I think I want to give wine a shot...

Is there a vinter's equivalent of www.howtobrew.com?

I've been tossing around the idea of making some wine (red). Ive got 8+ years of beer brewing experience under my belt (or hanging over my belt if my pants are too tight), so I probably have a good bit of the necessary equipment already.

My local homebrew shop sells wine-kits, but I believe they make 5 gallons, and I don't know if I want to jump in with a 5 gallon batch as a first try, so I'm kind of checking out what my options might be for doing a smaller batch. (Can I use grape juice from the grocery? What brand(s)?)

However, if I'm going to have to press grapes myself to make a smaller batch, I might just have to bite the bullet and use a 5 gallon kit.

I'm going to start digging through old threads to see if I can get some of the more basic questions answered, but I'd like to know who the experienced vinters are so that I can start bugging the sh*t out of you.

-walker

Imperial Walker said:

Is there a vinter's equivalent of www.howtobrew.com?

I've been tossing around the idea of making some wine (red). Ive got 8+ years of beer brewing experience under my belt (or hanging over my belt if my pants are too tight), so I probably have a good bit of the necessary equipment already.

My local homebrew shop sells wine-kits, but I believe they make 5 gallons, and I don't know if I want to jump in with a 5 gallon batch as a first try, so I'm kind of checking out what my options might be for doing a smaller batch. (Can I use grape juice from the grocery? What brand(s)?)

However, if I'm going to have to press grapes myself to make a smaller batch, I might just have to bite the bullet and use a 5 gallon kit.

I'm going to start digging through old threads to see if I can get some of the more basic questions answered, but I'd like to know who the experienced vinters are so that I can start bugging the sh*t out of you.

-walker

Click to expand...

The Green Board has a long thread on it, about being creative with juice and concentrates from the grocery store. I used to make a lot of wine in my younger days, out of Welch's and such. It didn't turn out too bad, but nothing you would call great.

Right now I have a Winexpert kit in the primary. It cost over a hundred dollars (six gallon kit like most others), but it is said to produce 25 dollar quality bottles of wine, if you don't screw it up, and if you let it age properly. They also make kits in the mid 40 dollar range that reach maturity quickly.

I'm not sure where a real comprehensive website like howtobrew is.

Here is one for making the kits:

http://www.grapeandgranary.com/vresinst.html

Thanks, LL....

I've found some on-line places that sell concentrated grape extract and claim that you want 2 or 3 cans of it for a 5 gallon batch. $20/can.

I supposed I could make a 2 gallon batch with a single can of that as my first attempt.

I've clearly got a lot of researching to do before I attempt this. (Gotta figure out how to de-gas the stuff and whatnot... was thinking I could put a plastic whip on a power drill and give the wine a good beating.)

I also have NO idea about the fermentation schedule (racking to secondary, etc, etc)

Also, I'd like to avoid buying a corker if possible. There is a thread on here about botting it in beer bottles and the general consensus was that this should work fine if you don't plan to age it for years and years. I don't plan to make enough to last years and years, so beer bottles would be fine by me.

Honestly, I was hoping to have just a few bottles of red wine ready by August (to consume after we move into the house we are buying.) Do I have enough time for that? I would get a solid 4 months of time between making it and drinking it if I get on top of this ASAP.

If I (and more specifically, SWMBO) are happy with the first attempt, I might gather some minimalist-yet-specialized gear and be a little more serious about it, but this first attempt needs to be done with what gear I have on-hand if possible.

-walker

I actually learned to make wine before I started homebrewing. SWMBO's dad grows his own grapes, muscadines to be specific. We pick them towards the later part of August or so and he has a press and all. It's a chore for sure. We made 15 gallons and 3 of us worked about 8 hours each day one weekend. That was just to get the juice. He added a lot of sugar, which I really didn't want, but he likes his sweet where I like a mine a litter more dry.

With that said I'd say the cost of those kits is a bargain. Muscadine turns out more a reisling I'd say. It's more of a desert wine. His is also around 15-16% ABV so you can't drink that much.

