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Necessary Equipment and Supplies

I am often asked for a list of the minimum equipment required to make wine. The list below contains what I think is necessary. If you are not sure what an item is or is used for, look for it in my Glossary of winemaking Terms.

Primary: 6- or 7-gallon white plastic paint bucket is the best all-purpose primary;

Secondary: 1-gal apple juice jugs, 3-gallon carboys and 5-gallon carboys are best sizes (demijohns in the British Commonwealth);

Bung: rubber corks with hole drilled for the airlock to fit in; buy when you buy a secondary so you know the fit is correct;

Airlock: "S"-type is best (also called "bubbler");

Hydrometer: with both specific gravity and potential alcohol scales;

Hydrometer Jar: a tall chimney jar (holds about 350 ml of liquid) in which the hydrometer is floated;

Siphon Hose: about 6 feet of 1/2 inch clear plastic tubing;

Acid Blend: crystaline, 4 to 6 oz;

Pectic Enzyme: dry, powdered, 2 to 4 oz;

Grape Tannin: dry, powdered, 2 oz;

Campden Tablets: for 1-gallon batches, bag of 25;

Potassium Metabisulfite: crystaline, for cleaning equipment and sulfiting 5-gallon batches (in place of Campden), 4 oz;

Potassium Sorbate: for stabilizing wines (see Finishing Your wine);

Yeast Nutrient: crystaline, 4 to 6 oz;

wine Yeast: see Yeast Strains for guidance; do not use bread or baking yeast;

Nylon Straining Bag: also called a grain bag;

Corks: size #9 fits most wine bottles; buy quality corks;

Corker: buy a cheap hand corker to start with;

Bottles: you will need five 750-ml bottles per US gallon of wine, six per Imperial gallon.

Advanced Equipment

The following list contains equipment you will want if you become a more serious winemaker. None of it is required, but all of it is nice to have if you develop a need for it.

Gram Scale: digital ones are expensive, but worth the money for making small, precise adjustments ;

Acid Test Kit: replace the standards (solutions) as required and it will serve you well;

pH Meter: accurate, reliable, and worth the investment;

SO2 Test Kit: essential for making serious white wines and reds intended for aging;

Grape or Fruit Press: consider this "essential" if you make wine from fresh grapes;

Crusher: If you do a lot of grapes, you'll need this; deluxe models come with a destemmer;

Floor Corker: for 5-gallon batches, you really do need one of these;