If you want to make wine in your home you will need certain equipment to help you get the job done. Most people do not have all of the items in their home that is needed to make wine. Certain items are more important than others but here we will take a look at some of the most important equipment needed for home wine making.
You will need a bucket that is clean and sturdy. Using an old bucket that has had who knows what in it will not be in your best interest. You can find five gallon buckets that will do the job just fine. Find one that is dedicated only to making beer or wine and don’t use it for any other project. You will also want to find one with a lid that fits tightly. Just because you have a five gallon size doesn’t mean you have to always make five gallons of wine. The bucket will work well for just one gallon also.
You will always want to keep your equipment sterilized. Find a good chemical sterilizer that will kill all of the bacteria and germs. The best sterilizers are those that dissolve in water. Always make sure you rinse the equipment thoroughly since you will not want any residue left behind after sterilization. Don’t try to just get by with soap and water because bacteria left behind can totally ruin your whole batch of wine or beer.
A funnel and a strainer are both essential. A large funnel is better because it will help cut down on spills. When you need to transfer large amounts of liquid a large funnel comes in handy. For straining, there are several things that can be used but some people think muslin is best. There are other types of cloth that are also suitable but it needs to be a cloth that has a loose weave so that it will not allow the liquid to build up in it.
The next things you will need are the gallon glass jars where the final fermentation will take place. The normal gallon jugs will not work for certain types of wine so it is better to purchase demijohns that are made specifically for wine making. Tinted glass will not change the taste of the wine like clear glass will. Demijohns are also very easy to clean and keep sterile. Tinted glass is always the glass of choice for the home wine maker.
As you may know, you will have to transfer the fermenting wine from one vessel to another so you will want to have a siphon. This is usually a piece of plastic tubing that can be used to drain the liquid from one glass vessel to another. It is best if there is a filter of sorts on the end so that sediment will not get transferred from the bottom of the vessel.
All of these items can be purchased from a merchant who specializes in home brewing but if you do not have a merchant of that type near you there are plenty of on-line sources where you can order them.