As far as schedules he looks at the wine and transfers it from the initial fermentation buckets to carboys. He calls it "cleaning it". He sometimes repeats the process a couple of times. His wine always turns out clear and the final stage there is no sediment on the bottom of his carboys.

He also uses different enzymes and things that kill the yeast if the taste is right to him. On the other hand he can add other items that will give it sweetness, but won't ferment. It usually sits in the carboys about 3 months or so and then we bottle and let them sit for a while as well.

He does store his wine in beer bottles with conventional caps. You can make bottle bombs with wine as well though.

Imperial Walker said:

Thanks, LL....

I've found some on-line places that sell concentrated grape extract and claim that you want 2 or 3 cans of it for a 5 gallon batch. $20/can.

I supposed I could make a 2 gallon batch with a single can of that as my first attempt.

I've clearly got a lot of researching to do before I attempt this. (Gotta figure out how to de-gas the stuff and whatnot... was thinking I could put a plastic whip on a power drill and give the wine a good beating.)

I also have NO idea about the fermentation schedule (racking to secondary, etc, etc)

Also, I'd like to avoid buying a corker if possible. There is a thread on here about botting it in beer bottles and the general consensus was that this should work fine if you don't plan to age it for years and years. I don't plan to make enough to last years and years, so beer bottles would be fine by me.

Honestly, I was hoping to have just a few bottles of red wine ready by August (to consume after we move into the house we are buying.) Do I have enough time for that? I would get a solid 4 months of time between making it and drinking it if I get on top of this ASAP.

If I (and more specifically, SWMBO) are happy with the first attempt, I might gather some minimalist-yet-specialized gear and be a little more serious about it, but this first attempt needs to be done with what gear I have on-hand if possible.

-walker

Click to expand...

Your questions are all pretty simple ones really - Wine is very similar to beer once it's in primary and fermenting. You just let it ferment out and rack it off the sediment to secondary. Repeat the racking when it throws more sediment and maybe add finings if need be to help it clear - all the while under an airlock. With a 2 gallon batch you can 'degas' it by shaking it - No need for drill attachments and if you've kept it under airlock all the while most of the CO2 will be out. The main difference between wine and beer (apart from the whole wort prep boil thing) is that once the yeast has finished you don't need it in wine anymore. clearing it out helps with clarity and flavour. Campden tablets help.
Concentrated grape extract is good for quick results, just keep the ABV on the lower scale (say 11%) and you'll have something that's pleasantly drinkable easily for August. Use your beer bottles and caps for this first batch - You have all you need already with regards equipment with your beer gear except maybe some smaller carboys. Look out for champagne bottles - you can cap them as you know.
Just go for it, it's easy!

Though I don't like it as much as beer, wine is easier for me to make.
I've made it from whole fruit, canned fruit , and fruit juice. The only whole fruit that worked out good was apples and Muscodine grapes. The pear and bad apple came out worse than shoe polish ! With the canned fruits and juices, I added raisins to give the yeast something to get hold of . Start with something that tastes good to begin with. Use plenty of sugar. Choose a yeast that finishes like you want it. You can buy yeasts that finish sweet or dry. I prefer sweet. If a batch finishes out too dry for your taste, add potassium sorbate and sweeten to taste.

Like beer, wine can be as simple or as complicated as you want it. Some wines can be drunk in polite company, some are made to be swilled in the cellblock while your buddy watches for the gaurds.
It's all up to you.

the kits take all the guess work out of it for the first time.
i had never made wine before but the wife likes the kit wine(at a cost of $2.00 per bottle) as much as the store bought(at $10.00 to $14.00 per bottle)

now i can spend more on beer equipment!!

thanks for all the info guys.

I talked with the owner of the LHBS and he's going to set me up with everything I need to make a 2 gallon batch (and he said he would cut me a deal on a small carboy.)

He did, however, tell me that one particular brand of wine kit that he sells (6 gallon kit) makes a much MUCH better product and includes all the additives that I will need in a single box.

