Basic Kit Making Process

NOTE: This post is in beta, and is being reviewed for accuracy and completeness.

updated 02/22/2025

The internet is wonderful, because there is so much information freely available. Simultaneously, the internet is horrible because there is so much incorrect information freely available!

Winemaking is a prime example. On WineMakingTalk, a lot of beginners ask for help to fix their wine, as what someone told them to do, or what was in a YouTube video or some blog was bad advice. Please believe that it’s far easier to start someone on a good path than it is to fix a wine already on a bad path.

Something that makes this harder is that most questions in winemaking have more than one valid answer, so the budding winemaker may hear what sounds like conflicting advice, yet both points of view are valid. Winemaking has the potential to be a complicated process.

This post is intended to answer common questions and provide a general procedure for making a wine kit. This process gets a new winemaker started and follows through to bottling.

Please note that this post is NOT intended to be a comprehensive guide to winemaking, nor will it answer all questions. The target audience is new kit winemakers who have no experienced assistance. Many things are simplified as the beginner is already overwhelmed with detail.

Note 1:

This post is focused specifically on kit wine making. The most common sized kit is 23 liters, meaning that the kit contains a lesser amount of juice/concentrate, and the winemaker reconstitutes this to 23 liter, which is 6 US gallons. While there are 1 and 3 gallon kits (possibly other sizes), measurements in this post are for the 23 liter kit. Measurements can be scaled to other size kits.

Note 2:

Kit wines are marketed as being bottled in 4 to 8 weeks. This can certainly be done. However, I recommend not bottling wines before 4 months of age. Wines go through a lot of chemical changes in the first 4 to 12 months, and the wine turns out better if allowed to go through a lot of the changes as a single unit (in one container). These instructions cover bottling on kit schedule and on a longer schedule.

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I have written numerous posts regarding a wide variety of winemaking topics. This post includes links to many of these posts, instead of repeating the same information.

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Why? The Most Important Question

“Why?” is the most important question in winemaking. Understanding why someone follows a certain process is critical to deciding what to do.

As already mentioned, there are multiple paths in winemaking. Ask a question of 10 winemakers, you’ll get at least 11 opinions.

I don’t do the same things for every batch. Some things are situation dependent, requiring different actions. In this post I endeavor to explain why I recommend certain choices, which helps with understanding.

Note: Thousands of people have successfully made kit wines on their first try. There is no reason you cannot do the same.

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Hygiene

Hygiene of highly important – keep it clean! Microorganisms can destroy a wine before it gets started, and ruin a great wine before it ages. This section is listed before everything else as it’s that important.

We do not sterilize, which is killing and removing 100% of the microorganisms. This is difficult to do at home, and is not necessary.

We sanitize, which is killing and removing enough of the microorganisms to prevent them from being a threat. This process is explained in detail in this post.

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Preparation

One secret to making wine successfully is preparation. The fact that you’re reading this post is a good indication that you are preparing yourself.

This first part is all reading, to provide an understanding of the winemaking process and all the parts.

1. Read this post from start to finish, ignoring the links to other posts.
2. Read this post again, this time reading the other posts. Why? Because it’s a lot of material to digest all at once.
3. Read the kit instructions.

Not all kit instructions are created equal, although the one with Finer Wine Kits (FWK), Winexpert (WE), and RJ Spagnols (RJS) are very good. Other vendors may have good instructions, but I don’t have personal experience so I cannot speak of it.

If necessary, read everything twice or three times. Before you do anything, make yourself comfortable with how winemaking works.

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Kit Contents

This post lists the contents of kits from quality vendors, including Winexpert, RJ Spagnols, and Finer Wine Kits. The common ingredients are described. Read this before looking at what’s actually in the kit.

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Equipment

The following equipment is a minimum to make wine. I note that folks in some circumstances may not have access to items and have to do the best they can.

Hydrometer – This handy tool measures Specific Gravity (SG). Using it, the winemaker knows how much sugar is in the wine initially, can determine how far along the fermentation process is, and when fermentation is complete. The SG readings (first and last) can be used to determine the Alcohol By Volume (ABV) of the wine.

The hydrometer is generally considered necessary equipment because without it, the winemaking is guessing.

Primary Fermenter – Use a food grade bucket that is at least 25% larger then the volume of the must (crushed fruit prior to fermentation). In the USA 7.9 US gallon fermenters are commonly available.

Fermentation produces CO2 and will overflow a container that’s too small. Food grade buckets can be re-used from other sources, such as restaurants. However, if the container smells strongly of the previous contents, e.g., pickles, DO NOT use the container, as it may taint your wine.

Siphon Hose & Racking Cane – Food grade tubing is used to siphon wine from one container to another, typically to remove the wine from sediment. This is called “racking”. A racking cane is a stiff tube that is lowered into the must/wine, which makes racking much easier, as the tubing is flexible and rarely points where the winemaker desires. If no tubing is available, the wine may be carefully poured from one container to another, leaving as much sediment as possible behind.

