E.C. Kraus Home Wine and Beer Making Supplies

I'm making your Blueberry wine and my question is this. Can I add boiling water to the winemaking ingredients or should I wait for the water to cool first? Thank youName: Bill D.State: Maine Hello Bill, The only winemaking ingredients I can think of that should ever touch boiling or hot water are: botanicals and sugar.  Botanicals: Whenever making wines from herb, flowers, roots, it is normal to...

One of the most important pieces of winemaking equipment is the gravity hydrometer.  Without this, you’re making wine blindly, and risk making a wine that’s not very palatable.  If you don’t have one already, I recommend purchasing a gravity hydrometer right now before you forget, as it’ll be a piece of winemaking equipment that will pay for itself over and over again. What is a gravity...

I have been making wine for years and never had any trouble, but I tried a new wine recipe and made a six gallon batch. I'm afraid the specific gravity of the must was too high-1.1200 + and it has stalled out at about 1.100--too sweet. We will not drink wine that sweet. Is there any way I can salvage the 6 gallons by blending or trying to restart fermentation?Name: John S.State: Kansas Hello John,...

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've started my first batch of wine using the toasted oak chips, added after the primary fermentation. I am wondering if during the racking process about to be done after the secondary fermentation, do I transfer the oak chips too?Name: Debra M.State: Tennessee Hello Debra, Using oak directly to the wine has long been one of the tricks up the home winemaker's sleeve. It allows you to enjoy all the...

When you’re relatively new to home winemaking, following each and every step of a wine recipe is critical,  but where do you even begin finding good wine recipes?  There are a lot of resources out there, and hopefully this post will shed some light on where to find them. Wine Making Books There are a large number of wine making books out there that are full of wine recipes.  It is important to...

I make wine at home, I do want the wine with more alcohol. But I don't know how to get this done.Name: Ketherina D.State: NY When it comes to controlling the alcohol level of your wines — regardless of how high or how low — it's all about the sugar. Alcohol is made when wine yeast ferments the sugars that are in the wine must. The sugars are converted into both alcohol and carbon dioxide or...

Hi Ed, Could you tell me how I might control my fermentation temperature? I have been making wine for 15 or so years from real grapes. Many times the must temperature starts to get way too warm. What is the best way to control it. Thanks in advance.Name: Al J.State: NY Hello Al, Thanks for the great question. This is something that plagues a lot of home winemakers, so I'm glad you brought this up....

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...

Home winemaking is an enjoyable hobby that can bring you great joy, but if you’re not prepared, it can be frustrating and near impossible.  It’s important to understand the first steps in winemaking; to get a solid grasp of the basics, as well as an understanding of why it is you are doing what you are doing at any step of the way. One of the first steps in winemaking that you should do is to get...

I’ve been making wine using wine ingredient kits such as KenRidge for several years. These kits seem quite complete with all the ingredients needed – but reading many of the posts on your site causes me to wonder. Should I, could I, must I supplement the ingredients provided in these kits with other ingredient such as Yeast Nutrients, Acids, Tannins, Potassium Sorbate, Wine Conditioner? Should I...

The art and science of winemaking has been around for millennia, though certainly the techniques and procedures have evolved throughout the course of winemaking history.  It takes a lot of time, practice, and patience to become an expert winemaker, and even then, a bad batch can come along despite all your best intentions and efforts.  With all that being said, one thing has always remained true...

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'm interested in the pectic enzyme part. Is this something I can add at the end of the fermentation to clarify the wine?Name: Paul DunnState: Idaho Hello Paul, Thanks for the great question. I'd like to share the answer with everyone. Hope you don't mind. What Is Pectic Enzyme? The first thing that needs to be understood is that pectic enzyme is not a fining agent. It does not clean...

... I was looking for different ways to sweeten my wine and came across this [corn sugar] in your beer section of your catalog. That is some sweeten there beer with corn sugar instead of cane sugar. The article said it would give the beer a crisper taste. How do you think this would affect the wine? Thanks PatrickName: Patrick DavisState: GA Hello Patrick, It is true that most beermakers...

Began the game when I was 16 yrs. old when I began making wine out of pumpkins. It's amazing the aroma you get, especially when you use the actual wine yeast carried out before as a starter. Today in a preiod of one month I can produce 100 litres having reiceved enough knowledge form this website. Big up kraus. Lets enjoy the game. Name: Tamale Peter State: Read More » »

Whether you are just starting to get involved in home winemaking or you have been making wine at home for some time, it’s a good idea to have a good understanding of the different types of homemade wine equipment, how they function, and whether or not a particular piece of equipment is needed in your home. Of course, there are many more pieces of homemade wine equipment than can be described in...

We are going to go off topic a little bit here and talk about something that I find very fascinating. In any industry or business where there is a lot invested, there can be a lot of superstition revolving around those involved.  Maybe a soccer player wears dirty socks throughout the season for good luck, or someone else carries around a rabbit’s foot for “protection”.  Even still, some people may...

I have made several attempts at making wine. I have used grape juice (Welch's), rhubarb, blackberry, and have even purchased a kit to make some Merlot. My problem is that they all taste nearly the same with a hint of vinegar. I have been careful to wash and sanitize everything. I am going to try again soon but don't know what to do different. I even purchased new siphon hose for the Merlot kit and...