Basically, winemaking involves four steps: the first step is processing the ingredients, followed by fermenting, bottling, and aging the wine. The equipment necessary for winemaking depends a bit on how involved you'd like to be in the hobby. Many winemakers produce their wine from concentrated wine grape juices, where the first step is already taken care of. These concentrates are reconstituted in the fermentor, the yeast is added, and the wine ferments. By this method, the size and amount of equipment needed is kept to a minimum, and a source of fresh, seasonal fruit is not necessary.

Beginning and intermediate winemakers like to use concentrates because they are easy to use and reasonably fool-proof. Apartment dwellers like them because the equipment they require takes up little (precious) space. And advanced winemakers like concentrates because they are available everywhere year-round, as opposed to fresh fruits and grapes which have their growing areas and only seasonal availablity.

Fermentation of wine requires a fermentor (usually 5 to 6 gallons in size). Think of it taking up about as much space as the tank on a drinking water cooler. In fact, the standard storage vessel for winemaking, the 5 gallon glass carboy, is a basically just a glass version of those water tanks. Because the wine is transfered from one container to another during fermentation, at least two containers of this size are required. The ideal setup for a 5 gallon batch is two 5 gallon glass carboys and one glass or plastic fermentor of at least 6 gallons. So the space required is not too great. Although many winemakers dedicate part of their garage or basement to winemaking, the floor of a closet will work just as well!

Bottles may be purchased new, but we support recycling of bottles! You can re-use any of your standard commercial wine bottles, as long as you keep them clean and sterilize them before use. A 5 gallon batch of wine produces two cases of wine, or 24 bottles (750 ml size). Along with your new or used bottles, you'll need good new corks and a corker to insert them. With your fermentation equipment, bottles, and corking supplies, you've got all you need! We do have packaged equipment kits available, which you can find on our home wineries page.

Naturally, most winemakers eventually want to "vinify" their local fruits or grapes. Because fresh fruit winemaking involves both the juice and the pulp, some larger equipment is necessary for this method. Generally, a 10 gallon primary fermentor is large enough to accomodate a 5 gallon batch of fruit/grape wine " (If you are using viniferous grapes, a 20 gallon primary fermentor is required for making a 5 gallon batch."). Once primary fermentation is over, the pulp is removed, and the wine can be transfered to the same carboys used in concentrate winemaking. As you can see, switching from concentrates to fresh ingredients requires only a small additional investment.

If you are interested in home winemaking or brewing supplies. Please feel free to contact me. I own a company called Niagara Scientific Products. I started home winemaking recently but it's been in my family for decades. I would be happy to help any fellow at home or even commercial winemakers/brewers with their equipment and supply needs. We are often priced below the home winemaking stores too!
My contact info:
Jonathan DeMeis
Niagara Scientific Products
www.niagarasci.com
email: sales@niagarasci.com