Winemaking Accessories—Winemaking DVD, Pump, and Sanitizer

Shopping for winemaking equipment can get a little overwhelming. There are a lot of items that you need, and so many options to choose from. When all you want to do is get to work on actually making some wine, it can be tempting to just purchase the first things you see and hope for the best outcome. This is particularly true of some of the smaller items that might not seem as important as say, your testing equipment or your fermenters. Make no mistake—every piece of equipment you buy is important to the winemaking process. Much of it can affect your wine’s flavor, and all of it can have a hand in making the entire process either easier or more difficult.

Siphon pumps are one of those equipment pieces that seem like an afterthought, but they can actually make or break the racking and bottling process. Manual siphons might seem like a cheap, simple option, but they can actually be quite a pain. First of all, you should never start a siphon with your mouth, as you could contaminate your wine. Second of all, manual siphons can really slow down the process. If you want to avoid having to deal with these issues, an automatic siphon pump is the way to go. Learn to Brew makes an excellent Auto Siphon Pump for Beer and Wine. The pump is a five-sixteenths-inch auto siphon pump that can start siphoning with just one singular stroke. It’s so powerful that you only need an inch of liquid to get it going, which is a lot less than you’d require with a manual siphon. It’s also easy to sanitize and clean, so you’ll never have to worry about it contaminating your wine.

Speaking of sanitization, sanitizer is another of those accessories that people tend to consider unworthy of much deliberation. Sanitizing your equipment can seem like a real drag, so most people don’t get excited enough about purchasing sanitization supplies to really make sure they buy something of high quality. Yet sanitizer is incredibly important—without it, your equipment might carry bacteria that could spoil your wine prematurely. Why do all of that work only to end up with spoiled wine? Learn to Brew’s Iodophor Sanitizer for Brewing or Winemaking is the answer to your sanitization needs. One ounce of the Iodophor Sanitizer can be combined with five gallons of cold water to form a highly effective cleansing solution for your winemaking equipment. Allow your equipment to soak in this iodine-based solution for at least two minutes and that harmful bacteria will be eradicated.  Since one bottle contains four ounces of liquid, that means you can make twenty gallons of iodine cleansing solution per bottle of Iodophor Sanitizer. Helpful instructions are also included.

Of course, not all winemaking accessories are purely utilitarian. Some can be fun and informational, like the DVD series Uncorked: Wine Made Simple. This helpful series of DVDs, as hosted by Ted Allen (host of Chopped on the Food Network, among other things), will teach you all about the intricacies of wine and winemaking. Whether you want to learn about wine terminology, how to pair wine with appropriate foods, or a wide variety of winemaking techniques, Uncorked will be an asset to you. The host explores the California Central Coast and Sonoma, the heart of California winemaking country, while meeting with wine experts and vintners, touring vineyards, and more. You’ll feel like you’re right there with him—soaking up the knowledge—throughout the three DVD set.

Take the time to consider even the smallest of accessories as you go about the business of building up your own set of winemaking equipment. These various supplies and informational resources will all help you achieve your ultimate goal—high quality, delicious tasting wine that you can be truly proud to have made on your own.