Make Your Own Wine At Home

Hi guys! If you've been following along on my Instagram, then you know I've been making my own wine for a couple months now. It wouldn't have typically taken so long, but I added a couple days to fermentation and also didn't bottle exactly on time. Craft A Brew was generous enough to send me their Cab Sauv Wine Kit and I am so pleased with the way it turned out! All of their full wine kits are $60.00. Craft a Brew also has beer making kits starting at $45.00 -- next on the agenda. 

So, when I received my kit, I examined the box (quite tasteful I might add) I love all of the clever little wine quotes and love how it has instructions on the box. The box shows what your kit should include with cute little images to compare. Your box will also include your wine making kit guide which is easy to follow and humorous to say the least!  

First, you'll sterilize all of the pieces included in the kit. Sterilizer is provided. Sterilization is very important to prevent bacteria from eating the sugar in your wine. If this happens, you'll end up with a nasty vinegar tasting wine. Following your guide, you'll add all of the necessary ingredients in step 1. Most important being your yeast and grapes and the oak. After you've combined these necessary ingredients, you'll airlock and let the fermentation process begin. Fermentation takes 2 weeks, so sit your mixture in a place with little movement and not a whole lot of sunlight. 

After two weeks, you'll move on to step two which is cleansing your wine. You'll notice thickness on the bottom of your wine and this is what you're going to be getting rid of. You'll syphon out all of the wine into a large pan or jug and then you'll discard the thick build up at the bottom. After this is done, you'll syphon the wine back into your 1 gallon glass container. You'll add your cleansing packets, stir until your arms fall off and then airlock and let sit for another 2 weeks. 

Fermentation process

Cleansing process

               
Once these 2 weeks have passed, it's time to bottle your wine. You'll syphon your wine into individual wine bottles (makes 5 total). I just kept a few empty wine bottles around until time to bottle. Included in your kit will be these tops to preserve your wine. Wine is good for 6 months.

Cheers!! 

I can officially say I've made my own wine before. Turned out GREAT!