E.C. Kraus Home Wine and Beer Making Supplies

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...

There appears to be plenty of information on equipment and supplies, cleaning/sanitation/sterilization, yet I"m having a difficult time of locating a protocol specifically related to maintaining a production area for a home winemaker (counters, floor, fixtures, sinks, drains, walls, etc.). I currently clean up splashes as they occur and monthly I do a fairly thorough wipe down of all surfaces with...

We bottled Lambrusco wine in January. We tasted 2 months later and decided it was just not going to be sweet enough. Is it ok to remove the corks-put back into clean container and sweeten more with the wine conditioner and then re-bottle?Name: BarbaraState: Kentucky Hello Barbara, Unfortunately, we get asked this question quite often. I'll start off by giving you the short answer, "yes". What you...

I bottled some blackberry 5/2012. When I opened a bottle this morning it fizzed over and kept bubbling for a while. What did I do wrong, I followed a recipe?Name: Ed W.State: FL Hello Ed, Sorry to hear that your wine has gotten a little out of control. Let's see if we can figure out what's going on. There are basically two ways a wine can end up with gas in it. I'll go over them...

My Cabernet Franc and Carmenere, made from juice, both need to have their acid levels increased. Both went through malolactic fermentation. What type of acid is best to use? I have acid blend but it contains malic acid. Would using malic acid defeat the purpose of malolactic fermentation?Name: Dennis D.State: Ohio Hello Dennis, There are three main reasons for wanting a malolactic fermentation...

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...

I have purchased 2 of your 9 gallon Tuff-Tanks and planned to use as both the primary and secondary fermenters. I read your article re: vinegar issues and you indicated air exposure can be an issue. Is using the 9 gallon tuff tank an issue for secondary fermentation? I find the tuff tanks an easy apparatus to use for transferring and racking as gravity flow works well and sediment separation is...

1. Are the mushroom caps easy to install, or do you need special equipment. Do they seal as well as regular corks, (over time). 2. Wine bottles that have a screw top, can you reuse them with a cork.Name: Tom H.State: Davison, Mi Hello Tom, The Mushroom corks are very easy to install. This is the biggest advantage to using them over traditional wine bottle corks. You do not need a wine bottle...

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....

My red wines have been coming out great, but are not clear even after many rackings. Is there anything to add to reds wines to prevent this?Name: Bruce K.State: CA Hello Bruce, Anytime a wine is not clearing the first thing you have to ask yourself is: "has the wine completed its fermentation?" The number one reason a wine does not to clear is because the fermentation is still continuing...

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...

I am making a Cab Sauvignon from the California Connoisseur wine kit. I also plan on making a Merlot next and would like to blend some of the two wines before bottling. I would like to save half of the Cab in a 3 gal carboy and bottle the other half. However, at what step in the process is it best to store the bulk Cab while I am making the Merlot? After Stabilization and...

I just started my first batch of home made wine. I didn't use tap water because it's salt water. I used distilled water. After coming to your site I found out that it's not good to use distilled water. Is there anything I can do to save my wine? Or would I be better of starting over?Name: RoryState: Michigan Hello Rory, Let me start off by saying that using distilled water does not mean the wine...

I will be bottling my first batch in the next week or so. Planning it out, I would find it much easier to dispense the wine via the spout on the large fermentation container. However the wine is finishing up its process in the 6 gal carboy. The question is, is it safe to move the wine from the carboy to the fermentation container at the moment I am ready to bottle? I would certainly be sure I...

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...

I think I'm obtaining an off-taste with my Muscadine wine because it needs additional degassing. I degas the wine once after the 7 day initial fermentation. Can I also degas again after 30 days and right before the first rack? I understand that the degassing technique may place unwanted oxygen into the wine.....what do you recommend? ThanksName: HermanatorState: Missouri Hello Hermanator, I would...

I would like to mark my wine bottles without using labels which can be difficult to remove for my next batch of wine. Is there an easy way to mark my bottles that can be removed the next time I use them?Name: Curtis B.State: CO Hello Curtis, There are several ways you could go about marking wine bottles without using wine bottle labels. Most home winemakers will use a color code. Each batch...

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...

I bottled a batch of strawberry wine which had cleared up perfectly, but then within a couple months, small light colored particles appeared in the bottles. If the bottle is shaken, some of the particles dissolve, but after an hour or two they reappear. The wine tastes great, but with the floating particles, it's difficult to share it with others. What could the problem be? I have another 6 gallon...