I don't want something cheap but I also don't want to spend top dollar just yet. I've read on here that the more you spend the better the kit usually is. What do you guys and girls recommend? I think I want to do a cab sav.
What is a good wine kit to buy?
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Bensiff
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Here are my thoughts...don't think in terms of how much the kit cost, think in per/bottle cost. You can get a low grade kit for cheap and produce cheap wine that tastes like big bottle wines, if you like that type of wine, great. If you are like me, who tends to only like higher quality wine but hate to pay high quality prices you need to be looking at a higher end kit. I would go with one that has a grape skin pack. As far as cab sav, I currently have a Cellar Craft Red Mountain cab going that I just racked over and hit with more SO2 yesterday. It is around 3 months old and I will wait another 6-9 before bottling. At this point I can tell it has great potential but is really young and will need some serious time to shine. Everything I have read is that it is one of the, if not the best cab sav kit. I paid around 135 for it so that comes out to around $5 a bottle for a great wine.
WilliamSlayer
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Grand Cru International Australian Cab Sav.
MeadMax
Well-Known Member
I also made the cellar craft red mountain cab. It is a year old and is very good. Needs a bit more time in the botyle though.
I also made the Cellar Craft Amarone.
This wine is awesome. It is currently 18 months in the bottle. Five years and it will compare to a 50.00+ bottle retail.
Cant go wrong with either.
A lot of people will say Luna Rosa Cab.
U have yet to make this so I can not say anything.
Good luck
I also made the Cellar Craft Amarone.
This wine is awesome. It is currently 18 months in the bottle. Five years and it will compare to a 50.00+ bottle retail.
Cant go wrong with either.
A lot of people will say Luna Rosa Cab.
U have yet to make this so I can not say anything.
Good luck
OP
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h22lude
Well-Known Member
I don't mind paying for quality, I'm just a little hesitant to pay that much for my first kit. But on the other hand, I don't want to spend $80 on a kit for it to be not so great wine. The wine I usually drink is around $15 per bottle at a store. I don't mind some of the $5 bottles though.
Is there a kit a little less expensive than $140 that would turn out good...or is it better just to get the great kits?
Is there a kit a little less expensive than $140 that would turn out good...or is it better just to get the great kits?
There are some mid-priced kits that are "good". Not excellent, or even great, but good. If you want a very good to excellent, they tend to run $150-175.
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h22lude
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Where is a good place to shop for the higher quality kits? I usually use AHB, Midwest and Northern Brewer for my beer stuff. They seem to have a lot more of the lower priced wine kits.
Heavywalker
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This is where I get all my kits, about the cheapest place I found and a good selection as well.
http://www.finevinewines.com/default.asp
http://www.finevinewines.com/default.asp
I've bought a couple from Northern Brewer, and one from AHB. This one is a good one: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/cellar-craft-showcase-red-mountain-cabernet.html
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h22lude
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That's weird...I thought I just had that one open and it said out of stock lol it must have been another kit.
Looks like I'll be trying this kit out.
What equipment should I get to add to my brewing equipment? I know I need a 6 gallon carboy. Is a degasser needed or just helpful? They are pretty cheap so I might as well throw it in the order. I think for now I am going to bottle in 22oz beer bottles since I already have bottles, caps and a capper. If I find I like wine making I'll look into a corker. Plus it will give me more time to collect wine bottles.
I assume I can use all my other brewing equipment for both beer and wine as long as I wash it all good (which I do anyway lol).
Heavywalker
Well-Known Member
Here is the same Cab kit, sign up for their club, (no fees) and you can get it for $147 and only 9.99 shipping.
http://www.finevinewines.com/XPListDet2.asp?MM_PartNumber=140288
http://www.finevinewines.com/XPListDet2.asp?MM_PartNumber=140288
That's a good price on that kit! It's a good one.
You'll need a 6 gallon carboy, and a wine whip is a handy thing to have for making kits. Otherwise, your beermaking stuff should be sufficient.
You'll need a 6 gallon carboy, and a wine whip is a handy thing to have for making kits. Otherwise, your beermaking stuff should be sufficient.
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h22lude
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Awesome. Thanks everyone. I'll be getting a 6 gallon carboy, wine whip and I need to decide between the cab or merlot. They both sound really good.
Three quick (hopefully) questions and I'm done for now...
1) I use starsan for brewing. Everything I read and all the videos I watch people use potassium metabisulfite. Can I use starsan, potassium metabisulfite or it doesn't matter? I know during the fermentation process potassium metabisulfite is put into the wine to help keep out bacteria.
