Womble are you saying that your first batch was not alcoholic?
If thats the case then your yeast wasn't working then either.
There could be many reasons for the yeast not taking off, the must could have been too hot or too cold, ideally about room temp.
If the must has too much sugar it will kill the yeast before it takes off, not enough and it wont start. These are the most common.
Without having to use a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity bubbles mean booze, the by product of the yeast eating the sugar is carbon dioxide and alcohol.
I brew most beers the same in a bucket till fermentation stops and then syphoned in to bottles with some sugar added to start a secondary fermentation to give it the fizz (Krausening sp.)
I usually use a general yeast such as the ones from Youngs home brew unless it is for lager, I have also used Muntons with good results.
