“Home Winemaking tips, tricks and general information for the novice to the enthusiast! This channel covers everything you would want to know about making wine at home and will even include some things at commercial wineries for comparison. If you are interested in the hobby and want to expand your knowledge or just watch a few videos to refresh, please subscribe! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I would be happy to help. See the Home Winemaking Blog at https://www.smartwinemaking.com/”

https://www.youtube.com/@TheHomeWinemakingChannel

This guy is really good too. A beginner like me.
“I’ve found a new hobby and I’m loving it. Making wine from fruit or using kit wines, who would have thought it’s this much fun! I’m brand new to this so if you know more, or have some tips you’d like to share feel free to share.”

https://www.youtube.com/@QualityHomeWinemaking

Man Made Mead. Excellent source for mead making including a detailed How To Make Mead course spanning multiple episodes. Highly recommended.

https://www.youtube.com/@ManMadeMead

City Steading Brews (Brian and Derica) one of the best sources of wine and mead making on the web. Large variety of topics covered, their beautiful personalities and charisma shine through in each episode. They publish two videos a week. Funny, entertaining and most importantly informational. Highly recommended.

https://www.youtube.com/@CitySteadingBrews

Steps for making wine from 100% juice or concentrate. Yes, there are many variations to winemaking. The goal is to create a simple step by step list that can be followed by beginners. If you’ve never made wine and follow these steps multiple times using different juices–you will develop an understanding of the process–sanitation, pitching yeast, fermentation, racking, stabilizing, backsweetening, bottling and aging.

Viewers. Post your additions/corrections and comments below…

Step 0	Sanitize. 1/2 tbsp Star Sans in 5gal bucket filled 1/2 with water. this is your sanitizing bucket. put it in the sink. drown everything in this bucket, can leave equip in the bucket soaking before use. Adjust sugar according to fruit.
Step 1	Prep Sugar. heat 4 cups of water. slowly stir in the sugar until it’s fully dissolved. Don’t boil, just get it hot enough where the sugar dissolves. move off and let it cool down.
Step 2	Combine. Pour 2 cans juice concentrate into primary fermenter. Add the cooled sugar water.
Step 3	Fill it Up. Fill the rest with spring water to make 1 gal. Seal and give it a shake.
Step 4	Adjuncts. These make the end result better. Add acid blend (2tsp), pectin enzyme (1/2tsp), yeast nutrient (1sp). Seal and give it a shake. Add 1/2c black tea for tannins (previously brewed and cooled).
Step 5	Gravity Check. Gravity check/reading, record it. IG just under 14% abv.
Step 6	Break, wait 12-24 hrs
Step 7	Pitch Yeast. Add wine yeast (1/2 package) and fit airlock. Fermentation usually begins within 6-8 hours. a miracle of nature.
Step 8	Break, wait 5-10 days, watch it. If using real fruit in muslin bag, remove the fruit/bag at day 6.
Step 9	First Rack 1. Fermentation stops or slows or 10days or so, the yeast is done. Rack to another jar using a siphon.
Step 10	Gravity check/reading, record it (optional).
Step 11	Break 25-30 days
Step 12	Second Rack 2.
Step 13	Break 25-30 days or until wine clears
Step 13	Third Rack 3/Stabilize 1. Add 1 crushed Camden tablet.
Step 14	Break, wait 12 hrs
Step 15	Stabilize 2 Potassium Sorbate. Add potassium sorbate (1/2tsp).
Step 16	Break, wait 24-48 hrs
Step 17	Backsweeten. Add sugar to taste.
Step 18	Bottle.
Step 19	Break/Age 3-6 months or longer

 

Generally it’s good practice to add the sulfite, then wait 12 hours before adding the sorbate. Then wait another 48 hours before adding the sugar. 1c of black tea per gallon

