A glass of wine on a warm evening – heck, any evening – is a moment of calm and relaxation. Whilst you could buy it from your local store, have you ever thought about making wine yourself? Find out about the best wine making kits for beginners.
Well, of course you have, otherwise you wouldn’t be here, however, did you know that there are a lot of wine making kits to choose from?
Whilst that might sound pretty daunting, fear not, because we have done all that hard work for you. Below you will find our top 5 wine making kits, from the premium to the beginner.
With all that in mind, we have also put a handy buyer’s guide together to help you on your way. It focuses on some of the key areas when it comes to purchasing a wine making kit. This is to help you to make the right choice.
Homemade wine accessories
As the popularity of making homemade wine and fruit wine rises, so too do the number of accessories to make the job easier. With a variety of items now available, it can be hard to know what you need and what would be helpful in producing great batches of wine. Here are some essential accessories for anyone looking to get into making their own homemade wines.
The first must-have accessory is a reliable wine-making kit for beginners. These kits usually come with all the equipment necessary for fermentation and aging, such as an airlock, carboy, hydrometer and thermometer. This will provide you with everything you need to create your own wine from start to finish. Additionally, these kits often include instructions on how to use them properly – invaluable information for any novice winemaker!
Second on the list is a good set of bottles and corks for storing your finished product.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 5 wine making kits. You can easily find them on Amazon as Amazon wine kits.
Fontana Italian Sangiovese Wine Making Kit
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If you are quite new to wine making kits, and want to dabble in Italian wine, then we’ve got you covered with this award-winning DIY kit from Fontana.
Not only will you be working with a premium wine making kit, but their products have won over 30 gold medals.
This kit allows you to create 30 bottles of wine in total (with ABV of 11% to 13%), and includes the basic ingredients. However, what it doesn’t include is the equipment to create it, so you will need to purchase this separately.
However, once you do, you can create wine straightaway using this all-in kit which has everything you need, from brewer’s yeast and sulphite, to kieselsol and a wine base.
You will also need to purchase bottles too, but this is pretty standard with wine kits. It will start becoming very expensive if they were included too!
You can also save some money with the brand by adding extra flavors such as berry or oak to experiment with.
Pros
6 gallons of wine can be made – that is 30 bottles
Premium and award-winning
Plenty of different kit flavors to choose from
AVB of 11% to 13%
Extra flavor kits available
Cons
No equipment included, just the wine kit itself
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North Mountain Fruit Wine Making Kit
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For those who don’t own any equipment yet when it comes to wine making, you will want to look at the North Mountain 3 gallon kit. It has absolutely everything you need to start creating delicious homemade wine.
The only thing you will need to add is tasty fruit and some wine bottles to pour it all into. These are two items that are easy to get a hold of, so no need to skip to the next product just yet.
The kit comes complete with a handbook which guides you through the process via steps. Not only that, they also include over 100 wine recipes which include a number of different flavor processes.
The kit itself has 30 different components. Whilst that might seem rather daunting, you will get the hang of it soon enough due to the fact the kit is so easy to use.
Some of the things it includes are the fermenter, siphon hose, auto siphon and clamp, yeast packs, test jar, and so much more. The only thing you will need to add is the fruit, but it tells you how in the guidebook.
It is quite expensive, though as the initial investment, it is worth every penny. A versatile addition to your wine making kit are plastic wine glasses.
Pros
Complete set-up for the starter wine kit maker
Includes a step-by-step guide book
It also includes a recipe book featuring over 100 ways to use the wine maker kit
3 gallons worth of wine
Easy to use and great for the newbie
Cons
Expensive, but it is a one-off payment to create homemade wine
Fruit flavoring is separate
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Master Vintner Fresh Harvest Wine Making Kit
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Whilst the North Mountain may come across as a little too complicated for some, there is the option of the Master Vintner Fresh Harvest wine making kit which has been created for those who are completely new to making wine at home.
Everything you need is in this kit, without anything being unnecessary. That includes a 1 gallon jug, a plastic fermenter, tubing, straining bag, etc. Amongst other things too!
