Making wine doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby, but it can get that way very quickly if you want to have the best equipment. Before you decide whether or not you are going to be the next Robert Mondavi, try it out without spending a lot of money and having a ton of stuff that you have to toss or sell at your next garage sale.
These five things are the pieces of equipment that you should spend a bit of money on. They are the wine making equipment that will make wine making a lot easier (and therefore a lot more enjoyable).
1. Containers for your primary and secondary fermentation. For primary fermentation you are going to need a container that is about 25% larger in volume than the must that you begin with, because it is all going to foam up. If you try to start you wine in a container that is too small, you are going to end up with a mess.
For primary fermentation, you can use a plastic bucket or if you already have one, you can use a carbouy. If you use a plastic bucket, make sure that it has a lid with a hole in it to let carbon dioxide to get out of the bucket.
For secondary fermentation you probably want a glass carboy. Glass is easier to keep clean, easier to see what is happening and easier to make wine with, but plastic will work for your first try.
2. An airlock. You don’t want bugs in your wine, which means that there has to be a way for the carbon dioxide that is in the bottle to get out without letting anything back into the bottle. An airlock will keep the bugs and flies out of your wine while letting the gasses out your containers during primary and secondary fermentation. Plus, an airlock will give you a good idea when your secondary fermentation is done because it will stop bubbling.
3. Cleaning equipment. Ok, you probably thought that wine making was all fun and games, but if you want good wine, you need clean equipment. Most first time wine makers can get by with a few brushes and a packet of sodium metabisulfite, which is a chemical that is used for sanitizing bottles and other equipment. If you have dirty equipment, you are going to find that the bacteria ruins the wine. It only takes a bit of bacteria to ruin a whole batch of wine (or give it a funny taste), so take the time to sanitize all your equipment before you start every batch to avoid disappointment.
4. A hydrometer. Your hydrometer is going to give you an idea of the alcohol content of your wine. It does this by floating in your wine and must. The higher it floats, the more sugar there is (and higher the alcohol content is). These only cost a couple of dollars each, making the purchase easy on your wallet.
5. Bottles. Your final wine has to go somewhere, so find some glass bottles. You can reuse glass bottles as long as they are cleaned out, so you probably can scrounge up some bottles already. You’ll need something to seal the bottles with, whether it be cork or synthetic stoppers. If you use cork, you’ll need a special tool to get the cork in.
With this list in hand, you’ll be able to make a batch of wine that is special to you and tastes like the stuff you buy in the liquor store.
