What are your "Top 10" including equipment/tips/tricks pertaining to Kit Wine Making?

[szap]

I have found this gadget for filling bottles to be one of my best purchases.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064OKYFC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_LrflFb6S3QBGD

 

[winemaker81]

I have found this gadget for filling bottles to be one of my best purchases.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064OKYFC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_LrflFb6S3QBGD

Q&A on Amazon says it leaks. Do you have that problem, and if so, how severe is it?

 

[vineyarddog]

Q&A on Amazon says it leaks. Do you have that problem, and if so, how severe is it?

I’ve had a terrible time with leaks.. It worked well for a while but eventually just started leaking every time.. makes quite a mess!

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Better than a tub, in my opinion are crates. Tubs don't often have any grips for your hands but crates do so they are easier to move around AND they protect the carboy far better. Any carboy larger than 2 gallons I fill in a crate.

I have the AIO so seldom have to move a full carboy but I can see the appeal of a crate if you do.

 

[knockabout]

Great question and you’ve gotten a lot of good answers! Here’s mine...
1. AIO - love it gotta have it! I can’t lift a full 23l carboy.
2 I have never overoaked a wine. I’ve tried and tried even with my barrel but they all fall back into a nice smooth blend after a year or so... I love oak and think it is magical so I’ll keep trying.
3. Extra tannins - I add extra tannins to all kits buckets and grapes. Early sacrificial tannins ageing tannins and finishing/cellaring tannins.... again magic! (Somewhere there was an excellent article on tannins written here - I can no longer locate this)
4. Yeast swap.... just did same wine with 3 different yeasts.... wow . I will never use e1118 again. Flavor profile is so different.
5. Buy a decent kit to start with.
6. Yep...aging!
7. Made the great oak experiment - 18 gallons of wine with 17 different oak combinations and one without.... now I know which oak and level of toast will add what to my wine....,this was one of the smartest experiments I’ve ever done - come visit San Antonio I’ll share some!
8. Ask and Listen listen... I’ve learned so much from the kindness of others in this forum! They’ve helped saved fixed And shown me new ideas THat have helped me improve or save my wine!
9. Friends and family to taste and offer feedback - or a competition just to get some written feedback from a learned taster.
10. A tolerant hubby that has expanded our wine cellar (old linen closet)and agreed no one really needs a linen closet/spare sheets and towels when You have enough wine.

 

[Ceibal]

Great question and you’ve gotten a lot of good answers! Here’s mine...
1. AIO - love it gotta have it! I can’t lift a full 23l carboy.
2 I have never overoaked a wine. I’ve tried and tried even with my barrel but they all fall back into a nice smooth blend after a year or so... I love oak and think it is magical so I’ll keep trying.
3. Extra tannins - I add extra tannins to all kits buckets and grapes. Early sacrificial tannins ageing tannins and finishing/cellaring tannins.... again magic! (Somewhere there was an excellent article on tannins written here - I can no longer locate this)
4. Yeast swap.... just did same wine with 3 different yeasts.... wow . I will never use e1118 again. Flavor profile is so different.
5. Buy a decent kit to start with.
6. Yep...aging!
7. Made the great oak experiment - 18 gallons of wine with 17 different oak combinations and one without.... now I know which oak and level of toast will add what to my wine....,this was one of the smartest experiments I’ve ever done - come visit San Antonio I’ll share some!
8. Ask and Listen listen... I’ve learned so much from the kindness of others in this forum! They’ve helped saved fixed And shown me new ideas THat have helped me improve or save my wine!
9. Friends and family to taste and offer feedback - or a competition just to get some written feedback from a learned taster.
10. A tolerant hubby that has expanded our wine cellar (old linen closet)and agreed no one really needs a linen closet/spare sheets and towels when You have enough wine.

What yeast did you use instead of the e1118? I am looking at doing a few of the new Wine Expert Kits and was thinking about swapping out the yeast.

 

[knockabout]

What yeast did you use instead of the e1118? I am looking at doing a few of the new Wine Expert Kits and was thinking about swapping out the yeast.

