What equipment would you buy just starting out.

[subnate]

OK I'm totally new at this and just started researching and ran onto this sight so I thought I would throw out a very basic question, Is it better to buy a kit to start or piece equipment together. And if a kit is the way to go who sells the best online kit? I've looked at some online and they all basically look the same except some have glass carboys some have plastic, some come with bottles and some don't. Some have floor corkers some have hand.But prices differ 80-100 dollars. I've been looking at the 6 gal kits because it seems like all the wine kits are set for 6 gallons. Any info would greatly be appreciated.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!

I would call George at Fine Vine Wines (one of the sponsors) and get a kit - you can swap items out and he can help you out.

If you don't do that - then i would suggest getting these:

hydrometer w/thermometer and test tube
acid test kit (if you have enough $$ get the ph meter instead)
primary bucket
carboy
carboy brush
portuguese floor corker
airlock
potassium metabisulphite (AKA k - meta)
pectic enzymes (mainly if doing a fruit based wine)
racking cane
siphoning tubes
corks and bottles
acid blend or tartaric acid (adjusting acid levels)

I am sure i have missed some items - if i did - i am sure someone will call me out on it

 

[Brian]

Nate I would recommend getting in touch with George like winemaker says. He is very trustworthy and he will not sell you somthing you don't need. He is not like that. Also I would recommend doing a kit wine the first time and getting to know a little about the winemaking process. It comes with everything you need for the wine itself and instructions. there is all kinds of wine kits so if you tell George what kind of wine you would like to make he can make suggestions and give you a little insight. Then buy the basic equipment that George says you will need to make a kit and then expand your horizons as you learn. I will tell you that you get what you pay for. Don't just go with somthing because it is cheap. Generally the more expensive the wine kit the better it is. Nate understand that this is my opinion but if you ask about George to others on here they will support what I have said about him He is one of the good guys..

 

[Runningwolf]

Ditto on calling George!

 

[cpfan]

Here are my suggested changes to winemaker's list

hydrometer w/thermometer and test tube - get 2 hydrometers, they break easily
acid test kit (if you have enough $$ get the ph meter instead) - not needed for kits
primary bucket - at least 7.9 US gallons
carboy
carboy brush
portuguese floor corker
airlock - and bung
potassium metabisulphite (AKA k - meta)
pectic enzymes (mainly if doing a fruit based wine)
racking cane - get an Auto Siphon instead
siphoning tubes - aka hoses
corks and bottles
acid blend or tartaric acid (adjusting acid levels)- not needed for kits

You may not want to pay shipping on bottles, if you can get cork finish bottles to re-use (ie bottles that are not screw cap bottles).

Missing items:
bottle filling wand
cleaner (K-meta is sanitizer only)
second carboy (unless shipping charges are an issue)
long stirring spoon
bottle brush
bottle rinser (fits on tap)
bottle rinser adapter (needed for kitchen faucets)
bottle sanitizer
bottle draining tree

Good luck and welcome to a great hobby, Steve

 

[Wade E]

Agree fully with the autosiphon.

 

[subnate]

Is that finevinewines . com or is it another web sight? If thats right just let me know if not could you send me a link. Thanks for the info

 

[Runningwolf]

Yes you got it right with Fine vine wines. http://www.finevinewines.com/

 

[JohnT]

Let's bring this down a bit. If you are just beginning, and you want to start off slow, then I would chop the list down to the following..

Carboy (5 gallons)
1 gallon jug (could be recycled)

stoppers to fit both
fermentation traps to fit both

7 gallon bucket
Acid test kit
Hydrometer
Syphon tubing
bottle filler
simple corker (does not need to be a floor model).

They do sell beginner kits. I would suggest you buy one of those. As you get more and more into winemaking, you can always go "bigger and better". Since you are a beginner, I would not go crazy and buy the biggest and best.

 

[Runningwolf]

I would suggest a 6 gallon carboy as most kits make 6 gallon.

