first time makeing muscodine wine

[80bound]

got this recipe


1 gallon muscadine
3 gallons distilled water
1 pkg yeast
8 pounds of sugar

crush grapes in a plastic bag, clean a 5 gallon bucket, add grapes, water, and yeast stir and cover, let stand for 24hrs. strain pul[p from the mixture by pouring it through a double layer of cheesecloth into a second clean 5 gallon bucket. stir in sugar until dissolved. pour the liquid into gallon water jugs top off with triple layer of cheesecloth held in place by a rubber band. the fermenting juice will bubble and foam let sit for up to 9 weeks. when bubbling stop. wait 2 days, then siphon the wine into glass bottles.

i have started this recipe yesterday. is 24 hrs long enough for the first fermentation? i am new at this. someone please help. i really dont want to mess this up. any advice will help .
Thanks in advance

 

[Kdog22]

I think most will say it's hard to give you an accurate answer without knowing the starting gravity and a few other variables.

Things I might do differently would be to add all the sugar from the start. You don't need to wait 24 hours to add the sugar but it should come out fine, either way. After adding the sugar to your 5 gallon bucket, i'd leave it in there for a few more days, stirring once of twice a day. Then i'd considering transferring or racking into the 1 gallon carboys. At this point, secure the tops with airlocks rather than cheesecloth and let the fermentation finish from there. Then i'd probably rack again for clarification and let it age in the carboy a few months before bottling. But as long as it's clear, I might bottle sooner than that.

If you don't have or can't get any airlocks for your carboys, you can do it the old fashion way and slip a balloon over the top and secure it with rubber bands. Making sure to poke a handful of holes in the tip of the balloon with a pin or thumb tac. This will allow the co2 to escape but not let any oxygen get in and possibly ruin your wine.

Last but not least, i'd use spring water or any drinking water from the store. Not distilled water.

I hope that helps you out.

 

[80bound]

Thanks Kdog, unfortunately i have already used the distilled water. thats what the recipe called for. like i said its my first rodeo, so i am learning. every video i've seen they always added the sugar with the yeast. but i guesss i was tryng to do it the way the recipe said. gooing to add sugar today. the take your advice from there. will let you know how it turns out. Thanks so much.

 

[80bound]

how long after i put the airlock on should it start bubbleing?

 

[Kdog22]

If you're yeast is doing it's job and you started it on the 28th, i'd imagine you should see bubbling in the airlock fairly soon after attaching it. Fermentation may have started slowing down since you pitched the yeast but i'd imagine that you'd still see some bubbling. Have you taken a gravity reading yet?


I, as a matter of fact, just started a batch of muscadine wine yesterday morning. Just a 1 gallon batch as I had about 6 1/2 pounds of muscadines to work with. I used a muscadine wine recipe of the jack keller website, will be pitching the yeast today. I'm aiming for a 1.090 - 1.095 starting gravity. I also used Montrachet yeast.

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques15.asp

 

[tokerlund]

That Jack Keller recipe is great. I made it up with 6lbs of Beta Cross grapes my neighbor gave me and after a year, it is pretty tasty. I am just thawing out about 32lbs of grapes from the neighbor's vine. Once they thaw, I will add sugar (forgot to buy some on the way home to add with the water). Then I will add campden tablet and wait 12 hours. When I get home from work, in goes the pectic enzyme. When I wake up, I take a gravity reading to ensure it is roughly 1.090. Then goes in my Montrachet yeast. I stir daily for 3-5 days. Then I pull up the straining sack to remove the pulp. I fit an airlock and let her buck for about 2-3 weeks. Rack and take a gravity reading. Rack every 2 months like the recipe says. I hope to enjoy a bottle next summer then be ready for a few bottle next Christmas.

 

[80bound]

I know it s been a while but, wanted to give an update on my first time ever trying to make homemade wine. i kinda did it the old fashion way. but it actually turned out very well. so well that i have given it all to friends and family. i am now in the process of makeing some Nectarine, and Plum wine. any suggestions on a good plum wine recipe?

 

[tokerlund]

Once again, Jack Keller. I have made a Plum wine from his recipe twice and it game out well both times. I would say it was one of my easier, better wines so far.