I am currently making my first kit wine. We will see how it goes. The kit is probably about 4 or 5 years old. So far I'm 6 days in, and it is fermenting...slowly but I guess surely.
In the meantime, I decided to try something else in a smaller batch. I love tamarind, so I found this recipe from a Mead Lover's Digest:
Simmer the tamarind in 1/2 gallon of water for five or ten minutes, strain. Into the liquid, stir the sugar and nutrient. Cool and add the pectic enzyme and yeast. Top up with water to make one gallon.
I started with tamarind pods. I used about 8 oz of whole tamarind pods (minus shell). After simmering, I strained the pulp through a sieve. One part I was unsure of was whether to use all of the pulp, or just the liquid the pulp was simmered in. I used all of the pulp.
Added the nutrients and sugar successfully and poured that liquid into a 1 gallon glass jug.
I used a Lavlin EC-1118 yeast packet. I read on some website that despite using a 1 gallon jug, the whole packet should be used, so I did that.
I let the original liquid cool while the yeast sat for the 20 or so minutes. I added the yeast and pectic enzyme and filled up to the neck of the jug (maybe too much?). The liquid on top was basically clear, with the tamarind liquid seemingly on the bottom half. I thought maybe I should stir it, so I did (maybe I shouldn't have?). I placed a bung and airlock on top. Feeling proud of myself, I went to pick up the kids.
When I came home about 30 minutes later, the airlock and bung had apparently been forcefully pushed off the jug. A brown substance had been pushed up into the airlock and was overflowing from the jug. The substance COULD be the pulp, as the liquid beneath the brown substance is fairly clear. But, it is very "fluffy," which I wouldn't expect the pulp to be.
I cleaned up the mess and put the airlock back on. Now it is bubbling about 6 times a minute. The brown substance is still at the top of the liquid.
What did I do wrong, and should I just start over?
In the meantime, I decided to try something else in a smaller batch. I love tamarind, so I found this recipe from a Mead Lover's Digest:
- 6 oz. tamarind pulp
- 2 lb. sugar
- 1 tsp. pectic enzyme
- 1 tsp. yeast nutrient
- wine yeast
Simmer the tamarind in 1/2 gallon of water for five or ten minutes, strain. Into the liquid, stir the sugar and nutrient. Cool and add the pectic enzyme and yeast. Top up with water to make one gallon.
I started with tamarind pods. I used about 8 oz of whole tamarind pods (minus shell). After simmering, I strained the pulp through a sieve. One part I was unsure of was whether to use all of the pulp, or just the liquid the pulp was simmered in. I used all of the pulp.
Added the nutrients and sugar successfully and poured that liquid into a 1 gallon glass jug.
I used a Lavlin EC-1118 yeast packet. I read on some website that despite using a 1 gallon jug, the whole packet should be used, so I did that.
I let the original liquid cool while the yeast sat for the 20 or so minutes. I added the yeast and pectic enzyme and filled up to the neck of the jug (maybe too much?). The liquid on top was basically clear, with the tamarind liquid seemingly on the bottom half. I thought maybe I should stir it, so I did (maybe I shouldn't have?). I placed a bung and airlock on top. Feeling proud of myself, I went to pick up the kids.
When I came home about 30 minutes later, the airlock and bung had apparently been forcefully pushed off the jug. A brown substance had been pushed up into the airlock and was overflowing from the jug. The substance COULD be the pulp, as the liquid beneath the brown substance is fairly clear. But, it is very "fluffy," which I wouldn't expect the pulp to be.
I cleaned up the mess and put the airlock back on. Now it is bubbling about 6 times a minute. The brown substance is still at the top of the liquid.
What did I do wrong, and should I just start over?