46
Hand sampler does not suck out sample
.
There is a little float valve in the hand sampler that prevents liquid from being sucked into the mechanism.
Sometimes this gets stuck. Remove the collection bottle and tap the valve so it not stuck in the upper position. DO
NOT OPERATE THE HAND SAMPLER UNCONNECTED TO THE SAMPLING PORT. THIS WILL CAUSE THE INTERNAL
VALVE TO HANG UP AND YOU WILL NEED TO REMOVE THE BOTTLE AND TAP IT BACK TO BOTTOM POSITION.
How long does the process take?
Fermentation takes about 8 to 10 days depending on the temperature, grape variety, and yeast. You know the
fermentation is done when all the sugar is gone. Pressing the wine using the built-in press will take an hour or so.
Collect the wine in a suitable vessel taking care not to have any headspace where air might contact and spoil the
wine. Our GOfermentor aging liners are a cheap and reliable solution. You can drink the wine now but it will be
yeasty. Let the wine settle for a month (area should be 55 to 65F), then transfer to another container using an
inexpensive wine pump. Watch the transfer and stop when you see sediment being transferred. Discard the
sediment. Let it settle another 2-3 months. You can add oak chips into the aging vessel (or liner) at this time if you
want an oaky flavor. Oak products are available from online wine making suppliers. Next, taste and if you like it
you are ready to bottle some. Let the rest age for another 3-6 months and then bottle. The wine should be drunk
within 5 years.
How do I know the fermentation is done?
We are trying to make “dry” wine. This means that all the sugar in the grapes has been converted to alcohol and
the residual sugar is less than 1%. This is very important because if there is residual sugar the wine might
referment in the bottle with disastrous consequences. So the fermentation is done when the sugar is gone. You
can tell this by 1) tasting
–
there should be no perceptible sweetness and 2) you can purchase a residual sugar kit
(based on AimTab) for about $30 that gives you the sugar concentration.
What is the alcohol content of my wine?
Measuring ethanol is complex and requires some sophisticated equipment. However, you can easily estimate it if
you know your starting sugar (Brix using refractor). Take the brix of the starting grape must and multiply by 0.57 to
get the expected alcohol concentration in the resulting wine. For example the starting crushed grapes were
measured at 24Brix. So 24 x 0.57 = 13.7% will be the approximate alcohol concentration of the resulting wine.
My wine is not fermenting. Stuck?
With the GOfermentor JR it is
unlikely you will have a “stuck” fermentation. Typically, the fermentation
liner
should look puffed up within a day or so indicating that fermentation has started. Some causes of a stuck
fermentation -1) must too cold (should be at least 60F); 2) yeast stale or not rehydrated properly; 3) must sugar
concentration too high (more than 26 Brix). Consult a winemaking book for solutions.
Can I reuse the fermentation liners?
No. The whole idea is to start with a sanitary fermentation vessel. The used liner contains the waste skins and
seeds after pressing. You can use the liner to cleanly transport this waste pomace to your compost heap. Then toss
the liner out. They have no plasticizers or UV blocks and will degrade rapidly in solid waste landfill.
