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I want to make my own wine and beer!

Wine and beer making may be as old as civilization but it still holds the same fascination for us today as I am sure it did for our ancestors over a thousand years ago. There is still something magical about the fermentation process that intrigues us. Wine and beer making is an entirely natural process that can and will happen without any human intervention. But over the years the human race has harnessed this natural phenomenon to produce some outstanding wines and beer. Maybe that's why it fascinates us so much. Wine and beer making can be enjoyed and perfected by anyone. I have been to wine competitions were homemade wines have put professional wine tasters in awe. Anybody can make outstanding beer and wine. You must remember that just about every great wine and beer maker started out just like you

Since beer and wine-making has been around forever it is only naturally that it is part of our folklore. There are many tall tales about the potency of home made wine and beer and stories about the dangers of drinking home made alcohol. Most of these stories are totally untrue and some are downright silly. Here is a list of some facts you might like to know.

Wine and beer-making is safe. Pathogenic bacteria (the stuff that makes you sick) cannot survive in wine or beer. The common spoilage bacterium that can survive in alcohol will make your wine or beer unpalatable but it will not harm you.
The alcohol made by the fermentation of sugar is ethyl alcohol and should not be confused with its deadly cousin Methyl (wood) alcohol. All of the stories you hear about people going blind and been poisoned was by the accidental consumption of methyl alcohol. I repeat this is not the type of alcohol you will be making.
You can make wine or beer that is as good or better than the commercial stuff. They make it just like you do at home, but only on a larger scale.
Most wine and beer contains 12 or 5 percent alcohol respectively and should remain that way if you wish to maintain the traditional characteristics of these beverages.
Fermented alcoholic beverages can reach a maximum of about 20% percent alcohol by volume (and that is with some difficulty). To reach higher alcohol levels you will have to distill which is illegal in most of North America.
Quality wine or beer is made by using the best ingredients. This is an area where amateurs often err. They think that if they buy some cheap malt or grape concentrate and their first wine or beer is a failure then they haven't lost much. Wrong. If you buy cheap malt or concentrate your chances of failure increase ten fold and you are most likely to be disappointed and give up the hobby. Don't make that mistake.

What do I need to get started?

Most people should consider a prepackaged equipment starter kit. These kits have all the basic equipment necessary to start wine and beer-making and they are usually sold at a discount. You can add all the extra gadgets as you go on. You will also need a wine or beer ingredient kit. Listed below are the essentials you will need to make your own wine and beer.

An equipment starter kit is a one time purchase which you will use for all your future wine and beer-making. Here is an outline of what you will find in most starter kits.
- A 25 - 30 litre (5.5 - 6.5 gallon) fermenting bucket with sealable lid drilled to accept an air lock.
- An air lock and rubber stopper which creates a one-way valve that lets CO2 gas escape from the fermenting liquid but prevents oxygen from entering.
- A long handle plastic stirring spoon which makes it easy to stir a 5 gallon bucket of liquid.
- Thermometer
- A glass or plastic carboy. ( a large 5 gallon bottle similar to those you see on water coolers). Your wine or beer is transferred to this for bulk aging and clearing.
- Siphoning tube and attachments used to transfer your wine between your fermenting bucket and carboy.
- Sanitizing powder and instruction booklet.
- Some start kits may also contain a hydrometer with sample jar and a crown capper or wine corker.
You got the equipment now you need the ingredients. We recommend that you purchase a wine or beer ingredient kit. These contain everything you need to make your wine or beer. All you need to do is add water and start the fermentation! Here is a list of what you can expect to find in a wine or beer ingredient kit.
- Wine kits usually contain a blend of grape concentrate, grape juice and sugar. Premium kits such as our Cru Select are 100% grape product and have no added sugar. The kit will also contain a packet of yeast, a packet of stabilizer and a packet of finings or clarifier. Some kits may also contain oak chips and elderberries.
- Beer kits will contain hopped malt extract and yeast. Most beer kits will also need the addition of 1 kilogram or 2 1/4 lb. of sugar. Premium kits such as our Brew House and Tundra have either the sugar added or use all-grain without added sugar.

Well that's the basics. If you would like to find out more about the fermentation process continue on to the next section. If you know enough you can go back to our home page.

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