Newbie from DA U.P.

[Brad Hendrickson]

Hello... I figured i'd join this wine making forum and hopefully gain some Knowledge..
My Parents used to make Chokecherry Wine and Dandelion Wine.. And its Funny because I now live on a road called ChokeCherry lane.
Anyway.. My wife and I would lIke to get into trying some homemade wine making..

I guess I'm looknig for reccomendations as to what KIT would be best! There seems to be alot of choices from very simple to deluxe and from many different places.

Id like to get one that comes with just about EVERYTHING I need.

Thanks for any input

Brad from Michigan

 

[beano]

Welcome!

 

[GreginND]

I haven't really made wine from kits, so I don't have any recommendations for you. I did want to welcome you. There is a lot of information in our forum archives here that can help you. I am a troll from under the bridge - I grew up near Kalamazoo. But my father was from Calument and I have fond fond memories of the Keewenau. Don't even get me started about my Grandma's pasties.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome to WMT!

When you say "kit," do you mean the equipment, or the ingredients?

For Equipment, I bought something like this to start: https://www.northernbrewer.com/coll...kits/products/master-vintner-wine-starter-kit

However, you might want to go a la carte. A bucket for primary fermenter is more cost effective. You probably want to upgrade to a floor corker. You probably should pick up some StarSan sanitizer.

 

[Cellar Vader]

Welcome “Yooper!”
Yes, you will find a ton of good information throughout this site. There are folks here with more knowledge and experience than I could ever hope to have. Conduct your searches, and when you’re stumped, just ask. Good luck!

 

[Brad Hendrickson]

Thanks guys/gals I'll get to searching... Gotta do something to get this winter off my mind!

 

[Brad Hendrickson]

I haven't really made wine from kits, so I don't have any recommendations for you. I did want to welcome you. There is a lot of information in our forum archives here that can help you. I am a troll from under the bridge - I grew up near Kalamazoo. But my father was from Calument and I have fond fond memories of the Keewenau. Don't even get me started about my Grandma's pasties.

Pasties!!!! oh boy!!! I just had one the other day..

 

[Brad Hendrickson]

I haven't really made wine from kits, so I don't have any recommendations for you. I did want to welcome you. There is a lot of information in our forum archives here that can help you. I am a troll from under the bridge - I grew up near Kalamazoo. But my father was from Calument and I have fond fond memories of the Keewenau. Don't even get me started about my Grandma's pasties.

OH and when I say KITS.. I meant the equipment.. not the fruit/grapes

 

[Rice_Guy]

Welcome to WMT.
You are in good Access to fruit country. After a few kits it will be worth visiting a u pick along the lake. Don’t have favorite kits since the only ones I have had were won at club meetings.

 

[Steve Wargo]

Hello... I figured i'd join this wine making forum and hopefully gain some Knowledge..
My Parents used to make Chokecherry Wine and Dandelion Wine.. And its Funny because I now live on a road called ChokeCherry lane.
Anyway.. My wife and I would lIke to get into trying some homemade wine making..

I guess I'm looknig for reccomendations as to what KIT would be best! There seems to be alot of choices from very simple to deluxe and from many different places.

Id like to get one that comes with just about EVERYTHING I need.

Thanks for any input

Brad from Michigan

Here are suggestions

Primary fermenters
Two five gallon white food grade buckets from Walmart and snap on lids less than 5.00 each

Secondary Fermenter
1 five gallon plastic water jug with handles and screw on cap from Walmart less than 9.00 or used 5 gallon water bottlle

Hydrometer kit https://smile.amazon.com/AYIGU-Hydr...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9FEPNQFXA31ZM7Y4WGVK Less than 14.00

Bottling auto siphon https://smile.amazon.com/product-reviews/B00CIXXM8O 14.00

1 Beer Wine Thermometer https://smile.amazon.com/Brew-Laboratory-Thermometer-Kombucha-Cheese/dp/B073655212/ref=sr_1_17?crid=35YPPO2UMMXM7&keywords=wine+thermometer&qid=1582775757&s=industrial&sprefix=wine+ther,industrial,177&sr=1-17 8.00

Number 10 stopper w/hole https://smile.amazon.com/RiteBrew-Rubber-Stopper-Size-Drilled/dp/B0057JB9XG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QFVSFY3KVUNC&keywords=number+10+stopper&qid=1582775889&s=industrial&sprefix=number+10,industrial,257&sr=1-1 4.00

Fermentation airlock https://smile.amazon.com/3-Piece-Airlock-Qty-5/dp/B007HCHXKO/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1XRFPVMU96BA&keywords=fermentation+airlock&qid=1582775968&s=industrial&sprefix=ferment,industrial,189&sr=1-5 7.00

Carboy brush https://www.amazon.com/E-C-Kraus-EC-5915-Carboy-Brush/dp/B072BCFWZ9/ref=sr_1_7?crid=UQFTQ0B2M0UL&keywords=5+gallon+carboy+brush&qid=1582776594&s=home-garden&sprefix=5+gallon+Carboy+Brush,garden,181&sr=1-7 9.00

Bottle-Brush https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B075DDH3WQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 10.00


Star san https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064O7Y64?aaxitk=q.MjK3BwIci0U2RvU1UZkQ&pd_rd_i=B0064O7Y64&pf_rd_p=591760d1-6468-480f-9b10-0ee9c85706fd&hsa_cr_id=4336862670801&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41xKrmlyI1L.jpg&sb-ci-a=B0064O7Y64

Oxiclean non scented for cleaning buckets and bottles before and after use


Yeast and other winemaking chemical and wood necessities usually come with a wine kit. Search for LabelPeelers https://labelpeelers.com/ I suggest a 10l wine kit. Then search for tweaking wine kits. At least for your 1st attempt.

30 wine bottles. Ask local restaurants and bars. Usually, they are just tossing them and will let you have them. Else store wine in 1 Gallon plastic water jugs until you get enough bottles.

Other things you should have laying around the house, like large plastic spoons, Ladles

I use two 5-gallon primary fermenters and split the batch into each bucket. Each bucket is lighter. I don't have foam over, I don't have lift one large heavy ass fermenter onto the counter to siphon into the secondary.

Good luck from one that lives under the bridge

 

[bstnh1]

If you plan on making standard 6 gallon kits, you will need a fermenter that has a 6 1/2 or 7 gallon capacity. Every online wine store has them. For secondary fermentation, you will need a 6 gallon carboy, plastic (PET) or glass. Complete kits are available from online stores. Here one example of a complete kit available from Labelpeelers: https://labelpeelers.com/vintners-best-deluxe-wine-equipment-kit/ The most critical items you absolutely need are a primary fermenter, a secondary fermenter, a hydrometer, an auto-siphon with hose, drilled stopper to fit secondary fermenter; airlocks, cleaning solution, sanitizer, 30 wine bottles, a corker, 30 corks and a 65-75 degree spot where you plan to make the wine. In most cases, all those items come in an equipment kit costing $100 - $130, with the exception of the bottles. If you have a source for used wine bottles, those can be used after they're properly cleaned and sanitized.