You are SOOO SMART!!! Thanks for sharing your smarts with us! :-D My mom used to make 1 gallon of wine a year. When it was finished, she would come down to my house with a flask in hand, and a biiig smile on her face. LOL! She was SO PROUD of herself, and I was, too!!! I'd love to try my hand at it someday. Hugs, love & prayers
Kathleen, you and I both!!! I remember my uncle making wine, but as a child what did I care about the how, I was just impressed by the setup 😁 I'd love to make dandelion wine😊
@@kleineroteHex My great uncle and my dad made four 50 gallon wood barrels every year for as long as I can remember. I remember the garage being FILLED with crates of white and purple grapes. My dad had a HUGE grape press that they operated by hand. My dad on one side and my uncle on the other, they turned that giant *screw*. The purple grapes were different than the white grapes in that you could squeeze the end, and it would be very sweet, but, the seeds were encased in a *gel*, and if you bit into THAT, it was exTREMEly SOUR. To this day, I still don't know what kind of grapes those were. Those were the days! :-D
Made some wine. Thought I had plenty of grapes. No. I definitely did not. Used some apple juice to balance out the difference. It’s all I had. Used 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of the starter. So far it’s thriving!!!
Watching your wine videos again! Using up about 6 pounds of strawberries that I had frozen in the freezer to make a strawberry wine with a kombucha starter…wish me luck!!!😹🥰
Gallon jugs I have, that's all 😁 A lady close to my daughter has one a week or every other week in her recycle bin. I had asked her to save them for me, but she forgets, so I take them out of her bin every now and then😊
Love your videos. We learn so much from them..Thank you! I made wine years ago in North Carolina. The locals there simply put a balloon over the jug (as did I). Fun to watch that balloon pump way up. It worked!
Yep, I used a balloon when I first started but I prefer the airlock. It is easier to keep track of how active it is by seeing what the bubbles do and sometimes the latex in the balloon can add an odd flavor to the wine
Hi Heidi. My mom and I started wine 2 weeks and 5 days ago. We are using the balloon method currently. Do we wait until the balloon is so deflated that it falls over before we know if its done or not? Thanks Heidi!!
I just love how you teach the signs to look for, and not exact measurements or time periods that can scare away someone who finds these processes scary. I'm thinking of starting some wines or meads. Simply because I think it would probably be more economical (and safer??) and realistic vs building a still in order to produce alcohol for medicinal extracts. I wonder if wine can disinfect as well. I remember the good samaritan used wine to disinfect the traveler's wounds...🤔
What are your ideas on using a squeezo machine. It takes the seeds and pulp out? I love using my sqeezo machine to gets seeds out for making seedless jams . My hubby deals with colitis and seeds are not always friendly to him. People rave on my seedless jams. We donate our organic jams to the workers at a food bank at Christmas time. Love all your videos and hints. I would love some ideas on making fish recipes . ❤ Sandra DeWys - Michigan
I have never tried watermelon so I cannot say, it really depends on how sweet it is. It may be best to try making a smaller batch, like a quart, to try it out and start with 1/2 cup of sugar and add another 1/4 cup at 2 weeks.
Question: first time wine making. I used the airlock but the rubber stopper keeps sliding out. What do you use to keep it seated? And do you stir the wine occasionally? Thanks
Hi Heidi!! I started my wine 1 week ago….it is bubbling quite nicely (about every 4-5 seconds--it’s been bubbling nicely for several days progressively faster); should I add the last cup of sugar now or wait until the bubbling slows? I got confused because I know you said add after a week but then I thought you said somewhere to wait until the bubbling had slowed. I don’t want to kill the fermentation. Thank you so much and blessed Easter to you and Patrick.
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you! I did add it and it is doing well. The second gallon that I started a few days later I just added more sugar today to(today is day 8 for that one). When I added the 1 cup of sugar with more juice it started bubbling over. I replaced the airlock but now it is not bubbling. It’s been about 1 hour. Is that common for it to take a little time to start bubbling again? Thank you Heidi.
@@RainCountryHomestead Its a masticating juicer...just slowly and forcefully pushes and squeezes the juice out without creating any friction heat. WHEN I MAKE MY CELERY JUICE, ALITTLE PULP COMES OUT BUT THERES A SMALL SCREEN THAT FITS OVER THE JUICE CATCHING CONTAINER. oops, sorry for caps, was too busy looking at the keys hahaha. Thankyou..oh ya...about the fruit to make the fermentation starter...can I use frozen hand picked berries?
@@mssavedin92 You can try with the frozen berries, for some reason I find making vinegar or fermentation starters rom previously frozen fruits does not work as well as fresh or dried, for some reason.
Nana said she put the pulp in a lg strainer , cover w cheese cloth, press by slowly adding weight every hour or so, like a cheese press, made things easier.
Mead is the easiest to make as you do not need to add fruit (unless you want to for more flavor) and you do not need to add more honey half way through, just get it going and let it do its thing for a month or so.
