Buying The Right Wine Press For The Job

Posted on by

Wine Press Basket Close UpAll wine presses pretty much operate the same way. Crushed grapes are dumped into the wine press basket and a pressing plate is forced down against them until they give-up the juice.
Accept for an import or two coming in from China, the quality of all the wine presses I currently see for sale are excellent. They are all produced by companies that specialize in winery equipment, not toys, and any of them will make you a happy owner.
So, what should you be looking for when shopping for a wine press?
The most important consideration is going to be size. Wine presses come in an array of sizes, from very small, all the way up to monstrous in size. You need to pick the size that fits your needs.
If you get a wine press that’s too small, you’ll have an annoying amount of pressings to do per batch of wine. If you get a wine press that’s too big you may be spending more money than necessary.
So out of all the different wine presses for sale, which one is the right size?
Realistically, you want a wine press that will require no more than 12 pressings per batch and no fewer than 3 pressings. Wine presses that don’t fit into this range, based on your batch size will work but should probably not be considered.
For example, we offer 3 different sized presses:

Shop Wine PressesThe R-30 press would be good for batches around 15 to 60 gallons, the R-25 would be good for batches around 10 to 35 gallons, and the Table-Top Press would be good for batches around 3 to 12 gallons.
Do you plan on making larger batches of wine in the future?
If so, do you want  to hedge you current purchase with a wine press that is larger than you currently need, or you could end up shopping for another wine press in the near future. Only you can really answer this question.
With all the wine press for sale on the market, I hope this clear things up for you a bit. It can be a big decision to make, especially when you consider that an wine press could potentially become a family heirloom.
———————————–
Ed Kraus is a 3rd generation home brewer/winemaker and has been an owner of E. C. Kraus since 1999. He has been helping individuals make better wine and beer for over 25 years.

You Should Be Making Your Own Wine

Posted on by

Recently, many studies have indicated wine drinkers experience health benefits such as, lower mortality rate, reduced risk of heart attack, reduced risk of chronic disease such as Type 2 Diabetes, and slower brain decline. But, did you know making wine has benefits as well? Let’s explore some ways that making wine is beneficial to your overall wellbeing: Continue reading →

Our Top 5 Favorite Wine Labels

Posted on by

Whether it is your first time making wine or you are an experienced wine maker, personalized wine labels are a great addition to any bottle of wine. Wine labels can be used to create your own unique brand or you can create custom gift labels for a variety of occasions. We put together a collection of our top 5 favorite DIY label ideas from around the Internet to give you some inspiration for your next batch of homemade wine.
Continue reading →

Ready to Make Your Own Wine? Make Sure You Do These 3 Things Before You Start

Posted on by

Making wine for the first time can often make you feel like a mad scientist. Even when following a recipe step-by-step, uncertainty about the finished product remains. Will it taste good? Did I add enough yeast? How long is too long for fermentation? These are all questions you may ask yourself the first time you make wine.
Perfecting the art of making wine takes practice and several batches. However, there are a few things you can do to make sure your first batch doesn’t leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. Continue reading →

Make Wine Using Cheap Fruit From Your Grocery Store

Posted on by

Did you ever think, while passing by the produce at your grocery store, you could purchase that fruit to make wine? Believe it or not, it is possible to make delicious wine from your average grocery store inventory. Trying out different types of fruit will expand your palate and help you move away from the strict red and white divide. Based on how much you’re looking to spend and the flavor you desire, here are some of the best grocery store fruits for home winemaking.
Continue reading →

Gluten Free Home Brewing

Posted on by

Gluten Free Grains For Home BrewingYou’ve probably noticed a huge rise in the number of gluten-free products on grocery store shelves. Estimates vary, but it is generally accepted that about 1% of the US population suffers from Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the small intestines. A rapidly growing number of people are choosing to go gluten-free for other dietary and health reasons, and in the home brewing world it’s no different. Gluten free home brewing is become more prevalent.

But what is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in certain cereal grains such as barley, wheat, and rye. It’s this protein that causes bread dough to stick together and hold its shape.
Obviously barley, wheat, and rye are all common ingredients in home brewing. There are a few breweries that make gluten-free beer from barley and wheat, then use an enzyme to break down the gluten in the beer. According to the USDA, these beers may be labeled “gluten-free”, but trace amounts of gluten remain and these beers are not suitable for people with severe Celiac’s disease.
Fortunately, there are several gluten-free grains which can be used in gluten free homebrewing, including:

  • Oats (must be labeled gluten-free)
  • Sorghum
  • Quinoa
  • Rice
  • Corn
  • Millet
  • Buckwheatshop_home_brew_starter_kit

Among these, rice and corn are very frequently used in home brewing recipes. They are commonly used to brew light lagers. Rice and corn are a cheap source of fermentable sugars, so for a very large brewery, the savings can be significant. On the other hand, rice and corn contribute little flavor and color. If you or someone you know has a severe gluten allergy, take extra care to make sure the gluten-free grains that you use are not contaminated with grains that have gluten.

