VineCo Recommended Equipment and Supplies

Airlocks are another one of those necessary pieces of equipment for every homebrewer. If you ferment in a carboy or bucket this 3 piece airlock is a must! It’s a popular alternative to the triple ripple type of airlock because it can be taken apart and cleaned, and is easy to fill. (However we do sell the triple ripple type (FE371) in case you are used to that type and would like to stay with it.) While a simple device not all airlocks are the same. Some other designs have only a couple holes in the plastic lid and this can cause the airlock to pop out during an active fermentation. Our design features multiple holes that allow CO2 to escape easily. Additionally some other airlocks have a cross hatch design on the bottom. We have found this more easily leads to Krausen clogs and the airlock being pushed out of the fermenter. Ours is open, allowing Krausen foam to enter the airlock if necesary. Better to clean your airlock out than to find it laying on the floor next to your fermenter 3 days later. Another cool feature of this 3-piece airlock is that 1/2" ID Silicone tubing will fit onto the center post for use as a blowoff. In the cases where you are using a yeast known to produce lots of Krausen (wlp002 from White Labs or 1968 from Wyeast for example) remove the top cover, remove the plastic 'hat', and install the silicone tubing. Run the silicone tubing into a jar or bucket of water. When fermentation dies back down remove the tubing and replace the hat and cover. Please Note: Airlock only - stopper not included.

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Universal stoppers have a longer taper to help produce a better fit and a snug seal, and a lip which prevents them from falling into your container. Available with a 3/8 inch hole for an airlock, or solid with no hole. #10 size is recommended for PET carboys.

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Accurately measure your starting and finishing gravity in beer or wine Triple scaled in specific gravity, potential alcohol, and Brix Comes with storage tube and directions Hydrometers are one of the most necessary tools in homebrewing. Our Triple Scale Hydrometer allows you to read your gravity, potential alcohol content, and brix. A hydrometer is perhaps the most essential piece of measuring & testing equipment in any home brewery. Used it at every stage of brew to keep up with the health and progress of your brew.  This convenient hydrometer features three scales--specific gravity, potential alcohol and brix--and is handy for both brewing and winemaking. It measures 9 inches long and comes with complete, detailed instructions for proper use.  Scale Ranges: Specific Gravity: 0.982 - 1.160 Potential Alcohol: 0-20% Brix: -4 - 35  

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Potassium Metabisulfite, (often referred to as "SO2", "sulfites" "meta", or "meta-bi") has several uses in winemaking. At the crush, sulfites are generally used to help control the spoilage bacteria and indigenous yeast that may already be present both on the fruit and in the winery (i.e. on the picking bins, processing equipment, tanks, tubing, etc). The amount generally used is enough to inhibit most of the unwanted organisms but not enough to hinder a cultured yeast, which has a higher tolerance to sulfites than most of the indigenous organisms do. This inhibition effectively "wipes the slate clean" for the cultured yeast to step in and rapidly colonize the must so that it can effectively dominate the subsequent fermentation. In addition, sulfites also help to inhibit the enzymatic browning of both musts and finished wines so that all of their delicate complexities can be preserved. Later, during storage and in the bottle, sulfites at the proper levels will further protect a wine by continuing to inhibit spoilage organisms, as well as by scavenging oxygen. Note that the exact amount needed to effectively do the job is determined by the pH of the wine. Refer to our MoreManuals! on Red or White Winemaking or one of the winemaking books that we offer for a complete explanation on how to properly manage sulfites. In addition, it's important to keep in mind that free SO2 levels fall faster in wood cooperage than in glass or stainless, so if you are using a barrel you will most likely need to manage sulfite levels more closely. The most common form of Metabisulfite is as a powder which is fixed with potassium or sodium. 1/4 tsp of Potassium Metabisulfite adds 50ppm to 5 gallons of must. Old Metabisulfite loses potency with time and should be replaced every year to assure that you are getting correct levels. You can use old Metabisulfite to make solutions for sanitizing equipment.

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What does this bottle filler have that the rest don't? A removable tip and spring that make this model easily sanitized. Plus, the spring inside can be removed if you prefer the action of a springless bottle filler. The actual "wand" on the filler is 12 inches long.

