So you've read "How to make Wine"? Did you enjoy reading and making your own wine? Are you ready to take it a step further?
Your pocket book is going to get a little lighter from equipment and supplies too so I'd read over this instructable before committing!. The advantage is that you'll be using better equipment, better techniques, better ingredients and can expect a better product.
Enjoying the fruits of your labors will never be as true here as any other time!
Before beginning, a few acknowledgments/shameful plugs:
Homebrewtalk.com- Full of great advice and friendly posters knowledgeable about beer, wine and mead making.
Jack KellerJack Keller - Type 'wine making' into google and you will find Jack. His website should be a required read for anybody looking to get into wine making. His recipe database alone is impressive. Odds are if you have questions about wine making, he'll have the answer somewhere on his site.
Scott @ Homemadewine.wordpress.com- I'm using his blueberry wine recipe and guide to making a sulfite solution. His site has a bunch of quick tips that are great for any winemaker.
Word of warning: The fruits of your labor are not meant to be consumed right away. The process of making wine is a test of patience, meaning you need to wait usually 5-6 months AT LEAST before judging if your wine is good.
Your pocket book is going to get a little lighter from equipment and supplies too so I'd read over this instructable before committing!. The advantage is that you'll be using better equipment, better techniques, better ingredients and can expect a better product.
Enjoying the fruits of your labors will never be as true here as any other time!
Before beginning, a few acknowledgments/shameful plugs:
Homebrewtalk.com- Full of great advice and friendly posters knowledgeable about beer, wine and mead making.
Jack KellerJack Keller - Type 'wine making' into google and you will find Jack. His website should be a required read for anybody looking to get into wine making. His recipe database alone is impressive. Odds are if you have questions about wine making, he'll have the answer somewhere on his site.
Scott @ Homemadewine.wordpress.com- I'm using his blueberry wine recipe and guide to making a sulfite solution. His site has a bunch of quick tips that are great for any winemaker.
Word of warning: The fruits of your labor are not meant to be consumed right away. The process of making wine is a test of patience, meaning you need to wait usually 5-6 months AT LEAST before judging if your wine is good.
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Signing UpStep 1: Legality and Warning
I've copied this step from the first instructable and it's just as true now as it was then.
Winemaking, also known as Homebrewing, is completely legal in the US and many other places. As follows is what I KNOW is legal in the US(1):
1. You can make up to 100 gallons by yourself or 200 max, if you live with other people, annually.
2. You may not sale your homebrew.
3. You must be 21 or legal drinking age to make and drink your homebrew. *
4. You may not distill spirits.
5. You may share and taste homebrewed beverages
*Technically it is 18, but you'd 99% of the time be seeking to consume or possess alcohol, which is illegal.
Since you are producing substance that kills more people a year than most forms of cancer, you will need to treat alcoholic beverages with the respect they command.
1.Do not drink and drive.
2. Do not drink while pregnant or nursing.
3. Do not drink if you suffer from liver, heat failure, or anything else just about.
4. Consult your doctor if you are unsure how alcohol will interact with any drugs you are taking.
Home wine making is not making moonshine. It will not cause you any more harm than consuming alcohol does. You will have few, if any, methyl alcohols that cause blindness. You would die from alcohol poisoning long before having to worry about this.
Additionally:
Almost all commercial wines contain sulfites. This Instructable teaches users how to add sulfites if needed. This may be left off if sulfites cause allergic reactions to you or those you want to consume the wine. Potassium Metabisulfite MSDS
Potassium Sorbate is potentially added if additional sweetening is required. Do not add if you are allergic to it. Here is it's MSDS Potassium Sorbate MSDS
Finally, your final product will be about 12-18% alcohol. Keep that in mind when serving.
With disclosures and warnings out of the way, let's go to it!
1= Wiki Link
Winemaking, also known as Homebrewing, is completely legal in the US and many other places. As follows is what I KNOW is legal in the US(1):
1. You can make up to 100 gallons by yourself or 200 max, if you live with other people, annually.
2. You may not sale your homebrew.
3. You must be 21 or legal drinking age to make and drink your homebrew. *
4. You may not distill spirits.
5. You may share and taste homebrewed beverages
*Technically it is 18, but you'd 99% of the time be seeking to consume or possess alcohol, which is illegal.
Since you are producing substance that kills more people a year than most forms of cancer, you will need to treat alcoholic beverages with the respect they command.
1.Do not drink and drive.
2. Do not drink while pregnant or nursing.
3. Do not drink if you suffer from liver, heat failure, or anything else just about.
4. Consult your doctor if you are unsure how alcohol will interact with any drugs you are taking.
Home wine making is not making moonshine. It will not cause you any more harm than consuming alcohol does. You will have few, if any, methyl alcohols that cause blindness. You would die from alcohol poisoning long before having to worry about this.
Additionally:
Almost all commercial wines contain sulfites. This Instructable teaches users how to add sulfites if needed. This may be left off if sulfites cause allergic reactions to you or those you want to consume the wine. Potassium Metabisulfite MSDS
Potassium Sorbate is potentially added if additional sweetening is required. Do not add if you are allergic to it. Here is it's MSDS Potassium Sorbate MSDS
Finally, your final product will be about 12-18% alcohol. Keep that in mind when serving.
With disclosures and warnings out of the way, let's go to it!
1= Wiki Link
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Modern processes allow for the wine to age and bring out subtle flavors that were simply not present in early wine. You can still make wine without chemicals, and if it's done properly I've seen it turn out quite well. it just takes a little more time and a little more elbow grease.