Gluten Free Home Brewing with Sorghum
Sorghum is considered one of the grains which most closely resembles barley in terms of brewhouse performance making it a great substitute in a gluten free beer recipe. Examples of commercial beers made with sorghum include Bard’s and New Grist. Even Guinness makes a version of their stout made with sorghum for their African market.
For gluten free home brewing, one option would be to malt your own gluten-free grains. However this is a challenging and time-consuming process. The alternative is to use a sorghum extract. One could then experiment with small amounts of gluten-free grains to contribute flavor and body. You can also use adjunct sugars like cane sugar and molasses to increase gravity or alter color.
Brewer’s Best takes out the guesswork out of gluten-free brewing with a gluten free beer recipe kit. The kit includes:Shop Steam Freak Kits

  • 6.6 lbs. Sorghum Extract
  • 1 lb. Golden Candi Syrup
  • 8 oz. Maltodextrine
  • Orange and lemon peel
  • 2 oz. Cascade hops
  • Yeast

The result is a lightly colored, moderately hopped Belgian-style pale ale with a flavorful blend of floral and citrus character.
Consider buying two kits at a 10% discount and experiment a bit with the second one! What gluten-free creations can you come up with?
———————————–
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

5 Yeast Strains For Brewing High Gravity Beers

Posted on by

Yeast for Brewing High Gravity BeerWhen brewing high gravity beers (i.e. high alcohol beers), the beer yeast needs to work a little harder to convert the extra sugar into alcohol. Not all beer yeast strains are cut out for the job. Some get tired, some can’t handle the extra booze. (Sounds like some people I know!)
Here are five beer yeast strains to consider using when brewing high gravity beers.

High Gravity Yeast Strains

  • Wyeast 3787: Liquid Beer Yeast: Trappist High Gravity – Wyeast 3787 is great for brewing high gravity Belgian style beers such as Dubbels, Tripels, and Belgian Strong Ales. This beer yeast strain tolerates alcohol content up to 11-12% ABV or higher and produces the fruity flavors and aromas characteristic of Belgian ales.
  • Red Star Pasteur Champagne Yeast – When going where a normal high gravity beer yeast won’t (say, higher than 12% ABV), a champagne or wine yeast can help reach those higher levels of alcohol content. If going for a super high gravity beer, pitch a standard beer yeast strain for the primary fermentation, then add more fermentable ingredients, such as simple syrup or dissolved candi sugar, along with a pack of champagne yeast during secondary fermentation to achieve that higher alcohol content.

Tips for Brewing High Gravity Beers

  • As important (if not more so) than picking the right beer yeast strain, is pitching enough healthy yeast to completely ferment the wort. A beer yeast starter will help ensure that there are enough yeast cells to get the job done. Use a yeast pitch calculator to figure out how many packets of yeast or the volume of yeast starter you need.Shop Nutrients
  • Also use yeast nutrient and be sure to aerate the wort well prior to pitching the beer yeast.
  • If you’re trying to get above ~10-12% alcohol by volume, consider adding more fermentable ingredients to the secondary fermenter, combined with an additional yeast pitch using a different yeast strain.

Are you brewing high gravity beers? What tips do you have for achieving a higher alcohol content?
———————————–
David Ackley is a beer writer, brewer, and self-described “craft beer crusader.” He holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is founder and editor of the Local Beer Blog.

How To Tell If Your Potassium Metabisulfite Is Old

Posted on by

Potassium Metabisulfite That Is OldHow do I know when Potassium Metabisulfite is old?
Name: Mike R.
State: PA
—–
Hello Mike,
This is a simple but important question. Mainly because potassium metabisulfite is responsible for doing so much throughout the wine making process. A home winemaker relies on it heavily. If you are blindsided with some potassium metabisulfite that is old, it could cost you a batch of you precious wine.
The problem with old potassium metabisulfite is not that it will directly ruin the wine. It doesn’t change into something that is harmful. It just loses its sanitizing power. It becomes weaker and weaker as time passes on. Eventually, it will come to a point that it is not doing it’s job successfully.
Unfortunately, there is no practical way to tell if the potassium metabisulfite you have is old or not other than by age. You can try smelling the granules to see if you can smell any sulfur coming off, but this won’t even tell you if it is strong enough to protect your wine. Time or age is the best predictor.
If you purchased the potassium metabisulfite within the past 12 months, it should be fine. The only exception would be if humidity or moisture got to it. This would cause sulfites to leave the potassium metabisulfite as a SO2 gas, leaving you with a weaker powder. If the potassium metabisulfite has become hard, this could be the case.
If it is older than one year, you should be cautious, but it is most likely to still be okay to use, especially if it was stored in a cool, dry place. If you purchased it more than 3 years ago, then without question, throw it away. It’s not worth even trying or taking the risk.Shop Sulfite Tester
If you are not sure when you purchased the potassium metabisulfite and you got it from us, you can call and we will be able to tell you when you purchased the potassium metabisulfite. We keep all your purchases on file.
The ultimate way to know the strength of your potassium metabisulfite is to test it with an SO2 testing kit. By doing this you can know the exact strength of your sulfite. There are certain situation where this may be necessary.
My thought on this is the cost of buying fresh potassium metabisulfite is nothing compared to loosing a batch of homemade wine. Your time along with the cost of other the ingredients being on the line, I say just keep the potassium metabisulfite fresh.
Happy Winemaking,
Ed Kraus
————————————
Ed Kraus is a 3rd generation home brewer/winemaker and has been an owner of E. C. Kraus since 1999. He has been helping individuals make better wine and beer for over 25 years.