- After adding sugar (if necessary) or glucose (if needed), a magic starter package (of acids, tannin, yeast nutrient) and hot water to primary fermentor, stir vigorously to dissolve solids.
- After adding cold water, stir again until sugar, etc. are dissolved. The hydrometer should read 1.070 to 1.080 (or more).
- Wait until mixture has cooled before adding yeast (a Lalvin yeast).
- After adding yeast, cover with plastic sheet, tie down (a bungee cord is good) and wait.
- Siphon wine into clean, sterilized carboy (racking), leaving the crud (wine lees) on the bottom!
- Add either Bentonite (a clay clarifier, for whites) or oak chips (if a red wine), fill neck of carboy to within 1 1/2 inches of top (leaving room for stopper & airlock).
- Insert stopper & airlock, filling airlock 1/2 full of water.
- Siphon wine into clean, sterilized carboy (or, if you have only one carboy, rack into your primary fermentor - after you've cleaned it - then back to your carboy).
- After adding a sulphite stabilizer and Kieselsol (a sodium silicate clarifier), stir vigorously several times during the next 24 hours (careful! it may foam up) replacing stopper & airlock after each stirring.
- Add additional clarifier (if necessary), top up
carboy to within 1 1/2 inches with water (boiled, then cooled).
Note: the two clarifiers work together: Kieselsol is a negatively charges silica gel and the other is (probably?) made from positively charged crustacean shells and the combination causes the particles to coagulate and fall to the bottom. - Re-attach stopper & airlock and leave for ten (or more) days.
and Enjoy!!