Cool Fermentation Videos

Fermentation storm 1

#12 2024-10-26 Black Cherry
~ Baba Yaga
~ primary 1.5gal jar (1gal recipe)
~ 64oz 100% Black Cherry Juice
~ sugar from juice 264g
~ sugar 4c+more later
~ ab 2tsp ~ pe 1/2tsp ~ ye 1tsp
~ IG 12-13%
~ yeast pitch 2024-10-27 ~ red star premier classique
~ first fermentation 6 days - complete
~ rack 1 2024-11-01 - complete
~ backstep 1 2024-11-01 - 1/2c
~ backstep 2 2024-11-08 - 1/3c
~ second fermentation 29 days - complete
~ rack 2 2024-11-29 - complete
~ stabilize 1 camden 2024-12-11 - complete
~ stabilize 2 ps 2024-12-12 - complete
~ stabilizing - complete
~ backsweeten/bottle 2024-12-13 - complete
~ notes
~~~ 2024-12-01 this one has been dead quiet for 10 days or so. taste reveal harshness. maybe i added too much sugar. Aging will help says everyone... we'll see.
~~~ 2024-11-20 after back stepping, this is still fermenting with a nice krausening line...
~~~ 2024-11-08 made mistake 8 days ago and racked back to 1.5, I need the 1.5. don't do this again, always rack1 to 1gal. Racked to 1gal... last upd added almost 1/3c sugar splashed into the 1g... hoping for more fermentation
~~~ 2024-11-01 so much lees and all sugar gone per 1.0 gravity check. racked to fresh 1.5g, added 1/2c sugar, 1/4tsp ye and its starting to brew again...
~~~ 2024-10-28 wild robust fermentation, raging storm...
~~~ 2024-10-27 juice: 264g of sugar... going to sugar step this batch, add 1/2 cup diluted sugar as fermentation slows... and maybe some ye too

#11 2024-10-17 Apple
~ Apple Jack Jack
~ primary 1.5gal jar (1gal recipe)
~ 64oz 100% Apple Juice
~ sugar from juice 448g
~ sugar 4c
~ ab 2tsp ~ pe 1tsp ~ ye 1tsp
~ yeast pitch 2024-10-18 ~ red star premier blanc
~ first fermentation 9 days - complete
~ rack 1 2024-10-26 - complete
~ second fermentation 18 days - complete
~ rack 2 2024-11-12 - complete
~ stabilize 1 camden 2024-11-12 - complete
~ stabilize 2 ps 2024-11-15 - complete
~ stabilizing - complete
~ backsweeten/bottle 2024-11-16 - complete
~ notes
~~~ 2024-11-12 Step 12 Stabilize. Add 1 crushed Camden tablet
~~~ 2024-11-05 still bubbling, de-gassing
~~~ 2024-10-26 racked 1.5 to 1gal, no more sugar, lots of gas left...
~~~ 2024-10-23 juice: 448grams of sugar... still bubbling... too much sugar? or temp change impacting savage fermentation vs calm slow bubble

#10 2024-10-12 Apple Raspberry
~ Helen Moore
~ primary 1.5gal jar (1gal recipe)
~ 2 cans concentrate 24oz
~ sugar from juice 348g
~ sugar 4.5c
~ ab 2tsp ~ pe 1tsp ~ ye 1tsp
~ IG 1.12 14%
~ yeast pitch 2024-10-13 ~ red star premier blanc
~ first fermentation 11 days - complete
~ rack 1 2024-10-23 - complete
~ second fermentation 1 days - complete
~ rack 2 2024-10-23 - complete
~ backsweeten/bottle 2024-11-03 - complete
~ notes
~~~ 2024-11-03 bottled today, 2 750ml and one big bottle. fg was 0 but it was semi-sweet. watch this could be really good.
~~~ 2024-10-26 juice: 348g of sugar...settling beautifully.
~~~ 2024-10-23 first rack to 1gal, no sugar left and tastes delish,
~~~ 2024-10-22 taste test, delish, better than the apple so far.
~~~ 2024-10-15 uice: 348g of sugar...added 1/2tsp yeast nutrient, foamed up, thankfully using new 1.5gal jars... it calmed down and still brewing...

 

#9 2024-10-07 Blackberry Fruit
~ POPPA J
~ primary 1.5gal jar (1gal recipe)
~ 2lbs frozen blackberries
~ sugar from juice 54g
~ sugar 4.5c tot (1/4c on fruit
~ ab 2tsp ~ pe 1tsp ~ ye 1tsp
~ IG 13%
~ yeast pitch 2024-10-08 ~ red star premier classique
~ first fermentation 9 days - complete
~ rack 1 2024-10-16 - complete
~ backstep 1 2024-10-23 - 3/4c
~ second fermentation 8 days - complete
~ rack 2 2024-10-23 - complete
~ backsweeten/bottle 2024-11-03 - complete
~ notes
~~~ 2024-11-03 bottled today, 4 750ml. very dry even after backsweetening on 10/23.
~~~ 2024-10-26 beautiful color showing through sun on jar today.
~~~ 2024-10-23 juice:54g of sugar, found later needed lots of sugar... still bubbling... added 3/4c sugar, camden to stabilize. bitter, added lots of sugar. new 1.5g fermenter, muslin bag, weights, just messy prep, 100% juice much easier, off smell, add 1 tbsp sugar 10/11, test taste a deliciously dry 10/14