I'm wondering if detailed instructions for the balloon method for wine are posted somewhere. I missed them if they are, I tend to get spells when I'm too busy to read this.
That used to be the preferred method for the home wine making IIRC.
Here’s one recipe - Even though I am from before the hippie generation, I tried it and was quite good. The one I tried was with 1/2 cup sugar and a 2 liter bottle - that was a bit dry, so I increased it to 3/4 cup sugar. Fun experiment - seems to work great - Oh, I did not use the string - balloon vents if you don’t tie it.
Freaked Out Hippie Wine Recipe
2 - 12 oz. cans frozen grape juice
3 1/2 cups of white granulated sugar
1/3 cake of yeast (Fleishmann’s is best)
A large Balloon and some strong string
One Gallon Jug
First, set the grape juice out to thaw, until slushy. Next, mix the sugar thoroughly in with the grape juice. Pour the sugar and juice, into the gallon jug. Dissolve the yeast in a cup of lukewarm water and add to the juice mixture in the gallon jug. Mix everything thoroughly. Now add just enough lukewarm water to fill the gallon jug up to about 2 inches below the neck. When this is done, place the balloon over the top of neck and secure tightly with a string or heavy duty rubber band.
NOTE: This must be an air tight fit!
If you have followed all directions carefully, the balloon will soon start to expand with the gas, caused by the fermentation. Store the mixture in a cool area, 60 to 75 degrees is ideal, for a period of from 3 to 6 weeks. Check the balloon every other day. If the balloon expands too the point of bursting, untie and allow the gas to escape and then reseal. Be sure to reseal tightly to make it air tight once again. When the balloon ceases to expand, the wine is done.
WARNING: Do not bottle this wine before it is done fermenting. Bottles may exploded from excessive pressure.
Strain your wine with a cheese cloth or a tea towel and pour into bottles. Cap or cork bottles and store on their sides in a cool, dark place. All that’s left now is to enjoy yourself, man.