Christ... I wonder if I should just get a corker and 6 gallon kit and go for it?

-walker

Imperial Walker said:

Christ... I wonder if I should just get a corker and 6 gallon kit and go for it?

Click to expand...

You might see if the guy at the HBS rents corkers. Mine rents the bad ass blue Italian ones for five dollars a day (which will do champagne bottles). I'm sure you have carboys out the yazoo, but if you do a kit, you really want a 6 gallon for the secondary. Not a 6 1/2 or a 5. Oxidation seems to be a much bigger concern with wine than beer, especially after you do the degassing.

Some people use the kits to make 5 gallon batches, but this isn't recommended, due to the fact that the kits are "balanced" and are designed for 6 gallon batches. You could get too much acidity, etc if you don't do six.

I would probably go for the kit. They have all the ingredients (as you know) that you will need right in them. The only thing extra you might need is a 1/4 tsp more sulphite powder if you intend any of the bottles for long term storage.

sudsmonkey said:

Like beer, wine can be as simple or as complicated as you want it. Some wines can be drunk in polite company, some are made to be swilled in the cellblock while your buddy watches for the gaurds.
It's all up to you.

Click to expand...

This says it all! As sudsmonkey said it's easier than beer - try a small batch first, use your LHBS for guidance.

and if i ever get locked up i'll be looking for you as a cell mate sudsmonkey, i'll buy the champagne on our release!!!!

Hey Walker keep us posted on the results. I've mulling the idea around a bit myself. I figure if I made some wine for SWMBO she might not look at me so funny next time i brew beer for myself. She hates beer so she might appreciate some wine.

Caplan said:

This says it all! As sudsmonkey said it's easier than beer - try a small batch first, use your LHBS for guidance.

and if i ever get locked up i'll be looking for you as a cell mate sudsmonkey, i'll buy the champagne on our release!!!!

Click to expand...

And I'll make the hooch until we're released. Just watch my back !

Walker- Wine, just like beer , is a whole lot simpler to make than the books you resd make it sound. You've got the basic skill down pat from your beermaking. The wine doesn't need boiling. You can get by with a simple 2 stage ferment. There's no hops to add. The most complicated thing I've found is sweetening a dry batch to Mrs. Monkey's taste. She's a die-hard Boone's Farm aficianado. My wines must be tailored along those lines. Life's too short to drink bad wine !

I took SWMBO to the LHBS yesterday to look at some of the wine kits available and see what her opinion was about my making a small batch or a big batch.

She came across one kit that is a replica of Stag's Leap Merlot. She LOVES that wine, and we went through a number of bottles @ $20/bottle when we lived in CA. The 23 liter kit cost $118 (it was one of the most expensive kits they had). If my math is correct, I'll get about 30 bottles of wine out of it (maybe less if I lose some to sediment.)

That's a savings of about $480 compared to buying it in the store, and NOTHING sways SWMBO's opinion quite like a bargain. She's one of those ladies who will answer, "It was on sale," when I ask, "How much did that cost?"

I'm picking up the kit next weekend and getting things rolling. The best thing is that the manufacturer (wine expert) guarantees their kits. As long as you follow the directions, they will replace the kit if the wine comes out bad. Sounds like I have nothing to lose and 30 bottles of wine to gain.

-walker

Imperial Walker said:

As long as you follow the directions, they will replace the kit if the wine comes out bad.

-walker

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Make sure you remember that you need to use slightly more priming sugar than with beer because wine is in bigger bottles.

more questions:

i'll be picking up my kit on saturday. it's got all the ingredients, additives, etc in it that I will need. I assume it will have dry yeast.

Are there liquid wine yeasts and should I seek them out?

I've got several 6.5 gallon glass carboys, and I plan to use them for my wine. I don't know how much the carboy actually holds, but I know that the 6.5 gallon mark is right where the thing starts to curve at the top. Probably 7 or 7.25 gallons total volume.

