwards and make the wine cloudy again. Now you have the job of getting the wine off the lees (that being the technical term for the residue at the bottom). A sieve will not remove the residue - yeast cells are microscopically small and will go straight through a sieve. You have several choices. You can carefully dip the liquid out using a jug. You can try to gently pour it off. Or you can syphon it off with a plastic tube. Whichever method you choose, you will NEVER be able to recover all of the liquid, so don't try (if you do get a bit of the residue, don't worry too much - it's only yeast and a very good source of vitamin B."

I rest my case, m'lud.



Mike

TROUBLESOME ME
(Fingers in ears- child like) Yeah yeah yeah
Duh. The grown ups always have the answers/ last word xx

Ok guys, I have apple juice and red grape juice with sultanas doing its thing in the bucket. It's been going for 24 hours and doesn't seem to be doing anything very exciting yet. Although...unless it is my imagination, the lid was was bulging upwards somewhat when I got home from work, so I guess there is some of that (hang on, just let me check back to the name of the gas it should be releasing...) carbon dioxide being released. Smells good already, quite potent.

You may find it a good idea to put a small hole in that lid - you can cover it with a bit of muslin or something similar - to let the gas out (better still, make a hole of the right size to insert an airlock). When the fermentation really gets going, the gas pressure in a airtight container is quite sufficient to blow the lid right off.

Enjoy

Mike

Cheers Mike, I did wonder how much pressure the lid could stand. There was me thinking that that the whole bucket/fermentation thing was designed to get to near optimum pressure point every 12 hours just as I approach with my sterilised plastic spoon to stir it twice a day. Would it be ok to just loosen the lid slightly? I am up to the 48 hour point. Wahoo! Hopefully collecting dandelions at the weekend to get my next batch going. I am on a roll now!

Yes - loosening the lid will be fine. Just so long as it remains insect-proof.

Mike