Sterilisation

This page never made it when the site was being written, and Tom & Alec now have more money than time (jobs) and so prefer to buy the stuff, which is why these pages haven't been updated for the past few years.

During that time, the link you've just followed has been broken, and I've been hassled, as what passes for a webadmin round here, by various robots and humans to get it fixed. So:

1. I do not do winemaking, I've just picked up a bit by osmosis. Don't blame me if you follow this page to the letter and it all goes horribly wrong anyway.

2. Sterilisation is what you do to your equipment to get rid of all the dreck and microscopic nasties that have taken up residence since last time you used it.

3. If you don't do this thoroughly enough, then either you end up with ten gallons of low-grade wine vinegar (hope you like salads, home pickling or sweet-and-sour food) or just conceivably something that sends you to the lavatory for a few days (hope you've got a good book).

4. Normal method: lots of warm water and some bicarbonate of soda, scrub vigorously. If your equipment is spotlessly clean.

5. Advanced method: lots of boiling water and lots of bicarb. If your equipment is a bit manky.

6. Tom's quad-damage strategic chemical strike: lots and lots of boiling water, bicarb and citric acid. If your equipment is covered in what used to be lees three months ago, and is now applying for membership of NATO. Do not use in confined spaces, such as buildings.

7. Don't use any chemicals apart from these unless you really like the taste.