Will I get a head of foam on top of the wine like I do with beer? Bigger, smaller, same size? Basically, is my 7 gallon vessel big enough for 6 gallons of wine without need for a blow-off?

Do I just keep racking the wine every couple of weeks until I get no further sedimentation? Then degas, fine, and bottle it?

Are fermentation temps roughly the same for wine as for ales (60°F to 172°F)?

I will have no ptoblem gathering bottles. I sent an email to my co-workers asking them to save wine bottles for me if they had any. I sent it on Monday afternoon. By the end of the day Wednesday, I had collected 10 bottles. I haven't even got the kit yet, but I have 1/3rd of the bottles I will need.

wich brings me to corks and corkers.

They sell plastic corks and cork corks. Do you guys have any preferences? Why?

I believe I have heard that cork corks need to be stored on their sides to keep the corks wetted and the bottles seal tight. Is this correct or BS?

The local shop sells small corkers that look like a small cylinder. No levers. It's only $6, but seems like it would be (a) a pain in the ass and (b) easy to break or mangle corks.

They sell a couple other types of corkers, but the prices are $20 for 'decent' corker and some crazy amount for a big corker that stood up on he floor and was pretty heavy duty.

If I am wrong and the $6 corker is fine to use, then I'll get one. Else, I will spring for the $20 corker.

That's allI have for now. Thanks folks!

-walker

Walker, I bought the same exact kit you are getting. Mine is in the secondary right now and it is still bubbling away. It sure is a pretty sight in glass, with all the tiny bubbles scooting along the glass toward the top. It comes with dry yeast, which is what you want to use. It's Lalvin RC212. A 6.5 gallon carboy will be a tight fit for six gallons, but may work because fermenting wine doesn't go all crazy with foam like beer does. It is still recommended that you use an eight gallon fermenter. I bought one for the occasion, because my existing primary just had too much of a beer smell. Some guys keep a special primary just for wine if they are using plastic. The kit comes with detailed instructions and you really don't need to do a thing but what they tell you to do. They give you gravity readings to check for before racking, the whole business. They tell you exactly when to rack and what additives to add at different times. They are even numbered so idiots like me can get it right. One of the head dicks at Winexpert (Tim Vandergriff) says to use Nomacork synthetic corks. He posts at www.winepress.us The bottles can be stored upright with these corks. They have a forum over there just for people doing kits and he is a forum leader for that part. Read some over there in the bottling section about corkers. I plan on using #9 corks that are an inch and a half long (or maybe an inch and three quarters). I'm going to rent a big floor corker for five dollars a day. Don't expect this kit to be one of the early aging ones, though the wine will be more than drinkable at six months. Eighteen months is better, or so some people say. The main thing is to follow the directions exactly. It sounds like your carboy should work if it has the extra headspace like you described. I know paragraphs are or friends, but I'm in not in a paragraph mood.... lol

More... the instructions say to ferment bewteen 65 and 75 degrees. You could rig a blow off tube just to be on the safe side if you are away from the house. I would mark a line on your carboy at the six gallon mark so you will know exactly where to top up to. It will take less than two gallons of water for topping. This kit already has 16 liters of juice! The guy at my LHBS says this kit makes 25 dollar bottles of wine, so add some more savings for SWMBO....

Lounge Lizard said:

They give you gravity readings to check for before racking, the whole business.

Click to expand...

Ah, hell.... I don't own a hydrometer. I hate them, but I guess I should probably get one in this case since I am out of my element and want to make sure I do this right.

Lounge Lizard said:

Don't expect this kit to be one of the early aging ones, though the wine will be more than drinkable at six months. Eighteen months is better, or so some people say.

Click to expand...

Well, there are going to be a COUPLE of bottles that get opened in August for sure. The rest will be stored for aging.

Lounge Lizard said:

It sounds like your carboy should work if it has the extra headspace like you described.

Click to expand...

Cool. I guess I could leave out a little water to gain the extra space and add it in later (after racking a time or two). I'll have to adjust gravity readings from the instructions, but.... no big deal.

