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Post by Gandalf on May 20, 2020 16:33:19 GMT -5
Thought I'd start a home winemaking thread instead of posting in the Daily Chronicle. I make anywhere from 5 to 8 small batches of wine a year. I've only been doing it for about 3 years - this time around. I used to do it several years back but quit - because while it was a decent table wine, I'd rather drink better wine than I was able to make. A few years into retirement I decided to try it again - and I was thrilled to see the hobby was much more common/advanced - and there were a lot more sources of supplies and equipment. I found that I could buy kits to make 6 gallon batches of wine, that actually contain the grape juice from famous growing regions. I've been able to make Sauvignon Blanc with juice from the Marlborough Valley, New Zealand, Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in Australia, Super Tuscan from various growing regions in Italy - to name a few. I've been busy this winter and now have to bottle five 6 gallon batches and two 3 gallon batches (ports). This is an Amarone style wine I bottled the day before yesterday - first picture. I put the capsules and label's on today - second picture. Label's were supplied with the kit. Amarone is an Italian red wine made from grapes that are first partially dried (for quite a while) to concentrate the flavor and sugars. It's 5.7 months old now and tastes pretty good. I hope most of it won't be consumed until after it's 2 years old - but it's hard to wait.   |
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Post by Ronv69 on May 20, 2020 17:12:56 GMT -5
Thought I'd start a home winemaking thread instead of posting in the Daily Chronicle. I make anywhere from 5 to 8 small batches of wine a year. I've only been doing it for about 3 years - this time around. I used to do it several years back but quit - because while it was a decent table wine, I'd rather drink better wine than I was able to make. A few years into retirement I decided to try it again - and I was thrilled to see the hobby was much more common/advanced - and there were a lot more sources of supplies and equipment. I found that I could buy kits to make 6 gallon batches of wine, that actually contain the grape juice from famous growing regions. I've been able to make Sauvignon Blanc with juice from the Marlborough Valley, New Zealand, Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in Australia, Super Tuscan from various growing regions in Italy - to name a few. I've been busy this winter and now have to bottle five 6 gallon batches and two 3 gallon batches (ports). This is an Amarone style wine I bottled the day before yesterday - first picture. I put the capsules and label's on today - second picture. Label's were supplied with the kit. Amarone is an Italian red wine made from grapes that are first partially dried (for quite a while) to concentrate the flavor and sugars. It's 5.7 months old now and tastes pretty good. I hope most of it won't be consumed until after it's 2 years old - but it's hard to wait. I see that you will be needing my address. 😜🤠 |
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ironclad
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Post by ironclad on May 20, 2020 18:15:04 GMT -5
I brew mead and cider but I have taken a couple years off as I have several cases aging. I just don't drink that much anymore. Hmm.. I may need to drink more.  |
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Post by Kerley0319 on May 20, 2020 21:10:34 GMT -5
This is something I've gotta try.
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Post by Ronv69 on May 20, 2020 22:47:32 GMT -5
This is something I've gotta try. Drinking more? Me too! 😁 |
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Post by toshtego on May 22, 2020 18:56:51 GMT -5
Years ago I made chokecherry wine and it came out just fine, like a dry sherry.
Wine making is difficult because every friggin' wild yeast on the planet is after YOUR batch.to sour it. The level of sanitation required is a lot of work. It is still a fun hobby.
BTW, I did not use refined sugar but Welch's' White Grape Juice. Chokecherries are low in sugar compared to grapes. Good acid and tannin, though.
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Post by Gandalf on May 22, 2020 22:18:10 GMT -5
This is something I've gotta try. It's fun and rewarding too! |
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Post by sperrytops on May 22, 2020 22:19:50 GMT -5
My great uncle made wine, but that was during prohibition.
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Post by Legend Lover on May 23, 2020 3:58:19 GMT -5
That looks fantastic. I think, if I were to try it, I wouldn't be terribly successful.
Does it work out much cheaper than buying wine?
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Post by Darin on May 23, 2020 7:11:55 GMT -5
While I've made many gallons of beer, I've never tried making wine. Anything you can make yourself is better, to me.
Enjoy in good health!
