Kimchi
Kimchi is a vibrant, tangy, and spicy fermented dish with endless varieties and a history that spans thousands of years. At its core, kimchi is simply vegetables, salt, and time. Leave cabbage or radishes to ferment with a mix of spices, and nature will transform them into this iconic dish. Let’s dive into the art and science of making kimchi—a process that’s equal parts tradition, patience, and flavor alchemy.
Kimchi Fundamentals
Kimchi is a fermented dish originating in Korea full of complex and delicious flavors that can enhance dishes or be eaten on its own. It can take years to perfect, with families passing down recipes for generations, but when we strip it down to the basics, kimchi is simply fermented vegetables.
Cabbage and radishes, the most common bases, contain the natural sugars needed to fuel fermentation, while salt and seasonings help control the process. The magic happens thanks to naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria, which thrive in the right conditions, transforming the vegetables into a tangy, probiotic-rich dish. With cabbage, salt, and time, you’ll soon have yourself a batch of kimchi.
Fruit
Fruit is the most important part of any wine recipe. Although it is primarily grapes used in the making of wine there are a plethora of different fruit wines from blackberry to currant.
Fruit provides the flavor and a lot, sometimes all of the sugar needed in the fermenting process. During fermentation yeast will convert most of the sugar from the fruit into alcohol.
Sugar
Sugar is crucial as it feeds the yeast which produces the alcohol as the end result of the fermenting process. Most of the sugar in wine comes from the fruit that is being fermented.
In some cases, depending on the fruit, additional sugar can be added.
Yeast
Yeast is a living organism. Without it fermentation would not happen, you would just be making tea. Yeast eats the sugars and produces alcohol.
Similarly to how there are different fruits used to develop different flavors, there is a wide variety of yeast strains available. Each strain will bring a unique profile of flavors and even textures. Yeast can be purchased as a starter in a number of different forms at any brewing store.
Basic Equipment
To start making your own wine, there are some items that you will need. These items are the bare minimum you will need to make the 1 gallon simple wine recipe here.
Don’t be intimidated by the list of items, all of these (with the exception of the bottle caps) will be used over and over again.
Although we individually go through each item you will need, there are also a seemingly infinite number of kits out there that come with most of these basic Items.
Airlock
Airlocks are important to allow air out of your fermenter (bucket) but not allow oxygen in. Oxygen may give us life, but it will destroy anything that you are fermenting. This item may be included with others (such as the carboy)
Hydrometer
Hydrometers are used to determine the final alcohol content of your wine by measuring the liquids density before and after fermentation.
5-6 Wine Bottles (750 ml)
Bottles are reusable, so save them up, but be sure to thouroughly sanitize them.
Large Food Grade Bucket with lid
This bucket is to ferment your wine. It needs an airtight lid with a hole in the lid that fits your airlock.
1-Gallon Glass Jug (Carboy)
This will be your secondary fermentor for aging and clearing the wine.
Sanitizer
Cleanliness is crucial to any brewing operation. The easiest way to mess up a beer is by contaminating it with bacteria. A good rinse-free sanitizer is very important.
Large Stock Pot
To heat and dissolve sugar.
Strainer
A good strainer is important to get out any left over gape skins, seeds, stems, etc.
Corks & Corker
To seal the bottles properly for aging.
Auto-Siphon & Bottling Wand
While not crucial, auto-siphons will save you from making a mess as well as some headache when its time to fill your bottles. It stops filling the bottles when you pull it from the bottle and starts when you put it in the bottle.
Tubing
You will need 4 feet of 3/4 inch tubing to transfer liquid between vessels.
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Simple Red Wine Recipe
Size: 1 gallon
This easy red wine recipe is an uncomplicated way to dip your toes into making wine. Wine recipes can get complicated fast with hard to get ingredients and expensive equipment. This recipe uses ingredients carried by most grocery stores and equipment that can be found in any brewing store. To see the equipment you will need for this recipe, visit the Equipment Page.
Remember, before you begin to sanitize everything with your no-rinse sanitizer. Everything.
If this is your first brew, get excited! If you’ve done this before, welcome back and cheers!