Hello dear friend, so eager to try these, you may have said this and I didn't remember. If you don't have fresh fruits, can you use freeze dried? I will try it later in season when my grapes and blackberries are harvested. I would really like to try it now, we have a Sprouts Market that sells organic fresh fruit here but I already have freeze dried fruits on hand. Blessings thank you for sharing your knowledge on this skill
@@RainCountryHomestead well that certainly makes sense, duh, overlook me I had a senior moment and didn't think of juice. Thank you for looking over me to protect me from making a huge blunder like that one. So anxious to try this, will let you know how it goes, blessings dear friend
Hi! I have a question about my wine. I started on 6/19 with store bought 100% cherry juice. My raisin ferment was great! I initially started with 1 1/2 -2 cups sugar. Cannot remember. I added another cup of sugar a week later on 6/26. I noticed yesterday the bubbling was very slow especially compared to the wine I made the day before this one. Today it was really slow like one bubble in a minute. I know it is too soon for it to be finished. I tasted it this morning and there’s a lot of alcohol in it for sure. Also I thought it could be a tad sweeter. So I added 1/2 cup sugar. It got activated real fast. I know you said probably not good to add more sugar after two weeks. Today is 13 days. It has a month to go so wanted to make sure it would go the distance. Did I make the right decision? Thanks so much! I like you, am not much of an alcohol drinker but it is a great skill to know in our uncertain world. I am throughly enjoying making wine!
It might work but it would depend on how long you ferment your kombucha. Since a ferment starter only takes three (five days tops), I would recommend just making one, they have many uses and are easy to keep alive for at least a year.
I do not understand your question since I am using juice here, it is all juice pressed from my own grapes or other fruit. Also please take note of the title, this is part 2 in the series
Please go back and watch part one, as this is a four part series and I cover the first steps in part oneth-cam.com/play/PLzVtTPDzFPKFtB45ulnLxFmo0mPdd23wq.html
Love your videos! Thank you! I’m making wine for the first time. So, 3 days, covered with cloth and rubber band. I’ll put the air lock on after that. Then, how many days in until I add the 1/2 cup of sugar? I think you changed it to 1/2 cup sugar, right? Thank you so much!
Add the extra sugar after it has been bubbling well for a few days. The amount you add depends on how much sugar you added from the start. It can be only a half cup or a whole cup
It goes to the other topper thing (cant rememver the name ... It lets the gases out) not the stoppers. It shows a size #6 or #7 with holes but nit without...
JoAnna Webb the link to the airlocks is also in the description box. The stopper is drilled (with a hole for the airlock) and is a size 6 for the 1 gallon jugs
Thanks for the great education of this. Well, is it Ok if I only using canning jar in making this wine? Do I need to "burp" it every few days? Because I don't have any of that equipment.. Thank you again and God Bless You!
It would be better to have an airlock than to burp, wine gets very active and can blow up your jars or bottles if you do not keep up on it. I would say you would need to do it 3 times a day at least
When I went to add my sugar I dumped all of the wine out and ran it through this strainer again to get rid of the excess pulp and put it back in the jars I believe that was a mistake taking all of the liquid out sifting and again is there any way to get it to start fermenting again? I started it 2 weeks ago maybe less it tastes like fruit punch no there's no fizz or tartness what should I do
Double check your airlocks to make sure they is still enough water in them and that they are seated properly on your jugs. It should still take another two weeks but after adding the sugar it can slow it down for a day or so
Would a kombucha starter work?? I have tons of it. I love kombucha and one day would like to try an alcohol type. Thanks again for all these fantastic videos!!! God bless!😊🙏
So when I did this next step and was pouring the sugar water in it bubbled over. Is that OK? Im doing an apple wine made with organic apple juice that I bought.
Hello, I like to know where can I find how to make your honey and wine. Video , Thank you for sharing your Amazing videos ! Be Bless Thank you in advance 🙏🏼🥰
Would pineapple work for a wine and I know how sweet it is how much sugar would I start with. Would pineapple taste good it will be for medicinal extracts
Juice from any fruit can be fermented but yes, pineapple is high in sugar so one may not need to start off with as much sugar but you will still need to add it
I am using a 1/2 gallon jug because I didn't have a gallon size one so I cut the sugar to 1 1/2 cups when I started it. It is bubbling like it should, so at the half way point should I add another 1/2 cup of sugar or a whole 1 cup of sugar? Wanted to know before I get to that point so I know what I'm doing. Thank you for your help.
You may not need to add more sugar depending on the juice you are using but if you do add, I found it best to not wait too long. No longer than a week to add more
Hi Heidi ... I am using organic apple juice with no sugar added bought from the store. I added one cup of raisin starter and two cups of sugar with the juice. How long will it take for it to actually start bubbling? End of day two, and still nothing, so very curious. Also, it seems like the stopper keeps sliding upwards after I seat it securely in the jar. It never comes all the way out, but does sometimes move upwards so that it's barely sitting in the jar. Thanks!
Sometimes it can take 3-4 days to see bubbling. I am assuming you are making a full gallon. If you are making less than that, the two cups of sugar would be too much and may prevent it from fermenting or cause it to take much longer
I am trying to learn wine making. I’ve made 2 gallon elderberry with raisins for wild ferment, can anyone please tell me can I use the same wild ferment with raisins for apple wine
Thank you. I’m just learning to make wine, which sorry I don’t drink either, except a very occasional glass with company, also same reasons you gave, but my great grandfather was a brewer my grandfather and my uncle...the only son on that side. He has no living child, so I’m wanting to learn an pass it on. Strawberry wine is also on my mind. I’ll take any advice I can get. I don’t want to buy chemicals and store bought yeast. Also want to make honey mead
You mean adding more sugar? It is really best to do that only during the very active stage, if you wait until it stops bubbling or slows down, it may bring it to a complete stop. I suggest try adding only a quarter cup of sugar at a time and see what that does because a whole cup may be too much at once. If it gets more active again, then add another quarter cup the day after that, and repeat for the next few days
So I’m following your process and here it is day 3 and there’s a white substance growing on the top...is it ok or should I dump it. I just added the air bubbler and nothing is happening Thanks Heidi
Did you leave it uncovered for those three days then? Sounds like it is turning to vinegar. I would not toss it. Leave it with the bubbler on it for a couple more days and see what it does, if it never starts to bubble then just remove it and cover with a cloth and let it become vinegar.
