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Wine Making Kits: Would You Share This Wine With Friends?
from: Jim HofmanMaking wine at home has long been popular, with origins in the United States going back to the 19th century. Wine lovers who immigrated from Europe brought with them a knowledge of making wine, and often did so for personal consumption. There still exists a common misconception that making wine at home is illegal. It's not, as long as you don't sell the wine you make at home.
Wine making for personal consumption is, in a way, similar to gardening. Growing or producing a product for personal consumption lends a sense of pride, although wine making is much more complex than growing carrots. You'll need special wine making equipment, which years ago was cumbersome and bulky. Now, there are self contained wine making kits which fit neatly into any small space, like the corner of a basement.
Let's take a look at what you get when you buy a wine making kit. Typically, most starter kits run anywhere from $125 to $200. You'll receive a complete set of wine making gadgets and supplies which will include everything you need to produce your first batch of wine.
With a wine making starter kit, not much is left to chance. You'll be provided a detailed set of instructions, with no knowledge assumed. That actually worked well for us since we knew absolutely nothing about making wine. The entire process takes anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, from opening the wine kit box to actually drinking the wine.
The Process And The Taste
With the detailed step by step instructions, the wine making process wasn't difficult, but it is a bit stop and go. After the first step, which is mixing ingredients, there's a 24 hour waiting period so the ingredients can settle. Then, another cleansing process at the 6 day mark, followed by a 4 to 6 week wait while the mixture ferments into wine.
Our first batch was, well, our first batch. Certainly not a masterpiece, but drinkable nonetheless. It was what we'd call a simple red table wine, and we were encouraged enough to try the process again. We learned that wine making is a skill that improves the more you practice.
The next batch yielded better results. We produced an apricot wine, using a recipe modeled after a wine we'd enjoyed on one of our U.S. wine trails travels. We were brave enough to share some of this wine with friends and family, and were pleasantly surprised that it received positive reviews (and requests for a 2nd glass).
We've basically stayed with fruit wines since then, as we're able to experiment somewhat in terms of how much fruit we add and how it affects the end product. While we still enjoy a good wine purchase, it's been fun to share with people that we're wine makers!
In summary, if you like wine and get a kick out of gardening, maybe wine making is for you. An element of patience is required, as well as a willingness to experiment and accept that the occasional batch will outright flop. However, you'll have a hard time surpressing your pride when a friend or family member compliments you on your wine making skills!
Jim Hofman is an author and owner of several wine related websites, and a beginning wine maker. For more information, you're cordially invited to visit Jim's resource site dedicated to wine, wine accessories, and (http://www.wine101.info) Wine Making Kits. Cheers! Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber (http://www.uberarticles.com/home.php?id=38977&b=771) Article Directory
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