What are wine making kits like, is this the best place to start for a beginner?!
What are wine making kits like, is this the best place to start for a beginner?
I haven't liked any home made beer or cider using kits, that I've tasted so would rather skip this stage if possible.
Answers:
As with most things, you get what you pay for. If you are willing to pay for one of the higher quality kits, such as the Beaverdale ones, then (in my experience) it is possible to produce a wine that is at least as good as your average ￡5 bottle from the supermarket. It may cost you ￡1 a bottle to make rather than 50p but the extra quality you get is worth it in my opinion.
Source(s):
I've made the Beaverdale Cabernet Sauvignon and been so happy with the results that I've given up making wine from the raw ingredients. It is much easier (and better) to make a kit than go through all the hassle with collecting elderberries etc. At some stage I want to try the Selection Argentine Malbec - yes it is even more expensive than the Beaverdale but I'm sure it will be good stuff...
http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/admin/catag...
Wine from the do it yourself kits can be very good. We make some every year for holiday gifts and it comes out great. I would suggest searching for a brew-on-premise (BOP) business nearby. These places allow you to make beer, wine, or soda using their equipment and know-how. They also do the cleaning, which is a big bonus.
I have made beer at home and at a BOP but wouldn't consider making wine at home. Wine typically needs to be run thru a much tighter filter to be clarified, not something you would get with a basic kit. To me at least, sediment is more acceptable in a beer than in a wine.
If there are no BOP's nearby and you decide to try it at home, kits we've made were based on grape concentrate from either California or Chile (both very good).
Wine making kits are good. Problem is they are usually with juice of not the highest quality therefore the wine is mediocre. If you are really interested in making good wine at home buy your grapes from a vineyard (one recommended) get mentoring from your local wine supply shop or another home winemaker and proceed. I began as a home winemaker with success. Wine begins with top quality grapes that TASTE GOOD in the berry(grape), remember the rule "If the berry doesn't taste good the wine won't" in other words "What the berry is like is what the wine will be like" so be prudent and taste your berries, talk with your source of berries. I don't know where you live but I can tell you that berries are available in most states, either at wine supply shops or vineyards. Good luck. I would be more than happy to help you, but...
You could buy a little chateau in the Paulliac area of Bordeaux. They make reasonably good stuff but not a patch on the delicious wines produced by Chile or Argentina.
I'd say they are the best and cheapest way to start off. My brother&dad&I just started making wine and we tried not to go with the kit because we thought we could do it cheaper and in the long run we ended up spending more than we would had we just bought the kit. So I recommend the kit, they come with everything and lay everything out for you.
I've made both in poorer times. First thing to remember is you are NEVER going to get the stuff you pay loads of money for. I agree about the beer kits; strong but tastes disgusting!
Wine kits are not so bad though. The result can be a little harsh in flavour for red & musty for white.
All the kit you need is a demijohn & rubber bung together with a fermentation lock. These things used to be easily available from homebrew shops, but those seem to have vanished! Try the internet!
As I recall, and it's a long time since I did it, both beer & wine recipes require the addition of sugar which is not part of the normal process of production. Probably accounts for the dodgy results!
http://cookzon.com/?i=1