Making your first batch – the basics of wine making

Depending on which Love2brew Wine Making Kit you purchased you may/may not have all of the equipment outlined below. In addition to the equipment included in our kits you may want to pick up the following items (listed below with their part numbers) available at www.love2brew.com .  

• Intro to Wine Making Guide 
• 7.5 gallon plastic fermenter with lid 
• 6 gallon glass carboy 
• Carboy Bung 
• Airlock 
• 24” Plastic Stirring Spoon 
• Hydrometer 
• PBW Cleaner 
• Double Lever Corker 
• 30 Corks 
• Racking cane 
• Auto-Siphon 
• 5 ft. of Siphon Tubing 
• Bottle Filler 
• Bottle Brush 
• Mix-Stir

Suggested additions

• 6 Gallon Wine Recipe Kit 
• Sanitizer (SAN009) 
• Funnel (STR009) 
• Wine Bottles (BTL006/BTL007) - For a 6 gallon batch you will need two cases. 
• Bottle Washer (BTL014) 

Wine making methods

There are a number of ways that you can choose to make your own wine. Below we briefly outline three different methods of making your own wine and the differences between them. All three methods may/may not add Sulfites, Sorbate, and Fining Agents depending on the intended use and distribution of the Wine.

Using Grapes: Making Wine from grapes is the most traditional, but also most labor intensive, way of making Wine. Grapes are crushed and destemmed via a machine (special order – contact Love2brew support) and then depending on the style are either sent to the Wine Press immediately (Whites) or pressed after fermentation with skins (Reds). Both methods ferment the juice and age the wine accordingly.

Using Juice: Using pre-pressed juice is the most convenient way to make traditional Wine while still producing an excellent product. Our Wine Ingredient Kits contain pre-pressed juice that is guaranteed for quality and freshness. The juice is then mixed with water and fermented.

Using Fruit: Fruit Wines undergo a similar process to Grape Wine if using fresh fruit. Fruits are crushed and pressed and juice is collected, fermented, and aged.

 

What is included with a wine ingredient kit? 

Our Wine Ingredient Kits are a great way for any Wine Maker to produce premium quality wine in their own home without having to go through the hassle of crushing, destemming, and pressing fresh fruit. Our Wine Ingredient Kits include the following: 

• Wine Grape Juice
• Yeast
• Sulfites & Sorbate
• Fining Agents
• Complete Instructions

To use a Wine Ingredient Kit you will need a Love2brew Wine Making Kit, access to water, and some patience. Wine Making is an easy, fun, and simple!

Cleaning and Sanitation are the most important parts of Wine Making. Proper sanitation can make the difference between your best wine ever and a 6 gallon batch getting poured into the sink.

Before you begin making your wine be sure to clean all of your equipment with the cleaner provided in your Wine Making Kit. 1 Tbsp. per gallon of warm water will be ideal. Do not use standard household cleaning products. 

Sanitation can be completed with

Metabisulfite or a sanitizer such as Star San Metabisulfite: Dissolve 3 Tbsp. of Metabisulfite powder into one (1) gallon of water. Rinse equipment with solution.

Star San: Add ½ oz. to 2 gallons of water. Rinse equipment with solution.

You should sanitize all of the equipment that will come in contact with your unfermented wine. 

Proper preparation will really help you make your brewing process run much smoother. The first thing you should do is separate your equipment and ingredients in order of use. The order of use of your ingredients will be found on the recipe you are using to brew.

As we dive into the stages of brewing a list of equipment needed for each stage will be provided before the instructions. 

Necessary Equipment/Ingredients: 7.9 Gallon Fermenting Bucket / Wine Juice / Water / Yeast

Note: The temperature of your wine prior to fermentation is very important. The temperature of your juice should be 66°F - 74°F before adding the yeast. Too cold and your wine will not ferment, too warm and fermentation may produce some off-flavors that would not result in the ideal wine. 