Rain Country I did cover it for 2 days with a cloth. On day 2 everything looked normal, day 3 when I was gonna put the bubbler on I noticed the white stuff. Now the bubbler has been on for 2 days and nothing is going on. I’ll wait a few more days, if not I have a HUGE batch of vinegar 🤨
@@pattihayden8100 I can't imagine it turning to vinegar in such a short time so it may just need more time to start fermenting. The amount of sugar will also depend on how quickly it starts to bubble
Two weeks is pretty early but you can stop it there if you like the flavor, sweetness, and fizziness of it but it will be somewhere between a wine and a natural soda
Yes, I am pretty sure I show either in this video or the one that precedes it (note, this is part 2) that you fill it part way with water to the line shown on the airlock
I bought a gallon of unfiltered apple juice from Wholefoods only because I needed another 1 gallon glass jug and it was cost effective. I don't usually drink juice. Can I use some of the juice to make the wine instead of fresh fruit?
Hello Heidi , have a question if making my wine with store brought 💯 grape juice , how many bottles of the grape juice would I need to buy to make the 1 gallon juice and would I still use the 2 cups of cane sugar ? I’m new to wine making I still have make any wine yet . If II am using store-bought grape juice I wouldn’t have to worry about it exploding only if I use the fresh fruits because of the pulp that’s when I have to keep an eye on it to keep it from exploding on the first 2-3 days am I correct ? That’s the only fear that keeps me from making wine if I use fresh strawberries , etc ! Be Bless 🙏🏼
There are too many variables to your questions. First, I would have no idea how many bottles as I do not know what size you mean. You will want at least a total of three quarts but I recommend getting a full gallon of juice. It would be better to have more than enough than not enough. There are 128 ounces in a full gallon so you would need to add the ounces of the bottles you are thinking of buying so if they are 32 ounce bottles (which is a quart) then you would want four of them to equal a full gallon. As far as the sugar addition, that will depend on if the juice you buy already has sugar added, if not, then yes, you will need to add the sugar. Yes, keep an eye on it. It rarely happens but it can. It will not brake the jar, just blow off the stopper and airlock if the airlock gets plugged. If you have not yet, I recommend that you watch the entire series before getting started, especially part one.
Currently, yes, we have some snow, though not much compared to other areas around us. It has been getting kept from getting too thick as we get bits of rain or sun here and there washing or melting some of it away.
Can I add some water to the juice or do I have to use 100% strained juice from fruit and berries? If possible how much water to one gallon bottle? Thank you so much!
If you are putting hot jars in cold water or cold jars in hot water, this can cause your jars to break. If your jars have hot ingredients, then make sure the water temperature is also hot before putting the jars in the canner. If the jars have cold ingredients, then start with cold water in the canner and put the jars in that and allow the water and jars to heat up together
I added the sugar when my wine had stopped bubbling after about 3 weeks , it didn’t start bubbling again. I thought maybe my house was to cold so I placed the jar on a heat mat. Still didn’t start bubbling. What do I need to do to get it bubbling again?
Sadly, you waited too long, it still needs to be very bubbly when adding more sugar so now what you will have is a very sweet wine. Once the bubbling has completely stopped, it is done and it usually cannot be brought back. Also, if it becomes too warm, this can also kill the bacteria and yeast that feed on the sugar so the heating pad is not a good idea. I now add a little sugar at about one week, and maybe a bit more in the second week.. Either way, it has to be added while it is still active
Hi! If I may ask, what kind of grapes do you grow? I live in Western PA, and was set on planting concord grapes; then I saw this forum that was saying anyone who would plant concord grapes would be "crazy," and that all it would grow would be root rot. My friend's grandmother grew concord grapes, and I didn't know of any issues. Sooooo just wondering...
Ours are mostly Niagara Whites. Not the best for eating as they are very tart and not seedless. They are best for making juice or wine out of. Concord grapes do not grow here, they prefer drier climates. They grew wild where I grew up in central Washington and they were plentiful so maybe it depends on the area?
@@RainCountryHomestead I think it depends on the area too, probably. Although, things were so hot and dry here(and so many places!) this year, who knows lol! Thank you for being so great with answering questions! I ordered some seeds from your Etsy page, so I'll probably have a lot more haha!
What are some troubleshooting steps for when your wine (after 2 weeks) doesn't begin to clarify and forms yeast on the top? 😢 PS. I made an herbal wine with a Ginger Starter.
Do you mean two weeks after you started brewing or after it was finished brewing? If it is forming yeast on top, sounds like it is getting exposure to oxygen
So it is brewing then. It does not clarify until after it is finished and then you have to rack it several times. What concerns me is if there is yeast forming on top, it might be turning to vinegar. You say "wine topper", does this mean the airlock with the water in it to prevent oxygen exposure?
I had to figure that out, it is kind of frustrating, I wish they would just say "currently out of stock" instead of making it look like the link is bad! haha
Heidi-the fermentation started is a good idea and I will have to try that. It keeps you having your natural yeast on hand. I always buy specific wine yeasts so it will be fun to try it and see the results. I save myself the trouble with the fruit, and only leave it in for a couple of days and then rack it right away and get rid of the lees (which is actually what cream of tarter is) and unwanted sediment.. But there is always more racking to do.. Oh- and I personally wouldn't use a press for the fruit.. but that is a conclusion you can come to .. I try to avoid things that don't work for me and are going to require more steps and time.. I think your wines look really nice and a beautiful rich color.. but I didn't taste it.. LOL No concerns over SS in wine making. I have a friend who has a winery and his big vats are SS. It gives it an amazing flavor.. Despite that.. I have glass carboys. I am sorry but I have to confess I actually had to giggle about your explosion during early fermentation.. Been there, done that. It is quite an alarming sound. LOL one you don't want to revisit. I will keep following your process.. Thanks for sharing..
