New at this with a bunch of questions after the fermentation process

I am making my first few bottles of wine the poor boy way, from juice bottles from the store. These are just experiments to have fun and if I want to get more serious about wine making I will probably go to using the kits. Having said that, as I’m new at this I have a lot of questions. I’ve read a lot in this forum which has been very informational and helpful. But some of the information has been contradictory as well. So I’m going to see what I can get straightened out in this thread.
Anyway, this is what I have fermenting at the moment.

64oz Strawberry Banana, one packet EC1118, one cup sugar – Started on 4/28
64oz Strawberry Banana, one packet Dry Active Yeast, one cup sugar – Started on 4/28
I know this is not the best yeast to use, I’m just using it in this one bottle to compare the taste.
64oz Berry Blend, one packet EC1118, one cup sugar – Started on 4/28
64oz White Grape Cherry, one packet EC1118, one cup sugar – Started on 5/1
64oz White Grape Cherry, one packet EC1118, one and one half cup sugar – Started on 5/1 (again used more sugar just to compare the taste)

For the bottles that I have two of the same thing I changed the ingredients just to compare the taste and help learn along the way.

Two of the first batch (started on 4/28) look to be almost finished fermenting as the bubbles are slow. I will probably wait until the 8th (10 days) before starting the next steps.
My questions are:
After fermenting is complete. I am going to rack once (siphon to a different container) and maybe filter. At that point, can I put it in a glass container, top it and age it on a shelf? Or do I need to rack it a few more times?
I’m thinking if I filter it I should be able to top it and store it or will I need to put an airlock on it as it may still ferment and cause the glass container to break?
When I store it/age it, does it need to be in a cold or warm place? Wine cellars are usually cool.

On another note, my preference is a wine on the sweet side. Any suggestions on the best way to achieve that? I’m keeping this the cheap and easy way for now with no clearing agents or anything like that. If I like this I will get the wine kits and have some real fun.

Hi crispyc21. And welcome. A couple of quick thoughts:
1. You cannot really know whether your wine has finished fermenting without measuring the specific gravity and watching for changes in the gravity. An hydrometer may set you back about $10.00.
2. EC -1118 is a very vigorous yeast- and one that will blow off aromatic and flavor molecules. You want to get a less violent yeast - perhaps 71B or K1V or D47.
Wine - if given the opportunity - will become clear and bright. That means all the particles that are currently suspended in the wine because of the CO2 that is in the wine will slowly drop out of suspension. When you can read a newspaper placed behind the wine then that wine is clear.
In my opinion, the best vessels to allow wine to age is glass. The plastic containers the juice came in are fine for a few months but they will likely allow air to pas through and air will spoil the color and flavor of wine (oxidation). In addition, the plastic may be stable for fruit juices but wine is alcohol and alcohol can encourage the plastic used to leach chemicals.
If you top with water the water is going to dilute the flavor and the alcohol content. You may want to top with some more fruit juice (that will then ferment) or with a similar wine... You can also add (lead free) glass marbles that you have sanitized using K-meta.
Good luck

Thank you for the info. The bottles I have for after the fermenting process are glass. So I'm good their. transferring the wine to the glass jar, is it safe to put the top on and store it? Or will the continuation of the fermenting process (even if very slow) cause a pressure build up?

crispyc21 said:

Thank you for the info. The bottles I have for after the fermenting process are glass. So I'm good their. transferring the wine to the glass jar, is it safe to put the top on and store it? Or will the continuation of the fermenting process (even if very slow) cause a pressure build up?

Click to expand...

I only ever cork my wines when I bottle them and I bottle them after 6 -12 months. During "bulk" aging - in carboys and other gallon containers - you want the CO2 that is currently absorbed in the liquid to slowly "degas" ***and if you seal the container the gas is not going to be expelled. The gas in the wine will prevent or inhibit the wine from clearing as well as it might because that gas will keep particles of fruit and yeast in suspension in the wine, while changes in temperature and air pressure may put enough pressure on the cap (or the walls of the containers) that those bottles will explode. So, an airlock (or bubbler) that you regularly check to make sure that it still contains a water barrier is really all you need. Note too that I am assuming that no more fermentation is taking place. The issue has nothing to do with the continued production of CO2 but has everything to do with the CO2 that was already produced by the yeast and was absorbed by the liquid. (Realize that half the weight of all the sugar in the fruit is converted to CO2 and that if you are fermenting the fruit in containers with no effective way of stirring the wine to remove the CO2 during the first week or so of fermentation almost all that CO2 is in the liquid. Sure, the bubbler has allowed some of the gas to burp out... but a great deal of the CO2 is still in the wine)

*** You can help the CO2 leave by pulling it through a vacuum (about 21 inches is sufficient) or by gently whipping the wine with a degassing tool you can attach to a drill but truth is that wines degas by themselves if you allow them the time to do so...