It is said to create 15 batches of 1 gallon amounts of wine. This is a great amount for those who are just getting started when it comes to creating delicious wine at home.
It also comes with a handbook to help you learn how to use the kit, as well as some recipe ideas. However, you still might need a little extra prior knowledge of how to use it because the instructions are very basic.
The starter kit doesn’t include the fruit or any flavored sachets, though you can add your own fruit, whether fresh or from concentrate.
The kit itself looks really presentable and the jug gives the overall process a more professional feel.
Pros
A great starter kit with everything you will need to begin creating wine at home
Creates 15 batches of 1 gallon wine
Also includes a recipe book
The starter kit looks presentable
Cons
Handbook is a little too basic for the beginner, so prior research will be helpful
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Wild Grapes Premium Wine Starter Kit
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This starter kit has been made to create around 6 gallons of wine to be used with the Wild Grapes wine kits. However, you can also choose a different wine kit to use, so you aren’t just stuck with having to use the same brand.
Even so, as we just stated, this kit does not come complete with any ingredients to make wine unlike the North Mountain and Master Vintner sets above. Though, it does come with 30 corks to be added to bottles (which are sold separately).
Despite it not including the ingredients to make the wine to help you get going, you can purchase the kit separately (see below) and use it whenever you need to create a delicious beverage.
The kit itself is said to create around 30 bottles, with a turnaround time of just 4 weeks. It includes the likes of a test jar, plastic carboy, hose clamp, fermenter pail, thermometer, etc.
There isn’t a handbook to help, so you may need to do some extra research before you begin to work with the kit. However, when you buy the separate kit, this has the guide on how to use it. In order to taste your first self made wine try some plastic wine glasses!
Pros
Has everything you need to start making wine as a beginner
Can create around 30 bottles of wine from grape juice
Easy to use without anything being overcomplicated
Turnaround time to make wine is only 4 weeks
Cons
No handbook to help you know how to use it
Does not include any ingredients to make wine
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Wild Grapes Premium DIY Wine Making Kit
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As we have just discussed the Wild Grapes starter kit above, we thought it would be useful to put the DIY wine making kit on the list.
The kit is suitable to be used with the Wild Grapes full starter kit, and includes the exact ingredients and amount to create delicious wine within 4 weeks. In fact, there is enough here to make around 30 bottles that are sized at 750 ml.
You not only get the ingredients but also 30 labels to add to the bottles. The bottles are not included by the way, so you will need to purchase these separately. However, this is pretty standard for wine making kits.
This particular set makes a California Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also other flavors to choose from. That being said, the difference between using a wine kit like this and other kits, is that the Wild Grape uses flavored sachets rather than real fruit.
Having said that, there could be a possibility to add real fruit, or at least concentrate if need be. This means that down the line you can experiment with other flavors, as well as sweeteners like honey or sugar beet.
The alcohol percentage is around 13% and it creates a full bodied flavor overall. Also, full instructions of how to use the wine making kit is included. This is great for those who haven’t got any experience of using an at-home wine making kit.
Pros
Creates 30 750 ml wine bottles worth
Wine can be ready in as little as 4 weeks
Full kit for everything you need to make the liquid itself
Creates a California Cabernet Sauvignon wine
Includes 30 labels to stick to bottles
Includes a handy guide on how to use it
Cons
Doesn’t use real fruit, only a flavor pack
No equipment included
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Buyer’s Guide
So, now that you have taken a look at the top 5 best wine making kits, we have put together a handy buyer’s guide. Here you will find all that you need to know when it comes to wine making kits so you can make the right decision before purchasing one. Don`t forget that you need to store your wine in a cool and humidity regulated place. In case you want to taste your wine in between plastic wine glasses are a good choice as you can rinse them and they don`t break easily.
Equipment
Not all wine making kits come with the equipment needed, so before you can even think about creating homemade wine, you will need to purchase the necessary items to do so.
Having said that, wine kits come under two categories: ingredients and start kits.
