# Can beer equipment be used for making wine?



## abefroman (Jul 13, 2011)

Can beer equipment be used for making wine? After I clean it of course.

Or should I have a separate set.


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## Mike93YJ (Jul 13, 2011)

Yes, all the equipment is interchangeable. Make sure to clean/ ssanatize well.


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## Redtrk (Jul 13, 2011)

I know that some people don't but I do. Like Mike said just make sure you clean and sanitize it well.


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## cpfan (Jul 13, 2011)

Redtrk said:


> I know that some people don't but I do. Like Mike said just make sure you clean and sanitize it well.


Abe:

I find that the plastic primaries and plastic carboys can take on a beer aroma, so I don't like to make wine in them after making beer. Glass carboys, hoses, hydrometers, etc etc are fine though.

Please note that 5 US gallons seems to be the normal size for a batch of beer. Wine kits, otoh, are usually 6 US gallons.

Steve


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## mmadmikes1 (Jul 13, 2011)

Can beer equipment be used for making wine? I sure as hell hope so or I have been messing up bad!!!!! Hell I share fermentors also. Use the corny kegs for aging wine now. They are perfect. Air tight, dark and easy to store. I fill them up, fill with co2, then bleed off pressure. Wine is safe and if I knock it over no big deal. Best part is they draw off bottom so I can take out the sediment then bottle right out of keg without exposing to air at all


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## Tom (Jul 14, 2011)

I still use seperate buckets for primary. Hydrometer, airlocks, carboys and bottling stuff I share. Both use different chemicals.


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## xanxer82 (Jul 14, 2011)

I also use separate primary buckets for beer and wine.


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## amytmock (Jul 14, 2011)

I'm fascinated and am going to have to research beer making now... I didn't realize the equipment was all so interchangable (with exception of a few pieces)!!!


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## amytmock (Jul 14, 2011)

*Beer with Wine Equipment*

So I just watched a couple quick youtube videos, and it SEEMS so far like a beer kit is a lot less complicated than wine, and all you REALLY need is a primary bucket for fermenting, the cap, thermometer, hydrometer, siphon tube, and a few other things like corn sugar, etc.... 

The only other things I'd have to buy are a bottle caper, bottles (as if I don't drink enough beer ), and a separate bucket and siphon tube if I want?

Am I over simplifying this? Beer doesn't need to "bulk age" too, does it?


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## abefroman (Jul 14, 2011)

amytmock said:


> So I just watched a couple quick youtube videos, and it SEEMS so far like a beer kit is a lot less complicated than wine, and all you REALLY need is a primary bucket for fermenting, the cap, thermometer, hydrometer, siphon tube, and a few other things like corn sugar, etc....
> 
> The only other things I'd have to buy are a bottle caper, bottles (as if I don't drink enough beer ), and a separate bucket and siphon tube if I want?
> 
> Am I over simplifying this? Beer doesn't need to "bulk age" too, does it?



I made my first beer recently and I'm hooked, still going to concentrate on wine, but I'm going to do a new beer every few months.

Here's the differences:
#1 beer does not need to bulk age, I'm talking about Ales, don't start off with a Lager, as those cold ferment and you need a separate fridge for them, and they take considerably longer.

#2 Don't use k-meta, use star-san to sanitize the equipment for beer, beer infects more easily than wine

#3 For most ales, do 1 week in a primary, and then 1 week in a secondary, then bottle

#4 Keep the lid on tight in your primary, and under an airlock right away, dont leave the lid on loose, like you do for wine, and there should be minimal head space, although if you have an active fermentation you may want to add an over flow tube.

#5 beer can ferment colder than wine, IE 65 deg is better than 75 deg (depending on what yeast you use)

#6 If you don't have a wort chiller, have a sink full of ice to put your pot in, and have some gallons of water frozen in the freezer that you can cut the plastic off with a sanitized knife or scissors to put in the wort (don't put yeast in until your wort is below 80 deg).

#7 when ready to bottle after the 2 weeks of fermentation are done, you can use a primary buck with spout to fill the bottles, there is a hand bottle capper thats not too much, to get them carbonated you add sugar before you bottle, and that causes fermentation to start up in the bottle from the suspended yeast.

Home made beer and be drunk at room(cellar) temp, no need to refrigerate.

I've been going with the Midwest Supplies own brand of beer kits, and using the wyeast activator packs, and have had great success.

HTH


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## amytmock (Jul 14, 2011)

Thanks Abefroman, Great info... It really doesn't seem like much... I'm thrilled with the idea of maximizing my fermentation time, and throwing in the random beer when I'm waiting for mine wine. I've heard other say it is important to separate the beer primary from the wine primary (since they are both plastic).... do you believe this too?


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## abefroman (Jul 15, 2011)

amytmock said:


> Thanks Abefroman, Great info... It really doesn't seem like much... I'm thrilled with the idea of maximizing my fermentation time, and throwing in the random beer when I'm waiting for mine wine. I've heard other say it is important to separate the beer primary from the wine primary (since they are both plastic).... do you believe this too?



Yes, I'd keep them separate, not sure if it would really matter, but for an extra $15 one time, I'm not going to risk ruining a good batch of wine. I'll still use my beer primary for skeeter pee.


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