1. Clean and sanitize your equipment. Includes: Fermenter, lid, spoon, hydrometer, airlock, and thermometer. If using Metabisulfite be sure to rinse well.
2. If your recipe kit contains the fining agent Bentonite, dissolve this in your primary fermenter in about ½ gallon warm water. Stir well and be sure to break up any clumps.
3. Pour the contents of the wine juice bag into the primary fermenter. Add a ½ gallon of water to juice bag to rinse out remaining juice and add to the fermenter.
4. Top up the fermenter to the six gallon mark with room temperature water and stir vigorously for 30 seconds. Note: When using our Wine Ingredient Kits it is important to follow the instructions and make the full amount (6 gallons) of wine. If you attempt to make a different volume of wine it will not turn our correctly.
5. Take your specific gravity reading now, and make a record of it. Target specific gravity is between 1.080 – 1.100 depending on the type of wine.
6. If your wine kit contains oak powder, elderberries or elderflowers, tear open the package(s) and sprinkle them into the primary fermenter now. Stir them in thoroughly. Oak cubes should not be added to the fermenter.
7. Take the temperature of the juice. It should be between 66°F and 74°F. If it’s not in this range, cover the primary and move it into a suitable environment for one to two hours until it has reached the correct temperature.
8. Open your package of yeast and sprinkle contents onto the surface of the juice. It is not necessary to rehydrate the yeast or stir it in.
9. Place lid on fermenter. Add airlock and fill airlock with water and cleaning solution up to the middle line.
10. Place fermenter in an area with a temperature of 66°F to 74°F for five to seven (5 - 7) days.

Necessary Equipment/Ingredients: 6 Gallon Glass Carboy / Auto-Siphon & Siphon Tubing / Hydrometer / Bung / Airlock / Wine Thief (optional) 

1. Clean and sanitize your equipment. Includes: Fermenter, hydrometer, airlock, siphon, and tubing. If using Metabisulfite be sure to rinse well.
2. Take a hydrometer reading of your wine: You can do this by placing the hydrometer in your fermenting bucket, siphoning a sample into your test jar and then adding the hydrometer, or taking a sample with your Wine Thief and adding the hydrometer directly to the Thief. Your target final gravity is 1.010 or below.
3. Siphon your wine into your sanitized 6 Gallon Carboy. Hold the siphon so as not to disturb the sediment on the bottom of the carboy. Ideally you will transfer all of the liquid without any of the sediment. Note: Do not top off your wine at this stage.
4. Attach your Airlock and Carboy Bung to your carboy. Fill airlock with water and cleaning solution up to the middle line.
5. Allow your carboy to rest at 66°F to 74°F for 10 additional days. If you do not see signs of active fermentation do not distress.

1. Take a hydrometer reading of your wine. Your target final gravity is 0.996 or below.
2. Clean and sanitize all of your equipment. Includes: Hydrometer, spoon or Mix Stir. If using Metabisulfite be sure to rinse well.
3. Dissolve the contents of your Metabisulfite (Package #3) and Sorbate (Package #4) in ½ cup of cool water. Add to your 6 Gallon Carboy and stir well using your Mix Stir (Comes in complete Wine Making Kit – If you do not have one use the tail end of your spoon). Your objective is to completely stir the contents, including sediment at the bottom of the carboy, in order to de-gas your wine. This will remove the CO2 so that your wine will not carbonate in the bottle. We recommend several 2-3 minute intervals.
4. Now you will add additional fining agents to your wine. Chitosan and/or Isinglass may be included with your kit. Shake the package(s), cut them open, and pour into your carboy. Using your Mix-Stir, de-gas the wine for 2-3 minutes and mix in the contents. Improper de-gassing will result in your wine not clearing.
5. If your Wine Ingredient Kit has Oak cubes you may add them now.
6. Place carboy in an area with a temperature of 66°F to 74°F for eight (8) days. 

At this point your wine should be completely clear. Clean and sanitizing your primary fermenting bucket, wine bottles (30), bottle filler, siphon, and siphon tubing. 

1. Take a gravity reading with your hydrometer – it should read 0.995 or less. If not than you may leave it in the secondary fermenter for a few more days.
2. Siphon your wine into your primary fermenting bucket. Leave the sediment from your Carboy behind.
3. Siphon your wine from your fermenting bucket into your bottles. Leave about 1.5 inches of space between the cork and the top of the wine bottle.
4. Cork bottles with your wine corker.
5. Allow bottles to sit upright for 3 days before laying them on their side for aging.
6. Store bottles in a cool, dark, room that has a stable temperature between 60°F to 75°F.
7. Depending on what type of wine you made you will need to age your wine anywhere from 3 to 12 months for ideal taste. Read the specific instructions included you’re your Wine Ingredient Kit to be sure.