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Oz Tops Recipes
Rob from Merton sent us this information and recipes for Oz Tops brew in the bottle………..
I have now had about a year of brewing with “Oz Tops” and I have made everything from Undrinkable Vinegar to a really nice Lambrusca/Sparkling Red Rose and a Sparkling spritzig White Rose . So - the really IDIOT proof (which is the one I prefer) method is to start with a 2.4 ltr (standard supermarket stuff) of Berri Grape, Berri Apple, Berri Apple & Pear or if you want something sweeter Berri Apple & Blackcurrant – other juices you can experiment with (as I have and I don’t think you should go there – needless to say NOT GOOD).
So what you are going to need is a beer heat pad (I’ve got a Quickheat 30 watt panel) I wrap it in a towel so as to get the heat to the Berri bottles at about 25 -28 deg – I use an old Fowlers Vacola thermometer to get the temp right - remember the temp will change with the ambient temperature (ie if it is 30 deg outside then your wine is going to brew faster than if it is -2 deg - well you can guess). So next - if you use Berri Grape juice then pour off about 150 to 200 mls (not critical) then add 150 mls (not gms) of sugar (any sort you like the yeast doesn’t care) – then add half an Oztop cap of yeast nutrient (Aussie Brewmakers order code ..88460 ) and then I add the same half cap of (Aussie Brewmakers 97700 Champagne yeast) – you can use other yeasts but I find that the champagne yeast gives the wine a slight spritzig palate. Then replace the Berri bottle caps and shake until all the sugar is dissolved. Replace the yellow Berri tops with the Oztops and settle onto your beer heatpad and leave for 6 to 8 days (dependant on ambient temperature). For Berri Apple, Apple and Pear and Apple and Black Currant use 200 – 250 mls of sugar.
OK now you must have a hydrometer – from day 5 onward open your Oztop cap and test each bottle – when the sugar level reaches 0.00 or less the you have a wine that is about 10% – 12 % alcohol.
YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT ….. Under 0.00 on the hydrometer means you have a “Sweet” wine, past that you are heading into the Dry area and thence to Vinegar (mind you the alcohol content keeps going up as long as there is sugar to be used) – 0.00 on the hydrometer is the point at which it changes and it only takes 48 hours to change good sparkling wine to vinegar. OK ?? – there is a lot of yeast out there at 0.00 that needs sugar.
So when it’s ready you need to bottle it. I use those “wire flip cap” 1 litre bottles with the rubber seal.
Then decant (or if you are in the trade “Rack”) your wine out of the Berri bottle and into the sealable flip top bottles and PUT IT IN THE FRIDGE.
Now leave it there for at a minimum of 24 hrs (48 hrs is better as you won’t have to rack it twice) – then GENTLY (you got that) pour the wine off into a clean “flip top“ bottle till you get to the sediment – discard this – rinse the discard bottle in cold water and reuse it to continue to decant into each bottle till you have A FRIDGE FULL OF WINE – the longer you let it stand the clearer it gets and the better it tastes – REMEMBER YOU ARE NOT MAKING A RED WINE – as in the traditional sense but you can make something that is very drinkable and will impress all your friends. But remember it is a serious wine and in alcohol terms you should respect it.
Have to say I just love this wine both “Red” and “White” and hey if I can do it anyone can - hahaha
Cheers and happy brewing
Rob