One of the benefits of pressure fermenting in a 2 Liter bottle is that I can perform experiments without a lot of expense.

If you want to see how I ferment in a 2 Liter bottle check out this article.

Mini Pressure Fermentation

Flocculation of Raw vs Processed Honey

Other than the honey used, the recipes were identical.

• 1 lb. Honey

• 1Cup of Black Tea

• 1/4 tsp 71B yeast

• 1/2 tsp Fermax Yeast Nutrient

• 1/8 tsp Yeast Energizer

Step 1

I mix the honey, 1 cup of hot tea, and 1 cup of hot water until honey has dissolved. I then add the 1/4 tsp of the yeast nutrient and mix until dissolved. I shake it well to introduce some oxygen.

Step 2

I add 3-1/4” cups of cold water (until about 1.75L) and shake it some more.

Step 3

Using sanitized equipment, I take a hydrometer reading. In this case its 1.085.

Step 4

I take the must I used for the hydrometer reading and add it to a small, sanitized beaker. I add my yeast, a sanitized stir bar and let it stir for about 20 minutes. I then add the yeast energizer and let it stir for about 3 hours.

Step 5

Once I see some bubbling, I pour it into the 2-liter bottle with the rest of the must, add my carbonation cap and spunding valve (set to about 15PSI).

Day 3

I slowly remove the carbonation cap and use a sanitized glass wine thief to pull enough must to take a hydrometer reading.

• Raw:1.020

• Processed:1.025

I dissolve 1/4 tsp of the yeast nutrient into the test must and add it back to the 2 liter bottle. Add the carbonation cap and give it a little mixing. I attach the spunding valve and put it away for another 3 days.

Day 6

Again, I slowly remove the carbonation cap and use a sanitized glass wine thief to pull enough must to take a hydrometer reading.

• Raw:1.000

• Processed:1.000

I dissolved 1/2” of a Campden tablet and cold crashed in my fridge for a while. I this point I will monitor both and see how and when each clears.

Day 13

Pressure Fermenting Grape Concentrate

My Starter

I then add 1/4 tsp of yeast energizer and turn the heat off of my stir plate and move it to my fermentation room that is set to about 72F. I have the stir speed just fast enough to keep the yeast in suspension.

I let it stir for 24 hours.

I then place the flask in the fridge and let it separate. Most of the liquid water is poured off leaving the milky yeast. This is my starter.

The Recipe

• 18 Oz of frozen grape concentrate.

• 1 Cup of Black Tea

• 1/4 tsp Red Star Cuvee Yeast

• 1/2 tsp Fermax Yeast Nutrient

• 1/8 tsp Yeast Energizer

Step 1

I mix the grape concentrate, 1 cup of hot tea, and 1 cup of hot water until concentrate has dissolved. I then add the 1/4 tsp of the yeast nutrient and mix until dissolved. I shake it well to introduce some oxygen.

Step 2

I add 3-1/4” cups of cold water (until about 1.75L) and shake it some more.

Step 3

Using sanitized equipment, I take a hydrometer reading. In this case its 1.088.

Step 4

I take the must I used for the hydrometer reading and add it to my starter. I add my yeast, a sanitized stir bar and let it stir for about 20 minutes. I then add the yeast energizer and let it stir for about 3 hours.

Step 5

Once I see some bubbling, I pour it into the 2-liter bottle with the rest of the must, add my carbonation cap and spunding valve (set to about 15PSI).

Day 3

I slowly remove the carbonation cap and use a sanitized glass wine thief to pull enough must to take a hydrometer reading.

To my surprise it has finished out to about .999. I add the test must back to the 2-liter bottle and place it in my fridge to cold crash.

I did taste the very young wine. It tasted like a carbonated grape juice. Very dry but did not get a hint of 11.6% alcohol. We shall see what it’s like when it clears up a little.

Day 8

Racked to new bottle and added 1/2 Campden tablet and moved it back to the fridge for a little aging.

Day 15

Pyment Tests

Recipe

• 1Lb 4oz of Food Lion honey.

• 6oz of frozen grape concentrate (WalMart).

• 1 Cup of Black Tea

• 1/4 tsp EC1118 Yeast

• 1/2 tsp Fermax Yeast Nutrient

• 1/8 tsp Yeast Energizer

Step 1

I mix the honey, 1 cup of hot tea, and 1 cup of hot water until honey has dissolved. I add the grape concentrate and the 1/4 tsp of the yeast nutrient and mix until dissolved. I shake it well to introduce some oxygen.

Step 2

I add 3-1/4” cups of cold water (until about 1.75L) and shake it some more.

Step 3

Using sanitized equipment, I take a hydrometer reading. In this case its 1.11.

Step 4

I take the must I used for the hydrometer reading and add it to a small, sanitized beaker. I add my yeast, a sanitized stir bar and let it stir for about 20 minutes. I then add the yeast energizer and let it stir for about 3 hours.

Step 5

Once I see some bubbling, I pour it into the 2-liter bottle with the rest of the must, add my carbonation cap and spunding valve (set to about 15PSI).

Day 3

I slowly remove the carbonation cap and use a sanitized glass wine thief to pull enough must to take a hydrometer reading. In this case it was 1.055.

I dissolve 1/4 tsp of the yeast nutrient into the test must and add it back to the 2 liter bottle. Add the carbonation cap and give it a little mixing. I attach the spunding valve and put it away for another 3 days.

Day 6

I slowly remove the carbonation cap and use a sanitized glass wine thief to pull enough must to take a hydrometer reading. In this case it was 1.015.

I dissolve 1/4 tsp of the yeast nutrient into the test must and add it back to the 2 liter bottle. Add the carbonation cap and give it a little mixing. I attach the spunding valve and put it away for another 3 days.

Day 9

Day 14

Conclusion

As you can see the process is very similar in all cases. The main variation was using the starter in the wine. I will continue to update each experiment until they go dry and clear.

A Previous Test