Winemaking in the Classroom 1Equipment, Yeast, Fruit & ChemicalsEquipment, Yeast, Fruit & Chemicals

Sirromet Wines Pty Ltd850-938 Mount Cotton Rd

Mount Cotton Queensland, Australia 4165www.sirromet.com

Courtesy of Jessica Ferguson

Assistant Winemaker & Site ChemistDownloaded from seniorchem.com/eei.html

Requirements

Fruit, juice, or juice concentrateFruit, juice, or juice concentrate Chemicals may include: potassium metabisulphite, Chemicals may include: potassium metabisulphite,

tartaric acid, enzymes, bentonite, fining agentstartaric acid, enzymes, bentonite, fining agents Temperature Control Method for fermentation (air-Temperature Control Method for fermentation (air-

conditioned room as a minimum)conditioned room as a minimum) Yeast Yeast Fermentation Vessels and EquipmentFermentation Vessels and Equipment Testing Equipment for: pH, SG, Free SO2, Testing Equipment for: pH, SG, Free SO2,

temperature, acidity, alcoholtemperature, acidity, alcohol Siphon for Racking, Filters, Bottles and Closures Siphon for Racking, Filters, Bottles and Closures

Fruit/Juice:

Strongly recommend use of grapes/grape productStrongly recommend use of grapes/grape product Possibilities include:Possibilities include: Wine grapes, table grapes, grape juice concentrate, Wine grapes, table grapes, grape juice concentrate,

raisins soaked or blitzed in waterraisins soaked or blitzed in water Fruit preparation: ideally low solids, but relative high Fruit preparation: ideally low solids, but relative high

dissolved oxygen dissolved oxygen Freshly crushed and pressed juice best option Freshly crushed and pressed juice best option Also preservative free juices, or can soak raisins (must Also preservative free juices, or can soak raisins (must

be sulphite free)be sulphite free) Canned juices are an option alsoCanned juices are an option also ‘‘Cloudy’ juices may work better than filtered juice as Cloudy’ juices may work better than filtered juice as

they have a higher natural nutrient levelthey have a higher natural nutrient level

Reasons for Preferring Grapes: Ideal pH range for Ideal pH range for

fermentation (not too fermentation (not too high/low)high/low)

Sugar ratio 50:50 Sugar ratio 50:50 glucose:fructoseglucose:fructose

Naturally high levels of Naturally high levels of tartaric acid (stability)tartaric acid (stability)

Better structure to wines Better structure to wines Better balance of acid and Better balance of acid and

flavourflavour High number of flavour High number of flavour

compounds from grapes compounds from grapes vs. other fruitvs. other fruit

Potential Issues with Other Fruit Use of other fruit may result in negative flavour and Use of other fruit may result in negative flavour and

structure characters such as:structure characters such as: greenness, bitterness, hardness, ‘thin’ acidic or bitter winesgreenness, bitterness, hardness, ‘thin’ acidic or bitter wines Possible issues with flavour/colour stability, fruit wines Possible issues with flavour/colour stability, fruit wines

often don’t keep welloften don’t keep well Usually lower alcohol than grape wine – potential for Usually lower alcohol than grape wine – potential for

spoilage is higherspoilage is higher Sugar balance and acid profiles of other fruits may make Sugar balance and acid profiles of other fruits may make

them less suitable for fermentation them less suitable for fermentation i.e. sweet eating apples: fructose>>glucose – this can cause i.e. sweet eating apples: fructose>>glucose – this can cause

sluggish fermentssluggish ferments

Grape Juice Concentrate Kits Consider as an easy option to get Consider as an easy option to get

startedstarted Can buy ‘kits’ to make red or Can buy ‘kits’ to make red or

white wine including all white wine including all chemicals requiredchemicals required

Less likely to have stuck ferments Less likely to have stuck ferments with a concentrate kit (but not with a concentrate kit (but not foolproof!)foolproof!)

May be ideal if time is restricted May be ideal if time is restricted for getting fermentation set up and for getting fermentation set up and startedstarted

All About Yeast

Wine strains best suited Wine strains best suited (not brewers yeast)(not brewers yeast)

Requirements:Requirements: alcohol tolerant to 15% alcohol tolerant to 15% suited to low pH/low suited to low pH/low

Nitrogen Nitrogen low VA & Hlow VA & H22S production S production medium sugar medium sugar

accumulationaccumulation

Where to get yeast

Where to buy yeast: Where to buy yeast: Laffort (bulk supplier), Sirromet (comes in 500g packs) Laffort (bulk supplier), Sirromet (comes in 500g packs) many home brew shops sell wine yeast in small packs many home brew shops sell wine yeast in small packs

which may be more suitablewhich may be more suitable Comes in freeze-dried formComes in freeze-dried form Care of dried yeast: Cool store or fridge, vacuum Care of dried yeast: Cool store or fridge, vacuum

sealed, 12 months maximum shelf life. sealed, 12 months maximum shelf life. Once opened, seal packet with tape, store in fridge and Once opened, seal packet with tape, store in fridge and

use within a few weeksuse within a few weeks

Fermentation Equipment

Suitable fermentation Suitable fermentation vessels: vessels:

Beer kegs, glass demi-Beer kegs, glass demi-johns: no taint johns: no taint

Plastic: hydrocarbon Plastic: hydrocarbon pickup, can produce pickup, can produce plastic taint in wineplastic taint in wine

Use fermentation bubblers Use fermentation bubblers or silicon bungs or silicon bungs

One way seals, or a plastic One way seals, or a plastic bag full of sand.bag full of sand.

