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1. How long does it take to make wine?
Making wine at home is a pretty simple process—but it does require patience, as it requires about 4 weeks to produce a case of wine. On Day 1, you'll spend 30-40 minutes assembling, cleaning and mixing your wine. On the 14th day, you'll spend 20-30 minutes stabilizing and clarifying your wine. Then, on the 28th day, you'll spend another 30-40 minutes bottling your wine.
2. What should I see throughout the winemaking process?
To begin with, the liquid will be very murky, with a creamy paste on its surface. This paste will blend into the liquid during the first 2 days, and you'll see tiny bubbles forming all through your wine. (If you still see a ring of the paste inside, this is fine.) You may also see your airlock bubbling.
When you hit 6-7 days, your wine may start looking clearer. The bubbling rate should slow down and stop by the tenth day.
After day 14, you will see the wine gradually clear as sediment drops to the bottom.
3. Why is the sanitization so important?
Fermentation is a natural process. If it gets contaminated with bad yeast and bacteria, it might not go as expected, and could create odd flavors in your wine.
4. How should I store my wine?
In general, you should store wine in a consistently cool, dark room, lying on its side or upside down. If you keep the cork moist, and keep the bottle away from direct light or variations in heat, your wine's aging process won't accelerate. The best temperature for storage is from 45 to 65°F.
5. Can I leave my wine in the system until I am ready to drink it?
No. The Artful Winemaker™ is ideal for winemaking, but not for storage. The air space under the lid holds too much oxygen, which will prematurely age your wine. Don't leave it in the vessel more than 3-5 days beyond the recommended bottling date.
6. Why is the temperature important?
The temperature is important to the fermentation process because it lets the wine develop naturally. Yeast works best when the temperature is between 65-80°F. If the temperature rises higher, it will cause the yeast to become inactive and/or affect the wine's aromatics. A temperature that goes below this range might keep the fermentation from starting, or could make the winemaking process take much longer.
7. Is it better to use spring water instead of tap water?
It really depends on which drinking water has the better quality in your area. Choose the water that you enjoy drinking, and your wine will be fine.
8. Can I carry my Winemaking System by the handle?
If you need to move your winemaking system during the process, you can carry it by the handle, but be sure to support it from the bottom with your other hand.
9. What is the sediment on the bottom?
The sediment from Day 1 to Day 14 cosists mostly of dead yeast cells and some proteins. The sediment from Day 14 to Day 28 consists mostly of proteins.
10. When will my wine start to clear?
The wine will start to clear after the active fermentation slows down. The components that make it cloudy will settle naturally, and the Wine Clarifier (4) will also help produce a startling clear wine when it's time to bottle.
