On Oct 5, 9:22 pm, Shalom Shachne > wrote:
> Hi all -
>
> This is my first attempt at making wine with Concord Grapes grown in
> my yard. I am using a beginner's wine making kit, and and a very
> general recipe for Concord grapes.
>
> I was not too sure of how much grapes I started with (didn't have any
> scale), but I ended up with about 5 gallons of liquid from the crushed
> grapes (but with possibly too high a proportion of grape skins and
> pulp to liquid -- I didn't add much water).
>
> Also - I didn't use fermentation bag (although I have one) for primary
> fermentation (recipe/instructions didn't call for doing that),
> although I see several instruction sets on line say to use one. The
> skins and pulp are in the liquid, and mostly floated to top.
>
> I am pretty sure this is now at end of primary fermentation period -
> it started at 1.090 SG and now is at 1.010 (after about 8 days), and
> have seen quite a few different variations on what the next step would
> be.
>
> Here are the questions:
> 1. Some instructions say transfer to secondary by pouring wine from
> primary to secondary through a funnel which has a cheese cloth/
> strainer on it. (And then rack in about month, using siphon.)
>
> I read other instructions which said to pour free juice into
> secondary, and then press skins through nylon strainer bag.
>
> Finally, other instructions said to rack using siphon hose into
> secondary container.
>
> Which of the above would be best as next step?
>
> 2. For secondary fermentation, I have a 5 gallon carboy with plastic
> air lock. A few sites said I should put some wine aside to top off.
> But I don't have another container and another air lock, can you put
> the top off wine into a mason jar (or something similar?
>
> 3. What to fill airlock with, water or sulfite solution? I've seen
> someone say that sulfite solution in air lock adds bad odor, and that
> water is sufficient. Others say use sulfite? What's the way to
> decide which to use?
>
> Thanks for any advice.

The answers to your questions can be found he
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/

You will get more volume and possibly better color if you press the
pulp.

Make sure your carboy is topped up at the beginning. If you have
extra, you can put it in a properly sized wine bottle (topped up) and
get a small stopper and another air lock. If you can't do this, buy a
bottle of commercial Concord wine to top up with. In order to rack
(followed by topping up) you will need another carboy in about a month.