Safety and Home Wine Making

There are a number of things people think about when it comes to home wine making. They dream of saving money on wine. They dream of selling their wine. They dream of the sense of accomplishment from making a batch from scratch. However, many do not dream about maintaining safety. This is problematic because safety hazards should never be taken lightly. Remember, home wine making is supposed to be fun. If any dangers appear, the hobby then fun disappears. So, let’s look at a few safety tips….

Leaks and drips. A leaky nozzle is not merely a problem of cleanliness. It is also a safety hazard. If wine is leaking onto the floor, the chances of slipping increase. This is no minor hazard. Even the most “innocuous” slip can cause a major injury. So, always be sure to tighten nozzles and/or replace defective ones.

Clean up after working. This ties into the previous point. When you are finished working on your wine, be sure to properly mop up. This will eliminate the aforementioned hazards. Additionally, it will make a much cleaner environment. Remember, the sugar base of alcohol residue attracts insects and rodents. Obviously, your wine making environment will be a lot healthier with these “critters” far away from it.

Clean out the interior of all wine making kits. When you are finished, be sure to properly clean out the buckets, lids, nozzles, etc. Any grape residue left in the equipment will rot and decay. This means it will give off toxins. If you make a new batch with equipment seeped with toxins, the toxins will get into the batch. This means they will get into your system. This is a real hazard that must be avoided at all costs. So, always clean out your equipment thoroughly after use.