Homemade Fermenting Equipment

Since my start up kit was $140, I was curious if I could build one for cheaper and it still give good quality wine. 

Made primary fermenter out of Lowe’s® 5 gallon paint bucket. Drilled hole in lid.  Put rubber washer in and tried to silicon into place. Unsuccessful so left a little loose. Bought a 5 gallon water bottle at Lowe’s. Pulled off inside clear plastic cover. Bought size 1 rubber bung and airlock fits perfectly.  The plastic bottle on the far left and grey bucket are the ones that I made.  The other two are bought.  Hard to tell which is which, right?

Wine Press

Looked a long time to find a plan for the press.  Finally found one that looked good on a wine forum.  Unfortunately, the main press piece (Shop Fox) was about $75 and I might as well buy one from the store.

The store prices range from $160 to $400.  Now, I'm no Bob Villa, but even I have got to be able to make a press for less than that!

Instead of a fancy screw and press, I used a Simpson Strong-Tie BC40Z 4 x 4 Half Base (picture below) I got from Lowes.  Combined with a threaded rod (also pictured below and obtained at Lowes) it works very well.

I put a locking nut on the top which I could attach a socket to.  This formed the pressing screw.

Since the frame of the press would not be in contact with the fruit or juice, I used scrap 2x4 wood.  The wood that makes up basket, juice tray, and pressing pieces is red oak.  It is an expensive wood, but 6 feet of the 1x12 and 30 feet of the 1x2 is plenty for this section.

The basket is held together by Hanging strap or "plumber's tape."  You won't need much depending upon the diameter of the basket. 

As you can see, the press is entirely wood except for the screw and screw holder.  This makes an asthetically pleasing view.

Materials:

• Misc scrap 2x4: $0
• Hanger strap: $4.38
• Red oak: $88
• Sampson 4x4 Tie down: $4
• Threaded rod: $9
• Locking nut: $2.46

Total cost: $108

Pinapple Pizazz

Pineapple WIne


#8 fresh pineapples

10lbs cane sugar

Saccharomyces bayaccus (EC-118) Lavin yeast: 5gm packet x2

Yeast energizer: 1tsp

Pectin enzyme: ½ tsp

Acid Blend: 2tsp

Wine Tanin: 1tsp

1. 7/13/10: Cut up pineapples into ½ inch cubes and put in fermenter bag inside primary fermenting bucket. Poured sugar, ¼ tsp potassium metabusulfite, energizer, pectin enzyme, acid blend, tanin, on top of bag with pineapple in it. Poured hot water in to top up to 5 gallon mark. Tried to squeeze as much juice as possible. Covered and let sit with lid on top for 24 hours.

2. 7/14/10: Added yeast x 1 packet

3. 7/15/10: No change. Stirred up.

4. 7/16/10.: No change. Added remaining 1lbs. of sugar and sprinkled yeast nutrient (amount ??) and second packet of yeast. Stirred up.

5. 7/17/10: No bubbles seen (compared to prior batches) but lilly pad like product forming on top of batch.

6. 7/18/10: Thick foam forming on batch and bubbles visualized in foam.

7. 7/22/10: Racked over to primary fermenter. Added 500mL of cold water.

8. 8/1/10: Specific gravity 0.987

- Specific gravity 0.987: Added sprinkle of potassium metabusulfite and potassium sorbate to secondary fermenter. Stirred for 2min. Added 1 packet of chitosan and stirred for 2min. Topped off with about 2.5 liters of water. Retattached top.

9. 8/13/10: Transferred back to primary fermenter. Added sprinkle of potassium metabusulfite and reattached water lock. Will bottle on 8/27/10.

Pacific Quartet

Selection® Pacific Quartet: Limited Edition


4.2 gallons (16 liters) of concentrated juice

Bentonite: 15gram packet

Saccharomyces bayaccus (EC-118) Lavin yeast: 5gm packet

Potassium sorbate: 5gram packet

Potassium metabusulfite: 4gram packet

Isinglass: 1 packet

1. 6/26/10: 4.2 gallons (16 liters) of juice and 6 liters of hot water added to primary fermenter along with bentonite and yeast. Covered with lid and used airlock with water and potassium metabusulfite water.

2. Initial specific gravity: 1.078-1.08. Was low but so was wine #1. Perhaps too much water?

• 7/1/10: specific gravity 1.030

• 7/2/10: specific gravity 1.020

• 7/3/10: did not check. Out of town

• 7/4/10: 1.005

3. 7/4/10: Transferred to glass carboy

• 7/14/10: specific gravity 0.996

• 7/1510: specific gravity 0.996

4. 7/15/10: Added potassium sorbate, potassium metabusulfite dissolved in ½ cup cold water; mixed in wine and stirred hard for 2min. Added packet of isinglass and mixed hard for 1 minute. Added packet of Susse-Reserve. Topped off with 750mL cold water

5. 7/23/10: Transferred wine back to primary fermenter. Added 4.5 liters to wine to qs to top. Also added a lite sprinkle of potassium metabusulfite.

6. 8/11/10: Bottled 31 regular bottles, 2 magnums, and 1 liter bottle. Was an idiot and threw away Pacific Quartet labels so bought blank labels from Home Brew Store. Will turn on side on 8/14/10.

Australian Petit Verdot

Selection® Australian Petit Verdo: Limited Edition: Box cost: $140


4.2 gallons (16 liters) of concentrated juice

Toasted Oak chips: 30gram packet x2

French Oak chips: 30gram packet x2

Bentonite: 15gram packet

Saccharomyces bayaccus (EC-118) Lavin yeast: 5gm packet

Potassium sorbate: 5gram packet

Potassium metabusulfite: 4gram packet

Chitosan: 1 packet

1. 4/11/10: 4.2 gallons (16 liters) of juice and 4 liters of hot water added to primary fermenter along with oak chips, bentonite and yeast. Covered with lid but no airlock

2. Initial specific gravity: 1.095

• 4/17: specific gravity 1.035

• 4/18: specific gravity 1.020

• 4/20: specific gravity 1.009

3. 4/20/10: Transferred to glass carboy

• 4/30/10: attempt to check specific gravity. Failed miserably. Tried flower vase from Walmart. No good. Need funnel and wine thief

• 5/1/10: specific gravity 0.998

• 5/2/10: specific gravity 0.997

• 5/3/10: specific gravity 0.997

• 5/4/10: specific gravity 0.996

• 5/5/10: specific gravity 0.996

4. 5/5/10: Added potassium sorbate, potassium metabusulfite dissolved in ½ cup cold water; mixed in wine and stirred hard for 2min. Added packet of chitosan and mixed hard for 1 minute. Topped off with 4 cups cold water

5. 5/13/10: Rack to primary fermenter. Add 3 vase of cold water and 1 tsp of potassium metabusulfite. Tasted wild but good flavor

6. 5/30/10: Bottled 34 bottles. Kept last 4 bottles that had sediment for personal tasting. Kept bottles standing on bottom. Laid on side on 6/3/10.