TAKING THE MYSTERY

OUT OF HOME WINE MAKING

The toughest challenge you will ever face as a home winemaker is
making the decision to become one. For many people wine is just
one big mystery. For them taking that first step can often be the
most intimidating hurdle to get over--a hurdle that unfortunately
stops too many potential home winemakers from getting past "go".

I'd like to let you in on a little secret... the mysteries of
wine are not so complex and any intimidation it portrays is
highly over-rated.

This article is designed to help you get past the mystique of
wine and see through its intimidation--to get the process out in
the open so that you can see for yourself that making wine is not
magic; it's not folklore; it is just a natural process that
Mother Nature provides which happens to bring about the gift of
wine.


-- The Fermentation

The fermentation is the centerpiece to all other activities that
occur when one makes wine. It is the process that actually turns
the fruit into wine. During the bubbling and foaming of the
fermentation yeast will eat any available sugars and turn them
into both alcohol and CO2 gas.

It is a very natural process and one that can easily occur on its
own--but only if the conditions are favorable. And, this is where
you, the winemaker, comes in...

One way of looking at it is that the winemaker is not actually
making the wine, but rather, making sure all the conditions are
ripe for a healthy fermentation. Once the fermentation is under
way there is not much for the winemaker to do except wait.

A typical fermentation will last anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks.
During this period the only thing that is required from you, the
winemaker, is to siphon the wine off the occurring sediment every
now and then--a process known by more experienced winemakers as
"racking".

The first racking is typically done around the 5th to 7th day of
fermentation. If any pulp is involved in the recipe this is the
time it is to be removed. Up until this point the fermentation is
left opened, exposed to the air. After the first racking the
fermentation needs to be sealed off from the air in a closed
container fitted with an air-trap or "air-lock" as we call it.

A second racking is usually done after the fermentation has
completed. Once the wine has had plenty of time to clear up, a
third racking is done and then it is bottled.

For the home winemaker who is making 5 or 6 gallons of wine,
racking is a process that usually takes no more than 15 minutes to
accomplish. So, as you can see it is Mother Nature that is really
doing all the work during the fermentation. You are, for the most
part, just an anxious bystander.


-- Before The Fermentation

As stated earlier, the winemaker's real purpose in all of this is
to make sure that the conditions are favorable for a proper
fermentation. So, how does one go about this?

Start With A Solid Recipe:
The recipe is one of the key components to setting up a
successful fermentation. Without a clear, dependable recipe you
will be traveling through your first batch in a fog.

There are many sources for reliable recipes. Firstly, you can
check the recipes we have on our web site at the following link:
Wine Making Recipes

There you will find different recipes for making wine using more
common fruits. You can also find step-by-step directions for
these recipes at the link listed below:
"7 Easy Steps To Making Wine"

There are many other good sources for recipes: in the books we
offer; across the internet... Also realize that all of the
packaged juices we offer come with recipes and detailed
directions.

If you want to see what really goes into a recipe, you might want
to take a look at the following article on our web site.

"Creating Your Own Wine Making Recipes"

It dissects the different elements of a wine recipe so that you
can better understand them.

Having a sound recipe will allow you to prepare a healthy
fermentation... with the right ingredients... in the right
amounts... that will result in a wine with balance and surprising
quality.

Start With The Right Equipment:
The second way to insure that you will have a sound fermentation
is to have the proper equipment. It is not necessary to buy
hundreds of dollars of equipment to make a batch of wine, but
there are some essential pieces that you should acquire before
putting together your first batch:

- A food-grade vessel for fermenting
- An air-lock for later sealing up the fermentation
- Hoses for siphoning the juice
- A hydrometer for checking the sugar level of the wine, and
- Something to stir with

These are the major pieces of equipment that should be obtained
before setting out to start your first batch of wine. If you have
these bare-essential items you can make wine.

If you are dealing with fresh fruits, as opposed to packaged
juices, you may also want to consider getting a straining bag
(fermentation bag) for managing any pulp that may be involved.

Consider Starting With A Kit:
One very simple alternative to collecting all of the above
ingredients and equipment is to get one of the three starter kits
we offer. We call our kits "Necessities Boxes" because they come
with the essential items and ingredients you will need. They
include the same quality products we offer separately, but
packaged together at a discounted price.

By starting with a Necessities Box you are not only getting a
good deal price wise, but you are also getting recipes and

directions that are specific to the kit. In other words, you are

getting directions that guide you step-by-step through the process

in a clear, understandable fashion.  And, you are getting a recipe

that will lead you to success.

You can find our Necessities Boxes at the following link on

our web site:
Sun Cal Necessities Boxes


-- After The Fermentation

Once the fermentation is complete your task is very simple. Give
the wine a few days for the yeast and any other solids to settle
to the bottom of the fermentation vessel; and then siphon the
wine off of the sediment into wine bottles and then cork.

If you do not want to invest in a wine bottle corker just yet,
you can use Mushroom Corks instead. These are corks that can be
pushed in by hand as opposed to being mechanically pressed in,
such as a commercial winery would do. You can find these Mushroom
Corks listed at the following link our web site:
Mushroom Corks

If you plan on drinking your wine over the next year or two just
be sure to store it in a cool place--like on the basement floor,
root-cellar or such. A professional wine cellar is not necessary
unless you plan on keeping your bottles of wine for many years.


-- So, What Are You Waiting For?

Take the first step. Decide what kind of wine you want to make
and then find a recipe. If you can't find one on our web site or
elsewhere, then send us an email or give us a call at
1-800-353-1906. We'll be more than happy to help get you started.