2) Is temp as big of a deal as it is with brewing? I have a fridge for fermenting which obviously cools but I also have a heater in it to heat so I can maintain pretty much any temp. Is that necessary for wine making?
3) Is o2 an enemy of wine like it is to beer?
Three quick (hopefully) questions and I'm done for now...
1) I use starsan for brewing. Everything I read and all the videos I watch people use potassium metabisulfite. Can I use starsan, potassium metabisulfite or it doesn't matter? I know during the fermentation process potassium metabisulfite is put into the wine to help keep out bacteria.
2) Is temp as big of a deal as it is with brewing? I have a fridge for fermenting which obviously cools but I also have a heater in it to heat so I can maintain pretty much any temp. Is that necessary for wine making?
3) Is o2 an enemy of wine like it is to beer?
WilliamSlayer
Well-Known Member
Starsan is great but keep some sulphites on hand to add to your wine. If you don't have a scale use camden tabs.
I've had success with warm fernents as well as cold...I don't understand the science nor do I play that close of attention to temps.
O2 is the friend for yeast reproduction in your primary but absolutely the enemy in all other stages.
Felixio
Well-Known Member
Some of the wine yeasts that I have used have a suggested fermentation temp between 70 and 75, meaning that I had to add a brew belt to my bucket, since it's in the 60s in my basement.
Also, I was hoping to ask the same question, but to me price doesn't matter so much, as long as it's stellar in 2-2.5 years. My SO (I just can't call her SWMBO, she's too sweet) is going into grad school and I want something amazing for when she graduates.
Also, I was hoping to ask the same question, but to me price doesn't matter so much, as long as it's stellar in 2-2.5 years. My SO (I just can't call her SWMBO, she's too sweet) is going into grad school and I want something amazing for when she graduates.
1. Yes. I use star-san all the time now for winemaking, since I have a huge supply! Buy some campden tablets, too, though, since you'll want to add some before bottling as an antioxidant/preservative and the kit doesn't come with extra.
2. Yes, but most wine yeast have a huge temperature range. For example, montrachet (I think) lists "59-95 degrees" as optimum temperature! Most are great in the 60s just as ales are, but some are great up into the 70s as welll so it's easier in the warmer months to manage wines fermentation temperature. Many commercial wineries use temps in the 50s for white wines. But you don't have to, and 60s is great!
3. Yep. Even more so- because they tend to be in the fermenter longer. That's why campden tablets are used as an antioxidant. In a traditional wine (not a kit), sulfites are added at every other racking or so, so that o2 can not bind with the wine and oxidize it. A goal is 50 ppm of sulfites, but many people don't have s02 meters and just guestimate it, like I do. Topping up with wine is crucial, and so follow the instructions for topping up when needed.
WilliamSlayer
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Nice! Great that you are thinking ahead and planning for that special day.
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h22lude
Well-Known Member
Great info Yooper, as usual.
One last question and I think I'm ready to step into the wine making world.
Some of the kit instructions I have read say to cover but don't seal the lid for the primary fermentation. Is this a normal step? Do you always keep it covered but not sealed?
WilliamSlayer
Well-Known Member
This only applies to wines that have a 'cap' of skins that need to be stirred on a regular basis. It's a pain to pry off the lid twice a day!
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h22lude
Well-Known Member
Oh ok. So it has nothing to do with fermentation...just makes it easier to take the lid off.
Has anyone bought from Wine Maker Superstore? http://www.winemakingsuperstore.com/red_kits.html Their kits are $50 cheaper than Norther Brewer
saramc
Well-Known Member
Yes, their kits may be less costly but you have to look at shipping costs, unless you can pick up in store. They use UPS, so anticipate $35 or so for shipping.
www.labelpeelers.com is one of my favorites plus they price match including shipping, which helps when they have things you want from their site and others. Price matching rocks.
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h22lude
Well-Known Member
With shipping from NB the price is $197. With shipping from WMSS the price is $170.11. Still $30 cheaper.
I would like to give NB my business but with that $30 savings I could get a 6 gallon carboy from my lhbs. I don't think they sell the Cellar Craft kits.
Yes it does, oxygen is both friend and foe, yeast likes oxygen it keeps it happy, healthy and stress free. High tannin wines can benefit from additional oxygen.
With reds I stir them twice a day for the first 3 days, whites I only do once the first and second day. If I am doing a fruit wine or using skins I gently push the cap down.
saramc
Well-Known Member
Good price. Both are good shops. Believe me, you end up shopping around.
