What equipment should I buy next?

[BlueRidgeBilly]

Being a beginner, I don't have a lot of equipment. I have primaries, carboys, air locks and stoppers, racking aparatus, a few basic chemicals like nutrients, acid additive, Campden tabs and pectin. I do have a hydrometer. I have made a few gallons of wine that is in the secondary stages now. I still have to buy my drinking wine at this point. I have made the wine that I now have using simple recipes and so far I think that I have done ok. As I develope my skill at wine making I would like to hopefully get better at what I am doing. I will have to admit that when I read some of articles on the forum I wonder if I will ever learn the fine points of wine making. What do you experienced folks think I need to buy to improve my winemaking knowledge? I do not have an acid testing kit or a PH meter. Are these things necessary to make good wine? What do you recommend? Also is there a better way to learn how to do this other than trial and error? I read books and have learned a lot on the forum but Is there any Videos or training that you know of that will help me gain the knowledge to do this well without all the trial and error? thanks for your imput.

 

[Rocky]

Billy, if you are going to make kit wines, you will probably not neet a pH meter nor an acid testing kit. Those kits are balanced by the manufacturer. If you plan to make wine from fruit, you will need these items. A floor corker would be a big help and some method to filter the wine. As you get further into the hobby you may want to invest in a pump for transferring, filtering and filling.

 

[BlueRidgeBilly]

Thanks Rocky. Country fruit wines are what I am probably going to be making. Thanks for the reply.

 

[timber]

acid testing kit or a PH meter.

Hello BlueRidgeBilly,

Sounds like we are at a similar stage in learning the ropes of wine making and have about the same equipment so far. I'm a new member and glad I found this place.
As a matter of fact, it was suggested this evening that I work toward getting a pH meter for making some blackberry wine.

It seems that wine making has a good many enjoyable stages.
I've had to have some patience in getting my equipment together since I've been ordering it online rather than getting it from a homebrew store, but it's a good feeling to have the basics together nearing my first brew.
Starting that batch will, no doubt, be great fun and watching the carboy bubble is at pace with most everything else I do.
Bottling and tasting, of course, couldn't be much better than that.
(Unless you count tasting the wine after a year or so, that is).

 

[mmadmikes1]

PH meter is a must or an acid TA kit, even better being as you live right smack in the middle of some of the world best grape vineyards. You will need it next October when you make wine from fresh grapes. The filter can wait. I have not used mine in a year now. A wine thief will help once wine is in carboys and you need to check SG and TASTE!!!!. A brew belt or a submersible aquarium heater that can have temp set. I use aquarium heaters they are cheap and set on bottom allowing convection to keep heat consistent.

 

[timber]

PH meter is a must or an acid TA kit, even better being as you live right smack in the middle of some of the world best grape vineyards. You will need it next October when you make wine from fresh grapes. The filter can wait. I have not used mine in a year now. A wine thief will help once wine is in carboys and you need to check SG and TASTE!!!!. A brew belt or a submersible aquarium heater that can have temp set. I use aquarium heaters they are cheap and set on bottom allowing convection to keep heat consistent.

Well stated,
I'll want to get a wine thief ... isn't that synonyms with tasting the wine.

I'm going to attempt to control temp by placing it in various locations throughout the house. I should pick up some "stick-on temp sticks" to keep an eye on temperature and ranges in these locations.
Hot water heater closet temps might be a bit on the high side (haven't checked). Have some central closets that may be about right for secondary fermentation. We heat with wood so there is some of flux but never sudden temperature changes since we are well insulated.

 

[Arne]

Lazer thermometers are pretty handy and not too expensive if you watch where and when you are buying. Get an extra hydrometer. They are fragile and break at the most inopertune time. Actually if you have an extra they seem to last a little better. Arne.

 

[JohnT]

My two cents...

learning.
1) Subscribe to winemaker magazine. A wealth of knowledge.

2) stay active on this website. A greater wealth of knowledge. Do not delay in asking any questions. The folks here are amazingly giving in advice.

3) There are a number of manuals already threaded on this blog. spend some quality time and perused them.

equipment.

1) Your equipment needs will change with the volume you produce. If you plan, say, to make 3 or 4 gallons a year, then I would say that you should NOT purchase a ph meter. For the amount you produce, it will be far too expensive. (at least $80). Instead, you can make due with a simply acid test kit (about $6).

