My Airlock Needs Water?

Recently I’ve heard from more than one confused beginning winemaker asking if their wine was ruined because they never put water in their airlock. It’s not all that surprising as a beginner has a lot to figure out with all the steps, additives, and equipment. I’m sure there is wine making shops that forget to mention that the airlock needs water. For a seasoned wine maker it’s just how things work.

An Academy member by the name of Robert recently wrote in with just this problem. He purchased everything he needed to make a kit wine but didn’t know that the airlock needed water in order to protect his wine. At the time he wrote in his wine had been fermenting for two weeks and was well past the vigorous fermentation stage.

So let’s take a look at which airlocks require water, which don’t, and how they work in the first place. Continue reading “My Airlock Needs Water?”

Are Sulfites Necessary in Wine? – WMA022

Are sulfites really necessary to make wine?

The debate over whether or not we really need sulfites has been heated in the last few years. There is a growing population of winemakers that believe you just don’t need them and shouldn’t use them. There are also those who swear by using them in order to make wines that are stable and will stand the test of time.

Sulfites protect wine from oxidation and spoilage organisms. But are they really necessary?Which answer is right? The only one who can say is you.

In this episode you’ll hear what Winemaker’s Academy members have to say about this question. Continue reading “Are Sulfites Necessary in Wine? – WMA022”

How and When to Use Sulfites – WMA020

Sulfites are a great tool for protecting wines. They can help ensure stability at the start of the wine making process as well as help wines keep for years in the barrel or bottle.

Sulfites help preserve and protect wines.
Sulfites help protect aging wines like these.

The key to sulfites is understanding that it is something to be maintained rather than something you add once and are done. There’s also no simple way to figure out how much you need to add.

In this episode we’ll cover when to use sulfites and how best to measure sulfites. Continue reading “How and When to Use Sulfites – WMA020”