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**h22lude** · 12-05-2012, 05:18 PM

I'm looking into making some wine but I really don't want to start off buying more equipment and then the ingredients. This kit seems like it would be good. Anyone use it with good luck?

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/winemaking/winemaking-starter-kits/vintner-s-best-one-gallon-wine-equipment-kit.html

FlyinDan1017 · 12-05-2012, 11:34 PM

I'd wager that you've already got everything needed to get going, aside from maybe a 1gal carboy and wine yeast. Unlike beer, wine in the primary is usually open to oxygen as it helps feed the yeast. I use a 6.5gal brew bucket for everything, including my 1gal batches, without the lit attached. It gets stirred twice daily and you don't have to worry about splashing as much that way.

Easiest would be to get a gallon of apple cider that comes in a glass jug. Make up a batch of apfelwein and you're on the way!!! Your LBHS will have the yeast.

Good luck!!!

DoctorCAD · 12-06-2012, 12:21 AM

1. Yes, I have the kit. You CANNOT have too much equipment.

2. The Patriots??? Come on...

**h22lude** · 12-06-2012, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyinDan1017

I'd wager that you've already got everything needed to get going, aside from maybe a 1gal carboy and wine yeast. Unlike beer, wine in the primary is usually open to oxygen as it helps feed the yeast. I use a 6.5gal brew bucket for everything, including my 1gal batches, without the lit attached. It gets stirred twice daily and you don't have to worry about splashing as much that way.

Easiest would be to get a gallon of apple cider that comes in a glass jug. Make up a batch of apfelwein and you're on the way!!! Your LBHS will have the yeast.

Good luck!!!

That's the thing, I do have everything to make a big 6 gallon batch but I would like to start small at first to see if it is something I like. I love brewing and I'm not sure I want to start making wine more than just a gallon here and there. That is why I thought the 1 gallon kit was perfect.

I have made apfelwein and actually just finished my last bottle last week. I made 5 gallons of it. It was definitely good but like I said I'm not sure I want to get into another hobby that takes up a lot of my time. As it is when I'm not brewing I'm either reading about it or on here. I don't need another alcohol taking up more time lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorCAD

1. Yes, I have the kit. You CANNOT have too much equipment.

2. The Patriots??? Come on...

Oh trust me I know. I have a ton of beer stuff. Like I said above, I just don't know that I want to make more than a gallon here and there.

Yes the Pats!!!! I was born in Rhode Island and haven't left. No New Englander likes anyone but the Pats. Don't tell me you like one of those New Jersey teams...oh sorry New York. I know you definitely don't like the Panthers...no one likes them lol I kid

FlyinDan1017 · 12-06-2012, 01:26 AM

In that case, forgo the kit. If you're gonna spend a few bucks on wine, check out Terry Garey's 'The Joy of Home Winemaking'. It's way better than that purple book (which I own and have lost)...

Aside from a 1gal carboy and additives (such as sulfites, pectic, tannin, etc), just use your beer equipment. No need to get anything else. AND, the best part about wine is that after primary you toss it in the back of a closet and forget about it for a couple months, rack it, and forget again for 2 more months...rack...forget...bottle...forget...then enjoy!!!

To start you can either use consentrates, or go straight for the frozen fruit section and make from real fruit. Just remember to be patient and forget it's in the closet!!!!

huntingohio · 12-06-2012, 06:17 AM

I get the 2 gallon pails for 7 bucks a piece from my LHBS and gallon carboys for 5 bucks each [Or 5 for 20 bucks], If you have everyting else then why waste the cash.

I'm a beer dude but wine is fun to play with, and you may find a few you like [I'm a cider junkie, mead lover and down some skeeter pee all summer]. I really like making what I call session wines, cut the abv to 6-8% and carbonate. I use us-05 for alot of that stuff, it seems to ferment clean and not leave that very strong wine after taste alot of the champagne type yeasts leave. It also helps to use honey as a fermentable, if you let it cellar a couple moths after carbing some of the sweetness comes back to it. I find that I just enjoy the ease of it and the fermentation process. I absolutely hate cellaring for a year plus on the high abv wines and meads.

I moved to all grain 1.5 gallon batches on my stove top to ease brew days and start a more varied pipeline too, these buckets and carboys double for that or test batches if you like.

Ninja non edit- edit Small batches also allow you to play in the wierd worlds of braggot and graff, If I had to choose one brew for the rest of my life ,I'd have to flip a coin between these two

DoctorCAD · 12-06-2012, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h22lude

That's the thing, I do have everything to make a big 6 gallon batch but I would like to start small at first to see if it is something I like. I love brewing and I'm not sure I want to start making wine more than just a gallon here and there. That is why I thought the 1 gallon kit was perfect.

I have made apfelwein and actually just finished my last bottle last week. I made 5 gallons of it. It was definitely good but like I said I'm not sure I want to get into another hobby that takes up a lot of my time. As it is when I'm not brewing I'm either reading about it or on here. I don't need another alcohol taking up more time lol

Oh trust me I know. I have a ton of beer stuff. Like I said above, I just don't know that I want to make more than a gallon here and there.

Yes the Pats!!!! I was born in Rhode Island and haven't left. No New Englander likes anyone but the Pats. Don't tell me you like one of those New Jersey teams...oh sorry New York. I know you definitely don't like the Panthers...no one likes them lol I kid

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=87151&stc=1&d=13547979 98

**h22lude** · 12-06-2012, 07:25 PM

I guess my reason for going with that kit was it was pretty cheap, it gave me pretty much everything I need for small batches and it came with 100 small batch recipes. It was an easy all in one package. I'll have to look into doing small batches with what I have and buying ingredients.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorCAD

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=87151&stc=1&d=13547979 98

Oh I'm sorry lol

lhjf75 · 12-06-2012, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h22lude

That's the thing, I do have everything to make a big 6 gallon batch but I would like to start small at first to see if it is something I like. I love brewing and I'm not sure I want to start making wine more than just a gallon here and there. That is why I thought the 1 gallon kit was perfect.

I have made apfelwein and actually just finished my last bottle last week. I made 5 gallons of it. It was definitely good but like I said I'm not sure I want to get into another hobby that takes up a lot of my time. As it is when I'm not brewing I'm either reading about it or on here. I don't need another alcohol taking up more time lol

Oh trust me I know. I have a ton of beer stuff. Like I said above, I just don't know that I want to make more than a gallon here and there.

Yes the Pats!!!! I was born in Rhode Island and haven't left. No New Englander likes anyone but the Pats. Don't tell me you like one of those New Jersey teams...oh sorry New York. I know you definitely don't like the Panthers...no one likes them lol I kid

Not wine related but I was born and raised in Maine and now live in Ma. and I am not a Pats fan. DA BEARS

eichenwald · 12-07-2012, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h22lude

I'm looking into making some wine but I really don't want to start off buying more equipment and then the ingredients. This kit seems like it would be good. Anyone use it with good luck?

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/winemaking/winemaking-starter-kits/vintner-s-best-one-gallon-wine-equipment-kit.html

Similar to your situation, I already had beer making equipment but want to have some smaller batch sizes starting out in wine, I bought two of these kits, happy with what I got for the price. As for the recipe handbook, you can find a lot of those recipes adapted on Jack Keller's website from what I've seen so far. I did go ahead and get a floor corker and some bottles/corks to have ready incase I want to jump up to 6 gal batches.