[rhenson]

Hello, I am an old beer brewer wanting to move into wine making.

I woner if anyone can make a good equipment kit recomendation? I have carboys and a lot of beer equipment, but woner if i am better off just gettig a new basic kit, or buying specific, quality items, like an Italian floor corker?

I plan to start off with a concentrate kit - the wife and I like cabs with an earthy quality...any suggestions here?

Sorry to ask, but i have been agonizing over this, and really want to make a decission and get going...

Thanks for any help.

[cindy]

you can use some of your beer equipment for wine but the carboys/buckets for beer are 5 gallons. we plan to keep making both beer and wine so we just purchased a wine equipment kit we figured the smaller carboys would come in handy if we had a batch of wine that wouldn't quite fill a six gallon carboy. here's is a similar kit, I have since added more odds and ends so I could have a few different batches all going at the same time.
http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Wine-Making-Equipment-Kit/dp/B001V34Y66/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1340359967&sr=8-4&keywords=wine+equipment+kits
Welcome to WMT!

[Wade E]

I would say ypul want a new primary as beer tends to leave residual aromas and flavor in the plastic. Youll also need a 6 gallon carboy as wine kits are 6 gallons. Ive heard conflicting stories on if the Italian corker is worth the extra money over the Portuguese floor forker. Ive been using the Port model for about 8 years now and just last year finally replaced the nylon jaws on it and its like new again fof about $15. If I were you Id get the All in one wine pump thats sold on thix site as it makes wine making so much eadier and enjoyable and you dont have to lift carboys that have wine in them.

[rhenson]

Thank you both for the input - this should get me going!

[cindy]

Originally Posted by rhenson

Thank you both for the input - this should get me going!

you will do great! if I would have known how easy wine and beer making was years ago I would have started a lot sooner.

[oldwhiskers]

Originally Posted by cindy

you will do great! if I would have known how easy wine and beer making was years ago I would have started a lot sooner.

I will definitely second that.

[roadpupp]

Rh
I jumped in about 4 months ago with the "deluxe" starter kit from fine vine wines. Unlike you I had no beer experience.

I have bottled a handful of bottles and now am in the market for an Italian floor corker. Several people suggested I get the floor corker in the starter package But it seemed too much to spend at the time. I should have listened!

Since then I have been bitten and each month I have spent a couple of hundred on wine kits used carboys and supplies like corks and carboy handles and shrink caps. It is addictive!

So if you already own a hydrometer, a floating thermometer, clean buckets and tubing, you may be better off just buying the rest of the package piecemeal.

Carboys and now the all in one have been the biggest expense for me getting started.

This site is
Mostly to blame for my spending.

[BobF]

Later on, like in a few weeks, you'll want to start watching Amazon for the Paklab 6g carboys. They are $30 with free shipping. The savings will really add up when you buy eleven more of them :-)

They aren't always available, but somebody usually posts here when they are.

[rhenson]

Lol...good stuff. I will watch for the carboys...but can someone give a link to the all in one? I looked around, but didn't see it, but it has been mentioned twice now...it must be amazing...

[vacuumpumpman]

Good Luck to you as I know we will be hearing some great stories from you down the road !!

Keep a sharp eye on craigslist for your needs or put a wanted list out there as well. I hope this will help you.