Fermentation Equipment (cont)

If your juice contains solids or If your juice contains solids or skins, or is at higher temps:skins, or is at higher temps:

Initial ferment should be Initial ferment should be started in a wide necked vesselstarted in a wide necked vessel

Bucket or plastic keg (loosely Bucket or plastic keg (loosely covered to allow COcovered to allow CO22 escape) escape)

Move to a narrow neck vessel Move to a narrow neck vessel once ferment has become less once ferment has become less vigorous vigorous

Ferment Monitoring Equipment Refractometer – for measuring Refractometer – for measuring

Brix on juice pre-fermentBrix on juice pre-ferment Hydrometers:Hydrometers: Baume scale (for juice) Baume scale (for juice) Specific Gravity (for ferment Specific Gravity (for ferment

monitoring)monitoring) Thermometer or data-logger to Thermometer or data-logger to

monitor temperaturemonitor temperature Valenche or Wine Thief for Valenche or Wine Thief for

sampling (optional)sampling (optional)

Sanitation of Equipment Sterilisation (heat) – could rinse/soak clean Sterilisation (heat) – could rinse/soak clean

vessels in boiling water – limited effectiveness, vessels in boiling water – limited effectiveness, or boil small pieces of equipmentor boil small pieces of equipment

Chemical sterilisation – hypochlorite (bleach) – Chemical sterilisation – hypochlorite (bleach) – rinse very, very well afterrinse very, very well after

Chemical sterilisation – caustic wash followed Chemical sterilisation – caustic wash followed by acid wash, water rinseby acid wash, water rinse

Chemical sterilisation – sulphite solutionChemical sterilisation – sulphite solution

Chemicals Tartaric acid – to adjust acidity of must before or after Tartaric acid – to adjust acidity of must before or after

ferment (can be used for any fruit/juice)ferment (can be used for any fruit/juice) Yeast Nutrient – DAP or Fermaid Yeast Nutrient – DAP or Fermaid Sugar (if required) – use table sugarSugar (if required) – use table sugar Enzyme – to assist with cold settling of high solids juice Enzyme – to assist with cold settling of high solids juice

pre-fermentpre-ferment Potassium metabisulphite or Camden tablets – SOPotassium metabisulphite or Camden tablets – SO22

preservative and/or sanitiserpreservative and/or sanitiser Bentonite – kaolin clay base used to aid clarification after Bentonite – kaolin clay base used to aid clarification after

fermentation (comes in dry form)fermentation (comes in dry form)

Processing & Finishing Equipment

Fruit press – for grapes or soft Fruit press – for grapes or soft fruit, table top, manual stainless fruit, table top, manual stainless steelsteel

Siphon tubes – clear plastic Siphon tubes – clear plastic tubing is effective (silica or tubing is effective (silica or PVC food grade)PVC food grade)

Filtration options – most are Filtration options – most are beyond the classroom budget, beyond the classroom budget, but gravity filters or small but gravity filters or small electric filters are available electric filters are available

Bottles and screw-caps or corksBottles and screw-caps or corks

Some useful links for businessesthat sell winemaking supplies

www.ibrew.com.au www.ibrew.com.au 12-16 Tonga Place, Parkwood12-16 Tonga Place, Parkwood www.homebrewbarn.com www.homebrewbarn.com 325 Gympie Rd Kedron325 Gympie Rd Kedron www.uq.net.au/homebrew www.uq.net.au/homebrew 69 Shore St, Cleveland69 Shore St, Cleveland www.nerangbrewing.com.au 41 Price St Nerang or Shop 9, www.nerangbrewing.com.au 41 Price St Nerang or Shop 9,

Oxenford Square Shopping Centre, Old Pacific Highway, OxenfordOxenford Square Shopping Centre, Old Pacific Highway, Oxenford Many other large home brew shops may have equipment/kitsMany other large home brew shops may have equipment/kits www.winequip.com.au - not in Qld, high quality home www.winequip.com.au - not in Qld, high quality home

winemaking equipment by mail order, well-pricedwinemaking equipment by mail order, well-priced Carlton Glass (Sunshine Coast) www.carltonglass.com.au Carlton Glass (Sunshine Coast) www.carltonglass.com.au

manufacturer of hydrometers and other wine testing glasswaremanufacturer of hydrometers and other wine testing glassware