Step 6: bottling homemade wine.

The equipment you will need: 30-750ml wine bottles, 30 new wine bottle corks, bottle corker, siphon, bottle filler, primary fermenter pail without lid, hydrometer and sanitizing chemical.

To sanitize the bottles, fill the primary fermenter pail half way with an EZ Clean solution. Hold each bottle under the solution to fill it with about two inches of liquid. Shake the solution so it comes in contact with the whole surface of the interior. Drain the liquid back into the pail and place the bottle upside down to dry.

Tip: The time required to prepare bottles can be greatly reduced by using a sulphiter bottle rinser. This device sprays the sanitizing solution into an inverted bottle and allows it to drain in a single motion. Carefully rack the wine from the carboy to the primary fermenter pail so the sediment is not disturbed.

Take a final gravity reading with the hydromether when the transfer is complete. Record the reading for the calculation of alcohol content later. Rinse the auto siphon and attach the bottle filler to the hose end.

The bottle filler is designed to stop the flow of wine into the bottle when the proper fill level is reached. This device will not actually shut off. You must press the sides of the filler before you lift the filler out of the bottle to prevent the flow of wine to resume. Pressing down on the top of the bottle filler once it is firmly inserted into an empty bottle will start the flow again.

Place the fermenter pail on the counter or table. Insert the bottle filler into an empty bottle. There is a thinner hose attached to the filler. Place the end of this hose into a heavy glass or another bottle to collect any over-run. Taping the hose end to the overflow vessel prevents spillage. Fill all bottles.