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...

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 just started my first batch of Mead. I followed your recipe to the tee. Now after 4 days my SG is 1.062, when will it drop to 1.030-1.040.?Name: Tony A.State: So.Dakota Hello Tony, What you are experiencing is not all that uncommon when fermenting honey, so don't feel like you've done anything wrong or that the Mead is doomed to failure. This is a simple issue with a simple fix. There is an...

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...

Hi, I was told by a local winemaker, that if you add vanilla bean to a racking of chardonnay, it gives it a subtle nice flavor. Well, we put just half a vanilla bean in and racked it for a month. We just racked again and took the vanilla bean out. The wine has a weird plastic-like taste and smell to it that is rather unpleasant. We are so disappointed because we were so looking forward to...

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 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...

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...

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 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...

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 made 5 gallons of pear wine from fresh pears and added a half gallon of citrus pomegranate from concentrate which was cloudy thus my wine is cloudy. I added Super Kleer after second racking and it partially cleared the wine. Can I add more Super Kleer or this is as clear as it will get?Name: MikeState: Indiana Hello Mike, Sounds like you might have a problem, Mike. Let's see what we can do...

I have made this several times-has always turned out very well. However, this time (same recipe), it's not clearing. I have changed the carboy 3 times since early November, still not clearing. (Did the flashlight test). The temperature in the room stays perfect for it-just don't understand it...It smells wonderful! Any advice, would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Laura Name: Laura State: MN Hello...

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...

I am about to make my first batch of Prickly Pear Wine. One of the lovely people at your company e-mailed some information and a wine recipe, but I seem to have misplaced it. I have five gallons of prickly pear juice in my freezer that I will use for the wine and other wine recipes this year. The five gallons of juice I have in the freezer came from approximately 105 pounds of fresh fruit from the...

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...