Lounge Lizard said:

the instructions say to ferment bewteen 65 and 75 degrees. You could rig a blow off tube just to be on the safe side if you are away from the house.

Click to expand...

65°F-75°F should be fine. My brew fridge is set to maintain a nice 65°F-70°F range already.

Lounge Lizard said:

I would mark a line on your carboy at the six gallon mark so you will know exactly where to top up to.

Click to expand...

Cool, thanks. I already have my carboys marked @ 5, 5½, and 6 gallon volumes for my brewing anyway.

Thanks for all the info, LL.

-walker

Imperial Walker said:

Ah, hell.... I don't own a hydrometer. I hate them, but I guess I should probably get one in this case since I am out of my element and want to make sure I do this right.

Click to expand...

Get one! As LL states the wine kit gives you full instructions - use them, if they say take readings then take them and follow what they suggest. Although it's your first wine you won't be out of your depth - you understand brewing but a hydrometer will confirm you are the same point in the process as the kit makers instructions. Why worry about a couple of dollars on a new hydrometer when you're spending $118 on the wine kit?

Walker--
Let RELAX be the key word in your winemaking.

Caplan said:

Why worry about a couple of dollars on a new hydrometer when you're spending $118 on the wine kit?

Click to expand...

I'm not worried about the price of the hydrometer. I'm worried about the presence of the evil device in my home.

I'm going to pick one up tomorrow when I get the kit, but I vow to never, ever let it touch my beer.

-walker

Imperial Walker said:

I'm not worried about the price of the hydrometer. I'm worried about the presence of the evil device in my home.

I'm going to pick one up tomorrow when I get the kit, but I vow to never, ever let it touch my beer.

-walker

Click to expand...

I know - 'they make your blood boil!'
Calling someone (in jest!) a MOTHER F*CKER for bringing the subject up in another thread made me spill beer!
It's a handy tool to check OG/FG. I use the ABV for a rough idea on aging - the higher the ABV, the longer i give it.
Don't worry though, the 'evil device' will be broken in a couple of weeks - you know how fragile they are!

Caplan said:

I know - 'they make your blood boil!'
Calling someone (in jest!) a MOTHER F*CKER for bringing the subject up in another thread made me spill beer!

Click to expand...

Oh, man.... sorry about the spilled brew. That's terrible.

-walker

Imperial Walker said:

Oh, man.... sorry about the spilled brew. That's terrible.

-walker

Click to expand...

Apology accepted
So have you decided how you plan to bottle and cork this wine yet?

Caplan said:

Apology accepted
So have you decided how you plan to bottle and cork this wine yet?

Click to expand...

I've already collected about 15 wine bottles from friends and co-workers, so getting another 15 over the next 6 weeks should be a piece of cake.

As for corking... I have not decided on real or artificial corks, but I'll probably go ahead and pick up a decent corker instead of the teeny-weeny, looks-like-it-will-break model that the local shop has.

-walker

Imperial Walker said:

I'm not worried about the price of the hydrometer. I'm worried about the presence of the evil device in my home.

I'm going to pick one up tomorrow when I get the kit, but I vow to never, ever let it touch my beer.

-walker

Click to expand...

Ok forgive my ignorance, but why are hydrometers evil devices?????

Imperial Walker said:

I've already collected about 15 wine bottles from friends and co-workers, so getting another 15 over the next 6 weeks should be a piece of cake.

As for corking... I have not decided on real or artificial corks, but I'll probably go ahead and pick up a decent corker instead of the teeny-weeny, looks-like-it-will-break model that the local shop has.

-walker

Click to expand...

I've never tried the artificial corks with my wines yet - I probably will if my current supplier of natural corks (the supermarket that's 5 min walk from my house!) stops them and I have to remember to pick them up at my LHBS.
I've never had a 'corked' commercial wine from bottles that have used the synthetic type - I've had many 'natural cork' commercial bottles that have.
As your just starting out i'd go with synthetic and get a corker that you'll feel happiest with.

ablrbrau said:

Ok forgive my ignorance, but why are hydrometers evil devices?????

