Small Batch Wines

[DaYooper]

Awhile back at the older, not quite so well decorated house, there was some talk about making small LBK-sized batches of wine. It got me wondering why beer kits and equipment tends to be 5 gallons whereas wine equipment is scaled to 6 gallons. The only thing I could think of is so you would have to buy yet more equipment that annoys SWMBO when she trips over it in the basement getting the laundry. Sort of strange also as 6 gallons makes 30 bottles and two cases are 24 which is what 5 gallons would get you with maybe a bonus bottle.

Well, got the Williams Brewing catalouge the other day for the first time and lo and behold they offer wine kits in both 5 gallon and 2.5 gallon sizes and prices are quite reasonable. Didnt check the shipping but heck if you are ordering mail order you pretty much have shipping anyway so should be about the same. As SWMBO is still learning what she likes in wines, the small batches should help with not getting stuck with too many that I will have to drink down (not that I am complaining). So think I will pick something up. Anyone have any experience with Williams Brewing in general?

[joechianti]

No experience with Williams Brewing, but glad to hear you're gonna go for it. Small batches are just fine. Same as beer. Other than the volume of finished product, it's all the same. And small batches are a lot easier to deal with in many ways. I hope you share the process with us when you get to it.

[haerbob3]

I have dealt with Williams with good results. Shipping to MI is reasonable. Wine bottles are measured in ml. Wonering if that has something to do with it

[DaYooper]

I have dealt with Williams with good results. Shipping to MI is reasonable. Wine bottles are measured in ml. Wonering if that has something to do with it

Good news especially this time of year. My wine fermenter will not fit in my fermentation chamber but I can stack two LBKs and a heater just fine. I will probably start with one and see what happens as I know when doing large batches they are pretty insisting you have almost zero head space for the secondary but I am wondering if perhaps one of those "wine fresh" gases will do the traick? May decided to split into a 1 gallon wine jug and the rest in the LBK and see if I can tell any difference.

[myhorselikesbeer]

Eliminating the headspace is more important once your fermentation in the secondary is complete and you beging racking to other secondaries for clarification that you want no/minimal air exposure, similar to beer. When it is fermenting the co2 is protecting against oxidation. You can fill the headspace void by adding water, a similar type wine, or even sanitized marbles to take up space. using different size secondaries seems to work best.

[DaYooper]

That was what I was thinking as well. Water would not be an option in the LBK since it would dilute way WAY too much. I wonder if something like this would work or I would just be better off only doing the primary in the LBK:

http://www.beveragefactory.com/wine/pre ... erve.shtml

Reading the description I may just start using this at bottling time as well.

[myhorselikesbeer]

That looks fantastic! I think that will work very well and may be useful when bottling suspected exceptional wines for extended aging. Thanks for the link.