BREW CRAFT BASIC WINE MAKING EQUIPMENT

Air-lock - Used to keep fermenting gasses (carbon dioxide) into, and air out-of, the fermenting vessel. Many different styles are available and neither one is radically superior to any other. Fill the air-lock sufficiently with sulphite solution to provide a positive seal. 

Bottle Filler - A handy device consisting of a rigid plastic rod about 13” long with a simple yet effective valve at one end used for filling your bottles. Once you start your siphon the flow will continue as long as the tip of this rod is touching the bottom of the bottle, once full you simply pull this bottle filler out of the bottle, the flow automatically stops, and place it in the next bottle. Once the tip touches the bottom of the bottle again the flow continues. 

Bung - A natural rubber seal positioned between the air-lock and the fermenting vessel, its only purpose is to provide a good seal between the two pieces of equipment.

Diversol – A chlorine based detergent used to clean equipment. It is mandatory that all equipment is thoroughly cleaned before use and then rinsed well with clear water. (See Sodium Metabisulphite)

Floating Thermometer – Quite simply a thermometer that is encased in a glass vial that floats in your beer  in order to determine the temperature of the mixture. Accurate temperature readings are important for the application of the yeast.

Glass Carboy - A secondary fermentation vessel. Carboys are available in both glass and plastic, the former being the preferred and the one included in the Brew Craft equipment. The main purpose of a carboy is to prevent oxidation, a BAD thing. Once the fermentation in the primary fermenter reaches its proper Specific Gravity, the wine must be racked into the carboy. The continuation of the fermentation process in the carboy is to prevent oxidation from occruing in your wine.

Hydrometer -  A device used to determine the Specific Gravity of your wine. The Specific Gravity is used to determine the alcohol level of your wine and to monitor the fermentation progress. 

Primary Fermenter - A food grade container used for the primary fermentation of beer or wine. We recommend a 30 litre fermenter which allows for a vigorous fermentation without fear of over-flowing. Smaller sizes are available but, with them, one runs the risk of spillage and generally a mess. Our fermenters come with a soft cover, which permits easy installation and removal. 

Racking Tube - A rigid plastic rod used in racking or siphoning. It is used in conjunction with a sediment tip and siphon hose. Usual length 30”. A good tip is to use two racking tubes one for siphoning out of one container and on in the container you are siphoning into. Remember that you must always rack to the bottom of whatever you are racking into. This eliminates the possibility of oxidation caused during the racking process. 

Sediment Tip - A plastic ‘cap’ that fits on the end of a racking tube that permits racking of liquid without picking up the sediment that has settled on the bottom of the vessel. A sediment tip must always be used when racking from a container containing sediment. 

Sodium Metabisulphite - A chemical used for sterilization. After cleaning, all equipment must be sterilized with this solution to minimize the possibility of bacteria being introduced into your brew. Following application the chemical must be rinsed from the equipment. 

Spoon - A plastic food grade spoon is used to stir your brew. Two different styles are available one is spoon shaped and the other is paddle (fan) shaped. 

Siphon Hose - A flexible hose used in racking or siphoning. The normal length is five feet, but any convenient length for your application is available.

Thief - A handy device used to take samples out of the fermenter. It has a simple drop valve on the lower end, which holds the sample in the tube and allows of easy release of the sample. Once the sample is taken all you have to do is drop in your hydrometer to get a Specific Gravity reading. The Thief is used in place of the hydrometer test tube. 

BREW CRAFT OPTIONAL WINE MAKING EQUIPMENT

Bottle Tree - Just as the name implies, this handy device is the perfect answer to draining your bottles after they have been washed or sterilized. The tree consists of a large base, formed like a trough in order to hold the drained water, and any number of trunk and arm sections. Typically the unit comes with sufficient arms, branches, to hold 45 to 47 bottles, depending on the particular unit. This will form your basic tree. If you require additional branches to hold more bottles, in the case of a double batch of wine or one batch of beer, you can add sections to the tree. 

Bottle Washer – A washer assembly that connects to your faucet either directly or with the use of an adapter. This unit sprays water into your overturned bottle to facilitate easy rinsing. The unit contains an automatic valve that shuts off the water when the bottle is removed. 

Brushes – A wide assortment of brushes are available to help clean your bottles and carboys. Carboys should always be brushed out directly following their use. If not sediment will cake on to the inside of the carboy permitting the formation of bacteria and making later cleaning more difficult. Bottles should always be washed out following emptying to make later cleaning easier. Always brush out bottles to eliminate the possibility of mold or dirt from escaping the cleaning process. Remember you can’t be too clean. 

Carboy Handle – A safety device which attaches to your carboy to assist in carrying and moving.  They come in many styles from plastic coated metal, which wrap around the neck of the carboy, to plastic rings, which strap around the mid-section of the carboy, to woven mesh straps that wrap around the carboy. Each is good and each will give additional support when carrying or moving your carboy. A definite must, and anyone who has dropped a carboy can attest to their usefulness. 

Corker- A mechanical device necessary for the insertion of corks into bottles. Corkers come in many styles ranging from the economical plastic hand corker (for very small batches),  the plastic two lever corker (not recommended), the two lever metal hand corker (highly recommended), the standard upright floor corker with plastic jaws (highly recommended) and finally the heavy duty upright floor corker with solid brass jaws. Either of the three latter models are great corkers and their purchase will be determined by how much you want to spend on a corker.

De-Gasser – A stirring apparatus that attaches to the end of a drill. These devices are invaluable when it comes time to de-gas your wine. Instead of stirring for three days, usually one use of a wine de-gasser will be sufficient. Simply remove about a litre of wine from your carboy (be sure to save), wrap a towel around the neck of the carboy to catch any foam and to prevent a mess, attach your degassing rod to your drill, sterilize, insert into the carboy and start the drill. You will find a lot of gas is produced, this is the gas you want to get out of your wine. After a few short minutes your wine is completely de-gassed. Return the previously removed wine to the carboy.

Heating Belt – A heating belt used to keep the temperature of your fermentation up to proper temperature when fermenting in cooler temperatures. These belts normally produce about 20 watts and their position on the bucket or carboy determine the amount of heat that is available. The lower the belt is on the fermenting vessel the more heat is absorbed.

Sulphiter Dish - A dish containing a manual pump assembly used to squirt cleaning solution and sterilizing solution up into your bottles. A great time saver, simply pour your cleaning or sterilizing solution into the dish, place your inverted bottle over the shaft and push down. Your solution will be squirted up into the bottle. Job done, simple and effective.

Wine Filter – Many debates have ensued over whether wine needs to be filtered. In essence it does not need to be filtered! To start with you cannot filter a cloudy wine, this means that your wine is clear to start with. Well then, why filter? Filtering will give your wine that polished look. It removes the material still in suspension that you cannot see but is evident if you hold your glass up to the light. Light will refract through a filtered wine much clearer than a wine that has not been filtered. Also, if you plan on cellaring your wine for long periods, the filtering process will remove particles that will eventually settle in your wine. Basically is comes down to a personal preference.