WINE PRODUCTION

BASIC EQUIPMENT

* Gallon jug: This glass container will be used exclusively to prepare the sanitizing solution to clean your equipment.
* Primary fermenter: This is the food-grade plastic pail in which you will start the batch. You should also have a hard lid or plastic sheet to cover it.
* Large measuring cup (2 quarts or bigger): This will be large enough to measure and pour the water for the recipe.
* Small measuring cup (1- or 2-cup capacity): The small cup will render very accurate readings for the smaller volume ingredients you will be measuring. You'll also need some measuring spoons.
* Long-handled plastic (food-grade) spoon: Anything smaller will make mixing a five-gallon batch quite ineffective. Note: Wooden spoons will eventually rot and can provide refuge for bacteria!
* (Photo)Hydrometer: This two-piece set (including the hydrometer and the plastic chamber) allows you to measure the specific gravity (SG) of the wine must.
* Siphon hose (5 feet): This PVC-grade plastic hose allows you to transfer wine from the primary fermenter to a carboy or from one carboy to the next.
* Two glass carboys (19 liter or 5-gallon): Although plastic carboys are available, at about the same price as glass, I would recommend glass. There is almost no chance of one wine contaminating a subsequent one, which there might be with a plastic carboy. One carboy houses your wine, the other is used when you are transferring it.
* Airlock and rubber bung: This water-filled plastic device set into the rubber stopper allows carbon dioxide gas to escape from the carboy while preventing air from getting in.
* Large food-grade plastic funnel: A funnel will make it easy to transfer cleaning agents or any additives you may want to pre-mix with extracted wine.
* Wine thief: This long, tubular device is for extracting must and wine samples from a carboy.

Wine Supplies

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