[cheesegod99]

Hey there! I've been looking to get into winemaking for a few months
now, and I finally joined this site because it seems the most customer
friendly - and I think I'm finally ready to start purchasing equipment
to get started. I want to start off with a vintner's reserve chianti,
but I am not really sure which equipment is "essential" and which is
just "nice to have." I have done quite a bit of research (mostly on
this site) and I am planning on buying the Basic kit that is in the
store, along with some bottles. Is there anything else I should buy
that would make life a lot easier as a winemaker? I am particularly
curious as to whether a second carboy would be necessary to rack into.
As another interesting side note, I am planning on making my first
batches of wine in a dorm room over the summer (don't worry - I'm
21!)... any ideas and suggestions from those of you who have done this
many times in the past?

[earl]

cheesegod99


I would recommend a bottle tree along with the basic kit. This is great in holding your bottles and draining them out after cleaning and sanitizing. George's beginner kit is very inclusive and has a lot of fine equipment in it. If you decide against the tree you will still have everything to make a successful first batch of kit wine.


Now remember after your first batch you must send everyone who responds to your message a bottle of wine


earl

[OilnH2O]

I found the second carboy a real winner -- and George has them on sale! Plus, I quickly figured that buying bottles along with the shipping was money that could be used for other goodies. I went to a high-end restaurant at a top hotel and spoke with the food and beverage manager -- they only save me bottles on weekends but I still get 2-3 cases a week -- and that adds up!


Have fun -- it's a great learning experience -- next thing you know, you'll be wanting to transfer to UC-Davis and major in their wine making program -- the best there is!

[maize]

I heartily agree with a second carboy and the bottle tree is very handy as well. If you get a second carboy, I think the Buon Vino Automatic Auto Bottle Gravity Filler (29.95) is the best addition you can make (besides oak to the wine during aging). That really makes filling bottles a breeze.


Now if only there was something that would make cleaning and prepping used bottles a breeze!


Have fun!

[cheesegod99]

Thanks for the tips so far... my only concern with the extra carboy and
the bottle draining tree is the space - how much room do they take up?
As I said, I'm in a college dorm, so space is a bit on the limited
side...

[Angell Wine]

George will sell you everything you'll need to make perfect wine with the basic start up kit. Pay off the R.A. with a couple bottles of wine and get a bigger dorm room, Bootleg the rest of the wine at President's graduation party and buy more stuff.Money was a problem for me in college so I would stick to the basic kit.

[maize]

Keep in mind the temperature - you don't want it to get too hot during the fermentation. Don't know if your dorm room has AC. Heck, when I was in a dorm, I had to go down the hall for the bathroom.


Also, if you don't get a Buon bottler and go with just a cane - practice a few times with it - it can get really messy bottling wine - especially red. I like the bottler, because I rarely spill more than a drop or two during the course of filling 30 bottles.

[Lenore]

I am still new to the hobby and have been making wine since September. I am about to start kit #10. If you are only making one kit at a time, I don't think the extra carboy is necessary. I would spend the extra $40 and go for the Deluxe Package George has. The bottle tree, the vinator and the mix-stir are well worth the extra money in time saved cleaning your bottles and degassing your wine. I find the better stirrer saves time and energy in removing the CO2 from the wine. The vinator makes it a breeze to get cleaner and santizer in your bottles while the tree gets them to drip dry.


Using the Buon Vino is truly wonderful and efficient but not a necessitiy if money will not allow for it. Just be prepared for a little dripping from the cane and practice with it before using.


I hope you know what you are getting into, this is a very addictive hobby...Edited by: Lenore

[cheesegod99]

If I only get one carboy, what do I rack into from that? Do I rack back into the primary and then back into the carboy?



Thanks again for all your great suggestions so far!



Oh and my room is absolutely not air conditioned - although I'm in
Central NY, the weather can still get above 90 in July/August. My
roomate for the summer and I were planning on getting a room cooler
(window ACs are not allowed). Hopefully that will keep the wine in a
satisfactory range.

[Lenore]

With the Vinter's Reserve kits, you usually only have to rack once from the primary to the carboy. With the higher end kits, you need to rerack from one carboy into another. I have racked into the primary, cleaned my carboy and then racked it back into it again. I don't know what to say about the temp. Perhaps you can make a bunch of wine when the temp is not so hot?