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The best all-around choice in Liquor.com’s historical roundup is the North Mountain Supply 3 Gallon 32-piece Wine Making Kit, because it covers most core equipment while leaving you free to choose your fruit. It is not a complete, ready-to-ferment package: you still need grapes or other fruit and bottles. The roundup was published by Jesse Porter on January 24, 2022, despite its “2023” title, so treat the selections, prices and availability as historical rather than current verified rankings.
What a home winemaking kit actually includes
Liquor.com separates these products into two broad categories:
- Equipment kits: vessels, siphons, testing tools, bottling gear and additives, but no grapes or concentrate.
- Ingredient kits: grape juice concentrate, grapes or other fermentables with yeast and additives, but often no vessels or bottling equipment.
Some small-format products combine both categories. Before buying, check whether the package supplies the five essentials that most affect your real cost: equipment, ingredients, batch capacity, vessel material and bottling supplies.
The 10 kits and the trade-offs they represent
| Kit | Type | Capacity described by the roundup | Included or notable items | You still need to provide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Mountain Supply 3 Gallon 32-piece Wine Making Kit | Equipment | 3-gallon carboy; includes a 6-gallon fermenter | Siphon, straining bag, additives, hydrometer, testing tools, bottling equipment, 100 corks, instructions and recipe book | Grapes or other fruit and bottles |
| Master Vintner starter kit | Equipment | 6-gallon setup | Described as a more complete equipment package | Ingredients; the roundup does not state every included bottling item |
| Midwest kit | Equipment | Large-format setup; the roundup’s largest kits make 6 gallons | Lower-cost option with a plastic carboy | Ingredients and any items not listed by the seller |
| Home Brew Ohio 6-gallon glass carboy | Equipment | 6 gallons | Lean large-format option centered on a glass carboy | Other equipment, ingredients and bottling supplies not stated in the roundup |
| Winemakers Depot 3-gallon kit | Equipment | 3 gallons | Compact equipment package | Ingredients, bottles and corks |
| Craft a Brew beginner kit | Combined equipment and ingredients | Five-bottle batch | Grape juice concentrate and equipment | A secondary vessel |
| Master Vintner Fresh Harvest kit | Ingredient-focused fruit-wine kit | Not stated | Fruit-wine ingredients, yeast and additives | Bottles and corks |
| Fontana California Shiraz | Ingredient kit | Not stated in the roundup | Concentrate-based Shiraz kit | Equipment, bottles and corks |
| Wild Grapes Pinot Grigio | Ingredient kit | Not stated in the roundup | Concentrate-based Pinot Grigio kit | Equipment, bottles and corks |
| Must Bee mead kit | Ingredient-focused mead kit | Not stated | Mead-making package | Honey and a secondary fermenter |
Which kit fits your project?
Best overall equipment package: North Mountain Supply 3 Gallon 32-piece
This is the roundup’s overall pick for someone who wants a broad equipment base rather than a preselected wine concentrate. Its combination of fermenter, 3-gallon carboy, hydrometer, test equipment, siphon and bottling tools reduces the number of separate hardware purchases. The 100 corks are included, but bottles and fruit are not, so budget for both before starting.
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- Upgraded 1 Gallon Wine From Fruit Kit
- Just Add Your Favorite Fruit
- Instructions and Recipe Book Included
- Includes Mini Auto-Siphon
- Optional item to add - Test Jar for use with your hydrometer choice of size and choice of glass or plastic. Sold separately.
Most complete larger equipment setup: Master Vintner starter kit
The Master Vintner starter kit is presented as a more complete 6-gallon equipment package. The trade-off identified by the roundup is cost: it is expensive compared with the lower-cost large-format alternatives.
Lower-cost large batch: Midwest kit
The Midwest option targets a larger setup at lower cost and uses a plastic carboy. Choose it when purchase price and lighter, less fragile vessels matter more than having glass.
Lean glass-vessel option: Home Brew Ohio 6-gallon glass carboy
This is a stripped-back 6-gallon route built around a glass carboy. It suits a buyer who wants glass and is comfortable assembling the remaining equipment and consumables separately.
Rank #2
- Complete Home Brewing Kit for Beginners: This wine making kit provides everything you need for wine making. No complicated steps or fresh fruit required, simply pour in one 64 oz bottle + one 46 oz bottle of juice to perfectly fill the 1-gallon fermenter. A clear step-by-step guide makes this an easy and enjoyable home brewing kit for anyone
- Includes All Wine Making Supplies: 1 gallon glass fermentation jar, EC-1118 yeast, yeast nutrient, airlock, rubber stopper, siphon, silicone funnel, hydrometer/alcohol meter with graduated cylinder, temperature label, user manual, bottle stopper and 4 pcs 34oz wine bottles. This wine kit offers beginners a complete and convenient winemaking experience
- Designed Specifically for Supermarket Grape Juice: Unlike other home brewing kits, this wine fermentation kit is designed for 100% pure grape juice purchased from supermarkets. Simply add our pre-packaged yeast and nutrients (enough for two fermentations) to begin fermentation. Easily and predictably try making your own wine without special equipment or fresh fruit handling
- Easy Sanitizing Tip: Clean winemaking starter kit are essential for safe brewing. This home brew kit DOES NOT INCLUDE DISINFECTANT, but we strongly recommend spraying all equipment with 75% alcohol before use. It’s safe, effective, leaves no residue, and helps ensure your wine ferments smoothly without contamination
- Includes Bottling & Monitoring Tools: We go beyond basic kits by including tools to help you monitor and bottle your brew properly. Use the hydrometer set to measure alcohol content, and temperature labels to track fermentation conditions for better results every time. If you receive a damaged product, please contact us and we will send you a free replacement within 24 hours
Compact equipment-only choice: Winemakers Depot 3-gallon kit
The 3-gallon size is easier to manage for a smaller project, but the lower equipment commitment does not make it all-inclusive. Ingredients, bottles and corks must be sourced separately.
