Why should I make wine?

 

Craft Winemaking is an Experience! 

The art of craft winemaking has changed drastically over the last few years.  People used to make their own wine for the simple fact that it was an inexpensive alternative.

 

Craft Winemaking is Fun!
Craft winemaking offers first-time winemakers an easy introduction to the experience of craft winemaking. It is a stress-free pastime that is unique in experience.
Craft winemaking is fun whether you do it by yourself or with friends.

 

Craft Winemaking is Social!
Craft winemaking gives you the opportunity to meet other craft winemakers who share the same interest. You can swap best techniques, exchange craft winemaking tips or just spend some quality time as you craft your wine.
The process of craft winemaking also allows friends and couples the opportunity to spend quality time together. Catch up and make great wine at the same time! Craft winemaking is something that you can enjoy together.

 

Be Proud of your Wine!
Take pride and ownership in your own wine. Share it with friends and family while entertaining. They will respect you as a winemaker.
Craft winemaking offers you the opportunity to create a custom wine cellar. Add exclusivity to your wine cellar assortment by making yearly limited releases or restricted quantity wine kits. As you craft more wine, you will learn more about wines from around the world and become a better winemaker with each kit.

 

It’s Cost-Effective
It’s not about price – it’s about value. Craft your own fabulous vintage for a fraction of the cost and all of the taste and quality. Make entertaining more affordable by keeping a wide selection of great wines on hand that go with any type of meal that you serve. Our wines taste just as good, and often better, as some of your favourite wine brands.

 

It's Convenient
By crafting your own wine and keeping a stocked cellar, you will always have bottles on hand and save trips to your local liquor store.

 

It's Green!

You always have the option to reuse your wine bottles when you bottle your next wine kit.

 

What is a wine kit?

Our supplier's wine kits are made from the highest quality grapes from the finest vineyards around the world using the same grapes as many familiar wine brands. The grapes are then shipped to state-of-the-art facilities for processing where experienced staff sort, crush and press the grapes with new-age techniques and high-tech equipment. They ensure that the grapes are processed with the highest standard of quality assurance. The juices and concentrates are then shipped to their facilities, blended to perfection, and monitored by a skilled Quality Assurance team to ensure the best possible quality is represented. The must is then packaged into wine kits, along with all of the additives to make your favorite wine style!

 

What is the bottling process?

The first step in the bottling process is sanitizing your bottles. Then you use a bottling machine to fill the bottles with your wine.  The next step is inserting corks with a corker. You may choose to apply labels and shrink-caps as a finishing touch. That's it, you're done! We'll be there to assist you every step of the way.

 

How do I clean and store my empty bottles at home?

Cleaning means removing visible residue. It's really important. Rinse well as soon as you can after emptying your bottle and air dry.

 

Cellaring Tips:

 

Basic Factors that Affect Aging

There are many reasons to age wine.  It may be a habitual routine, a suggested procedure, a curiosity, or due to a busy schedule!  Cellaring time allows all the elements in a wine (fruit, acid, oak, and tannins) to integrate and develop a delicate balance, and optimize the wine’s aging potential.  Follow these guidelines when aging your wines.

 

Light
Constant exposure to light produces chemical reactions in wine that cause it to deteriorate.  Ultraviolet light has the greatest effect, and white wines and champagnes are the most vulnerable.  Try to keep the cellar dark when not in use.

 

Humidity
A relative humidity of 50-70% is the acceptable range.  Insufficient humidity may cause corks to dry out, lose their elasticity and thereby allow air to get into the bottle.  Too much humidity (over 70%) can cause mould to grow on corks.  At its extreme, that can destroy a wine.

 

Temperature
A temperature of 12-15°C is ideal for allowing the wine to age steadily without risking premature aging or oxidation.  A constant temperature is key to steady aging.

 

Corks
Synthetic corks are great for long-term storage of 1-5 years.  They eliminate problems such as leakage and random oxidation, and are commonly used by commercial wineries.  Agglomerated corks, are suitable for wines for up to 1 year of aging.  

 

Movement
It is natural for wines (especially high-end heavy reds) to shed some tannin during aging.  Vibrations can cause bottle sediment to stay suspended, creating either a haze or “floaties”.

 

How many bottles do I get out of a batch of wine?

Usually you get 30 x 750ml bottles of wine.  The exceptions are sherry, port and ice style wines, which only give you half as much.

 

What should I do with my wine after bottling?

When the wine is first bottled, air is trapped inside by the cork. For the first week you should store the wine upright to let the air pressure bleed off. If you lay the wine down right away, the pressure may push the cork out of the bottle and then you have a heck of a mess. After a week, store the wine in a cool dark place that is free of vibrations as this will slow down the aging process and your wine will keep longer.

When is my wine ready to drink?
To a lot of people, it's ready when they want to drink it. However there is no cut and dry answer. Some vintages simply develop faster than others, and whites peak faster than reds.

 

Can I sample the type of wine or beer I want to buy before I make it?

Sorry, but it's against the law to offer samples of ready made wine or beer. All of our wine and beer is 100% guaranteed.

 

How do I store and care for my beer?

Make sure you store your beer in a cool, dark place. The enemies of beer are heat, light, and vibration.  Avoid them and your beer should stay super fresh for three months or more. Most beer tastes the best when it's fresh, but there are certain styles that benefit with a bit of aging (usually the darker and heavier, and stronger beers). 

Rinse your bottles thoroughly after enjoying their contents and leave upside down to dry. Just remember that moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria. So keep your bottles clean and dry and you will be able to refill and enjoy them for years to come. If you feel the need to clean your bottles, contact us for a list of acceptable products, and resist the urge to use soap - it is difficult to rinse out thoroughly.

 

Value – How much will I save?

Beer is expensive in Canada.  53 cents of every dollar you spend on beer at the liquor store is tax.  With us you don’t pay any tax on your beer ingredients.  If you drink major commercial brands, you will cut your spending by 50% by brewing with us.  If you drink craft beer, you will cut your spending by 70%.

All of our wines come in batches of 30 bottles, when you break the prices down you will see that our wines range in price from $3 – $7 a bottle.  Just note we can never sell you just a bottle of wine! If you spend $10-$15 on average on a bottle in the liquor store, you will cut your spending in half at a minimum.

 

How soon can I drink my beer once it is bottled?

Most beers can be enjoyed right away; however, if your beer is strong or highly hopped we will advise how long to leave it to reach its full flavour potential.

 

How long does beer keep?

We advise drinking our beer within 2 months if using plastic bottles and 4 months if using glass bottles.

 

Can I keg my beer?

Yes, if you have your own kegs you can transfer the beer for your home beer fridge or kegerator. We also can rent you a keg for a party or event.