 

[ffemt128]

I would suggest a 6 gallon carboy as most kits make 6 gallon.

I would call George and look at one of the beginer equipment kits. They have everything essential to get started and you can add from there. Most will include a 6 gallon carboy, racking cane and tubing, hydrometer, corker, corks, bottle filler. From there you can add equipment as needed.

I still need to add a floor corker but for now my hand corker works fine.

 

[cpfan]

John T's list is pretty good for someone wanting to make fruit wines, but subnate specifically mentioned wine kits.

Let's bring this down a bit. If you are just beginning, and you want to start off slow, then I would chop the list down to the following..

Carboy (5 gallons) - 6 US gallons for wine kits
1 gallon jug (could be recycled) - not needed for wine kits, although good for storing K-meta solution

stoppers to fit both
fermentation traps to fit both

7 gallon bucket - might as well get a 7.9 US gallon primary - the guys here will talk you into a grape skin kit pretty soon
Acid test kit - [B}not needed for wine kits[/B}
Hydrometer
Syphon tubing
bottle filler
simple corker (does not need to be a floor model).

Items Missing
K-meta and cleaner
siphon rod (to fit on that hose) although Auto Syphon much better
thermometer
long stirring spoon
#8 corks if using a hand corker, #9 OK with some hand corkers and some people - #9 if using floor corker

Steve

 

[subnate]

Think I figured out what I will get

I think I will get one of the basic kits that come with everything and the wine. I'm going to do a wine cooler type sweet wine for my first batch, that way I can prove to the wife that these kits work, for some reason she doesn't think it will taste good. Any recomendtions for a good sweet wine that you guys have made and liked. Hey thanks everyone for the info.

 

[Lurker]

Above you have enough good advice to get you going. I will make only one suggestion since I have evolved into a vacuum pump guy. I do not think that you need a pump at this time, but the auto siphon is the greatest. My suggestion would be; be certain to get a glass carboy first since if you ever do go to the vacuum pump, plastic won't work. Welcome to the addiction.

 

[Runningwolf]

I'm going to do a wine cooler type sweet wine for my first batch, that way I can prove to the wife that these kits work, for some reason she doesn't think it will taste good. Any recomendtions for a good sweet wine that you guys have made and liked. Hey thanks everyone for the info.

It's pretty hard to suggest a kit for someone you don't know. I can tell you that most anyone that has made the blackberry merlot from Orcard Breezin like them. Make what ever you think your wife will like. You can even ask George at FVW for his opinion based off your wife's likes. Right now he has a special going so I would get your order in to take advantage of it.

 

[frohe]

OK I'm totally new at this and just started researching and ran onto this sight so I thought I would throw out a very basic question, Is it better to buy a kit to start or piece equipment together. And if a kit is the way to go who sells the best online kit? I've looked at some online and they all basically look the same except some have glass carboys some have plastic, some come with bottles and some don't. Some have floor corkers some have hand.But prices differ 80-100 dollars. I've been looking at the 6 gal kits because it seems like all the wine kits are set for 6 gallons. Any info would greatly be appreciated.

I'd buy a starter kit; it will include all the basic equipment you need to get started in this great hobby. As your knowledge grows, you'll have a better idea of what kinds of wine you want to make and how much which will drive what you need to have on-hand to make it happen. Some wine supply shops offer starter kits along with a wine kit. I always make a spreadsheet when I'm needing stuff and visit each wine supply website, noting their price and web address. When I'm done, it's a simple sort to see who has what I want at the cheapest price.

n <--- my favorite kind of snow

 

[Dugger]

I agree with getting the basic starter equipment kit as others have suggested. Hopefully you will be successful, your wife will be impressed and supportive and then you can start getting extra stuff, which is one of the great joys of this hobby. Get it all up front and you miss the anticipation of landing that next greatest piece of equipment.
Good luck.