Instructions for Prestige Fortified Wine Kits for dried fruit
°C
50 °F)
2
(12
30-35°C
Pour the dried fruit into a clean fermenting
vessel or use a fermenting bag. Warm up 5
litres (1 US Gallon) of water to about 50°C
(122F) (thermometer) and pour over the
fruit in the fermenting vessel. Add the
contents of bag A, (enzymes) and shake the
fermenting vessel a number of times. Now
the fruit must rest and draw for 30 minutes.
20 ml
Sugar
20 ml
1. Soaking the fruit
15 min
50°C
(122°F)
20 ml
3. Adding sugar
Warm up 5 litres (1.5 US Gallon) of water
to 45 – 55°C (113-131F) Whilst stirring add
bag F, citric acid and 6.5 kg (14 lbs) sugar.
When all the sugar has dissolved allow the
sugar mixture to cool to 35°C (95F), and
pour into the fermenting vessel.
2. Dissolving yeast in water
Measure out exactly 20 millilitres (1 fl. oz.)
30 – 35 °C (86-95F) water in a glass. Add the
wine yeast, (bag B), and stir. Allow the yeast to
stand and soak for 15 minutes.
Cold
50 m
l
22–24°C
4. Mixing and starting the fermentation
Pour 7 litres (2 US Gallon) of fresh water (from the cold water tap) into
the fermenting vessel. Add bag C (yeast nutrient salts). Stir the wine yeast
with a teaspoon and add it. Put on the lid and shake the vessel well to
ensure the contents are mixed well, and put on the lid. Fix on the
fermentation lock, filling it halfway with water. When the first “plop” is
heard, fermentation is under way.
5. Fermentation
Place the wine in a quiet place with a temperature of 22 – 23°C
(71.6-73.4F) to complete the fermentation. Avoid draughts or cold
floors which may delay fermentation. Also avoid direct sunlight. At
20 – 22°C (71.6-75.2F) fermentation takes about 26 days. At 22 –
24°C (68-74.6F) fermentation takes 20 –24 days.
6. Separating the fruit
50 m
l
Fermentation is normally complete when
bubbling has stopped or there is 1 – 2 minutes
between bubbles in the fermentation lock.
Always check with an Oechsle meter (sugar
hydrometer) which should read 0 - +5, (S.G
1000-1005) ensuring the wine is completely
fermented. If in any doubt allow the wine to
ferment for one more week. With fermentation
complete the wine should be transferred using a
syphon to another vessel or bucket to separate it
from the fruit. If using a yeast bag or a strainer,
separation from the fruit will be easier and there
will be no risk that the syphon becomes blocked.
The fruit should not be pressed, just hung to drip
for half an hour. When the fruit has been
removed, rinse out the vessel
and return the wine.
25 ml
7. Stopping fermentation
Dissolve bag D (Yeast Stopper) in 200 ml (1 US Gill) of warm
water and pour into the wine. Replace the lid, remove the
fermentation lock, putting a finger over the hole. Shake the wine
vigorously, remove the finger to release the pressure. Repeat the
procedure until no more carbon dioxide is left in the wine, or stir
with an electric drill paddle. Replace the fermentation lock again.
The wine can, with advantage, now be put in a cool place.
8. Clearing
After 24 hours clearing add bag E1 (Finings), after which shake the
fermentation vessel well. After a further 10 minutes add bag E2 and again
shake the vessel well. Put the fermentation lock in position half filled with
water. The wine should now be placed in a high and cool place for
clearing, so that it does not need to be moved when removing from lees.
After one or two weeks, when the wine has cleared, transfer to another
vessel using a syphon.
9. Chaptalisation (sweetening) and bottling
The wine must be sweetened to achieve the right taste, body and
sweetness/dryness. Test the wine with the Oechsle meter (sugar
hydrometer) adding sugar as per the recommendations on the
reverse of this paper. Finally bottle the wine.