Click to expand...

You trying to wind Walker up?

Walker, it's Saturday! Get you saggy rear end out of bed and go get your kit!

Sorry I couldn't read all this as of now, so if somone said this Please forgive me.

All I have to say is we learn from our mistakes.
Thats why Im proud of My second Batch I made a lot of mistakes even after I read alot,but I learned alot the first Batch It was grapes
(same Blend same Juice from original batch) that I picked they took care of themselves,and turned out great but I didn't learn to much.

I got the kit today, but was busy with a bunch of stuff and never got a chance to read the instructions that came with the kit. Seems easy enough, so I'm not worried.

Somehow I let the "new" guy at the LHBS to talk me into buying a 6 gallon carboy, though. He's the only guy that works there that actually acts like a salesman and pushes the merchandise on you. He got me by reminding me that the kit is guaranteed, but the instructions call specifically for a 6 gallon carboy. All of mine are 6.6 or 5 gallon.

As for the hydrometer thing... I have some slight disdain for them. I understand their usefullness and can see their value for AG beer brewers, but for me and my extract beer brewing, a hydrometer just serves as a source of worry. If my gravity is too low at the start, I worry. If it's too high at the end, I worry. Plus, the things are fragile. To this day, the only pieces of equipment that I have ruined and had to replace were hydrometers. I've broken a couple of bottles capping them, too, but I've gone through (I think) three hydroemters.

For the last 6 months or so, I have been working with out one. Things are going fine, and I am stressing less about by ales.


-walker

Imperial Walker said:

As for the hydrometer thing... I have some slight disdain for them. I understand their usefullness and can see their value for AG beer brewers, but for me and my extract beer brewing, a hydrometer just serves as a source of worry.

Click to expand...

cases in point, just from recent postings:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7592
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7591

Imperial Walker said:

I got the kit today, but was busy with a bunch of stuff and never got a chance to read the instructions that came with the kit. Seems easy enough, so I'm not worried.

Somehow I let the "new" guy at the LHBS to talk me into buying a 6 gallon carboy, though. He's the only guy that works there that actually acts like a salesman and pushes the merchandise on you. He got me by reminding me that the kit is guaranteed, but the instructions call specifically for a 6 gallon carboy. All of mine are 6.6 or 5 gallon.


-walker

Click to expand...

Here is my batch after having been racked into a 6 gallon secondary:



I usually keep it covered. It's been in there almost six days. I suppose I'll have to remove a half gallon or so temporarily while I'm doing the degassing, etc. Don't it look purty?

looks good, LL.

I have not gotten mine started for two reasons.

(1) SWMBO wants to be 100% involved in the batch of wine, but she fell asleep last night while I was cleaning my 5gal and racking over my IPA.

(2) the instructions say that all equipment needs to be sanitized with potassium metabisulfite.

Question:

How important is it that I sanitize specifically with the metabisulfite powder? I don't have any extra to clean with (the kit comes with one small packet, but I am instructed to add this whole packet to the juice before pitching yeast).

Can I use Iodophor (what I use for beer brewing) with the wine gear with no issues?

-walker

correction... I am not supposed to add the potassium metabisulfite prior to pitching the yeast (that's when you add the bentonite). PM gets added after fermentation is done to kill yeast.

But.. my question remains; do I absolutely need to sanitize with PM or is Iodophor perfectly acceptable?

here are the instructions that came with the kit:
http://www.winexpert.com/answerbox/files/Estate_Eng.pdf

-walker

Walker,

After asking a similar question over at winepress.us, I went ahead and used One Step on everything, like I do with my beer. Most hard core wine makers, from what I can gather, use potassium metabisulfite, Star San, and Iodophor (in order of preference). There is no magic in using potassium metabisulfite for sanitizing, unless you need to get rid of any residual bleach from your equipment. The main thing is that you sanitize well and use a fresh batch of whatever sanitizer you choose.

