Brunello Italian Wine ... Yes, you CAN do this Two!

Disclaimer: This is NOT a technical article nor is it meant to be.  I am simply demonstrating how I make wine using Wine Expert kits.  I also make wine from "scratch" but will post about that later. 

If you haven't done so already, you will enjoy reading the lead-in to this article:  http://brewmaven.blogspot.com/2010/05/brunello-italian-wine-yes-you-can-do.html

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Ah...so glad you decided you HAD to know how to make wine and save lots of money! 

First...do make sure you have sanitized everything.  It actually takes me longer to sanitize than start the wine.  That is the one caveat.  Keep your equipment clean and sanitized.  But you do that already when you bake bread right?  Or any cooking?  I mentioned this in my post on Pesach Mead (http://brewmaven.blogspot.com/2010/03/pesach-mead-ezzie-way.html) %20about in March 2010.

You'll need a few supplies and can go to the Wine Expert website for an idea of what you need.  Just click here to see Tim's blog (he's the lecturer I've heard 2 times now):  http://www.timswineblog.com/hi-im-tim.  If you want to contact Mr. Steve's to ask about his starter kits for making wine or beer go here: http://www.mrsteves.com/UpcomingEvents.aspx.  Or make it a point to visit your local wine and beer brewing supply store

Once all is sanitized, open your wine kit. 

Pull out the bags of the ingredients.  In the case of the Brunello Italian it was packets 1-4, and four packages of chips to simulate aging in oak barrels.  In this case it included:  Oak chips, 2 packs of Toasted Oak, and one of French Oak. 

Pour 2 litres of hot water in the bottom of the fermentor.  Then pour in packet 1 and stir well for 30 second. 

Add the juice...oh the juice.  OMG the juice is so heavenly...you'll never look at Welch's again!  The juices used in these kits are so rich, flavorful, and aromatic you'll just want to sit down and drink it!  But don't!  Pour it into the fermenter! 

As you can see in these pictures of Ken pouring in the juice, he is bent over and carefully pouring it in.  It's a heavy box so he gets to do this step! 

Still pouring. 

Then fill the bag that the juice was in with lukewarm water and fill the fermentor to the 6 gallon line. 

 

You can use a different type of fermenter.  I have several other fermenters some are plastic and some are glass and came from Mr. Steve's. 

Stir for about 30 seconds or a minute. 

Next open the oak chips packets and pour them in.  Note: if using scissors to open the packets, make sure you sanitize your scissors! 

Stir in the chips, getting them all submerged. 

"Pitch" the yeast.  This means open the yeast packet and sprinkle the yeast on the top.  DON'T STIR! 

In about 24-48 hours you will start to see some foaming action and smell a wonderful aromatic odor emitting from the fermentor.  Ahhhh.  Pure heaven to our noses!  I keep my packets and labels taped to the top of my fermenter along with the instructions just to make sure I don't lose anything. 

Now how long did that take? You spent 30 minutes or so sanitizing.  And then MAYBE 10 minutes to pour the ingredients and mix them.  That's it!  Now you let it sit for 7-10 days.  Then you will take a measure with your hyrdrometer.  If it's to the correct reading you'll go to step 2. 

I'll add more posts labeled Brunello Italian Wine Three and Four as I go through the next steps over the next 6-8 weeks.  Each step is easy and doesn't take much time at all.