My ways are rather crude as I have never studied all the particulars of wine making, I just do it. Plus, I like using what I already have on hand or can get for minimal cost. I have never used wine yeast. I made mead for years which is easier and as far as the fruit, I do not mind racking a few times, I use the sediments at the bottom in cooking and other such right away. Nothing goes to waste. Some of my earlier wines that were not mead turned out so so in flavor but are just fine for the uses I need them for but that last batch I had made seems too good to use for anything else so I am sharing it with family. Everyone whom has tasted it so far has said it is really good and were also surprised at how they could actually taste the grapes.
Awwww. I Love that.. that is what life is all about.. the things you do that make you proud of your accomplishments.. And make you who you are and makes your life special..We are no cookie cutter people.. ;) Thanks Heidi..
Yes, this is one reason why I do not use a juicer, I also do not have a juicer though I do have a press, I only use the press for pressing out juice from apples and rhubarb
While you can, it is not recommended, glass is best. The alcohol will break down the plastic and you will have toxins, even from "food safe" plastics, leaching into your wine
I have been wanting to learn how to make wine. Thank you so much!
You are SOOO SMART!!! Thanks for sharing your smarts with us! :-D
My mom used to make 1 gallon of wine a year. When it was finished, she would come down to my house with a flask in hand, and a biiig smile on her face. LOL! She was SO PROUD of herself, and I was, too!!! I'd love to try my hand at it someday.
Hugs, love & prayers
That is sweet! :D
Kathleen, you and I both!!!
I remember my uncle making wine, but as a child what did I care about the how, I was just impressed by the setup 😁 I'd love to make dandelion wine😊
@@kleineroteHex My great uncle and my dad made four 50 gallon wood barrels every year for as long as I can remember. I remember the garage being FILLED with crates of white and purple grapes. My dad had a HUGE grape press that they operated by hand. My dad on one side and my uncle on the other, they turned that giant *screw*. The purple grapes were different than the white grapes in that you could squeeze the end, and it would be very sweet, but, the seeds were encased in a *gel*, and if you bit into THAT, it was exTREMEly SOUR. To this day, I still don't know what kind of grapes those were. Those were the days! :-D
@@kathleenzimmerman8227 those were the days of carefree childhood - if we could go back knowing what will be important down the road...….
Made some wine. Thought I had plenty of grapes. No. I definitely did not. Used some apple juice to balance out the difference. It’s all I had. Used 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of the starter. So far it’s thriving!!!
Al the time God is good. I ordered 3 bubblers yesterday, I watched your fermentation video yesterday, I need to get on it and make some ♥
Great instructions; thanks for sharing!
Watching your wine videos again! Using up about 6 pounds of strawberries that I had frozen in the freezer to make a strawberry wine with a kombucha starter…wish me luck!!!😹🥰
Thanks for sharing!! I’m making wine I’m excited and thankful you are doing this video!! .. 🍷
Gallon jugs I have, that's all 😁
A lady close to my daughter has one a week or every other week in her recycle bin. I had asked her to save them for me, but she forgets, so I take them out of her bin every now and then😊
Thanks so much Heidi this is so exciting. A great substitute to buying cooking wine. I love using wine in cooking.
I do too and this saves so much money and you know exactly what is going in it!
And cooking wine, at least in PA is saltier than ocean water! Found out the hard way when I first moved here.......😨😵
Love your videos. We learn so much from them..Thank you! I made wine years ago in North Carolina. The locals there simply put a balloon over the jug (as did I). Fun to watch that balloon pump way up. It worked!
Yep, I used a balloon when I first started but I prefer the airlock. It is easier to keep track of how active it is by seeing what the bubbles do and sometimes the latex in the balloon can add an odd flavor to the wine
Fascinating! Thank you
Hi Heidi. My mom and I started wine 2 weeks and 5 days ago. We are using the balloon method currently. Do we wait until the balloon is so deflated that it falls over before we know if its done or not? Thanks Heidi!!
I just love how you teach the signs to look for, and not exact measurements or time periods that can scare away someone who finds these processes scary. I'm thinking of starting some wines or meads. Simply because I think it would probably be more economical (and safer??) and realistic vs building a still in order to produce alcohol for medicinal extracts. I wonder if wine can disinfect as well. I remember the good samaritan used wine to disinfect the traveler's wounds...🤔
Yes, it can, similar to vinegar, so good point you brought up there :D
Thank you.
I love your videos! Please keep them coming!
Could you juice the berries in a electric juicer?
I don't see why not
What are your ideas on using a squeezo machine. It takes the seeds and pulp out?
I love using my sqeezo machine to gets seeds out for making seedless jams . My hubby deals with colitis and seeds are not always friendly to him.
People rave on my seedless jams. We donate our organic jams to the workers at a food bank at Christmas time.
Love all your videos and hints.
I would love some ideas on making fish recipes .
❤ Sandra DeWys - Michigan
I have never heard of that myself but am just fine with hand pressing. I have an old style fruit press for everything else and I like that.
Have you ever made watermelon wine and would you recommend using it? Also, would you use the full 3 cups of sugar for 1st ferment?
