Beer brewer with no wine making experience...help

I've been brewing beer for quite a while with excellent results, and I'd love to make some wine for my wife and family members.

In my experience, the beer kits you can get from Northern Brewer, Austin Home Brew Supply, etc, are all excellent.

Is the same true for wine kits from places such as NB?

For what it's worth, my wifes (current) favorite wine is the Coppola Chardonnay and I'd love to be able to make something similar for her. I just really have no idea where to start in the wine making area.

Any suggestions would be great.

Ive made a few of the vitners reservre chardonnay wine kits and they turned out really well. Just keep in mind that those kits make a 6-6.5 gallon batch and that you will need a 7.9 gal fermenter and a 6gal glass carboy. Also I would reccomend one of those drill attachment stir/degassing rods.

There is less room for divergence from the directions that come with wine kits vs. beer kits. On the other hand, it only takes me about 30 minutes to start a batch of wine compared to beer.

I highly recommend that you start with a cheap kit to get your feet wet. They don't make great wines but you don't want to spend $150 on a kit and mess it up.

On the other hand, the island mist wines are cheap and they make for great summer drinking. However, you need to temper your expectations because they are "fruit wines" not "normal" wines.

JVD_X said:

I highly recommend that you start with a cheap kit to get your feet wet. They don't make great wines but you don't want to spend $150 on a kit and mess it up.

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I'm not sure how I feel about this.

I think I would rather spend $150 on a kit, given the chance to make an excellent wine, and run the risk of ruining it, rather than spend $40 (?) and have it go well, but be undrinkable anyways...

The kits a foolproof. Easier to make than the beer. IMHO the Vintners Reserve kits are too light in body. Try making a Selection Chardonnay.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=684

Only $3.67 a bottle. Free shipping.

Forrest

I am feeling good today. 462studio, if you buy the kit from me and you "ruin" it, (won't happen) I will replace the kit. Just follow the instructions.

Forrest

Austinhomebrew said:

I am feeling good today. 462studio, if you buy the kit from me and you "ruin" it, (won't happen) I will replace the kit. Just follow the instructions.

Forrest

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Haha; you are a wise, and kind man. I just might order that kit here soon, too. I've ordered several things from you before, and I've never been disappointed.

Also, Forrest, what does that kit include? It doesn't seem to be itemized on the website. Just curious if I'll need yeast, corks, etc.

Austinhomebrew said:

I am feeling good today. 462studio, if you buy the kit from me and you "ruin" it, (won't happen) I will replace the kit. Just follow the instructions.

Forrest

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Heck of a deal!!!

Don't pass it up.

That's a REALLY good deal.

It IS possible to mess up pouring the juice into the fermenter... my wife will show you the red stain on the wall downstairs!

462studio said:

Also, Forrest, what does that kit include? It doesn't seem to be itemized on the website. Just curious if I'll need yeast, corks, etc.

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the kits are complete for making the wine. You might want to buy some extra campden tablets, in cause you want to add sulfite for aging (I do, with the more expensive kits) and you'll need corks and and a corker. That should be it!

You need a 6 gallon glass carboy if you don't have one already.

Forrest

Austinhomebrew said:

You need a 6 gallon glass carboy if you don't have one already.

Forrest

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Most of the kits ask for an 8 gallon and a 6 gallon. I use one of your buckets.

I've never done the wine kits before but am looking to make the jump. I just want to clarify what a current brewer would need to get started.

Wine kit
8(ish) gallon primary
6 gallon secondary
mixer
corker
bottles
corks

Can the primary be done in a 6 gallon carboy? And do they have to be dedicated wine carboys/buckets (I'm thinking better bottles) or can they be used for beer without cross contamination?

I've never done a kit... I either use fruit juice concentrate or whole fruit. I'm not going to lie.. It's hard to screw up a batch of wine when you just go...

10 Containters concentrate (any flavor)
+ 10lbs sugar
+ Water (total vol 5-6gal)
+ Yeast
------------->
Wait a month or so
------------->
Yummy treat

~$20 = ~2 cases of wine

SpaceCoastBrew said:

I've never done the wine kits before but am looking to make the jump. I just want to clarify what a current brewer would need to get started.

Wine kit
8(ish) gallon primary
6 gallon secondary
mixer
corker
bottles
corks

Can the primary be done in a 6 gallon carboy? And do they have to be dedicated wine carboys/buckets (I'm thinking better bottles) or can they be used for beer without cross contamination?

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A 6 gallon carboy is a bit small, only because the wine kits make a 6 gallon batch. I like to primary in a bucket (to make stirring easier), and for removing the bag of skins if your kit comes with that. Then, after about 5-7 days, it's transfered to the 6 gallon carboy. I don't think you'll need a "mixer" unless you want one- it does make it easier to degas the wine but it's not strictly necessary.

Thanks Yooper! I'm off to supplement my brewing equipment with some wine making supplies.

I have learned from experience that God gave man wine..... and Man went and made beer....

Wine can be amazingly simple -- Mush ripe grapes in a bucket and let sit for 1-2 weeks then rack into a carboy under an airlock for a year......

You can make it more complicated - and the results are much more consistent... but you don't have to if you want to make wine..... (I personally check acid, sg, use Campden, and actual wine yeast... but I know people who don't)

Unlike Beer -- there isn't any doughing or mashing or various temperature rests or sparging or lautering or boiling or any of those gyrations..... You count on sulphite and the higher alcohol content to sterilize the wine....

Thanks

John