2) a hydrometer is important for determining the level of sugar in your wine and, thus, how much alcohol is yeilded after fermentation. It also can tell you how well your fermentation has progressed. These are cheap and VERY fragile (about $6). I would get one for use, and one incase you break the first.

3) how about getting a corker? There are several different types (from a "plunger corker" for about $8, to a lever corker about $25, to a floor corker about $80.

4) I would only purchase heaters in cases where temperature is a problem. You need to keep wine at 65-75 during fermentation, and above freezing during aging. If you plan on keeping wine in a well heated room, then a heater is not needed.

5) get bottle brushes! simply rinsing only gets you so far.

6) chemicals! you need

K-meta - for cleaning and sterilizing
K-bicarbonate - since you are interested in fruit wines, It has been my experience that the juice can be rather high in acid, k-bicarb is used to lower acid levels.
tartaric acid - to raise the acid levels.
yeast neutriant - well worth it.
stored chemicals in ziploc bags or tupperware, they last forever.

 

[grapeman]

I would add potassium sorbate to JohnT's list of chems. It is needed if you sweeten at the end as it prevents yeast from multiplying again and fermenting out the additional sugars added either as juice or syrup at the end.

 

[Runningwolf]

JohnT that was a great post. I won't even bring up Welches. LOL

 

[pete1325]

How about some oak chip/cubes for added body during bulk ageing. I use different "toasts".....light, medium and heavy. I also experiment with tannins.....mostly grape.....again for extra body and mouth. And.......more carboys! You will never have enough. Have fun...........

 

[SBWs]

Here are some cheap ones for ya; Oak Dowel Rod form Lowes (stirring and degrassing) helps to get fine sandpaper and make it smooth, Wal-mart kitchen section has small pyrex 150 ml / 5 oz glasses and package of four small stainless containers for preparing chemicals. Also from one of my BLOG posts Amazon has small scales for under $10 that are great for measuring grams.

 

[buddy]

When you start bottling your wine a wine bottle sulfiter will come in handy as well as a blast bottle washer for rinsing your bottles.

 

[JohnT]

Wolfie - To quote Homer Simpson... DOH!

SBWs - Just make sure that you use the wood dowels only once for stirring. The wood is not easily sanitized. There is a reason that Doctors never use the same tongue depresser more than once.

 

[North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not]

If you need to heat it up and dont have a brew belt, just sitting the primary/carboy on top of a regular heating pad works great. I have my primary on top of one as we speak and shes foaming away nicely.

 

[SBWs]

JohnT, I've been using the same oak dowel rod for over a year and a half. I Spray it with K-Meta before and after use. For new batches I soak it in a paint tray with K-Meta Solution before starting. I used very fine sandpaper to make sure it was smooth. Don't people use oak barrels more than once?

 

[grapeman]

Scott you have a great point. Oak has natural anti-microbial properties and as long as it is kept smooth and clean, it will not "grow" nasties. Rough spots can harbor them however.

Doctors in general don't recycle anything unless it is easy to clean and sterilize. Along with throwing out tongue depressers, "most" of them use new gloves after using on a patient.

 

[JohnT]

Scott you have a great point. Oak has natural anti-microbial properties and as long as it is kept smooth and clean, it will not "grow" nasties. Rough spots can harbor them however.

Doctors in general don't recycle anything unless it is easy to clean and sterilize. Along with throwing out tongue depressers, "most" of them use new gloves after using on a patient.

Especially after prostate exams... (boy that was bad even for me).

SBW- Barrels are never stored dry, and are mostly always fumigated before use with sulpher in some form. I do not believe that barrels are left open to the air to dry out.

Do you store your stirring rod in a "corkadore" type environment or just leave it out to dry for several months between use?

 

[SBWs]

Nope just spray it with my bottle of K-meta sanitizing solution before and after using it. Then hang it up to air dry. Never had a problem, hope I don't jinks myself by saying never.

 

[North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not]

I have a 3 foot oak stirring paddle that I use, food grade bought it from Tiger Chef. Its awsome, makes me feel like a witch stirring a caldron or something but it does the trick thats for sure. Dont see any problems with using it, as it would be silly to sell a "food grade" item that cant be used for food products. Its sanded smooth with no splintering, has a square shaft and a flattened end. Basically looks like the wooden spatula one might use to cook ground beef, only 36" long. I believe you can get them for $10 or less from tiger chef on their website or through Amazon. Mine was maybe $11-$12 including shipping, wouldnt send it back for any reason its very solid you could use it for self-defense if need be. lmao