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Post by Gandalf on May 23, 2020 12:44:59 GMT -5
That looks fantastic. I think, if I were to try it, I wouldn't be terribly successful. Does it work out much cheaper than buying wine? It is cheaper. About $120 for a high quality kit - and $40 shipping. That's about $5.60 for each of ~29 bottles. For a new bottle add another $1.15 - BUT if you can get friends to save their bottles for you and/or can get a restuarant or vineyard to save their empties for you, then you don't have to buy them. Corks are 10 or 15 cents. Shrink capsule on top is a few cents too. So at or under $6 a bottle. |
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Post by Legend Lover on May 23, 2020 13:59:40 GMT -5
That looks fantastic. I think, if I were to try it, I wouldn't be terribly successful. Does it work out much cheaper than buying wine? It is cheaper. About $120 for a high quality kit - and $40 shipping. That's about $5.60 for each of ~29 bottles. For a new bottle add another $1.15 - BUT if you can get friends to save their bottles for you and/or can get a restuarant or vineyard to save their empties for you, then you don't have to buy them. Corks are 10 or 15 cents. Shrink capsule on top is a few cents too. So at or under $6 a bottle. And does the homemade wine taste much better than a $6 bottle off the shelf? |
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Post by sperrytops on May 23, 2020 14:26:22 GMT -5
It's gotta be better than 2 Buck Chuck (Trader Joe's economy blend).
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Post by Gandalf on May 23, 2020 19:35:02 GMT -5
It is cheaper. About $120 for a high quality kit - and $40 shipping. That's about $5.60 for each of ~29 bottles. For a new bottle add another $1.15 - BUT if you can get friends to save their bottles for you and/or can get a restuarant or vineyard to save their empties for you, then you don't have to buy them. Corks are 10 or 15 cents. Shrink capsule on top is a few cents too. So at or under $6 a bottle. And does the homemade wine taste much better than a $6 bottle off the shelf? Some are much much better. I've given up on white wine kits. They taste great as soon as they are made. As good as any $15 white - but don't age. Some red kits are good, some are great. The RJ Sprangles Super Tuscan is great. You can make a better Super Tuscan with that kit than you can buy for $15-$25. Just need to let it age 12-18 months. |
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Post by trailboss on May 23, 2020 19:45:54 GMT -5
Through years of being in the workforce, I can offer expertise on whinemaking.
Being in the union all them years, I can offer some effective advice.
Oops, wrong thread.
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Post by Gandalf on May 23, 2020 23:50:47 GMT -5
Got 4 packages delivered today - a pipe, some tobacco, some wine corks and some other wine stuff - but the package that I wanted most, that was supposed to arrive today, was a new pH meter.
Finally got an email from Amazon saying "Sorry, your package is late. It may arrive tomorrow or the next day."
Really needed it today to run final tests on several batches of wine, so I can bottle it.
Oh well, plenty of other things to do.
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Post by Legend Lover on May 24, 2020 2:27:24 GMT -5
Got 4 packages delivered today - a pipe, some tobacco, some wine corks and some other wine stuff - but the package that I wanted most, that was supposed to arrive today, was a new pH meter. Finally got an email from Amazon saying "Sorry, your package is late. It may arrive tomorrow or the next day." Really needed it today to run final tests on several batches of wine, so I can bottle it. Oh well, plenty of other things to do. does it come with calibration solutions? |
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Post by Gandalf on May 24, 2020 11:33:31 GMT -5
Got 4 packages delivered today - a pipe, some tobacco, some wine corks and some other wine stuff - but the package that I wanted most, that was supposed to arrive today, was a new pH meter. Finally got an email from Amazon saying "Sorry, your package is late. It may arrive tomorrow or the next day." Really needed it today to run final tests on several batches of wine, so I can bottle it. Oh well, plenty of other things to do. does it come with calibration solutions? Yes it does. |
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Post by oldcajun123 on May 24, 2020 11:48:09 GMT -5
My Old tight Cajun Uncle made wine ,too cheap to buy enough sugar and the wine puckered you up. Made a deal with him, When you make wine tell me, I showed up with a big box of sugar. After that I loved his wine. He used to make Cherry bounce, I bought Jack Daniels for himand he picked the wild cherries. Damn cold in a cold duck blind, drink too much and you saw lot more ducks than we’re really there.!   |
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ironclad
Full Member
Hey, hey! What do you say?
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Favorite Pipe: An old Wellington Chesterfield Full Bent Billiard
Favorite Tobacco: PS LNF
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Post by ironclad on May 26, 2020 22:20:27 GMT -5
I just enjoyed a home-brewed cider.
It was tasty.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2020 16:07:42 GMT -5
i have been making my own ales and porters for 25 years - all my own recipes too. I also have 2 vineyards here and grow my own grapes and make my own wine for last 10 years or more. lost all of my graps this year due to 2 nights in 20's. I had some wonderful grape clusters going and was expecting a better year than last re: grape totals. wine last year was the best yet but notas many cases as usual. However i pulled some vines and lost some and started new ones so that accounts for the total too.
