Winemaking is a very popular pastime and a cheaper way to acquire high quality
labels for bulk storage. Whether its red or white, anyone with the right
equipment can learn how to produce some wine.
Firstly, you need the right equipment.
Winemaking Equipment
1. Glass Containers and Bottles.
You can also choose a plastic container or jug. Ask if the container and
bottles are air tight for storing your wine when it’s ready.
Additionally, you need a funnel and corking tool.
2. Rubber Stopper and Commercial Airlock.
Acquire a rubber stopper and drill a hole in it and a commercial airlock
to ensure that sanitisation is secured while the pipe is in use.
3. Siphon.
Ask about vinyl tubes for when you need to effectively siphon out the
liquid at the end of the process without sucking up any sediment in the
bottle.
4. Plastic Stirrer.
Ensure you buy a plastic and long stirrer that can fit easily into the bottle for stirring.
5. Iodophor Sanitizer
This is crucial to the winemaking steps as you will need to clean all the chemicals off the equipment.
6. Other needed equipment for properly knowing how to produce wine includes a hydrometer, finings, and a filter when siphoning.
The Winemaking Process
1. Sterilise all the above equipment when you begin. Rinse all the items and keep them in a sterilised area for the steps ahead.
2. Place the funnel into the container, and add the concentrate.
3. Add about 3 litres of water to the container.
4. Take a separate jug and dissolve sugar in a jug of warm water. If your concentrate has sugar, do omit this step.
5.
Top up the solution with water to fill up the container to about a
gallon (4 litres). Now, add the yeast that should have accompanied your
concentrate.
6. Your commercial airlock is prepared for the
container; simply insert it to seal the container. Do not leave the
bottle there though; you need to take hydrometer readings to check the
sugar level. As a guide: dry 0.990 – 0.996, medium dry 0.996 – 1.009,
and sweet 1.009 – 1.018.
7. Store the container in a warm area of
your house until the fermentation period has passed. Then move it to a
cooler area where it will slowly clear.
8. Wait about a week and
the siphon from the container into the bottles. Fit the corks, add your
labels and shrink the caps. You now know how to produce wine and it is
ready.
Now rinse and repeat literally and make your next lovely
vintage. Soon, you will enjoy making wine so much, your house will have
plenty of choices for guests and parties.