Lounge Lizard said:

Walker,

After asking a similar question over at winepress.us, I went ahead and used One Step on everything, like I do with my beer. Most hard core wine makers, from what I can gather, use potassium metabisulfite, Star San, and Iodophor (in order of preference). There is no magic in using potassium metabisulfite for sanitizing, unless you need to get rid of any residual bleach from your equipment. The main thing is that you sanitize well and use a fresh batch of whatever sanitizer you choose.

Click to expand...

thanks again, LL.

One question for you... in the directions (step 4) they suggest adding additional PM if you plan to age the wine longer than 6 months.

I find this strange because;
(a) they say the kit includes everything you need
(b) they say you should add more (not supplied with the kit) sulfites for aging longer than 6 months
(c) they suggest waiting at LEAST six months to drink the wine

I hardly call this kit "complete" given facts (b) and (c). It seems they should have added MORE PM to the kit.

Anyway, are you planning to add the additional potassium metabisulfite to your batch?

-walker

Imperial Walker said:

One question for you... in the directions (step 4) they suggest adding additional PM if you plan to age the wine longer than 6 months.

Anyway, are you planning to add the additional potassium metabisulfite to your batch?

-walker

Click to expand...

You make a good point. The kit really can't be called complete. I suppose they are trying to make the adding of additional sulfite voluntary (for legal reasons), since some people are allergic to it. Erring on the side of caution and all of that.

Yes, I will add the extra 1/4 tsp. It's not much and I'll probably end up keeping some bottles for 5+ years or longer. You never know...

Actually sounds like a beer kit that indicates you should add sugar to the boil, which really means you should ditch the instructions and buy some additional extract not included in the kit.

Welcome to wine kit instruction fun Walker!
I think you are worrying before you start!
Did the 'Everything you need' kit include bottles/corks? No.
Have you picked up the corker and corks yet? Probably not either.
RELAX! Just breathe
Sterilize your kit as you always do (with Iodophor if you have it to hand) when you start and follow the kit through. Sterilize the bottles (and hey - maybe even the corks) how you like.
You don't need Potassium/Sodium metabisulfite to help store a wine - The yeast should be pretty much dead in the alcohol (It's the real preservative! - that was the whole point in the past!)

Caplan said:

Welcome to wine kit instruction fun Walker!
I think you are worrying before you start!

Click to expand...

Not worrying, just double-checking.

Caplan said:

Did the 'Everything you need' kit include bottles/corks? No.

Click to expand...

No, it did not. But, it says I have everything needed to MAKE the wine, not bottle it. Since it instructs you to add the PM to MAKE the wine, I would have expected it to be included.

Caplan said:

Have you picked up the corker and corks yet? Probably not either.

Click to expand...

Actually, I did pick the corks and corker up. #9 corks since I plan to age it for a longish period of time, and one of the two 'middle-range' corkers. Not the crappy little cylinder, not the $60 standing floor corker. The corker I got is kind of similar to my beer bottle capper (twin lever).

Caplan said:

RELAX! Just breathe

Click to expand...

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.... I AM RELAXED, MAN! F*CKING-A!

SWMBO and I got everything rolling last night. 4.5 gallons of juice, 1.5 gallons of bottled water, bentonite, oak chips/powder, and the sachet of yeast are all in the fermenter now. My SG (yes, I got the hydrometer and checked the gravity) was about 1.097@72°F (strangely, the hydrometer I have is calibrated at 68°F, so I didn't really need to correct it for the 4° temp difference.)

Hopefully she'll be bubbling away tonight or tomorrow morning.

I will say one thing, the juice tasted pretty good. It reminded me very much of grape juice I might buy at the grocery for regular drinking, but had the flavor turned up a notch in intensity and had a dry tannin finish to it.

I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I'm pretty excited about this whole thing.

The best part, perhaps, is watching my wife obsess about this like I do with my beer. She's already gone out to the brew-fridge to check on the wine 3 times since we pitched the yeast. This will certainly test her patience.... waiting 6 weeks for ale is one thing, but waiting 6 MONTHS for wine is another.

-walker