From The Vine
           Supplies  & Equipment for Home Preparation of
Beer & Wine

Susan & Ed Kelley
Keepers of the Vines

 

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An Overview of the Winemaking Process:

1)    Preparation:     Here you'll choose your kit, and assemble the small amount of equipment  necessary, then sanitize all materials, open the kit, review the instructions, and get started!  

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One 7-8 gallon food-grade plastic fermentation bucket with airtight lid, drilled for airlock

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Airlock (a small plastic water valve which permits C02 gas produced by fermentation to escape, while protecting the young wine from air-borne contamination

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5 or 6 gallon glass Carboy and drilled rubber stopper to fit, carboy handle

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Siphon equipment, including siphon starter, tubing, bottle filler

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Corks and a Corker

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Bottles

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Spoon or Paddle, Hydrometer and Test Tube

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Sanitizer, and, of course, the Wine Kit of your Choice. 

2)    Fermentation: Quick and Easy! You'll empty the ingredients into your fermentation bucket, then add water, yeast (included in the kit), and any additive pack called for in the kit instructions. Place a lid on the bucket, attach the airlock, and you're on the way!

3)    Transfer: Intermittently over the next month or so, the directions will call for actions to be taken.  For example, you'll move the wine from the fermentation bucket to a glass vessel (called a carboy), and add various additive packs supplied with the kit.

4)    De-gassing: When the wine is almost ready to bottle, you'll stir it repeatedly over the course of a day to release as much carbon dioxide as possible from suspension in the wine. This is a simple-yet-important element in the aging process.

5)    Bottling: The big day! You'll clean, fill and cork bottles, and that's that.  Then it's time to apply custom labels and any other bottle adornments that tickle your fancy. In a couple of weeks or so, your wine will be ready for drinking!

Let's get started, just click on the grapes to EMAIL us or call  for more information, Phone 706-896-1411.