The Winemaker Speaks, Part 4: Distilling Wine

[46spine]

Make your still from an old crock pot...it is simple.....ask me how..

[46spine]

Just watch your evaporation temperatures.....you will start any methanol drip at 147 degrees fahrenheit.....ethanol will start dripping at 172 degrees fahrenheit....if making alcohol from a fruit that has a large amount of pectin....then discard the first drip....

[vallo3838]

Watch my new video....The Winemaker Answers Winemaking Questions.

[vallo3838]

Ask Tony Spinelli the winemaker any question on winemaking.

[vallo3838]

You can distill up to 190 proof alcohol....then dilute it down to 80 proof for human consumption.

[watcherjohnny]

Great vids!!  Thanks for all your postings!!

[1LADYROCKER]

i have seen a couple videos abot distilling wine into brandy but im a bit confussed about first and second runs and what would be considered save to drink couldu clarifiy this for me?

[samljer]

Heres the sum of the technically knowledge you need.

So long as you ALWAYS get rid of the first 5% of what you distill, no matter the amount, you dont have to worry about temperatures, quantity, etc etc...

[vallo3838]

Make your still at home from simple items you have in your kitchen.

[vallo3838]

People always ask me if you can ferment alcohol stronger then 18 percent,and my answer is no.The best yeast will possibly produce up to 18 percent then it will die.Stronger alcohol must be distilled.

[partyboy9595]

i dont know about where you live but i am a police officer and though i do not do it, distilling is legal for personal consumption its only illegal on large quantities or for sale... i love your videos keep them coming

[vallo3838]

@partyboy9595 you are correct in what you are saying but the average person who gets involved in distilling usually does it for the wrong reason.Thank you for watching the video and all my other videos.

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker speaking-When distilling alcohol be very careful.Watch your heat range at all times.First run,Second Run,These are the critical distilling periods in the making of alcohol.

[Gunnarsguns]

I use charcoal in my wine and that supposedly removes the fusil oils

[vallo3838]

Gunnarguns-This is the winemaker.The use of Charcoal and other agents are for the purpose of fine wine.We as winemakers have many choices today in the fineing agents that are on the maket

[asim2500]

i listen to ur all speaches....u r against bread yeast so i will not use it in my first experience....m going to buy jars 2morow sir

[egyptianpriest]

Bread yeast does not produce 12 percent alcohol. To produce 12 percent alcohol by fermentation, you must use wine yeast and sugar. Bread yeast will make a weak, funny tasting wine that must be consumed quickly because it will not sit well.

[vallo3838]

@asim2500 Enjoy your wine.

[RomanulPatriot]

in my country is allowed anything

[vallo3838]

RomanulPatriot-this is the winemaker.

That is great that you are allowed to make

alcohol by distilling method in your

country.vallo3838

[yourfirstmate]

M r.Wine Maker.......

I am making blueberry wine i started in my fermentation bucket 4 days agoon sunday i pitch my yeast on monday, I do have a sack of blueberry"s in asack sitting at the bottom I have no bubbles yet is it ok to press and rack?

[vallo3838]

yourfirstmate-this is the winemaker and

this is what you do.Check your gravity and

see if your must is activated,if not then try

some new yeast.Let ferment in open

bucket for at least 5 days then siphon

into another carboy and airlock leaving

the sack out.vallo3838

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker-yourfirstmate

after 14 days test with gravity hydrometer

and then rack into clean carboy and let

finish for another 14 days.Check for the

alcohol content and the clearing of the

wine.If finished Prepare for bottling.

I hope this is helpful info.vallo3838

[pinkfloydgr70s]

Hello winemaker. I have a qeustion for you. Do you know any ways on how to make a more dryer wine from store bought grape juice?

[vallo3838]

pinkfloydgr70s-This is the winemaker-just

add less sugar for a dry wine.

[bigkev2015]

What is the difference between open vat and useing an air lock. Thank you so much

[vallo3838]

bigkev2015 this is the winemaker.Open vat is

a large open container that you place all

your crushed fruit or grapes into for the

first 3 days of fermentation.After that you

siphon into carboys and place airlock for

the secondary ferment period,this is about

14 to 20 days depending on the fining.

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker.Always discard the

fruit sack after squeezing.Place juice in

carboy and put waterseal for the second

ferment period.

[bigkev2015]

I just started my first batch of wine and i have a question or two. The air lock is bubbling like crazy. i put the yeast in about 36 hours a go. The temp in my house is around 76-80 is that too hot. and do i mix it at all, or i put my strawberries in a nylon straining bag should i press the pulp. Thanks

[vallo3838]

bigkev2015-I am happy you are making wine.

Your question is very confusing because if

you are using strawberries in a nylon sack

you should be in an open container.Let me

know exactly what you are up too.

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker.If you are making wine

with a fruit sack,start in open vat for the

primary fermentation period,then squeeze the

pulp bag after you are ready for the secondary

ferment period,then put in carboy and waterseal.

[brkfstclub35]

Tony, thank you for your presentations. I enjoy your posts as fatherly advice with a proessionals back. I have had some success with my own homade wine trials and enjoy the hobby.Thank you for explaining the differance between bread and good yeast. What can you recommend for sugars? I recently used some less refined natural sugar "demarara cane sugar" and was amazed at the ferocity of the initial yeast activity. Can different sugars affect, positively or negatively, the process?

[vallo3838]

Try honey next time-it gives a different

character to the wine.

[vallo3838]

In all honesty,sugar is sugar.All sugar is

the same in caloric value especially cane

sugar.I believe that different amounts of

sugar at a certain time in primary ferment

period can have a different effect on the

production of ethanol alcohol.vallo3838

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker.Ask questions-vallo3838

[vallo3838]

Put the Methanol in your gas tank.

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker.Remember all fruit

when fermented produce methanol and ethanol.

But you liver can matabolize the amount in

this natural wine fermentation process.

It is only when you start distilling that

you get the potent alcohol from the product.

That is why you need to know about the process

of first heat and first drip.vallo3838

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker.Let me fully stress

that distilling is not legal in the United

States.This video is not for the purpose of

teaching distilling.This is to let people

know the danger of distilled components such

as Methanol,that is very dagerous for human

consumption.Thank you.Dont drink and drive.

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker.Methanol is used for

commercial purpose in paint solvents and

cleaning solutions.Remember Discard the first

Drippings.Dont drink Methanol.

[vallo3838]

This is the winemaker.Dont drink Methanol.

If you decide to distill discard the first drip.Only use the ethanol alcohol.

Thank you,GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.