Essential Home Wine Making Supplies

Fermenters (primary and secondary), tubing, brushes, cleaning supplies, and more are needed before you start your wine making journey.

So, you have decided to become the next Ernest (or Julio) Gallo and start making wine. Congratulations! But you better have a good understanding about the supplies you will need and the equipment necessary.

Start Your Home Wine Making Supplies List with the Following

Here are the home wine making supplies you should put on your shopping list:

1. Cleanliness: It might next to godliness in the adage, but it will be an ongoing source of frustration if cleanliness does not take top priority. Stray yeast contamination, less-than-clean equipment all play are chief culprits in wasted batches of wine. A new adage to consider is “Cleanliness saves time, money, and frustration. Make sure you use detergents and bleach on the equipment. Could you use the same detergent used on you dishes? Possibly, but several cleaning products are designed specifically for winemaking. Your local winemaking supply store can offer the best advice.

2. Yeast: No fermentation happens without yeast. You want to use yeast specifically made for winemaking. The yeast used for baking acts differently and produces much different results in terms of fermentation and flavor. Its fermentation process does not provide for the slow, controlled process wine requires. Therefore, always use yeast made for wine. Many varieties for grape and other fruits exist, so choose wisely.

3. Yeast nutrients: Yeast nutrients are not always used in winemaking, but not exactly optional either. Nutrients can play a valuable role in the process because—like vitamins for people—they provide additional help. Yeast nutrients aid in fermenting, help if the fermentation gets stuck, and improves quality and stability to the wine.

4. Grapes or other fruit: Are you planning to use grapes and other fruits the traditional way, or opt for using juice concentrates.  You can even purchase preassembled kits to make your own grape wine. These kits include practically everything needed, except the water.  The traditional option requires finding a source of fruit (grape or other) and then extracting the juice and skins via a press (see equipment) designed for grapes or non-grape fruit, such as apples.

5. Clarity and preservation: Cloudy wine? That’s usually not a good sign. You also don’t want your wine going bad quickly. Racking is one method of reducing sediment to prevent clear and stable wine. However, your supply list should include Campden tablets or potassium metabisulfate that assist in stabilizing the wine and preserving it. Fining agents such as, bentonite, chitosan, gelatin, and others aid in clarifying the wine.

These are the main ingredients necessary to place you on the road to wine success. Once you master the basics of winemaking, trying other, more exotics ingredients makes sense, while also saving $$ at the same time. Having the right equipment for these ingredients is equally crucial. We cover that in the next section.

Until then, ask questions of the people from whom you purchase your supplies, or your favorite winery. Both are usually willing to help.