Champagne Home Brew

[RobWalker]

First things first, I know it's not really champagne. Just getting that out of the way.

I'd like to make a good quality champagne style wine for special occasions. I'm after a 101 really - a rundown of what you would do to make it worth cracking open on birthdays and christmas!

I'm thinking good white grape juice, elderflower heads, lemon peel, a few rich varieties of sugar along with glucose (golden white, honey etc)...any other recommendations?

 

[cvstrat]

Make sure the juice doesn't have any chemical additives first off or the yeast will die.

Mix together .4lbs of dextrose (corn sugar) per gallon of juice for 8.5% ABV, or slightly more sugar if you need more kick.

Use Red Star Premier Cuvee yest, one packet.

Let sit for as long as possible in cool, dark place.

When you bottle use either bomber bottles, flip top bottles, or belgian/champagne bottles. For the latter you'll need corks, cages, and a corker.

Carb up pretty high.

Other additives are up to you for flavoring.

 

[ChshreCat]

Definitely do NOT try to bottle this in wine bottles. You'll have bottles exploding and/or corks flying outta the bottles and causing a huge mess.

I like to do sparkling wines in regular beer bottles. Good single serving size. Plus I can bottle part of a batch as still wine in wine bottles and carb the rest in beer bottles.

It's also fun to see the look on people's face when crack open a beer, pour it into a wine glass and they find it's sparkling wine instead.

 

[blizzard]

I've made this kit before. It's a little pricey, but very easy and very good. If you can keg, I recommend carbonating that way to avoid sediment in the bottles.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_453_587&products_id=720