I have never tried watermelon so I cannot say, it really depends on how sweet it is. It may be best to try making a smaller batch, like a quart, to try it out and start with 1/2 cup of sugar and add another 1/4 cup at 2 weeks.
Heidi when you have pulp in the juice do you strain it out at any point or do you leave it in during the whole process?
Yes, I strain through a cloth at the end of the process
I've always wanted to try making wine. I have a recipe for huckleberry wine handed down from my grandfather I want to try. Thank you for your time💕
Could you share that recipe
Hi I want to make huckleberry u use sugar or honey?
@Shannon Frisby I would love to but all my stuff is in storage right now.
@@vickyvergara4973 sugar
Question: first time wine making. I used the airlock but the rubber stopper keeps sliding out. What do you use to keep it seated? And do you stir the wine occasionally?
Thanks
Hi Heidi!!
I started my wine 1 week ago….it is bubbling quite nicely (about every 4-5 seconds--it’s been bubbling nicely for several days progressively faster); should I add the last cup of sugar now or wait until the bubbling slows? I got confused because I know you said add after a week but then I thought you said somewhere to wait until the bubbling had slowed. I don’t want to kill the fermentation. Thank you so much and blessed Easter to you and Patrick.
Yes, add it now, you do nto want to wait too late
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you!
I did add it and it is doing well. The second gallon that I started a few days later I just added more sugar today to(today is day 8 for that one). When I added the 1 cup of sugar with more juice it started bubbling over. I replaced the airlock but now it is not bubbling. It’s been about 1 hour. Is that common for it to take a little time to start bubbling again? Thank you Heidi.
would juicing the blackberries through the omega juicer work well?
I know nothing about an omega juicer but if it gives you a clean juice, then yes
@@RainCountryHomestead Its a masticating juicer...just slowly and forcefully pushes and squeezes the juice out without creating any friction heat. WHEN I MAKE MY CELERY JUICE, ALITTLE PULP COMES OUT BUT THERES A SMALL SCREEN THAT FITS OVER THE JUICE CATCHING CONTAINER. oops, sorry for caps, was too busy looking at the keys hahaha. Thankyou..oh ya...about the fruit to make the fermentation starter...can I use frozen hand picked berries?
@@mssavedin92 You can try with the frozen berries, for some reason I find making vinegar or fermentation starters rom previously frozen fruits does not work as well as fresh or dried, for some reason.
@@RainCountryHomestead thankyou
Nana said she put the pulp in a lg strainer , cover w cheese cloth, press by slowly adding weight every hour or so, like a cheese press, made things easier.
Thanks, Heidi for making this video I want to learn how to make great wine. I want to get some organic honey and make a mead
Mead is the easiest to make as you do not need to add fruit (unless you want to for more flavor) and you do not need to add more honey half way through, just get it going and let it do its thing for a month or so.
Can I use kombucha or Jun as my fermentation starter?
Only if your kombucha is active and bubbly, not at the vinegar stage
@@RainCountryHomestead That's awesome. I have some fresh Jun.
Does sugar make the wine sweeter?
It can if you put more than you need but the sugar is what turns to alcohol
@ I kept watching and you mentioned that. Thank you
Can you use a juicer to extract your juice?
I am sure you can.
Thank you!
Ho Heidi. Quick question. Do you add a tiny bit of water to the airlock? Just wondering where the water comes from that you wait to see bubble.
Yes, you need to add water, there is even a fill line provided on the airlock
@@RainCountryHomestead thanks so much!!
How do you get you're gallon jugs clean when you were finished,the opening is so small?
Hello dear friend, so eager to try these, you may have said this and I didn't remember. If you don't have fresh fruits, can you use freeze dried? I will try it later in season when my grapes and blackberries are harvested. I would really like to try it now, we have a Sprouts Market that sells organic fresh fruit here but I already have freeze dried fruits on hand. Blessings thank you for sharing your knowledge on this skill
For mead making, adding some dried or freeze dried fruits would be fine but for wine, you will need juice. It can be fresh or canned.
@@RainCountryHomestead well that certainly makes sense, duh, overlook me I had a senior moment and didn't think of juice. Thank you for looking over me to protect me from making a huge blunder like that one. So anxious to try this, will let you know how it goes, blessings dear friend
I have seen on videos that frozen fruit will work. That would have the juice. I have not tried any of this yet. Lol. Laura
Sorry I see after watching a second time that Heidi used frozen. I guess that her previous video is one of the ones I heard that on.
Heidi, how much water do you put in your airlock?
The airlock should have a fill line, use that to determine the amount of water you put in.
Hi! I have a question about my wine. I started on 6/19 with store bought 100% cherry juice. My raisin ferment was great! I initially started with 1 1/2 -2 cups sugar. Cannot remember. I added another cup of sugar a week later on 6/26. I noticed yesterday the bubbling was very slow especially compared to the wine I made the day before this one. Today it was really slow like one bubble in a minute. I know it is too soon for it to be finished. I tasted it this morning and there’s a lot of alcohol in it for sure. Also I thought it could be a tad sweeter. So I added 1/2 cup sugar. It got activated real fast. I know you said probably not good to add more sugar after two weeks. Today is 13 days. It has a month to go so wanted to make sure it would go the distance. Did I make the right decision? Thanks so much! I like you, am not much of an alcohol drinker but it is a great skill to know in our uncertain world. I am throughly enjoying making wine!
The thing is if you like it the way it is now, there is no reason to wait unless you are wanting it to work through more of the sugar you just added
Thank you! That was helpful 😄I did want it to
be a bit sweeter.
