Wine "kit" instructions make no sense

Please help.
I bought a generic kit of fruit wine materials last week. Reading up here looking for a mulberry wine recipe. I'm finding a number of inconsistancies between the kit instructions and most of the recipes I've found.

Lets start with the pectolase and "steriliser" order.

The kit wants me to use the pectolase and then sterilise the mash. Every other recipe I've seen does it the other way around.

The kit instructs me to leave the pectolase mix for an hour, the recipes I've found here and elswhere instruct 12 hours for the pectolase.

The kit instructions:http://distillique.co.za/catalog/article_info.php?articles_id=126

Which way round should it be?

The correct way to do it is to add the enzyme (pectolase) 12 hrs after you add the sanitizer. The thought is the sanitizer will start to dissipate and not react with the enzyme.

I add mine at the same time and have had good luck.

Thank you.

I have also added the pectic enzyme and campden/k-meta at the same time with no ill effect. If you worry that you 'killed off' the enzyme, then just dose your must the day fermentation is actually noted..or as long as ferment is still ongoing actually...any unused enzyme will drop out of the must and settle in the lees. Also remember that if you prefer to 'sterilize' your fruit by pouring boiling water over them then the need to add chemicals like campden/k-meta are not INITIALLY needed..but that is up to the individual.

When looking at the info from the link it never mentions a hydrometer...do you plan on using one as that instrument is the only way to truly know when you wine has finished fermenting (bubbles are not failsafe method at all), plus you can get a better handle on alcohol content.

Enjoy.

saramc said:

I have also added the pectic enzyme and campden/k-meta at the same time with no ill effect. If you worry that you 'killed off' the enzyme, then just dose your must the day fermentation is actually noted..or as long as ferment is still ongoing actually...any unused enzyme will drop out of the must and settle in the lees. Also remember that if you prefer to 'sterilize' your fruit by pouring boiling water over them then the need to add chemicals like campden/k-meta are not INITIALLY needed..but that is up to the individual.

When looking at the info from the link it never mentions a hydrometer...do you plan on using one as that instrument is the only way to truly know when you wine has finished fermenting (bubbles are not failsafe method at all), plus you can get a better handle on alcohol content.

Enjoy.

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Thanks for the advise.

I certainly plan to do gravity readings. I bought my hydrometer before I bought my first fermenter

This has turned out horrible. The hydrometer sample I tasted was foul, I think sulpherous is the best description.

The whole batch is going into the stil tomorrow.

JohanMk1 said:

This has turned out horrible. The hydrometer sample I tasted was foul, I think sulpherous is the best description.

The whole batch is going into the stil tomorrow.

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Hold the boat. Before you do anything else, what was your initial SG reading, final? How does it smell? I would wait a month before planning other uses with your wine.

A wine started from a wine kit, or fruit, or even concentrate, in early Nov is in NO way going to be drinkable in less than three weeks, not to mention it probably is not clear and will need a few racking over the next 4 months(or longer) until it is clear and no longer dropping sediment. To help expedite clearing when wine has finished fermenting park it somewhere that is at least 10 degrees F cooler than where it has been kept, avoid freezing. Do not give up on it yet, mulberry wine is quite good.
If you are getting a rotten egg smell then you need to splash rack the wine into bucket and back to clean/sanitized carboy....preferably with a copper tube or onto a piece of copper flashing, etc...the sooner the better. The copper binds the sulphur and helps to remove it from the wine. Certain yeasts are known 'egg smell' makers...do you recall which yeast you used?

Now I feel bad for not waiting it out 6 gallons of mulberry wine have been turned into 2.5 quarts of 85ish% alcohol.

I wish I'd known about the copper tube splash rack thing, it may have saved the wine. I distilled it because I've heard that the sulphrous/rotten egg thing is almost impossible to get rid of.

The yeast I used is an unbranded yeast that came in the wine kit. I used it a while back on 2 six gallon batches of skeeter pee that turned out fine. The yeast starts fermenting quickly and easily and ferments vigerously. I am going to look for an alternative to use on the plum crop that is almost ripe now.

Thanks to both of you for your input thus far.

I almost forgot, OG was around 1.1(I struggled to get a fruit free sample) and SG was 992

The distillation forum police are coming got you now<gg> Mike

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:

The distillation forum police are coming got you now<gg> Mike

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Distilation is a legal activity here on the southern tip of africa

Johan....well at least you now know how to handle the H2S issue if it should raise its smelly head again. The smell can also be caused if yeasts are stressed or short on nutrients--so you may want to consider incorporating yeast nutrient into your winemaking protocol.

For your plums... If you have access to Cotes de Blanc or Premier Cuvee you would probably like that, or D47 if you can keep it within its temperature range. If opting to use plums, please consider finding an acid test kit because they can be cause problems on that front, and I think wild plums may be higher than commercial cultivars (or I may have it reversed). Plus, you will have better outcome if you learn how to deal with acids up front. Now, if you have pH meter all you need are the liquid components of test kit to obtain a quick and precise reading.

(Distilling discussion is not allowed here, even if legal where you live--just part of the terms of agreement)

saramc said:

For your plums... If you have access to Cotes de Blanc or Premier Cuvee you would probably like that, or D47 if you can keep it within its temperature range. If opting to use plums, please consider finding an acid test kit because they can be cause problems on that front, and I think wild plums may be higher than commercial cultivars (or I may have it reversed). Plus, you will have better outcome if you learn how to deal with acids up front. Now, if you have pH meter all you need are the liquid components of test kit to obtain a quick and precise reading.

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I did a batch of plum wine using Pasteur champagne yeast, turned out well! 6 lbs of plums and water to 1 gallon.

Struggling to find decent wine yeasts locally. Waiting to hear if my LHBS is able to source some.

JohanMk1 said:

Struggling to find decent wine yeasts locally. Waiting to hear if my LHBS is able to source some.

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Any wineries within driving distance? Many times they will provide yeast if you call them up and chat.

saramc said:

Any wineries within driving distance? Many times they will provide yeast if you call them up and chat.

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Sadly none that I am awae of. I am seeing someone about yeast supply tomorrow though.