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Your days of lugging heavy glass carboys around are over thanks to these plastic carboys! Our Plastic Carboys are made from 100% Virgin PET plastic, which is far more resistant to oxygen than regular plastic. They’re much lighter and safer than glass, which is good if you need to move your fermenter around the house to find the right temperature. Full carboys can be heavy and hard to maneuver and glass can break resulting in possible injury. In addition to being safer to handle, they’re more economical than glass as well. With no ribs on the sides, there’s no place for yeast and sediment to collect, making cleaning a breeze. We suggest cleaning them with an overnight PBW soak, shake, rinse, and sanitize. You’ll want to avoid vigorous scrubbing during cleaning to avoid scratches.   Two special features we love about our PET Carboys are the punted base and extra head space. The punted base makes the carboy easier to hold while carrying or pouring, and prevents sediment disturbance during transfers. The extra head space is a huge plus to make sure you have enough room for when your fermentation gets going.    Specifications: Uses a #10 stopper or a 5 Gallon Carboy Hood. Weighs 1.5 lbs Rated to 140 degrees F Height: 19.25 inches Diameter: 11.25 inches Completely taste and odor free  Carboys can withstand up to 15 psi of pressure with no deformation Punted base to prevent sediment disturbances during transfer  

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Accurately measure your starting and finishing gravity in beer or wine Triple scaled in specific gravity, potential alcohol, and sugar per liter Color coded scale referenced for beer and wine Comes with storage case and directions Made in France Our basic hydrometer is an essential tool for testing starting and finishing beer gravity, or sugar content, in beer or wine fermentations. Has three scales—specific gravity, potential alcohol, and sugar per liter. 9" long. Comes in storage case with complete, helpful directions. Scale Ranges: Specific Gravity: 0.980–1.150 Potential Alcohol: 0–18% Sugar Per Liter: -60–340 Converting SPL to Brix One degree Brix is equal to one gram of sugar per 100 mL of solution. Since a liter is equal to 1000 mL, you can calculate the Brix by dividing Sugar Per Liter by 10. Therefore, a must that contains 210 grams of sugar per liter is equal to 21 Brix.

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Cork wine bottles with this twin lever wing corker. The wing corker holds bottles in place by using a spring mechanism to grab the bottle neck while the cork is being inserted. Place a cork in the chamber and lower the handles while applying even pressure. The depth of how far the cork is inserted can be changed by adjusting the 2 nuts at the top of the shaft. Adjustable cork height Long handles for better leverage Compact design All metal contrsuction (except grips/handles)

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Universal stoppers have a longer taper to help produce a better fit and a snug seal, and a lip which prevents them from falling into your container. Available with a 3/8 inch hole for an airlock, or solid with no hole. #10 size is recommended for PET carboys.

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Stainless steel measuring spoon set for measuring such brewing items as water mofidiers, irish moss, lactic acid, yeast nutrient, etc. This set includes four spoons from 1/4 tsp (1ml) to 1 tblsp (15ml).

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30'' x 1/2" OD acrylic racking cane, 5' hose, racking clip, hose clamp. Used to siphon beer or wine from carboy to carboy.  

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A food grade, 28" high temp plastic spoon perfect for stirring the mash or wort during brewing. Works best with 4 to 10 gallon size kettles. Tip: Turn the spoon upside down and use the skinny end to stir inside a carboy. Plastic spoons are preferred when using plastic fermenters or bottling buckets as they are less likely to scratch.

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Italian-made wine bottle brush. You might like this design because it has a tuft on the end that is good at getting the corners of your bottles.  Customers also like this brush for the easier entry and exit into the bottle neck compared to other brushes. Plastic handle is a little easier to grab as well. Made in Italy 18" long x 2.25" Diameter. 

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750 mL wine bottles. Antique green color, claret (Bordeaux) style. Standard cork finish. Punted bottom. Sold in cases of 12 with dividers. Case: 12 Bottles Pallet Layer: 16 Cases Full Pallet: 64 Cases    

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This is a high quality agglomerated cork with solid end caps. An agglomerated cork is a cork that is composed of many small pieces that are pressed and adhered together. As the quality of cork has declined many wineries have begun to use alternative corks, such as synthetics or these agglomerated corks to insure a good seal in their wine. These corks offer the assurance of a good seal while at the same time allowing the breathing properties that solid corks offer. Agglomerated corks work best with floor corkers as they are hard to put in with hand corkers (they do not compress as much.)

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Start making great wine at home with a small investment in some quality equipment. This inexpensive starter package includes all the equipment you will need to begin making wine with VineCo's extensive line of concentrate kits. These kits are designed to make 23 liters of wine, or about 6 gallons. Primary fermentation will take place in the included 7.9 gallon bucket. After the primary fermentation is complete you will transfer the wine into the included 6 gallon carboy leaving behind the sediment from fermentation. We have included all the necessary cleaning and testing equipment. Also included are corks and a corker for bottling and corking your own wine. You will need to purchase a wine concentrate kit. You will also need to save or buy approximately (30) 750ml wine bottles (2.5 cases). Included In Kit: 7.9 gallon food grade bucket and lid with airlock hole 6 gallon plastic carboy for aging Airlock and stopper 7/16" Siphon assembly Bottle brush Sample taker/thief Triple scale hydrometer Bottle filler with removable spring Bottle corker 100 Corks - 1 3/4 in. One Step Cleanser  

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