Can I use some of my kombucha as a fermentation starter?
It might work but it would depend on how long you ferment your kombucha. Since a ferment starter only takes three (five days tops), I would recommend just making one, they have many uses and are easy to keep alive for at least a year.
What about using a juicer?
I do not understand your question since I am using juice here, it is all juice pressed from my own grapes or other fruit. Also please take note of the title, this is part 2 in the series
O sorry, I just noticed I did not see the R at the end of juice! haha! yes, youc an use a juicer or any means you want to make juice
How many cups of fruit per gallon?
Thanks
Please go back and watch part one, as this is a four part series and I cover the first steps in part oneth-cam.com/play/PLzVtTPDzFPKFtB45ulnLxFmo0mPdd23wq.html
Love your videos! Thank you!
I’m making wine for the first time. So, 3 days, covered with cloth and rubber band. I’ll put the air lock on after that. Then, how many days in until I add the 1/2 cup of sugar? I think you changed it to 1/2 cup sugar, right?
Thank you so much!
Add the extra sugar after it has been bubbling well for a few days. The amount you add depends on how much sugar you added from the start. It can be only a half cup or a whole cup
What size rubber stopper? W a hole or no hole?
The links to the proper stoppers are in the description box
It goes to the other topper thing (cant rememver the name ... It lets the gases out) not the stoppers. It shows a size #6 or #7 with holes but nit without...
JoAnna Webb the link to the airlocks is also in the description box. The stopper is drilled (with a hole for the airlock) and is a size 6 for the 1 gallon jugs
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you!
Would passionfruit work?
Yes, you can make a wine out of any juice. Even that pressed from rhubarb: th-cam.com/video/OEVDFbRfGGU/w-d-xo.html
How much sugar do you add all together
Usually three cups total
How do you clean the jugs
th-cam.com/video/-sgpBEXuTNY/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the great education of this. Well, is it Ok if I only using canning jar in making this wine? Do I need to "burp" it every few days? Because I don't have any of that equipment.. Thank you again and God Bless You!
It would be better to have an airlock than to burp, wine gets very active and can blow up your jars or bottles if you do not keep up on it. I would say you would need to do it 3 times a day at least
I see.. thanks for your time Heidi, it really helps :)
Thought of using a fermenting, (Ball) lid on 1/2 gal Mason jar.
So if I want a wine with a little bit of alcohol, just work with less sugar?
Less sugar or less time fermenting
How do you get your glass bottles clean between uses?
You can find special long bottle brushes in any brew making supply area, sometimes even a local hardware store will have them. amzn.to/2G0bejf
When I went to add my sugar I dumped all of the wine out and ran it through this strainer again to get rid of the excess pulp and put it back in the jars I believe that was a mistake taking all of the liquid out sifting and again is there any way to get it to start fermenting again? I started it 2 weeks ago maybe less it tastes like fruit punch no there's no fizz or tartness what should I do
Double check your airlocks to make sure they is still enough water in them and that they are seated properly on your jugs. It should still take another two weeks but after adding the sugar it can slow it down for a day or so
Thanks Mom! (My last comment was so long I thought I’d keep this to a minimum for ya! Hahahahaha) Love, hugs and blessings~ The Kid! 💜
Haha!
Is it possible that the wine finish bubbling in week 2?
Not likely, when mine does that it often means the bung is slightly dislodged. Try readjusting it
@@RainCountryHomestead how do you do that? Thanks
@@jlmassey Take it out then but it back in tightly and make sure the airlock is also in tightly and not askew
@@RainCountryHomestead i think i finally learned what happened. I use raw can sugar instead of organic cane sugar
Would a kombucha starter work??
I have tons of it. I love kombucha and one day would like to try an alcohol type. Thanks again for all these fantastic videos!!! God bless!😊🙏
I am pretty sure it would
@@RainCountryHomestead Thanks for the fast reply! Have a wonderful day!🙏😊🌻
So when I did this next step and was pouring the sugar water in it bubbled over. Is that OK? Im doing an apple wine made with organic apple juice that I bought.
Yes, it happened to me before, I learned to pour it very slowly and it little bits at a time. If you pour it all in at once, it can go berserk! haha
Hello, I like to know where can I find how to make your honey and wine. Video , Thank you for sharing your Amazing videos ! Be Bless Thank you in advance 🙏🏼🥰
th-cam.com/video/cZnyG-I5YJI/w-d-xo.html
Does the fermentation starters help make a sweet wine? Or is a dry wine?
It is not the starter that makes a wine sweet or dry, it is the amount of sugar used and length of fermentation
@@RainCountryHomestead So does the 3 cups make it a sweet wine? I'm wanting to make it a sweet wine lmao :)
Would pineapple work for a wine and I know how sweet it is how much sugar would I start with. Would pineapple taste good it will be for medicinal extracts
Juice from any fruit can be fermented but yes, pineapple is high in sugar so one may not need to start off with as much sugar but you will still need to add it
I am using a 1/2 gallon jug because I didn't have a gallon size one so I cut the sugar to 1 1/2 cups when I started it. It is bubbling like it should, so at the half way point should I add another 1/2 cup of sugar or a whole 1 cup of sugar? Wanted to know before I get to that point so I know what I'm doing. Thank you for your help.
You may not need to add more sugar depending on the juice you are using but if you do add, I found it best to not wait too long. No longer than a week to add more
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you for the quick reply.
Hi Heidi ... I am using organic apple juice with no sugar added bought from the store. I added one cup of raisin starter and two cups of sugar with the juice. How long will it take for it to actually start bubbling? End of day two, and still nothing, so very curious. Also, it seems like the stopper keeps sliding upwards after I seat it securely in the jar. It never comes all the way out, but does sometimes move upwards so that it's barely sitting in the jar. Thanks!
