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Winemaking Kits

Monday, August 27, 2018

Winemaking Kits and Home Winemaking Equipment

Even though a number of pro winemakers make fruit wines for commercial sale, the history of fruit wine is one that’s been written in the root cellars, woodsheds, barns, garages and otherwise-located “man caves” of everyday Americans dating back to, well, the colonies.

You can continue that tradition by setting aside a little time, a little money and a sliver of your house, apartment or tree fort for some buckets, tubing, some yeast and a little fun with it all.

Use our Winemaking Kits search to get started!

Our database of e-tailers ship equipment and supplies to all fifty states. Many of them are online extensions of regionally famous wine- and beer-making supply retailers that offer would-be winemakers everything under the sun and are ready to answer your questions and ship out whatever you need today.

Winemaking Kits: Two Kinds

To dip your toe into the water with the most basic of experiences, try the winemaking kit. There are two kinds of kits: one more basic than the other.

The quickest and dirtiest of winemaking kits include all the supplies and temporary equipment you need to make a few gallons of your own fruit wine — one “flavor” only — and then you clean up the mess, wait a few weeks for the wine to ferment and see how you like your foray into the art.

These kinds of wine kits are like disposable cameras, or the first day of Winemaking 101.

A second, more advanced style of winemaking kit offers the beginning winemaker all the actual, permanent equipment you need to make batch after batch of whatever kind of wine you want, whether from plums growing in your backyard, raspberries you picked from the woods or using dried fruit or herbs purchased separately.

Advanced Amateur Winemaking

Later on, when you’re ready to get fancier, use the search function to find a la carte supplies, equipment and reference material to increase your production capacity, become more creative with your techniques, or to adventure even further; for example, into the realm of distilling fruit-based spirits and liquors.

You Can Do it

“Don’t be intimidated.” Nongrape wine is supposed to be made at home. Homemade cherry wine was good enough back in the ’40s for Frank Sinatra to sing about and dandelion wine was good enough back in the ’20s for Ray Bradbury to reminisce about in his classic novel — and you will probably enjoy what you make on your own, especially with a little practice.

It’s fun. And pretty quickly you’ll be making wine that’s good enough share with friends and family.

Categories: Drinker's Blog