Supplies
| Redstar Dry Yeast | Lavlin Dry Yeast |
|---|---|
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I prefer to use dry yeast because it costs less than the liquid yeast. I have used both the Redstar and the Lavlin yeast with a lot of success. I prefer the Lavlin yeast because it seems to make a smoother, fruitier wine.
| Campden Tablets | Acid Blend | Yeast Nutrient |
|---|---|---|
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I crush the campden tablets between 2 spoons before adding to the must.
| Grape Tannin | Potassium Sorbate | Pectin Enzyme |
|---|---|---|
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In place of grape tannin, you can use raisins. Pectin enzyme also comes in liquid form and will need to be stored in fridge after opening.
| White Oak Chips | Hungarian Oak Chips |
|---|---|
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The white oak will give you a lighter oak flavor where the Hungarian oak will give you a more robust flavor. Very Important - Don't let your wine sit on oak chips for more than 8 weeks. I made the mistake of letting them sit for almost a year. The wine was "puckery" and I had to throw it out.
Other Items that you will need
- Finings - There are several different finings to use. I primarily use unflavored gelatin if I need to fine
- Bottle cleaner - The brush and the chemical. I use One-Step Sanitizer or Oxi-Clean to sanitize my bottles. Also, an attachment that goes on your faucet is nice to really clean the crud out.
- Corks - Real cork works best with a corker so try and get the real cork. I use a lot of screw top bottles becasue they are easier to work with.