Sometimes it can take 3-4 days to see bubbling. I am assuming you are making a full gallon. If you are making less than that, the two cups of sugar would be too much and may prevent it from fermenting or cause it to take much longer
I am trying to learn wine making. I’ve made 2 gallon elderberry with raisins for wild ferment, can anyone please tell me can I use the same wild ferment with raisins for apple wine
Yes, you can
Thank you. I’m just learning to make wine, which sorry I don’t drink either, except a very occasional glass with company, also same reasons you gave, but my great grandfather was a brewer my grandfather and my uncle...the only son on that side. He has no living child, so I’m wanting to learn an pass it on. Strawberry wine is also on my mind. I’ll take any advice I can get. I don’t want to buy chemicals and store bought yeast. Also want to make honey mead
Question I started apple wine like a week ago.... I did wild ferment and did not put any lemon juice in it... do I need lemon juice
Mine isn’t bubbly quickly only slowly after 2 weeks everything is tight . It’s a 1/2 gallon jug . How long do you wait to do step 2
You mean adding more sugar? It is really best to do that only during the very active stage, if you wait until it stops bubbling or slows down, it may bring it to a complete stop. I suggest try adding only a quarter cup of sugar at a time and see what that does because a whole cup may be too much at once. If it gets more active again, then add another quarter cup the day after that, and repeat for the next few days
Why need that air lobes long tube rather than just cover by cloth since even that has air coming out ... what is different?
Without the airlock, it will turn to vinegar. I do believe I explained all that in the video.
I don’t drink much but I want to learn how to make it and use it to barter
So I’m following your process and here it is day 3 and there’s a white substance growing on the top...is it ok or should I dump it. I just added the air bubbler and nothing is happening
Thanks Heidi
Did you leave it uncovered for those three days then? Sounds like it is turning to vinegar. I would not toss it. Leave it with the bubbler on it for a couple more days and see what it does, if it never starts to bubble then just remove it and cover with a cloth and let it become vinegar.
Rain Country I did cover it for 2 days with a cloth. On day 2 everything looked normal, day 3 when I was gonna put the bubbler on I noticed the white stuff. Now the bubbler has been on for 2 days and nothing is going on. I’ll wait a few more days, if not I have a HUGE batch of vinegar 🤨
@@pattihayden8100 I can't imagine it turning to vinegar in such a short time so it may just need more time to start fermenting. The amount of sugar will also depend on how quickly it starts to bubble
Do you have a written out recipe for how much of everything to use?
The important amounts are just in my head and the rest may do differently with each batch.
Is it possible for my wine to be done after two week?
Two weeks is pretty early but you can stop it there if you like the flavor, sweetness, and fizziness of it but it will be somewhere between a wine and a natural soda
Maybe a silly question - but do you put a little water in your air lock or is that just the wine that comes up?
Yes, I am pretty sure I show either in this video or the one that precedes it (note, this is part 2) that you fill it part way with water to the line shown on the airlock
I bought a gallon of unfiltered apple juice from Wholefoods only because I needed another 1 gallon glass jug and it was cost effective. I don't usually drink juice. Can I use some of the juice to make the wine instead of fresh fruit?
Yes, you can use juice from the store
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you.
Hello Heidi , have a question if making my wine with store brought 💯 grape juice , how many bottles of the grape juice would I need to buy to make the 1 gallon juice and would I still use the 2 cups of cane sugar ? I’m new to wine making I still have make any wine yet . If II am using store-bought grape juice I wouldn’t have to worry about it exploding only if I use the fresh fruits because of the pulp that’s when I have to keep an eye on it to keep it from exploding on the first 2-3 days am I correct ? That’s the only fear that keeps me from making wine if I use fresh strawberries , etc ! Be Bless 🙏🏼
There are too many variables to your questions. First, I would have no idea how many bottles as I do not know what size you mean. You will want at least a total of three quarts but I recommend getting a full gallon of juice. It would be better to have more than enough than not enough. There are 128 ounces in a full gallon so you would need to add the ounces of the bottles you are thinking of buying so if they are 32 ounce bottles (which is a quart) then you would want four of them to equal a full gallon. As far as the sugar addition, that will depend on if the juice you buy already has sugar added, if not, then yes, you will need to add the sugar. Yes, keep an eye on it. It rarely happens but it can. It will not brake the jar, just blow off the stopper and airlock if the airlock gets plugged. If you have not yet, I recommend that you watch the entire series before getting started, especially part one.
Do you have snow now .i have heard that they were going to be a big storm ..with snow etc ....can you mesure the alcool?..take care ...🌈👍🏽🕊
Currently, yes, we have some snow, though not much compared to other areas around us. It has been getting kept from getting too thick as we get bits of rain or sun here and there washing or melting some of it away.
Can I add some water to the juice or do I have to use 100% strained juice from fruit and berries? If possible how much water to one gallon bottle? Thank you so much!
It is best to use 100% juice when making a fruit wine. Mead is different, that is a honey water mixture that can have fruit or fruit juice added to it
Heidi, do you have any idea why my jars break when canning? I only use Ball and Kerr jars. Could it be that I am not filling them full enough?
