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Here is a basic list of the items you
will need or that I recommend.....
Many of these can be picked up at your local wine making
shop, or online. I recommend that you go with a
"kit" first such as Vintners Reserve which has
pretty much everything you need to get started.
This kit is usually around $55 and if you want to make your
first batch out of a concentrate, you can usually buy the
juice for about $30 or so. Usually
everything you see to the right is included and enough to get
your first batch started. |
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 | Primary Fermenter - about a 7-10 gallon food
grade plastic or stainless steel container with large opening |
 | Secondary Fermenter - this can be a glass
carboy or food grade bucket, I recommend the carboy so you can
watch what your wine is doing at all times |
 | Glass Carboy - 5-6 gallon, I prefer the six gallon
and get the handles for them |
 | airlocks with bungs - these allow carbon
dioxide to escape and prevent air from getting to your wine |
 | bottle corker - the one from the kit sucks so I
opted for the floor corker for $50 |
 | corks - #9 1.5 inch to 1.75 inch long of
good quality - in kit |
 | racking cane and tube - in kit |
 | chemicals such as pectic enzyme, acid blend,
campden tablets, tannin and sterilizing solution mix |
 | funnel with filter - get a big funnel with a
big screen |
 | Hydrometer and flask (tube to put wine juice in
and float the hydrometer in) - in kit |
 | Acid Test kit |
 | Bottle Brush - in kit |
 | Carboy Brush |
Before you begin.......
Everything has to be clean. I mean really clean too. I
use and recommend two products by "Logic". The
first is for initial cleaning of dirty carboys, bottles, removing
labels, etc. It is called "Straight A".
This is really good when you get a case or two of used bottles from
a local winery which have not been completely cleaned. This
will remove any sediment along with your bottle
brush. The second cleaning product is called
"One Step". I use this on everything right
before I begin to work with my wine. I rinse the cleaned
carboys out with it, my equipment and my bottles.
They're easy to use, just add one tablespoon of which ever you're
using to one gallon of warm water and stir to dissolve.
This is just some of the stuff I use
for wine making.
There is nothing special about these items, yet they are
quite important and helpful to have.
 | Crusher |
 | Wine Press |
 | Bottler |
 | Floor Corker |
 | Bottle Drying Stand |
Actually, my cousin owns the antique press and my
buddy Dale Brandt owns the bottler. We just do a lot in
my basement and keep everything there until his winery production
room gets done. Dale picked up the 55 gallon stainless
steel at a meat market, as it was no longer suitable for commercial
use. I think a weld on the outside of the bottom was
cracked, and they could no longer use it. It works great
for wine making!!! I just got the new 28 gallon variable
volume fermenter from Wine, Wine & More Wine and I can hardly
wait to see how it works. It really looks well put
together.

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Toys, toys, toys
You can really go overboard if you want. I am lucky to have
friends who have some of these things. They aren't
cheap. They are truly worth it though I feel.Bottle
Filler
I am just using this because my buddy Dale bought it and needed some
place to put it until his winery production room is
finished. I think that filling with the siphon tube is
pretty much fun, since you get to drink the excess if you put too
much in a bottle. :o) |
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