How to get started making wine. Buying the Equipment

Making wine at home requires an investment in some basic equipment. The typical cost to get started is between $100-$200. This does not include the wine juice kit or fresh fruit. I suggest starting with a wine kit for your first attempt at making wine. It includes everything that is needed for additives. The instructions have been tested by the manufacturer to guarantee success.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to know a good retailer to work with or have questions.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Primary Fermenter: Food-grade plastic container (7.9 Gallon)
• Spigot for Primary Fermenter
• Lid for Primary Fermenter
• Carboy Food-grade plastic or glass (6 Gallon)
• Airlock & Rubber Bung
• 4 feet of food-grade plastic tubing
• Hydrometer & Test Cylinder
• Spoon: Food-grade plastic
• Package of Cleaner: Easy Clean Cleanser
• Package of Sulphite: Potassium Metabisulfite - Powder, 2 oz
• 1 gallon carboy and stopper for sanitizer
• large mising bowl for cleaner
• Small plastic tub for bottle filling
• Oxy-clean for used bottles
• Spray bottle for sulfite
• Dish washing brush
• Plastic Measuring Cup, 2 cup size
• Measuring Spoons
• Floating Thermometer
• 30 Wine Bottles: 750 ml
• 30 Wine Bottle Corks
• Double Lever Hand Corker
• Bottle-filling Wand

1. 
    
   Fermenting Bucket

   Primary Fermenter: Food-grade plastic container (7.9 Gallon)
   Spigot for Primary Fermenter
   Lid for Primary Fermenter
   
   This is where the first steps of the fermentation will take place. The 7.9 gallon fermenter will have the 6 gallon level marked. This is the level that many wine kits and recipes are designed for. The extra space allows for foaming and stirring. The lid will be drilled to hold an airlock.

2. 
    
   Glass Carboy

   Carboy Food-grade plastic or glass (6 Gallon)
   
   Glass is the standard for wine making. They only problem is they are very heavy when full. They also break into many sharp pieces if dropped. There is a newer replacement made of plastic. It is known as the Better Bottle. It is a plastic designed for wine making. Do not use a filtered water bottle that can be purchased at the grocery store. It is a low grade plastic that will put chemicals into your wine. They also allow oxygen in that may ruin your wine.

3. 
    
   Bung and Airlock

   Airlock & Rubber Bung
   
   An airlock is filled half way with liquid. It is used to close the fermenter and carboy when making wine. They allow co2 in the wine to escape while keeping dirt and oxygen out. A rubber bung is used to cap the carboy and hold an airlok. Yes that is the technical term for it, stopper is also used for the name.

4. 4 feet of food-grade plastic tubing
   
   This will be used to transfer wine throughout the process.

5. 
    
   Hydrometer

   Hydrometer & Test Cylinder
   
   This is used to take samples of wine and test specific gravity. Many recipes and kits have directions for starting and ending specific gravity. How to use a hydrometer will be in a future article.

6. Spoon: Food-grade plastic
   
   Used for mixing. Long spoons designed for wine makers have a square end on the handle. This will allow mixing of carboys that have a narrow opening.

7. 
    
   Easy Clean

   Package of Cleaner: Easy Clean Cleanser
   
   This is the standard cleaner for wine makers. It is in a powder form that is mixed with water. One Tbsp to one gallon of water. It is good for a few hours and will be disposed of when done for the day.

8. 
    
   Potassium Metabisulfite

   Package of Sulphite: Potassium Metabisulfite - Powder, 2 oz
   
   This is used to sanitize equipment. It is also used in the wine making process. A one gallon carboy with bung is handy for long-term storage. This product is good for a few months. A spray bottle is good to have for sanitizing equipment and bottles.

9. Small plastic tub for bottle filling.
   
   Put all your wine bottles in a small plastic tub when bottling. This will contain the mess. You will have bottles that foam over or hit the trigger spraying wine everywhere. If you clean and sanitize the tub, the wine can still be used.

10. Oxy-clean for used bottles
    
    New wine bottles cost $20-$30 for a case of 12. Many wine makers recycle used wine bottles to reduce this expense. Soaking the bottles in oxy-clean over night will also help remove the labels.

11. 
     
    Plastic Brush

    Dish washing brush
    
    A basic soft bristle dish washing brush will help with cleaning equipment. You do not want to use anything that will scratch the plastic allowing bacteria to grow.

12. 
     
    Floating Thermometer

    Floating Thermometer
    
    Monitoring the wine temperature throughout the process prevents problems. If the temperature is too low the yeast will stop fermenting. If it is too high the yeast may die.

13. 30 Wine Bottle Corks
    
    Do not attempt to re-use corks. They can be purchased in packages from a wine making supplier.

14. 
     
    Double Lever Hand Corker

    Double Lever Hand Corker
    
    This is the basic tool for placing corks in wine bottles. It can be upgraded to a floor model in the future.

15. 
     
    Bottle-filling Wand

    Bottle-filling Wand
    
    This wand attaches to the bucket via a spigot. You fill the wine bottle by pressing down. When lifted up, the flow of wine stops.

Tips & Warnings

• Most of the equipment listed can be purchased in a kit form.
• Many optional items can be purchased at your local department store.
• Feel free to contact me for product or retailer suggestions.
• Feel free to contact me with questions.
• Wine making uses many chemicals. Be sure to keep these out of the reach of children and pets. Also follow all manufacturer instructions.
• Wine making is an addictive hobby.

[franchesca]

on 6/9/2009 Great instructions on how to make wine! Thanks.

[bdks]

on 2/3/2009 Thanks for reading.

[angel920]

on 2/3/2009 Very good and informative article! I have use a similar kit many times to make wine and it is very addictive! Thanks for sharing!