Champagne Making A-Z

[bhob12]

I've been doing a ton of research lately about this process and given a go at three batches (third in progress). I want to make sure I understand this process correctly.

One should start with a simple white wine... but I like starting from scratch.

So to make a white wine, I buy 2 gallons of green grape juice (on a budget) and add a cup of sugar to the solution (don't have a hydrometer so freeballing). Then I get confused here. I'm under the impression that the wine should be ~12%abv after the fermentation to dryness theoretically. And then a new strand of yeast is added for F2 and it has a higher tolerance, so the old yeast dies and the new continues to ferment the drink (with a little added sugar). Once the second strand gets situated I bottle the solution and the CO2 is dissolved into the drink, then disgorging and bing bang boom champagne.

So––assuming what I've said is correct on a high level––what pair of yeasts should I use to do this properly. I'm working with Premier Cuvee (red star: blue packet), and Premier Blanc (red star: yellow packet) but recently discovered that these yeasts have similar tolerances.

Last question is this: when I disgorge and all that CO2 pressure escapes, how the heck does it just reappear? You know what I'm saying haha? Is it because not all the gas is removed from the liquid at the cold temperature and then it "repressurizes" the bottle after the cap is put back in place and the dosage is added?

Thanks y'all. Total noob.

 

[z-bob]

I don't think you need to use two different strains of yeast. You can, and most champagne yeasts are "killers" so they will wipe out what's left of the first yeast.

You don't have to disgorge the bottles if you don't mind some sediment, but if you do you chill it to almost freezing first which really increases the solubility of the CO2 and lowers the pressure -- so you don't lose all the carbonation if you do it right.

That's what I remember from what I've read. I've never done the full champagne process. Good luck! BTW, I'm pretty sure Premier Cuvee is a champagne strain.