Basics To Start

[Mcamnl]

What are the necessary pieces of equipment needed to start making wine?
I am on a pretty tight budget and need to start slow. So far I have a 6 gallon glass carboy, a primary fermenting bucket, and a nice room in my basement.
I see a lot of equipment kits out there. Are they worth it?
I am figuring $100 to start for equipment.

 

[vcasey]

Call George at FVWs (link is at the top of the page) and he'll get you on the right track.
Yes the kits are worth it, especially the whites. When looking at the reds almost all the kits with grape packs or raisins have had great reviews. Check out Mosti Renaissance kits, they are an outstanding value for the $$ and a good place to start.

 

[uavwmn]

Mcam, definitely call George. He will get you the most for your $$. And he will throw in great recommendations also.

 

[ibglowin]

The biggest expense of wine making kits is the carboy and primary.

Outside of that the only thing that you will need is a hydrometer, temp strip for the primary, racking cane, gravity bottle filler, tubing to attach to the racking cane and bottle filler and a hand corker and corks. Spigots (2 types) should have come with the primary.

Some deluxe kits will come with more stuff (wine thief, cleanser, sulfite) but you can pick all that up from George when you order your first wine kit and it won't add to the cost of shipping.

You will need a long spoon to mix stuff up and punch down the cap etc. and some type of drill mix-stir to degass down the road. A large funnel with a screen is also nice to have.

Give george a call and he will fix you up in no time!

 

[smurfe]

Hello and welcome. You will need a hydrometer, some tubing for racking your wine and a corker to cork the bottles when the wine is done. A bottling wand wouldn't hurt. You will need some chemicals as well if making wines from your own fruits such as Sorbate, K-META, and Acid Blend. There are a few other nice to have things but off the top of my head, those are what you need.

 

[Waldo]

Hit yard sales and browse e-Bay and Craiglist too. You can find some bargains in equipment. I'd shy away from chemicals/yeasts from these venues though unless their age can be verified

 

[Wade E]

I say get the best equipment kit you can afford as you pretty much need all this stuff and buying them separately you will pay dble. Some of this equipment I would swap for better right from the start IMO like a Floor corker instead of the hand corker and Fizz X instead of the Wine Whip.

 

[scubaman2151]

I had the pleasure of using a floor corker the other day when bottling about 12 cases for a friend, and they are well worth their money. It is remarkably easly tocork bottles with speed, yesspeed, and accuracy.I know your on a tight budget now, but keep it in mind for the future, should you decide to love this hobby.

 

[Mcamnl]

I have a selection of items on the way and I am really looking forward to starting a batch of something. One of the things coming is a 1 gallon glass jug with air lock and stopper. I am trying to decide on an easy 1 gallon recipe to work on. I am thinking I want to start with one of the Welch's recipes I have come across. They seem pretty straight forward.
Should I start these right in the glass jug or start it in a bigger bucket first?

 

[Wade E]

Bucket and youll want to start with making a little more then a gallon volume so when you rack off the sediment youll still have a gallon. I would start with about 1 1/3rd gallons.

 

[uavwmn]

Mcamni, Wade is right. I have found making 1 gal of wine, you get maybe 4 bottles of wine.....maybe.
I would suggest maybe making 3 gallons of something.


Let us know what you start with.

 

[Mcamnl]

Equipment due to arrive on Thursday.

Patience is not one of my strong points.


I have 6 gallons of Syrah aging at a friends house. (Using his equipment)
My first batch here (with my equipment) will be a 1 gallon Welch's wine.
After that I am going to be doing a 6 gallon batch of peach wine.
There will be another 6 gallon batch of something this fall. Not sure what yet.

I will let you know when I get the one gallon batch rolling.

 

[Wade E]

If patience is not your strong point you better leave that Syrah over your friends house! Hehehe

 

[xanxer82]

Get a starter package from George. It even comes with a wine kit. Well worth the investment.

 

[Mcamnl]

Package sitting at my house when I got home from work yesterday.

I'm thinking maybe a 3/8" siphon would have been enough. 1/2" seems kinda big. Oh well.
So, I now have what I need to get rolling here.
Gone this weekend but I am going to start making something next week. Starting with a 1 gallon recipe. Thinking Welch's but I may grab some kind of berry.
Have a good weekend.

 

[Wade E]

The /8" is what i use and like as it also fits into the 1 gallon jugs that I almost always have for extra wine for topping off later in the process and also it fits most of the hose that comes standard with equipment kits.

 

[jay102]

It's a good advice. thanks!