| Homemade wine making is fast becoming very | | | | There are very inexpensive airlocks and some |
| popular across the world. There are several | | | | plastic tubing to round out the equipment. Some |
| reasons for this. The biggest one is that the cost | | | | chemicals may be required as well. Yeast is an |
| to transport that yummy nectar from where | | | | obvious first one (not really a chemical but a |
| they grow, harvest, and ferment it is going up | | | | dormant microbe). Citric acid, potassium sorbate, |
| right along with the cost of fuel. There's no two | | | | metabisulfate, campden tablets, pectin enzyme |
| ways around it - we are about to see bottles of | | | | and a few others are pretty common. |
| wine at the grocery store and wine shops double. | | | | The biggest secret in home wine making is: get |
| In the last year, there has been a flurry of "How | | | | the good stuff to start with. There are actually |
| To" guides crop up around the internet. All of the | | | | vineyards that will sell small quantities of grapes or |
| guides are helpful and at least can get a beginner | | | | even crushed grapes and juices, fresh from the |
| started. The truth is, you can make high quality | | | | vineyard. Although these are hard to locate, they |
| wine, award winning wine, at home, in a 5 gallon | | | | do exist. I have found at least one wine making |
| food bucket. | | | | guide that lists these sources. |
| Some preparation and materials are required. You | | | | Aside from the money savings, there is the actual |
| have to at least have a hydrometer. You need at | | | | enjoyment of making something that you can |
| least the 5 gallon bucket. AND - you need some | | | | drink! If your batch comes out really good, you |
| kind of near air tight secondary fermentation | | | | will be calling all your neighbors and friends to |
| vessel. In the industry we call this a "carbouy". | | | | come and give it a try. |
| | | | Cheers and happy wine making! |