How To Make Wine From A Kit: The Basic Steps

So, you are considering purchasing a winemaking kit from a winemaking supplies store, but you first want to know what is involved in the process and how you will be able to make wine with it? Read through this quick outline of the basic steps of kit winemaking to get an idea of the winemaking kit process.

How to Make Wine From a Kit: The Basic Steps

First you should check and see what kind of yeast came with the kit. If it is a liquid yeast, you will need to activate it at least 24 hours before making wine. Follow the instructions on the yeast package to activate the yeast.

Second, you should clean and sanitize all your winemaking equipment. You can buy equipment sanitizer from your local (or online) winemaking supplies store (or use bleach) to sanitize all your equipment.

Once your yeast is ready and your equiment is clean, you're ready to start the real process of making wine from a kit! Follow these basic steps (unless the instructions provided from your local winemaking supplies store say otherwise):

1. Pour the juice into your primary fermenter and add water until you have 6 gallons in the fermenter.
   
   
2. Add your yeast and stir well with a spoon that has been sanitized.
   
   
3. Put the cover onto the fermenter and attach the airlock to it by placing the (sanitized) airlock into the hole on top of the lid.
   
   
4. Keep the fermenter in a room that is between 68-85 degrees (F). Within a couple of days you should start to see bubbles in the airlock, showing that the fermentation process is underway.
   
   
5. Keep the fermenter in this environment/temperature until fermentation is near complete. Once the bubbling subsides to only about one bubble a minute from the airlock, the fermentation will be finished and it will be time to transfer it into a glass carboy or wood barrel.
   
   
6. Age the wine. This will take at least six to nine months. You may want to transfer the wine to a new carboy every one or two months, to eliminate the effects of the sediment that will accumulate on the bottom of the carboy.
   
   
7. Bottle and drink.
   

There may be other steps that you will have to take if you notice there is something "off" with the winemaking process along the way, but this is really the basic steps of the winemaking process for the homemaker. Not hard, huh?

There are numerous places you can purchase winemaking kits and winemaking supplies online (many with advertisements on this web page). One of my favorites, however, is Midwest Supplies. If you live in the midwest portion of the United States, you will find they have very reasonable prices and quick shipping!

Thank you for visiting my web page devoted to winemaking and winemaking supplies. For even more information and reviews of winemaking supplies and equipment, please return to the Winemaking Supplies Home Page.