The former are kits that you can buy which have flavor sachets, and everything else that you might need to actually create the wine. This might also include bottle labels and fun things like that.
The latter are the starter kits themselves. These include all the items that you need to actually make the wine. Without it, you cannot make the delicious homemade beverages.
However, sometimes the starter kit also includes the ingredients too. This is really handy if you want to get going right away.
Flavors – Fresh Or Sachet
Another thing to consider is how you want to flavor the wine. Wine kits can either include sachets to flavor the wine, and you can keep buying more from the same brand for different flavored wine, or you can use fresh fruit and concentrate.
Really, it is up to you what you decide to do, as well as whether your wine making kit can handle either fresh fruit or sachets.
Before you go in headfirst, make sure you research the wine making kit first, otherwise you might be very disappointed when it can’t do what you would like it to.
Gallons
When looking at the wine kit, you will want to look at how many gallons it can make. This will then translate to how many bottles it can produce at the end of the process.
If there is only yourself drinking the wine, then think about going for a smaller gallow number. Not only will it suit you better, but it should be cheaper to buy as well.
Do keep in mind that creating your own wine is much cheaper per bottle than buying it from the grocery store.
AVB (Or Alcohol Percentage)
The alcohol percentage is one of the most important things when working with ingredients to make wine. Roughly, it will go up to around 13% with these kits which is enough to be jolly, and easy for you to stick to a bottle.
Obviously, the higher the number the bigger the kick you are going to get (and the likelihood you won’t remember last night). And the lower the percentage will give you less of a kick, but you won’t have a hangover.
Ease Of Use
Most of the wine kits are suitable for starters and newbies to wine making. Because of this, the majority also include a handy guide to help you through the process. Without this, you would likely be quite stuck on how to even start using it.
It is always going to seem quite daunting and confusing at first, especially because there are so many parts to a kit, but do not let that put you off.
Some of the kits also include recipes so you can have extra fun and variety when making the homemade wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few common questions asked about wine making kits:
Is It Much Cheaper To Actually Make Your Own Wine?
Absolutely it is. Making your own wine is much more inexpensive than buying a bottle from the local liquor store.
Whilst an upfront cost when it comes to buying all the supplies can seem like a lot, the long running cost of making your own wine can basically be around $3 a bottle.
Have a think about that whilst you’re sipping on your wine this evening.
Are You Able To Make Decent Wine From A Wine Making Kit?
Since the kits first began, they have come such a long way. In fact, a lot of wine kits are now being sourced directly from vineyards.
This means you can create a delicious and quality wine without leaving your home.
Does It Take A Long Time To Create Wine From A Home Kit?
It all depends on the caliber of the wine kit to determine how long the fermentation takes to complete the process. This can take from four, to even eight weeks.
As soon as the fermentation process is finished, the wine will become ready to be bottled.
Is It Possible To Add Fruit To A Wine Kit?
You can absolutely add fruit to your home wine making kit. In fact, it will add some delicious flavor. You can always experiment too, so perhaps try adding some juicy raspberries along with merlot grapes or grape juice.
Do You Have To Keep Homemade Wine In The Fridge?
The best thing you can do is to make sure to re-cork the wine bottle every time you pour it into a glass. This is because you really want the wine not to react with oxygen.
When this happens to red wine it makes it taste like vinegar.
And then, when you are storing the homemade wine, place it into the fridge. The conditions are very ideal there.
Is It Possible To Put Wine Into A Mason Jar?
If you want to try something new, why not store your wine in a mason jar? All you have to do is pour the wine into the mason jar and make sure it is sealed tightly. Once you have done so, then store it in the fridge.
How Can You Sweeten Homemade Wine Before The Bottling Process?
It is quite common to use cane sugar to sweeten homemade wine, but there are other options too. For example, you can also use honey as a tasty alternative.
Just make sure that the product you use to sweeten the wine is dissolved fully before the next step. This means making the stirring process extra important, and not to skip any steps to rush through the process.
Basically, experiment with different sweeteners to find something that works for you and your homemade wine.
