Sunday, 14 February 2016

A Beginner's Guide to Choosing Wine Making Supplies

By Matthew Campbell


Just as with any other hobby, making sure you have the right equipment can help ensure you get the results you are looking for. Brewing your own home-made wine is no exception. Wine making supplies are easy to find but it may be difficult to tell which ones are right for you. Here are some tips that you can use to make sure you get the right ones for your needs.

Most varieties are made with grape juice. Some fruity varieties will also include the juice of berries or other fruit. To make wine, yeast is added. The yeast consumes the sugar in the juice and produces alcohol. Other chemicals and substances are added at different points during the fermentation process so that the end result is flavorful, clear and delicious.

You should look at the price of a basic kit when deciding whether you want to make your own home brew. You will need to invest in a large pail or bucket to ferment your batch in as well as a secondary fermenting vessel. These usually look like large jugs. Some are made out of glass although there are also plastic ones. If you are brewing red varieties as well as white ones you may want to purchase two sets of each since red varieties can stain the side and may discolor future batches of white wine. A hydrometer is also necessary in order to tell whether you can move on to the next stage of fermentation.

As well as the basic equipment, you will need juice and several different types of additives. These are added at various points during the fermentation process. One of the easiest things for beginners to do is to pick a kit. This usually comes with the grape or fruit juice, yeast and other additives. There will also be instructions that you follow that tell you how long the batch should sit before you move on to the next step and which chemicals to add at various points.

There are many different kits on the market and the prices can vary quite a bit. Often the price will depend on how much juice is in a kit. Some require you to add more water than others and these kits are often more reasonably priced. You should consider the length of time it takes to brew a batch when you choose a kit.

Bottling equipment will also be necessary. You will need a supply of reusable bottles and some corks to put in them. These fit tightly so it is also worthwhile to buy a corker that will make this process easier. A rack will be a good addition as well since most kits make in the neighborhood of two dozen bottles. Unless you are giving them away as gifts you will need a place to store them until you have consumed them.

Although it doesn't take a lot of equipment to ferment your batch you will need a space where it can rest undisturbed. If you do not have the room at your home you may want to look at making your batch at a self-brewing store.

Its always a good idea to start your shopping process by speaking with staff at a brewing store or by looking at a website. You should be able to find supplies there as well as get some guidance as to which products will meet your needs the best.




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