Secondary Storage – After fermentation, the wine needs to be in closed containers to protect it from oxygen (O2) while clearing and aging. 23 liter glass carboys are typically used for kit wines. Plastic carboys, unless designed for wine, should not be used as wine is acidic and plastic containers not designed for it can leach undesirable substances into the wine.

Drilled Stoppers & Airlocks – Typically drilled silicon stoppers and airlocks are used on secondary storage containers, to allow CO2 to escape while preventing air from getting in. There are other methods of doing this, but stopper-and-airlock is the easiest, effective choice.

Filler Tube – This is a spring loaded hollow rod that simplifies and eases bottling. When pressed on bottom (inside a bottle) it lets wine flow, and stops when the tube is lifted. Fill the wine to the brim of the bottle. When the tube is removed the wine drops to the proper fill level.

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A. Start the Wine

It’s time to actually start the wine!

Note on water: If your tap water is good tasting, it can be used. If the water is heavily chlorinated or smells of sulfur, use bottled water.

A1. Record Keeping

Record notes at each step, including SG readings. If there is a problem, this information is necessary to diagnose problems.

A2. Bentonite

If the kit includes bentonite, add 2 liters hot water to the primary fermenter, and carefully pour the bentonite in while stirring. If poured in too fast, it will clump. Stir for 1 minute.

To work, the bentonite must dissolve into a slurry, which takes time. Stir the slurry for 30 seconds, doing it every 10 minutes for 30 to 60 minutes.

Note: kits typically include a lot more bentonite than necessary, as most people won’t stir it enough. My notes on using bentonite are here.

I recommend using a drill-mounted stirring rod for best results. If one is not available, a large spoon or paddle works fine, but requires more effort. Stainless steel is best.

A3. Dilute the Concentrate

While some smaller kits may contain only juice, 23 liter kits include a grape concentrate that will need to be diluted. Note that the concentrate is different from the F-Pack (flavoring pack) that may be present in kits that produce non-dry wine.

Empty the concentrate bag into the primary fermenter. If the kit included bentonite, stir for 1 minute; it won’t dissolve completely.

Add about 1 liter warm water to the bag and manipulate to dissolve any remaining concentrate. Empty this into the fermenter and stir. Repeat this 1 to 3 times, as needed, to remove all concentrate from the bag, stirring each time.

Fill the fermenter to 23 liters with room temperature water. If using a 7.9 gallon (30 liter) fermenter made for winemaking, the graduations on the container make this easy.

Stir for 1 minute after each gallon is added, and stir for 2 minutes after all water is added. This is called “must”.

Note: The concentrate doesn’t dissolve easily, so repeated stirring helps a lot to get it fully distributed.

Take a SG reading and record the result.

Some vendors (e.g., FWK) include a nutrient pack that should be stirred in now. Most vendors add nutrient to the concentrate at the factory.

Cover the fermenter with a towel. During fermentation, each time any action is taken with the wine, replace the towel when done. This allows air to get in (yeast needs O2 for reproduction) while keeping “stuff” out.

A4. Make a Yeast Starter / Inoculate

Making a starter is not required, but I strongly recommend it. A starter proves the yeast is viable, and ensures the fermentation starts quickly.

Put 1 cup warm (90 F / 32 C) water into a sanitized container, like a wine bottle or 2 cup measure. Add 1 Tbsp sugar and the yeast, then cover. Let it rest for 4 hours.

Stir the must for 2 minutes and take a SG reading. Record the result.

Stir the starter to mix, then carefully pour the starter down the inside of the fermenter so it doesn’t spread much. Place the towel back on top.

My notes for creating a starter are here, and are based on the FWK instructions. The instructions in this post are simplified to reduce complexity. Use the full instructions if desired.

Note: Kit instructions typically say to just sprinkle the yeast on top of the must. Although this works, fermentation may take up to 72 hours to start. Use of a starter typically initiates fermentation in 6 to 12 hours.

The wine is now started!

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B. Daily Punch Down and/or Stirring

If the wine has solids, such as a skin packs, this is called “punching down”, otherwise it’s “stirring”. The purpose is to keep the wine mixed and to incorporate O2, which yeast needs for reproduction.

Note: O2 may be yeast’s friend, but O2 is wine’s enemy. Once fermentation is complete, O2 will cause oxidation which ruins the wine, so post-fermentation the wine will go under airlock to protect it.

B1. Punch Down / Stirring

One to four times per day, “punch down” the skin packs if present, using a sanitized large spoon or paddle to push them under the surface and stir the wine. If making juice, simply stir to mix. This helps ensure the surface remains moist so mold/mildew do not grow.

Take an SG reading once per day, say after the first or last punch down/stir. Record the SG.

Note: Fermentation typically takes 5 to 8 days, but shorter and longer periods are very possible.

B2. Nutrient Pack

FWK have a nutrient pack that should be stirred in on the second day after inoculation.

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C. First Racking

When the SG drops to between 1.005 and 1.015, give the wine a final punch down/stir. Then snap the lid on the fermenter, put water in an airlock, and insert the airlock in the hole in the top of the lid. If not using a purpose-made primary fermenter with a lid, see below.

