E.C. Kraus Home Wine and Beer Making Supplies

Home winemaking, while it can be hard work at times, is a delightful hobby that for some can turn into something more serious such as a second career.  For most, however, winemaking provides a lot of pleasure and excitement in creating something that can be enjoyed by not only them but also by friends and family.  Before you get to that point, however, you need to start at the beginning and learn...

Before hops were a common ingredient, beer was flavored with all kinds of herbs, spices, vegetables, flowers, and roots. One such ingredient was ginger, the intensely flavored root frequently used in cooking Indian food and ginger bread cakes. In one of my favorite new brewing books, Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers, Stephen Buhner notes that ginger was used by the ancients for its medicinal...

I purchased three cans of Alexander's Pinot Noir concentrate and the recipe on the label calls for 4 tsp. Bentonite and the other ingredients to be put in the fermenter before the wine yeast. The people at our local brewing store said to use Super Kleer instead and that it was better than Bentonite. I understood that both Bentonite and Super Kleer to be for clarifying befoEditre you bottle and not...

I am interested in making wine with blackberries, blueberries and Concord grapes. Can you give me any input on what yeast to use or a formula for 5 or 6 gallons. I've been ordering from Kraus for over 6 years and have had a lot of fun. Thank you for your input.Name: Guy K.State: PA Hello Guy, This is a question we get from time to time, and one I don't mind answering again because it's such a...

For the first time ever I ordered juice concentrate, your merlot and blackberry, to try making a large batch of my favorite flavors. Well, I followed the directions to the letter and it all fermented nicely in the primary. After 5 days racked it to the secondary, a glass 5 gallon carboy but for the first time left a little head space of a couple inches figuring that it would be ok since it it was...

My wife has a terrific recipe for red sangria, requiring red wine, brandy and triple sec, as well as fresh fruit. If I make my own red wine (e.g. Island Mist Sangria Zinfandel) as directed, can I add the correct amount of brandy and triple sec at time of bottling so that the beverage is "ready to go" upon opening?Name: Joe B.State: MD Hello Joe, There is no reason why you couldn't add both...

I generally wait until the stuff has settled out of the wine, and then I very slowly siphon my wine. I have set my wine outside when it is below 0 degrees and that clarifies it. I know there is a chemical I can use but I don't like doing that. My biggest problem is the waste that occurs when I siphon. Is there a filtering method to save this wine? Thanks!Name: Roger MentingState: WI Hello...

Home winemaking can be quite an investment in time and money, therefore it’s very important to be meticulous and careful throughout the entire process.  Of course, home winemaking is also quite a joy and is a wonderful hobby, and following a few important wine making tips will lower your chances of disaster in the bottle! Below you’ll find some of the most crucial wine making tips that you should...

I am making a red wine. I am trying to get the right level of acid. I used a titration kit and got a reading of 15% tartaric. When I used pH papers it had a pH level of 3.8. What do I do follow the tartaric? I am worried that if I do it will be to acidic. It already tastes sharp and sour.Name: Justin MaddockState: Missouri Hello Justin, We have some conflicting information going on. Your titration...

I have really become enamored with the flavor of ground cherries and have made jam and marmalade with them this year, but really want to make some wine with the few quarts left in the freezer from summer, but none of my wine making books mention using them...any ideas? Was planning on mixing white grape concentrate with them, but don't know what amounts to use. Thanks for your help-Name: Debra...

As a home winemaker, you don’t have to worry about conforming to all the strict rules regarding wine bottle labels that are in place for commercial winemaking.  However, creating labels that will allow you to easily identify your wine in your cellar is highly recommended.  Simply writing a “Cab” for Cabernet Sauvignon or “P” for peach on the top of the cork or side of the bottle isn’t going to cut...

There’s a lot of variation in how to make your own wine, however, the same basic steps apply regardless of what type of wine you make. Must preparation: For this step of how to make your own wine, the fruit or wine grapes are made into a mushy substance, known as the “must”.  During this stage, sugar and acid levels must balance so that when following the wine recipe it leads to a well-balanced...

Wine yeast is an essential ingredient of any wine recipe. It is the critical ingredient that does all the work. Wine yeast consumes the sugars in the wine must and converts them into alcohol and CO2 gas. Without the yeast you would have no wine. There are three different ways you can go about incorporating a wine yeast into a wine recipe Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here's...

The holidays are about 6 weeks away: have you started shopping for your friends and family?  Are you looking to add to your own gift list?  Here are some wine making book suggestions for you to think about now for the home wine maker that is near and dear to your heart.  Don’t celebrate the holidays?  It’s never the wrong time to surprise an aspiring enologist with a wine making book!Techniques in...

Hello Kraus Folks: I have been reading your blog for some time. My neighbor makes wine and said I should try it.  I have a question. He uses a wine filter to clear his wine. Is this required to make wine. He says it is not but I don't see how if you don't have something to clear it. Eric ----- Hello Eric, Let me start off by saying that you can make perfectly clear wine without using a wine filter...

Home winemaking holds a lot of mystery for some, particularly if they've never made wine. And for those who have, there are still some dark, mysterious corners with some unanswered questions. With this in mind I've put together seven random winemaking facts that most home winemakers don't know. Pieces of info that may expand knowledge a bit. Look them over and see how many of them you know and how...

One of the most important aspects of making your own wine is keeping things sanitary. It's important because wine is a like a living thing. It needs to be protected from wild molds, bacteria, etc. Without proper care your wine can become overtaken by these foreign organisms and eventually spoiled. Yet, sanitizing is overlooked or treated lightly by many home wine makers and understandably so. It...

Hi Kraus I have tried oaking wine to my satisfaction with oak chips. Now I want to make my own oaking strips. I purchased some white oak that I sawed into yard stick width and thickness.  I noticed in the wine supplies different types of flavors for oaking. I was told it was like flavored coffee.  What should I do to the strips so as I can oak wine? Thanks, Marvin F.----- Hello Marvin, First, I...

Hello Kraus, I have been making wine from top end ($200+) wine kits and really getting into it. I was wondering if I should continue with wine kits or jump into creating wine from fresh grapes. I guess my questions is: What will produce a better red wine, a high end wine kit or quality fresh grapes? Best Regards, Dominick S. ----- Hello Dominick, This is really a great question, and one that I'm...

Hi:  Thank you for your newsletter each month. It is very informative and helpful to me in my winemaking.   I have a question, "How do I keep the  fruit flavor in my wine? I end up with about 13 percent alcohol content but am losing the fruit flavor. Could you help?   Thanks Ed H.----- Hello Ed, Thank you for all the kind words. We try very hard to bring useful, relevant information to the home...