Fast fermentation...

I'm going to put 2 brews on, but I'd like them to be ready for the end of the year if possible. What's the best way to ferment, clear and bottle fast without causing any bottle bombs or affecting flavour hugely? I'm not much of a connoisseur, so losing subtle differences isn't a big deal for me - I have a brew belt and an extremely cold conservatory this time of year, so keeping it at an optimum temperature and cold crashing are both easily possible for me!

The best way to ferment completely and quickly is to pitch the right amount of healthy, happy yeast. It seems like you have plenty of time. I generally ferment for 3 weeks and give the beer 3 weeks in the bottle. You roughly have 6 weeks before new years, so there you go!

That's good advice, I've never pitched yeast before, just added it as an ingredient. per say.
also, this is wine

Oh, opps. I didn't read which forum this was on, it was just under the Unanswered Threads. I have no idea if you can have any ready by New Years, sorry

It depends on the recipe and how well the byproducts are controlled. If you controll the byproducts, you can drink it the same day as racking, if you don't it could take months to age out to be able to drink it.

Lower ABV = faster ferment.

If you really need homemade wine fast, it won't be amazingly good. You could ferment a low ABV wine and then kick up the alcohol by mixing another wine (or liquor) into it.

I make 20% in 7 days in primary and 7 days in secondary. I never blew anything up but blew the bung on the carboy because I switch off the airlock too soon.

From your descriptions, I think your wine probably would not suit my palate, CampFireWine. Just sayin'!

It's more of a stout cocktail then a wine. Like the Island Mist. It's too strong for a wine glass and too weak for a shot glass. It's right inbetween.

I've made something similar using pie fillings and tinned fruit cocktail - it works great mixed with lemonade, you can use it as a cocktail base too and add a few spirits. Suppose it's a liquor, not a wine
Taking low ABV in mind I'm going to make a christmas cider (a little like apfelwein with more christmassy flavours) at around 6% so it's ready quickly, and cold crash as soon as it reaches the desired percentage, and the other can wait until after christmas because I'm in no rush (I have a strawberry rosé and another batch of fruit cocktail liquor ready, so I'm not without!)

I thought about fermenting the pie fillings once. I found I like the ice cream cherries better. The ice cream ones I have found do have preservatives in them so I would have to wait until I sorbate, then add them and rack back off of it in 7 days. It's just a trick up my sleeve in case I ever need a cherry back flavor.

@CampFireWine, what yeast do you use to get 20% ABV in 2 weeks?

It makes 20%ABV in 7 days then I age it for 7 days. I not only had to come up with my own recipes, I had to develop the technique to make it. I combined a little knowledge of biology, science, and chemistry in it's creation.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/superyeast.html

I've seen that stuff for sale at Easley's HBS, here in town. I call it "distiller's yeast".

"new" wine is Harsh. Just strong... acidic, sweet whatever. If you brew high alchohol wine you can use the trick people have used forever. Water it down. Its not a crime really. If you end up with 18% very strong tasting wine then cut it down by a third you have.. less strong 12% wine. Its homebrew and i dont think people expect a guy just starting to brew a legendary wine snob wine. I'd try letting it finish fermenting then bottle it and a week before christmas or whatever taste it. if its too strong just water it down.

Justibone said:

I've seen that stuff for sale at Easley's HBS, here in town. I call it "distiller's yeast".

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Justibone id just about bet money that stuff is nothign more than ec-1118 with energiser and nutrients in it. I believe ec-1118 is supposed to get up to 20 if you let it ferment long enough. Just that the extra couple percent takes a looong time. BTW distillers scare me. Some of the methods, ingredients and equipment they use is just scary. Some of them will toss anything into their "liquor/alcohol". Its no wonder moonshiners got such a bad rep.

Moonshiners are pretty much drug dealers. I mean, I hate to boil it down like that, but that's the truth. Not that I support the Feds telling us what to do with our own esophagi, but there is a valid interest for state governments to control consumer products being sold to others.

Back in the day, moonshiners were shut down by the tax collectors and not the FDA or the Board of Health. It was all over money.

Still is. There are still moonshiners. Especially in dry cities/counties (how insane is it that those still exist). If you brew beer or wine the stuff you see on distilling forums is scary. Whatever yeast is highest alchohol, little concern for sanitation, they literally toss all kinds of scary crap in their brews...

I used to think 'rat gut' meant that it was strong drink, but no it literly means that it was fermented with rat guts.

CampFireWine said:

Back in the day, moonshiners were shut down by the tax collectors and not the FDA or the Board of Health. It was all over money.

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Except of course during Prohibition.