If you are putting hot jars in cold water or cold jars in hot water, this can cause your jars to break. If your jars have hot ingredients, then make sure the water temperature is also hot before putting the jars in the canner. If the jars have cold ingredients, then start with cold water in the canner and put the jars in that and allow the water and jars to heat up together
Please apply some of your face cream on your neck too. It gives the face a darker tint and 6our neck and under mandibula looks whiter ❤
I always use my homemade face cream on my neck as well. Whatever you are seeing is only in relation to the lighting
I added the sugar when my wine had stopped bubbling after about 3 weeks , it didn’t start bubbling again. I thought maybe my house was to cold so I placed the jar on a heat mat. Still didn’t start bubbling. What do I need to do to get it bubbling again?
Sadly, you waited too long, it still needs to be very bubbly when adding more sugar so now what you will have is a very sweet wine. Once the bubbling has completely stopped, it is done and it usually cannot be brought back. Also, if it becomes too warm, this can also kill the bacteria and yeast that feed on the sugar so the heating pad is not a good idea. I now add a little sugar at about one week, and maybe a bit more in the second week.. Either way, it has to be added while it is still active
Rain Country thank you for getting back to me. We learn by doing. I will give it another try after the new year l.
Hi! If I may ask, what kind of grapes do you grow? I live in Western PA, and was set on planting concord grapes; then I saw this forum that was saying anyone who would plant concord grapes would be "crazy," and that all it would grow would be root rot. My friend's grandmother grew concord grapes, and I didn't know of any issues. Sooooo just wondering...
Ours are mostly Niagara Whites. Not the best for eating as they are very tart and not seedless. They are best for making juice or wine out of. Concord grapes do not grow here, they prefer drier climates. They grew wild where I grew up in central Washington and they were plentiful so maybe it depends on the area?
@@RainCountryHomestead I think it depends on the area too, probably. Although, things were so hot and dry here(and so many places!) this year, who knows lol! Thank you for being so great with answering questions! I ordered some seeds from your Etsy page, so I'll probably have a lot more haha!
What are some troubleshooting steps for when your wine (after 2 weeks) doesn't begin to clarify and forms yeast on the top? 😢
PS. I made an herbal wine with a Ginger Starter.
Do you mean two weeks after you started brewing or after it was finished brewing? If it is forming yeast on top, sounds like it is getting exposure to oxygen
@@RainCountryHomestead, it's been in the glass gallon container with the wine topper for two weeks. (After sitting with a cloth for the 1st day or 2)
So it is brewing then. It does not clarify until after it is finished and then you have to rack it several times. What concerns me is if there is yeast forming on top, it might be turning to vinegar. You say "wine topper", does this mean the airlock with the water in it to prevent oxygen exposure?
@@RainCountryHomestead yes, sorry it is an airlock.
@@RainCountryHomestead yes, sorry! It is an airlock. Thanks for all the time too btw.
The link for gallon jugs isn't working 😉
It simply means they are out of stock right now, they weren't when I linked to them but let me see what I can find
Here we go: amzn.to/2WVnOI9
Guess I don't buy enough. I didn't know that. Thanks for the second link. I really want to start collecting these for supplies.
I had to figure that out, it is kind of frustrating, I wish they would just say "currently out of stock" instead of making it look like the link is bad! haha
Heidi-the fermentation started is a good idea and I will have to try that. It keeps you having your natural yeast on hand. I always buy specific wine yeasts so it will be fun to try it and see the results. I save myself the trouble with the fruit, and only leave it in for a couple of days and then rack it right away and get rid of the lees (which is actually what cream of tarter is) and unwanted sediment.. But there is always more racking to do..
Oh- and I personally wouldn't use a press for the fruit.. but that is a conclusion you can come to .. I try to avoid things that don't work for me and are going to require more steps and time..
I think your wines look really nice and a beautiful rich color.. but I didn't taste it.. LOL
No concerns over SS in wine making. I have a friend who has a winery and his big vats are SS. It gives it an amazing flavor.. Despite that.. I have glass carboys.
I am sorry but I have to confess I actually had to giggle about your explosion during early fermentation.. Been there, done that. It is quite an alarming sound. LOL one you don't want to revisit.
I will keep following your process.. Thanks for sharing..
My ways are rather crude as I have never studied all the particulars of wine making, I just do it. Plus, I like using what I already have on hand or can get for minimal cost. I have never used wine yeast. I made mead for years which is easier and as far as the fruit, I do not mind racking a few times, I use the sediments at the bottom in cooking and other such right away. Nothing goes to waste. Some of my earlier wines that were not mead turned out so so in flavor but are just fine for the uses I need them for but that last batch I had made seems too good to use for anything else so I am sharing it with family. Everyone whom has tasted it so far has said it is really good and were also surprised at how they could actually taste the grapes.
Awwww. I Love that.. that is what life is all about.. the things you do that make you proud of your accomplishments.. And make you who you are and makes your life special..We are no cookie cutter people.. ;) Thanks Heidi..
Aha no juicer because of the grape seeds. Thanks!!!
Yes, this is one reason why I do not use a juicer, I also do not have a juicer though I do have a press, I only use the press for pressing out juice from apples and rhubarb
I make jelly with wine.
Can you use plastic jugs instead of glass?
While you can, it is not recommended, glass is best. The alcohol will break down the plastic and you will have toxins, even from "food safe" plastics, leaching into your wine
Before I was thinking after vinegar alcohol is another step after vinegar..
Can do you video that just focus on steps, and what do at each stage.
Not sure if you noticed but this is a four part series for just the wine and then I have another single video on mead
@@RainCountryHomestead Sorry I didn't
Looking for ways to clean and cook and make sprays to freshen house
How do you get you're gallon jugs clean when you were finished, the opening is so small?
th-cam.com/video/-sgpBEXuTNY/w-d-xo.html