Good luck in your winemaking!
just as a side note i am a pinot noir lover. as well as porter too! My treebeard's porter and the variations have been luscious and outstanding. similar to samuel smith's taddy porter but more luscious! and at times deeper and darker flavored.
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 4, 2020 20:27:55 GMT -5
Bottled a Toasted Caramel Port today. Turned out pretty good. Came out at 16% ABV - low for a "normal" port - but tastes very strong. It's a desert style port, so bottled it in half sized bottles - 375 ml. Used 2 different styles of bottle. May dip the necks of these bottles in wax instead of using heat shrink capsules over the neck. This is my first port, but I think it's going to be something I make every year. The "Toasted Caramel" flavor of this port is kind of a blank canvas. People on the Winemaking forum I frequent like to "customize" this recipe by adding another flavor to it. One guy adds a little instant coffee to his. I might try that with part of a batch next time.  As usual there's a partial bottle left over, so I took it out to the back patio and enjoyed it with a pipe of Hobbit's Weed - in an old Jobey Stromboli Extra E55.  |
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 6, 2020 15:55:02 GMT -5
Bottled a 2nd desert port today. A Raspberry Mocha Port. 16.5% ABV - but tastes stronger, like a port should. Could "fortify" it next time with a bottle of congac or brandy. That would bring the yield up near 30 bottles (half bottles), increase the ABV - and could be used to enhance the flavor. Again I bottled it using 2 different types of bottles, the tall Bellissima bottle that you normally see used with desert wine, and a Semi-Bordeaux bottle. The Bellissima bottles are cool, but expensive. I bottled them with a higher quality cork so I could cellar them longer.  |
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 20, 2020 21:18:57 GMT -5
Got the caps and labels finally put on the two desert ports I made over winter. Toasted Caramel, and Raspberry Mocha. Now the hard part - aging. I hope a half a dozen of each make it to the 3 year point. We'll see.   |
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Post by Gandalf on Mar 5, 2022 15:37:36 GMT -5
Thought I'd revive this thread with some photos of a batch of wine I started today. It's an Australian Cabernet Shiraz. 6 gallons/30 bottles - but a couple bottles could be lost during the process Here's the juice and the cheese cloth bag full of grape skins/pulp/seeds/stems - which will enhance the flavor and color and add tannin.  "Medium toasted" American and Hungarian oak "chips" to add the oak flavors. I'm wrapping them in cheese cloth this time. In the past they've clogged the siphon when I transfer the wine to a carboy. Maybe this will help.  Sprinkled the yeast on top and covered. Should see fermentation starting by tomorrow or the next day. The wood will eventually sink and everything will be stirred everyday once fermentation starts.  |
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Post by Silver on Mar 5, 2022 15:42:52 GMT -5
Monty, where do you buys your supplies?
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Post by Gandalf on Mar 5, 2022 17:42:30 GMT -5
Monty, where do you buys your supplies? I buy mostly from online suppliers. I get some stuff from a local Friar Tuck that carries things like primary buckets, carboys, corks, etc ..... www.morebeer.com/category/wine-making.html/www.midwestsupplies.com/collections/winemaking-equipmentwww.northernbrewer.com/collections/winemaking?_=pf&page=3www.winemakersdepot.com/Winery-Professional.aspxwww.southernhomebrew.com/www.hobbyhomebrew.com/www.homebrewohio.com/I search for the best price on juice kits from these websites. Top of the line juice kits include juice, grape skins, yeast, oak, other additives and bottle labels - and instructions. The more juice volume in the kit, the better the result. You supply the equipment, water, bottles and corks. I like the RJ Sprangler brand, their En Primeur Winery Series. Their best one is the Super Tuscan. Some of these sites sell a complete equipment kit too. |
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Post by terrapinflyer on Mar 6, 2022 2:23:29 GMT -5
I gave up zymurgy for sanity and marital reasons, but I am just browsing at 2am. I've never seen a hygrometer right in the fermenter. I suppose you can sanitize the hygrometer first, so no biggie. I always used a sanitized thief to transfer must or wort to a flask to take readings. Maybe I was taking unnecessary steps.
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Post by terrapinflyer on Mar 6, 2022 2:45:54 GMT -5
*hydrometer. You know what I mean.
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Post by toshtego on Mar 6, 2022 3:43:06 GMT -5
Amarone della Valpolicella has long been a favorite of mine.
Now, I shall expect to hear more about Amarone della Peoria in the months to come.
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