Smallest combined beginner project: Craft a Brew
Craft a Brew combines grape juice concentrate with equipment for a five-bottle batch, making it the most immediately approachable option for a first small run. The package still requires a secondary vessel, so verify that you have one before fermentation progresses.
Fruit-wine direction: Master Vintner Fresh Harvest
Fresh Harvest is aimed at fruit wine and includes yeast and additives. It does not include bottles or corks, according to the roundup, and its capacity is not stated there.
Rank #3
- 𝗔𝗟𝗟-𝗜𝗡-𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗘 & 𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗞𝗜𝗧 Brew your favorite wine or mead at home effortlessly! This complete kit includes a fermenter, glass carboy, hydrometer, siphon, and more, just add ingredients and start fermenting. Perfect for beginners and pros!
- 𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗬 & 𝗙𝗨𝗡 𝗗𝗜𝗬 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 No complicated steps! Our wine brewing kit comes with a step-by-step handbook, making the process simple and enjoyable. Experiment with different flavors and impress your guests with handcrafted beverages.
- 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗨𝗠 & 𝗥𝗘𝗨𝗦𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 Unlike cheap plastic alternatives, our kit includes a durable glass jar, sturdy fermenter bucket, and high-quality siphon. Designed for long-term use, this home brewing kit ensures the best results every time.
- 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗚𝗜𝗙𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗦 & 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗦 Know someone who loves wine or DIY projects? This wine making kit makes an excellent gift for birthdays, holidays, or special occasions. Inspire creativity and let them enjoy the art of fermentation!
- 𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗙𝗧 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗟 & 𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗡 𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 Control what goes into your drinks! This wine maker set lets you brew without additives or preservatives. Whether you're making mead, fruit wine, or traditional grape wine, enjoy fresh, high-quality results.
Red concentrate option: Fontana California Shiraz
This is an ingredient kit rather than an equipment package. It supplies Shiraz concentrate, but you must provide the winemaking hardware, bottles and corks.
White concentrate option: Wild Grapes Pinot Grigio
Wild Grapes Pinot Grigio follows the same concentrate-only model for a white wine. The roundup says equipment, bottles and corks are excluded.
Mead-focused option: Must Bee
Must Bee is for mead rather than grape wine. The buyer supplies honey and a secondary fermenter, making it unsuitable if you want a single-box start without additional vessels and ingredients.
Rank #4
- Everything you need to make remarkable wine from scratch in under an hour from your own fresh fruit
- Enough supplies to make 15 1-gallon batches
- Master Vintner quick tips make learning clear and fun
- Kit Includes: Winemaker Recipe Handbook, 2 gallon plastic fermentor w/ lid, 1 gallon jug, tubing, airlock, screw cap and straining bag, cleanser and campden tablets, Pectic enzyme, acid blend, grape tannin, yeast nutrient, stabilizer, and all-purpose dry yeast. Racking cane and tubing, Hydrometer. (Not included: fruit, corker, corks, and bottles.)
- Craft colorful additions to any wine rack
How much wine does one kit make?
Liquor.com says the largest kits in its roundup make 6 gallons, which is about 30 standard 750-milliliter bottles. Its cited Craft a Brew beginner kit makes five bottles. These are product quantities reported in that roundup, not a general industry standard; actual yield can vary with racking losses and bottling volume.
Glass versus plastic: the choice in this roundup
The Midwest kit is specifically described with a plastic carboy, while the Home Brew Ohio option centers on a glass carboy. Plastic generally offers a lighter, less breakable vessel; glass provides a rigid vessel but requires more care when moving and cleaning. The source does not provide independent performance testing, so select based on handling preference, storage and the rest of your equipment rather than assuming one material guarantees better wine.
What to buy before fermentation
- Confirm whether your kit is equipment-only, ingredients-only or combined.
- Match vessel size to the stated batch: 3 gallons, 6 gallons or the five-bottle beginner format.
- Check for a secondary fermenter; Craft a Brew and Must Bee explicitly require one.
- Plan for bottles and corks. North Mountain includes 100 corks but not bottles; several other kits exclude both.
- Buy the missing fruit, concentrate or honey identified for your chosen style.
- Review sanitation, testing and oxygen-exposure instructions before starting.
Can grocery-store grapes make homemade wine?
They can be used as a raw ingredient, but table grapes differ from wine grapes in the ways that matter for winemaking. The roundup advises recognizing that distinction rather than treating supermarket grapes as equivalent to purpose-grown wine grapes. Whichever fruit you use, follow the kit’s sanitation and oxygen-exposure instructions closely.
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Safety depends on clean equipment, sound ingredients and following the process instructions. The roundup specifically emphasizes sanitation and limiting unwanted oxygen exposure. It does not establish a universal safety guarantee for every homemade batch, so discard anything that shows clear spoilage or contamination and follow the directions supplied with your ingredients and equipment.
How to interpret this historical list in 2026
Porter’s article is dated January 24, 2022. Product designs, prices, stock and included parts may have changed by September 2026, and the roundup was not an independent hands-on test. Use it as a framework for comparing equipment, ingredients, vessel material and omissions, then verify the current seller’s specification sheet before ordering.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
