Hi, I hope I'm ok by just popping in like this...

I've never made wine before but I want to start (mainly fruit and hedgerow
stuff).

I've looked on here and on the internet and I've put together a shopping
list of stuff I need to get me started.

Could you guys look this over and tell me if I'm missig anything really
important?

1x1 Gallon wine kit (consisting of 2x1 gallon Demijohns, 2x airlocks an
bungs, syphon and syphon tube, thermometer, hydrometer and a hand corker)
1x Fining sachet
1x packet of Campden tablets
1x packet of sterilising power (to be made up with water)
1x sachet of fruit wine yeast
1x packet of tapered corks
1x packet of shrinks
1x book - First steps in wine making (CJJ Berry).

I know I'm missing bottles, I was kind of assuming I could wash out and
sterilise used ones.

Thanks in advance for any help
Ceri )

very sorry I posted that twice, it threw up errors so I thought it had
failed.
Ceri )

Ceri Jones wrote:
> Hi, I hope I'm ok by just popping in like this...

Well, actually, participation normally requires an invitation, but
we'll let it slide this time :-)

> (shopping list deleted)

If you can acquire all of those items, you'll be better prepared to
make wine than I am, and I just started my 13th batch. There are a few
items that you may want to pick up in time, if you really get into
this; like a ph meter, and a test kit for acidity. But just to get
started, I'd say that's a very complete list.

Greg G.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Ceri Jones wrote:
>> Hi, I hope I'm ok by just popping in like this...
>
> Well, actually, participation normally requires an invitation, but
> we'll let it slide this time :-)
>
Thans ever so )
>> (shopping list deleted)
>
> If you can acquire all of those items, you'll be better prepared to
> make wine than I am, and I just started my 13th batch. There are a few
> items that you may want to pick up in time, if you really get into
> this; like a ph meter, and a test kit for acidity. But just to get
> started, I'd say that's a very complete list.
>
> Greg G.
Thanks a lot, I asked my grandfather about it and he just told me it wasn't
something I could just learn P
So I'm feeling generally like it'll be a disaster and I'll poison everyone,
I guess that just leads to more testing ).

One more question for now, does it involve alot of lifting of the demijohns?
I have mobility problems so I'm not sure I would be able to lift a full one
unassisted.

Thanks again, hope I an continue to hang around and learn how to make great
wine )

Ceri

> Thanks a lot, I asked my grandfather about it and he just told me it wasn't
> something I could just learn P

I'm sure your grandfather is a very nice man, but that's bull____.

> So I'm feeling generally like it'll be a disaster and I'll poison everyone,
> I guess that just leads to more testing ).

Even if you were trying, it would be quite difficult to poison anyone.
You could, if you aren't careful, end up with a very bad batch of
vinegar.

> One more question for now, does it involve alot of lifting of the demijohns?
> I have mobility problems so I'm not sure I would be able to lift a full one
> unassisted.

I've been working with smaller batches; between 1 and 3 gallons (US) in
size. One gallon batches aren't terribly heavy, but I'm not sure what
your limitations are. You will need to move each carboy or demijohn
several times between pitching yeast and bottling. After racking or
transferring the must/wine, you can pretty much set the carboy in a
dark corner or closet and forget it until it's time to rack again or
bottle. You only need to look in on it from time to time to make sure
the airlock is still in place and has water in it. Just plan on having
someone available to help when it comes time to move things around.

> Thanks again, hope I an continue to hang around and learn how to make great
> wine )

You'll be surprised at how easy it is to make a decent wine. You may
not be competing with the best French winemakers for a while, but with
a good recipe, good ingredients, and a little attention to detail,
you'll be making wine that will impress your friends.

Here are a few points to remember.

1) Time is your friend. Leaving the must on the lees too long (as in
many months) can be a bad thing, but otherwise, time will greatly
improve your wine. Follow your recipe's directions and don't rush the
process.
2) Air is your enemy. A poorly air-locked carboy or failing to top up
after racking can cause your wine to oxydize (sp?). Exposure to air can
also allow the must/wine to become infected. A little bit of splashing
around when racking isn't a problem, but you want to keep air away from
you must the rest of the time.
3) Obsessive-compulsive tendancies can be a good thing when it comes to
making wine. It's possible to make great wine without cleaning and
sanitizing everything carefully, but your chances of success are much
better if you are extremely thorough in this regard.
4) Jack Keller's website has everything you ever wanted to know about
making wine but were afraid to ask. The URL is:
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/

Good luck. Don't hesitate to ask questions on this forum as you
proceed.

Greg
greg_at_testengineering_._info

For a total beginner, I would suggest you get a good winemaking kit which
includes all the hardware you need to start -- not the same as a wine kit
which is primarily the juice. The only modification I would make is ask
them to take out they hand corker. They are miserable. Substitute a good
floor corker or if you have a supply store near you, rent one for the first
batch or two. Then buy one when you are sure you are continuing with the
hobby. They are somewhat expensive but well worth it if you keep making
wine.

The kits are very complete and about the same price as buying the items
seperately. Then you can add items as you need them. You will eventually
need more carboys of various sizes and a few other items like pH meters and
acid test kits that are not essential but useful.

Ray

"Ceri Jones" > wrote in message
...
> Hi, I hope I'm ok by just popping in like this...
>
> I've never made wine before but I want to start (mainly fruit and hedgerow
> stuff).
>
> I've looked on here and on the internet and I've put together a shopping
> list of stuff I need to get me started.
>
> Could you guys look this over and tell me if I'm missig anything really
> important?
>
> 1x1 Gallon wine kit (consisting of 2x1 gallon Demijohns, 2x airlocks an
> bungs, syphon and syphon tube, thermometer, hydrometer and a hand corker)
> 1x Fining sachet
> 1x packet of Campden tablets
> 1x packet of sterilising power (to be made up with water)
> 1x sachet of fruit wine yeast
> 1x packet of tapered corks
> 1x packet of shrinks
> 1x book - First steps in wine making (CJJ Berry).
>
> I know I'm missing bottles, I was kind of assuming I could wash out and
> sterilise used ones.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Ceri )
>
>

"Ray Calvert" > wrote in message
om...
> For a total beginner, I would suggest you get a good winemaking kit which
> includes all the hardware you need to start -- not the same as a wine kit

The other thing I'd get along with the primary bucket and a carboy
is a second carboy. It's a lot easier to rack into a second carboy
instead of back into the primary, clean the existing carboy and then
rack back into it.