500g pearl barley 245g can Solvino white grape juice concentrate ½ tsp tannin 3 tsp citric acid 1 tsp Amylase 1 tsp Pectolase vitamin B1 tablet 1 tsp Brewmaker yeast & nutrient 1.4kg Sugar

DAY 1: 23-12-01
Sugar was added to 4.5 litres water to give a gravity of 1105 (possible ABV 14.1%, actually required 1.4Kg). This method will neglect any natural sugar present in the other ingredients, however this is likely to be small. If any is present it will be taken as a bonus that will hopefully add to the strength of the finished wine. Being December the tap water was extremely cold, and was warmed to 20 degrees prior to making any gravity measurements. The liquid was brought briefly to the boil to sterilise then poured over 500g pearl barley in a fermenting bin. The barley had been left to soak in hot water and 1 campden tablet since the previous day, and was then mashed through the fingers to break the kernels. To the hot liquid the grape concentrate, tannin and acid were added. The fermenting bin was thoroughly mixed then closely covered and allowed to cool.

In the mean time a starter bottle was prepared thus: 
250ml tepid boiled water, 1 tsp yeast, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp amylase (grain based wine frequently have starch present), 1 tsp Pectolase (though it was not expected that much pectin would be present, the enzyme was added as a precaution) and the vitamin B1 tablet were all mixed, and covered with a plastic bag and rubber band. This was left in a warm place to reactivate the yeast.

Later in the day when the liquid had cooled to a little over 20 degrees the re-hydrated yeast mixture was added. The bucket was left with it's lid slightly ajar to begin fermenting.

DAY 2: 24-12-01
Fermentation well under way, with a thick layer of foam over the top of the must.
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 3: 25-12-01
Fermentation well under way, with a thick layer of foam over the top of the must.
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 4: 26-12-01
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 5: 27-12-01
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 6: 28-12-01
The thick opaque grey must was strained first through a fine sieve, then through muslin into a clean demijohn. This was a somewhat time consuming process as the muslin became clogged every 300ml or so and had to be rinsed clear. This yielded a little over 4 litres of pale green slightly cloudy liquid, which filled the demijohn to just above the shoulder. A clean airlock was fitted and the bottle moved to a warm room to continue fermenting.

WEEK 4: 20-01-02
Fermentation had slowed right down, and the wine was almost completely clear. Specific Gravity was measured at 1018. The wine was given it's first racking into a clean bottle, and topped upto the neck with O.G. 1105 topping up solution (175g sugar to 500ml water at 20^oC with a pinch of yeast & nutrient). The bottle was left in a warm place for fermentation to continue.

WEEK 17: 26-04-02
After weeks and weeks of incessant activity fermentation is finally coming to and end. The wine is really quite clear. Hopefully another few weeks will see this brew bottled.

WEEK 31: 04-08-02
At long last the wine had cleared and completed fermenting. It was given a quick polish with the VinBrite and after a crushed campden tablet and a teaspoon of sorbate had been added was bottled into green glass.

Owing to the absorption by the barley, there was barley enough liquid left after the straining to fill the demijohn, with none left over for a pop bottle ferment . An additional 500ml to 750ml to begin with would have improved the situation.

A curious phenomenon has been observed with the bottled wine. At room temperature it is totally light golden colour, yet when chilled to serving temperature it becomes quite cloudy! If the glass isn't drunk before the wine warms oncemore it regains it's spotless character. All very odd! 

A quite drinkable brew, with a distinct hint of beer in the taste.