1. Don’t use a sheet to cover the primary fermenter as suggested. Use a food-grade plastic pail with a tight-fitting lid and airlock. You can find this at any wine stock. This will keep air from getting in and oxidizing the wine while allowing the gases to escape.

2. Always check the specific gravity of the wine after the primary and secondary fermentations to make sure it is finished or you may end up with bubbly, yeasty wine.

In response to the question about if making your own wine saves money: if you are a wine drinker it will absolutely save money. My equipment cost less than $100 total (and its pretty good stuff). Kits are usually less than $50 for average quality wine (less than $2 per bottle).

I think you have to weigh how much wine you would purchase (either to drink or give away or for cooking) vs. how much wine you would make on your own. Maybe, just maybe, if you were a psuedo oenophile it may adjust your thinking that not all good bottles of wine must be measured by their price tag.

Also, If you end up drinking more because you’ve made your own wine, then I think the economic benefits would be reduced.

Ultimately you have to look at this as an enjoyable pursuit, like a hobby, rather than measure it strictly on dollars and cents. Like the article “Financial Regrets” we can’t be consumed with how much every activity costs when there can be unquantifiable, but very real, personal satisfaction achieved.

You can get some kind of skill and or hobby out of this – but in terms of saving money – I think it would cost more to make your own wine since you have to put time and effort into it and also the supplies. It wouldn’t be economical. It would be an economic cost – wouldn’t you agree?

Da! Bien sur.

;) So you speak French in Russian? ROFL.

‘nd fer those of us who can reg’laraly travel souse of the border, it can be even cheeper!

A good wine or flavourful beer is a delight at the right times, and easily worth the small premium. Even if like us, you toss away the cork once you open it, it’s only about two glasses each. Unless you get the bottle this guy found!

DAvid

My brother has taken to doing the brew your own wine at a wine store, where they do all the mixing and such and you just bottle it yourself. Every time someone comes over and he opens up a bottle he comments on how inexpensive it is (I think 30 bottles of what he gets is $120).

I enjoyed the wine making series. It’s a good way to be frugal, not only as wine for yourself, but it can also make a great gift for little expense. Whenever I go to someone’s house, I bring them a $3-5 bottle of my latest wine and they’re thrilled!

Really, though, as long as you aren’t buying it in a bar or restaurant, wine and beer aren’t really that expensive. A beer after work, or a glass of wine with dinner really isn’t going to set you back that much. It’s a less expensive habit than going to Starbucks every morning.

Sometimes this includes ways to keep more money in your pocket to pay down debt or invest. Making your own wine could serve to do that. Plus it could realize additional benefits in terms of self-satisfaction of acquiring a new skill (which could end up fruitful (no pun intended) down the road when you retire) and making you the most interesting person in the world.

I don’t always drink my own wine, but when I do, I drink a lot.

Stay thirsty my friends.

There has been enough ‘whining’ on this site… it’s time someone stood up, told those people to put a ‘cork’ in it, and ‘buck’ the trend by making your own wine.

HBoy,

Do they have wine making clubs or organizations? Just wondering if there are like-minded people that get together formally to share stories and ideas.