bottling a wine kit - corking or a screwcap?

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abeyptfc

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was thinking of trying out one of the solomon grundy 6 bottle wine kits just to see if its any good then I might try the 30 bottle kits, if anyone can advise whats the best kit to try please advise, my main question was - do I need to get a corker for the wine bottles or would a screwcap wine bottle do? I only do beer kits and never really drank wine, apart from the tonic stuff :D so wasnt sure if it carbonates like beer in the bottle. any help or suggestions would be appreciated. :cheers:
 
If you're not likely to be making wine on a regular basis it probably isn't worth spending £10-15 on a corking tool, although I think the plastic jobs are £3-4 and you may be able to cork a couple of dozen before it breaks, if you're lucky.

For a trial run, stick to screw tops, or plastic stoppers, or even crown caps.

It shouldn't carbonate unless you specifically make it that way, or stuff up.

I can't advise on kits, but go mid-range and avoid anything which needs sugar adding or claims it will be ready to drink in a week.
 
I've had some perfectly good results with the Youngs Definitive range, which are under a tenner for a six bottle kit, and at that price, it's not the end of the world if your first foray into the wine world isn't great... very simple kits, just use a demijohn, ready in about a month and crucially, keeps Mrs GJ happy when I'm making / drinking my beer! :thumb:

As for bottling, screw caps are absolutely fine, I'd be inclined toward using corks for homemade from scratch wines, but with kits, I think you'll struggle to go wrong and a screw cap will work a treat for the six bottle kits.

Good luck!
 
Maybe I've just been unlucky, but I used screwtops to bottle my first-ever start-from-scratch apple wine 2 days ago and 4 out of the 6 leak. :(

The downside is that I'll need to decant them into "proper" corked bottles (once I get a corker, that is!), but the upside is that I had to drink the worst offender last night - delicious! :)
 
The Youngs Cellar 7 kits at around £30 to make 26 - 30 bottles of wine can be bought with confidence.
We've had most in the range this year & all have been very good!

Just use screw top bottles, but always get as many spare tops as you can just incase you have one that won't tighten.
Most will tighten well! ... Most will also fit other bottles!

Wine will keep for around 6 months+. Cork tops will allow them to be held for 18+ months, but you'll have had them all by then I'm sure.
 
pondlife said:
Maybe I've just been unlucky, but I used screwtops to bottle my first-ever start-from-scratch apple wine 2 days ago and 4 out of the 6 leak. :(
Click to expand...
If you use corks, lie the bottles on their sides. If you use screwtops, store them upright.
 
Screw tops are fine, a six bottle kit will be demolished within 4 months.
I have tried 4 of the beaverdale and 2 CC kits
both makers kits were excelent.
 
Bjorn Toulouse said:
Screw tops are fine, a six bottle kit will be demolished within 4 months.
I have tried 4 of the beaverdale and 2 CC kits
both makers kits were excelent.
Click to expand...

CC Kits - is that the California connoisseur ones?
 
I found the corks from young's to be rubbish, most homebrewer's corks are not proper corks, they are reformed using silicon and they slip out in hot weather as the bottle contents expand. they break up quite badly when you use a corkscrew too. The plastic stoppers are much better value, seal better and are reusable. screwcap plastic lemonade bottles are good too.
 
Can't do with all that faffing about with bottles.....I bag my wines in 10 litre bags !!
Just bottle whatever is left over.....
 
Just don't buy the Youngs Cabernet Sauvignon "Style" 6 bottle kits.

I made it once, it was pretty bland for a red wine and tastes like battery acid.

The Youngs Strawberry kits on the other hand are pretty good, it's still cheaper to make wine from fresh Strawberries though, if you buy them from asda/tesco at like 9:30 before the shop closes, you can get them for 50p for 220grams and you only need 1kg to make a gallon.
 
shadow47 said:
Just don't buy the Youngs Cabernet Sauvignon "Style" 6 bottle kits.
Click to expand...

Damn, i bought one of these the other week and is currently fermenting. Not done any red wine kits yet.

I have brewed a solomon grundy 6 peach and strawberry kits both where very good. although the peach was the best. I actually stored these in screwtop bottles and after a few months they tasted brilliant.

I now use corks but i found screw tops to be fine. Especially if you end up drinking within a few months. :drink:
 
You may like it, but red wine kits seem to be similar similar to store bought wine in that the cheap ones are horrible and mid-range are drinkable. Unlike white or rose why usually tastes OK no matter how cheap.

I once made a 'red wine' from store bought grape juice :sick: . Absolutely disgusting!
 

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