I’ve used a bunch. I go to the morewinemaking yeast description page and find one suitable for the wine that matches my taste. I’ve used rp-15, clos, d80, d254, d21, bm45, assmanhausen, rc212, e1118 - I’m not the most experienced with these but seems to me e1118gets the Job done without enhancing much. Some of the others enhance the fruit or aromas or even complexity. I don’t care for rp15, assmanhausen needs to be babied lots of nutrients slow fermentation... but mostly a matter of preference. I prefer spice and leather and tobaccos in my red I can enhance this with certain varietal and yeast choices.
The actual Choosing THE yeast is a long conversation with hubby over a couple of days where we go back and forth we till We agree - huge part of the fun for us!

 

[Ceibal]

I’ve used a bunch. I go to the morewinemaking yeast description page and find one suitable for the wine that matches my taste. I’ve used rp-15, clos, d80, d254, d21, bm45, assmanhausen, rc212, e1118 - I’m not the most experienced with these but seems to me e1118gets the Job done without enhancing much. Some of the others enhance the fruit or aromas or even complexity. I don’t care for rp15, assmanhausen needs to be babied lots of nutrients slow fermentation... but mostly a matter of preference. I prefer spice and leather and tobaccos in my red I can enhance this with certain varietal and yeast choices.
The actual Choosing THE yeast is a long conversation with hubby over a couple of days where we go back and forth we till We agree - huge part of the fun for us!

Have you used the BDX wine yeast for reds? Morewinemaking's description says they use it in all of their reds. I believe I used rc212 on my fresh grapes I did almost two years ago, still aging. I am looking at enhancing the flavor and complexity more than anything.

 

[szap]

I’ve had a terrible time with leaks.. It worked well for a while but eventually just started leaking every time.. makes quite a mess!

I clamped the line coming into the filler and just leave it on there. I can have some overflow after it shuts itself off. When filling I set the bottles in the plastic container that came with my bottle drying racks but any kind of small tub will do. It catches any leaks. When bottling a batch, I might lose 1/3 of a bottle which is a fair tradeoff for the time it saves and the auto shutoff. I will try to remember to take a video next time I use it.

 

[vineyarddog]

I clamped the line coming into the filler and just leave it on there. I can have some overflow after it shuts itself off. When filling I set the bottles in the plastic container that came with my bottle drying racks but any kind of small tub will do. It catches any leaks. When bottling a batch, I might lose 1/3 of a bottle which is a fair tradeoff for the time it saves and the auto shutoff. I will try to remember to take a video next time I use it.

Mine leaks through the stop of the “button” that you push to allow wine flow. No need to post a video for my benefit, I threw it away.

 

[niko13]

mine leaks too but I dont complain about it because I bought the AIO shortly afterwards about 2 years ago.

 

[winemaker81]

2 I have never overoaked a wine. I’ve tried and tried even with my barrel but they all fall back into a nice smooth blend after a year or so... I love oak and think it is magical so I’ll keep trying.

Actually, it is possible, but ya gotta work at it. My brother-in-law REALLY overdid oak chips in a carboy of chardonnay. Five years later it still taste liked the bar we were sitting at.

 

[knockabout]

Have you used the BDX wine yeast for reds? Morewinemaking's description says they use it in all of their reds. I believe I used rc212 on my fresh grapes I did almost two years ago, still aging. I am looking at enhancing the flavor and complexity more than anything.

Nope but sounds great! Please report back

 

[knockabout]

Have you used the BDX wine yeast for reds? Morewinemaking's description says they use it in all of their reds. I believe I used rc212 on my fresh grapes I did almost two years ago, still aging. I am looking at enhancing the flavor and complexity more than anything.

Wanted to direct you to the ‘Yeast topic forum’ here. Lots of info on different yeasts preferences inc BDX

 

[ithink2020]

I just wanted to say think you to everyone that posted. I'd been off the site a bit and really enjoyed reading through all these!

 

[joeswine]

I never use fruit purees in wine ,either fresh fruit , zest or extracts.
Purees are unpredictable in quality and content.