Let the wine rest undisturbed until Day 14 (counted from the date started). This allows fermentation to complete and for gross lees (fruit solids) to drop.

Without disturbing the fermenter more than necessary, remove the lid and rack (siphon) into another container. I have multiple primaries, but a 23 liter carboy is a good choice.

Record the SG.

DO NOT worry about sucking up an bit of sediment. Sediment dropped once, and it will drop again. This post describing techniques to reduce loss of wine during racking.

Note: There are numerous theories on when to do the first racking. These instructions are deliberately kept simple to avoid confusion. The new winemaker has enough on their mind that arguing philosophies of racking is not useful.

An alternate racking strategy is to let the wine ferment down below 1.000, then rack into a carboy. If so, let the wine rest a week to ensure fermentation is fully complete before moving onto Step D.

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D. Degassing and Fining

Kit wines are designed to be bottled in 4 to 8 weeks, and to do that the wine must be degassed manually, and then fining agents (typically Kieselsol and Chitosan, e.g., K&C) are added to quickly precipitate solids.

If used, degassing and fining are conducted at the end of the first racking.

D1. Degassing

If planning to bottle on kit schedule (4 to 8 weeks), stir the wine with a drill-mounted stirring rod for 2 minutes, changing direction every 30 seconds. This does not fully degas the wine; rather it jump starts the process, which completes over the next few weeks.

WARNING: If the wine is in a carboy, go VERY gentle. The wine WILL foam and it WILL overflow if stirred too vigorously. Stirring is best performed in a primary fermenter that is no more than 3/4 full.

If allowing the wine to bulk age longer, stir for 1 minute, changing direction half way through.

D2. Fining

K&C are included in all kits I’m familiar with. Used together, they are very effective in precipitating solids, enabling quick bottling of wine.

There are numerous instructions for when to add K&C, ranging from “add them together” to “add the kieselsol 2 days after the chitosan”.

I have not found any difference in results, so I add the chitosan to the destination container at the beginner of the first racking after fermentation is fully complete. I add the kieselsol after the racking is complete, just prior to degassing.

Note: If letting the wine bulk age longer, there is no need for the K&C, unless the wine refuses to clear, which is rare. I use fining agents only when necessary.

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E. Second Racking

Most sediment drops within 1 to 3 weeks after the first racking. If using fining agents, the wine should be totally clear at this point.

E1. Racking

Rack the wine into a sanitized container, such as a primary fermenter or another 23 liter carboy. Rack carefully to avoid leaving wine behind, but avoid sucking up sediment.

Record the SG.

E2. F-Pack

If the wine has an F-Pack, this is typically the time to add it.

The F-Pack needs to be stirred in, so doing this in a primary is easier. Add the Finishing Pack (potassium sorbate + potassium metabisulfite [K-meta]), then the F-Pack. Stir for 2 minutes, changing directions every 30 seconds.

Note: The Finishing Pack is absolutely required if sugar (in any form, including F-Packs) is added to the wine, else the wine will begin a renewed fermentation. Sorbate + K-meta act as birth control for yeast, preventing the renewed fermentation.

Dry wines normally don’t have F-Packs, and if the wine is dry (SG <= 0.998), the Finishing Pack is unnecessary. Kit vendors include the Finishing Pack in all wines to prevent the newbie winemaker from producing upwards to 30 mini-volcanoes, which is what happens when a wine renews the ferment in the bottle.

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F. Bulk Aging

Following the second racking, put the wine under airlock for bulk aging.

F1. Kit Bottling Schedule

Kits can be bottled after 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the kit. In this short time frame, there is no need to top up the carboy.

F2. Extended Bottling Schedule

Generally speaking, wines are bottled between 4 and 24 months of age. Lighter wines can be bottled sooner, e.g., at 4 to 7 months, and most kits fall into the category.

In this situation bulk aging is 3 to 6 months, so adjustments should be made:

1. Add 1/4 tsp K-meta per 19 to 23 liters, or 1 crushed Campden tablet per 4 liters. This is added every 3 months.
2. Top the carboy to within 3″ of the stopper with a compatible wine to avoid oxidation from extended O2 exposure.

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G. Bottling

Bottle any time after the wine is clear, although reasons to bulk age longer have been listed.

1. Rack the wine to eliminate any remaining fine lees.
2. Record the SG.
3. Add K-meta/Campden tablets, as this is the last dose the wine will receive. This prevents oxidation and helps ensure a longer shelf life.
4. If using a filler tube (strongly recommended), fill each bottle to the brim. When the tube is removed, the wine is at the correct level.
5. Use mid-range corks. Cheap ones may allow too much O2 ingress, and expensive ones are not necessary, e.g., don’t guy 10 or 20 year corks for a kit wine you’ll drink within a year or two.

After bottling, let the wine rest at least a month. It’s common for wine to go into “bottle shock”, which temporarily alters the aroma and taste of the wine. The solution is to wait and let the wine naturally return to normal.

Conclusions

This document is designed to get a new winemaker through the winemaking process. The intention is to be as simple as possible, and it leaves out a lot of detail and does not address special cases and situations.