Winemaking lessons are available Mondays through Saturdays during regular store hours. Appointments will be scheduled after payment is received for your lesson fees and ingredient kit. Beermaking lessons require 3 hours on the first day, by appointment only.
Winemaking and beer brewing is an adult hobby, for participants over the age of 21. Due to space limitations in our center we ask that children not be brought along during your appointments, to permit your full attention during the winemaking process.
Winemaking centers like Fermentations are considered extensions of your home. The wine is your property from start to finish, and you make it yourself. We will help you through each step to make your wine with our equipment in our store, then take home the wine you bottle and label personally, approximately 7 to 8 weeks later.
Winemaking in five (5) easy steps. Each step is two weeks from the last one.
Step One: Mix wine ingredients (premium juice, water & yeast) to begin primary fermentation. Allow 45 minutes for your first lesson.
Step Two: Transfer your wine-in-progress to a glass carboy. It takes about 15 minutes for this step; continue in secondary fermentation.
Step Three: Add the "fining agents" which prevent oxidation, clarify your wine and prevent renewed fermentation of the wine. Allow 15 to 20 minutes.
Step Four: Transfer (rack) your wine to leave the remaining sediment behind and make your wine clear enough to bottle. 15 minutes for this step.
Step Five: Bottling! Allow 90 minutes to fill, cork and label your bottles. Then you'll take your bottled wine home with you.
What will this cost? We currently charge approximately $125 including tax to make wine in our store (includes bottles, corks, labels, shrink capsules, use of equipment & lesson fee), plus the wine ingredient kit of your choice. Wine ingredient kits make approx. 30 bottles, and range from $90 for Island Mist (fruit-flavored wine-based beverages) to about $232 for our highest end Cabernet Sauvignon ingredient kits. Typical total cost is around $250 to $355 for about 30 bottles of great quality wine, or about $8 to $12 per bottle for wine that rivals premium varietal wine brands in liquor stores.
Contact Tim or Brenda for more information, and to schedule your class upon payment for your lesson package and ingredient kit.
* * * While no wines are "sulfite free", wine you make from kits contains only about 1/4 of the sulfites of commercial wines - a significant health benefit for sulfite-affected consumers.* * *
Fermentations has the Best Selection of Brewing Grains in Colorado Springs! Our professional brewery grade mill is getting terrific customer reviews, too! Check us out!
Beer Brewing in three easy steps:
- Step One: About 3 hours on day one to brew your beer and begin primary fermentation.
- Step Two (one week later): Rack to secondary fermentation (10 minutes)
- Step Three (two weeks later): Prime & bottle your beer, then take it home (60 minutes).
What will this cost? We currently charge approximately $68 plus ingredients to make beer in our store. Includes 3 hour brewing session, 48 to 52 bottles, use of our equipment & lesson fee), plus the beer ingredient kit of your choice. Beer ingredient kits make approx. 5 gallons (48-52 bottles), and range from $38 to $68 depending upon the kit you choose. Typical total cost is around $120 to $130 for two cases of great quality beer, or about $2.50 per bottle for beer that rivals premium brands in liquor stores. Three weeks from start to bottling in 3 appointments, plus approximately four weeks for bottle conditioning.
Contact Tim or Brenda for more information, and to schedule your class upon payment for your lesson package and ingredient kit.
Enjoy your winemaking and beer brewing hobby responsibly!
