Equipment For Cranking Out Some Wine

 


Wine making can be a very worthwhile venture.  But before you start, you need to do your homework.  You could wind up with wine that doesn’t much taste like wine if you go at it haphazardly.  On the other hand, you could end up with a tasty (if not perfect) batch.  To make wine, you need fruit, yeast, water, and additives.  The final ingredient is finding just the right wine making equipment.

Hydrometer

A hydrometer measures the sugar levels in the wine.  It will ensure that your specific gravity, or SG, stays within the levels you need it to.

Carboy

A carboy typically comes in 5 gallon size.  It is used for fermentation and storage.  Used in conjunction with a drilled stopper and airlock, it keeps oxygen on the outside while carbon dioxide is allowed to get out.

Bottle Filler

As is implied, a bottle filler is used to fill bottles.  It hooks onto the end of your tube and controls the flow of wine as you fill each bottle with a trigger.

Fermenter

The purpose of a fermenter is to allow the yeast to produce carbon dioxide, increasing the amount of wine to over 6 gallons.  Just be sure your container isn’t too small, or it may overflow.  A wide-mouth bucket is often used as the major fermenter.

Siphon Tube

A siphon tube is used to rack your wine from container to container.  Racking is a process used to filter out the sediment in your wine.  If you attach the siphon tube in one bottle, attach a cane to the siphon tube, and tubing to the second bottle.

Bottle

When you’re done, you’ll need to store your finished product in a bottle.  You can use a clear bottle if you’re storing it in a dark location, but a translucent bottle is preferable.  Pick a label that matches the color of your wine.

Paddle / Plastic Spoon

Once you’re ready to mix up your concentrated wine and water with fining agents and stabilizers, you’ll need a paddle.  It’s also good for degassing the wine (removing the CO2).

The process is fairly straightforward, but you’ll want to purchase a kit with the necessary equipment.  It may not have every item listed above, but at the least it should contain a racking cane, bottle fillers, and the necessary tubing.  It’s important to know that there are different qualities.  Some tubes let the wine flow faster to speed up the process.  It should also come with a sanitizing agent, such as potassium metabisulfate.

The Internet is full of various companies such as The Wine Maker’s Toy Store.  They offer a money-back guarantee for the life of all their products.  They also are glad to answer any questions you may have regarding products or process.  So get out there and start making some mighty fine wine!