Newbie

[Staples01]

good morning all. This is the first forum I have ever joined. I am on my 3rd batch of wine using the fastferment. First batch turned out amazing with a pretty high ABV. Second batch I think was a total bust....not sure it even has alcohol in it lol. 3rd batch is on day 5 of primary fermentation and it is stinking up my house pretty good so I take that as a good sign. The first 2 batches were red wine so I decided to do a mascato this time....gonna use it at my wedding in April. I do use wine kits that come with all the bags of premeasured stuff that is needed. My fiancée likes to make whiskey also. I am hoping to find lots of useful info to help us along, I will have tons of questions.

 

[MaxStout]

Welcome to HBT, from Minnesota!

We have an active section on wine-making, as well as a growing distilling section. Lots of good info, and plenty of people who will help if you have questions.

On that second batch, did you take measurements with a hydrometer? That's a good way to determine when fermentation is finished, and to calculate ABV.

 

[bracconiere]

i just strangely said this in another thread...but there's a thing called a vinometer, can measure alcohol content on dry ferments....just for wine...

And Welcome! from southern AZ

 

[Staples01]

On second batch I did the primary fermentation, after 7 days I closed the valve took the collection bulb off and rinsed it out as per the fastferment directions and let the secondary fermentation run its course. After 10 days I took a SG reading and it wasn’t at 0.996 so I let it sit for 2 more days and repeating until the SG was at 0.996 or less as per the wine kit instructions. It ended up sitting for almost 2 full weeks before it reached the correct SG. When SG was where it was supposed to be I added all the clearing agents and stuff that came with the kit and let it sit for 14 days. At the end of 14 days I checked it for clarity, it was good to go so I got all my bottles ready and when I opened the valve to start bottling tons of sediment came out. I just opened a bottle and took the SG...here is a pic of it.

 

[Staples01]

i just strangely said this in another thread...but there's a thing called a vinometer, can measure alcohol content on dry ferments....just for wine...

And Welcome! from southern AZ

What is a dry ferment?

 

[bracconiere]

What is a dry ferment?

a FG of 1.000 or lower, like most juices will give. in other words just alcohol and water, pretty much, no unfermentable carbs. vinometers can tell how much alcohol is present by viscosity, (and i think unlike a hydrometer this is the right word for it). just put a few drops in it turn it upside down, and let gravity tell you how much alcohol is present....

 

[Staples01]

a FG of 1.000 or lower, like most juices will give. in other words just alcohol and water, pretty much, no unfermentable carbs. vinometers can tell how much alcohol is present by viscosity, (and i think unlike a hydrometer this is the right word for it). just put a few drops in it turn it upside down, and let gravity tell you how much alcohol is present....

I will have to look into that. Thank you

 

[bracconiere]

I will have to look into that. Thank you

sorry i didn't see the pic of your hydrometer sitting at 1.020 before i said that....a vinometer wouldn't work for that...But if this was a wine kit, it probably has alcohol, but will be a desert wine....