Anybody know about wine?

[MichaelF]

hey people im completely new to this and my first brew is using a 'Young's' red & white wine yeast fermenting home juiced blackberry juice about 1 1/2 of the juice to 9 1/2 litres water & 1kg sugar i also added a youngs yeast compound containing yeast and some chemicals that are probably yeast food, its been in for two weeks and gone a bit sour and i dont have a clue what could have caused it or how to cure it or even if there is a cure, can anyone please help me?

much appreciated

 

[zoebisch01]

Hi Michael, and welcome to the forums.

We have and entire forum dedicated to wine

enjoy!

 

[Yooper]

I'm sorry, I'm having trouble understanding what it is you are asking and what you're trying to find out.

What is it that is wrong? Where is the wine now? Is it in a carboy with an airlock?

Welcome to HBT!

 

[MichaelF]

well basically i want to know if its ruined or not and if not if there is anything i can do to save it from the brink.it tastes really sour and acidic.
just now in a plastic box with cling film over the top in a fairly warm place. thanks for the welcome and the help

 

[Yooper]

It really should be in a carboy or a glass jug with a stopper and airlock, to prevent it from contamination. If it tastes sour, it might have a lacto infection, or acetero bacter infection. There really isn't any way to tell until it either gets better (young wine) or worse (definitely infected).

What you can do now is use campden tablets to help ward off the infection possibility. Crush one campden tablet per gallon, and dissolve in 1/4 cup water. Stir well, and put into a fresh sanitized container. Rack (siphon) to that container, putting the end of the tubing at the very bottom so that the wine doesn't splash at all. Then, stopper it and airlock it.

I have to assume that you didn't sanitize your equipment properly, or use any campden tablets? What was your method so far?

 

[MichaelF]

your right i didnt sanitize anything thoroughly and i dont even know what a campden tablet is lol, i live in the uk might they be called something else here?

 

[Loweface]

Nope, camden over there (and here too). You'll be able to get it in your brew shop...

 

[Yooper]

your right i didnt sanitize anything thoroughly and i dont even know what a campden tablet is lol, i live in the uk might they be called something else here?

Well, if you get the campden in right away, and use a sanitized new carboy, you might be able to save the wine. To be honest, I doubt it. It sounds like it's going to be vinegar, but it's worth a try to save it.

Sanitation is critical with wine making. Oxygen is the death of wine, not just because of contamination, but with aeration, too. If you ever opened a bottle of wine, and left it out, then you know what oxygenation can do to a wine. At the very least, you need some campden tablets, and an airlock and some siphoning equipment. here's some excellent basic info on winemaking:
winemaking: The Basic Steps

 

[MichaelF]

thanks alot boys youv been alot of help, cheers.

 

[Yooper]

thanks alot boys youv been alot of help, cheers.

You're welcome!

By the way, I'm not a boy!

 

[EvilTOJ]

That's right, you're a man, baby yea!


*runs away gleefully*








Just kidding Yooper!

 

[Yooper]

That's right, you're a man, baby yea!


*runs away gleefully*

Don't make me beat you up, ETJ.