Red Wine Ingredients
9 lbs
Concord Grapes
(Ripe & Washed thoroughly)
4 lbs
1 Packet
1 Gallon
Filtered or
Spring Water
Step 1 - Sanitize Everything
Sanitize all your equipment thoroughly with a rinse-free sanitizer like Star-Sans or the equivalent. Make sure everything is sanitized for every step.
Step 2 - Prep Grapes
Remove stems and clean grapes and crush in the sanitized primary fermenting bucket using a potato masher or clean hands.
Step 3 - Prep water
Heat about ½ gallon of the water in a pot. Add sugar and mix until sugar has fully dissolved.
Step 4
Pour the sugar-water mixture over the crushed grapes in the fermenter. Add the remaining filtered water to make up 1 gallon of liquid. Stir well to combine. Use Hydrometer to find original gravity reading. Take gravity reading using Hydrometer and record the values so that you can calculate ABV once the wine has finished fermenting.
Step 5 - Add (Pitch) Yeast
Sprinkle the wine yeast over the surface of the grape mixture (called must). Let it sit for 10–15 minutes, then stir gently.
Step 6 - Ferment
Cover the fermenter with a sanitized lid and an airlock. Store in a dark, room-temperature location (65–75°F). Stir daily for the first 5–7 days, then let it sit undisturbed.
Step 7 - Secondary Fermentation
After about 7–10 days, strain out the grape skins and transfer the liquid to a clean glass jug or carboy, leaving sediment behind. Attach an airlock to allow gases to escape while preventing contamination.
Step 8 - Age
Let the wine ferment for 4–6 weeks. Check the airlock for bubbling; when it stops, fermentation is complete. Rack (siphon) the wine into another clean jug, leaving sediment behind.
Step 8 - Bottling
Once clear and stable, bottle the wine in sanitized bottles, cork them, and store in a cool, dark place.
Step 9 - Cheers!
Let the wine age for 3–6 months for the best flavor. The longer, the better!
Wine Terminology
Acid Blend – A mixture of tartaric, malic, and citric acids added to adjust acidity in wine.
Aging – The process of allowing wine to mature in bottles or barrels, improving flavor and complexity.
Back Sweetening – The process of adding sugar or sweetener to wine after fermentation to adjust sweetness.
Body – The weight and texture of wine on the palate, often described as light, medium, or full-bodied.
Brix – A scale used to measure the sugar content of grapes or juice, indicating potential alcohol content.
Campden Tablet – A sulfite tablet used to sterilize must, kill wild yeast, and prevent oxidation.
Fermentation – The process in which yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Fining – The process of clarifying wine by adding substances that bind to particles and help them settle out.
Filtering – Physically removing solid particles from wine using a filtration system to improve clarity.
Hydrometer – A tool used to measure the specific gravity of a liquid, helping to determine sugar content and potential alcohol levels.
Malolactic Fermentation (MLF) – A secondary fermentation where malic acid is converted into lactic acid, softening the wine’s acidity.
Lees – The sediment composed of dead yeast cells and other particles that settle at the bottom of the fermentation vessel.
Must – The mixture of crushed grapes, juice, skins, seeds, and sometimes stems before fermentation.
Oxidation – A chemical reaction caused by excessive oxygen exposure, leading to browning and off-flavors in wine.
Pectic Enzyme – An additive that helps break down fruit cell walls, releasing more juice and preventing haze in the finished wine.
pH – A measure of acidity or alkalinity, affecting the taste and stability of wine.
Primary Fermentation – The initial stage of fermentation when yeast begins converting sugar into alcohol, usually in an open container.
Racking – The process of siphoning wine off sediment (lees) into a clean container to improve clarity and taste.
Residual Sugar (RS) – The amount of unfermented sugar remaining in wine, affecting sweetness levels.
Secondary Fermentation – A later stage of fermentation occurring in a sealed container, where the wine clarifies and continues to develop.
Specific Gravity (SG) – A measurement of the density of a liquid compared to water, used to track fermentation progress.
Stabilizer – An additive (such as potassium sorbate) that prevents renewed fermentation after bottling.
Sulfites – Chemical compounds (such as potassium metabisulfite) added to wine to prevent oxidation and microbial spoilage.
Tannin – Naturally occurring compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and oak that add astringency, structure, and aging potential to wine.
Yeast Nutrient – A supplement added to ensure healthy yeast growth and complete fermentation.