Any home wine makers?

[Cobrabit]

How did I miss the creation of this forum?

I've been home brewing for the last year and finally have been doing some partial mash/specialty grains recently. Can't wait for the Oktoberfest I just bottled last week to condition. However, my wife and I wanted to look into making a couple batches of wine a year and use some as Christmas presents for friends. Therefore, we're probably going to buy a kit soon so that it will have time to age properly and I'm wondering if any of you have tried your hand at wine. If so, any particular brands/kits to look into? It looks like it's not too complicated and can even be simpler than brewing, at least from what I've seen so far.

 

[sooner78wakeboard]

Pruno?

 

[wartyOne]

How did I miss the creation of this forum?

I've been home brewing for the last year and finally have been doing some partial mash/specialty grains recently. Can't wait for the Oktoberfest I just bottled last week to condition. However, my wife and I wanted to look into making a couple batches of wine a year and use some as Christmas presents for friends. Therefore, we're probably going to buy a kit soon so that it will have time to age properly and I'm wondering if any of you have tried your hand at wine. If so, any particular brands/kits to look into? It looks like it's not too complicated and can even be simpler than brewing, at least from what I've seen so far.

Tried it once (wife is a wine drinker). Epic fail. Refused to spend money on it again.

 

[757Hokie83]

i've looked at it, but the wine kits are so expensive, and i dont really drink wine, my gf does...but if she didnt like it, it would most likely get dumped.

i have been thinking about (but havent acted on) trying my hand at a batch of mead

 

[wartyOne]

i've looked at it, but the wine kits are so expensive, and i dont really drink wine, my gf does...but if she didnt like it, it would most likely get dumped.

i have been thinking about (but havent acted on) trying my hand at a batch of mead

I have two pieces of advice. Do it outside, because the process requires you to heat the honey to a point where smoke is a natural by-product. My second piece of advice is to do it in the winter. Otherwise every bee in a three mile radius from your house is going to pay you a visit.

I do love me some mead, though.

 

[757Hokie83]

I have two pieces of advice. Do it outside, because the process requires you to heat the honey to a point where smoke is a natural by-product. My second piece of advice is to do it in the winter. Otherwise every bee in a three mile radius from your house is going to pay you a visit.

I do love me some mead, though.

shit. i never even thought of that....i intended to do one this past winter, but never got around to it....the bees have just started coming out in the past week or so, so i may be putting it off til next winter

 

[sooner78wakeboard]

i've looked at it, but the wine kits are so expensive, and i dont really drink wine, my gf does...but if she didnt like it, it would most likely get dumped.

i have been thinking about (but havent acted on) trying my hand at a batch of mead

Have you tried making Rumtoph? It's a German beverage... easy as hell to make, and really good. Takes a long, long time to make....all you need is fruit, sugar and rum. Basically just let it set. My Dad's family have been making it for generations, with my grandpa bringing the family recipe to the states.

 

[757Hokie83]

never heard of it, but just googled it, sounds interesting

 

[wartyOne]

shit. i never even thought of that....i intended to do one this past winter, but never got around to it....the bees have just started coming out in the past week or so, so i may be putting it off til next winter

One of the guys in my brew club specializes in meads. He still brews in Spring/Summer, but he says the bees are definitely a problem.

 

[24seven]

How did I miss the creation of this forum?

I've been home brewing for the last year and finally have been doing some partial mash/specialty grains recently. Can't wait for the Oktoberfest I just bottled last week to condition. However, my wife and I wanted to look into making a couple batches of wine a year and use some as Christmas presents for friends. Therefore, we're probably going to buy a kit soon so that it will have time to age properly and I'm wondering if any of you have tried your hand at wine. If so, any particular brands/kits to look into? It looks like it's not too complicated and can even be simpler than brewing, at least from what I've seen so far.

46n2 comes from a wine-making family. He might have some tips.

 

[Gatorchip]

Grape juice and yeast.

:sad:

 

[Cobrabit]

46n2 comes from a wine-making family. He might have some tips.

Yeah, I asked him in a thread last week on the water cooler and they haven't done anything home based. That's when someone mentioned this forum which I had no idea was created.

I'm planning on going to a "local" homebrewing supply store (hour away) and speak with the guys there since they also sell wine making kits. I've been using the Mr. Beer kits I received as gifts last year for a while and have just recently started using specialty grains with other brand's extract kits (Brewer's Best - Oktoberfest). I've wanted to upgrade to the 5 gallon equipment kits with the carboys (probably better bottles) for a while and everything I've seen about the wine kits is using very similar equipment (fermenters, carboys), so I may just go ahead and buy one of those kits with an extra carboy (glass) for the wine. Then it will be a matter of just buying the wine ingredient kit and bottles/corkers to try wine making out while still being able to brew.

I know I'm definitely not ready to go to an all-grain setup and will probably stick with specialty grain/extract kits.

 

[Gatorchip]

all-grain wine?

I think wine making is easier than beer making actually. Since the vast majority of wines have to be aged, I'd pick up several 5 gallon glass carboys for conditioning.

I'd also recommend doing a couple 5 gallon extra beer batches first to perfect your technique. Wine making is expensive since you get gouged on the juice, so it would be better to have your screwups on cheaper beer.

 

[Sleepy T]

Yeah, I asked him in a thread last week on the water cooler and they haven't done anything home based. That's when someone mentioned this forum which I had no idea was created.

I'm planning on going to a "local" homebrewing supply store (hour away) and speak with the guys there since they also sell wine making kits. I've been using the Mr. Beer kits I received as gifts last year for a while and have just recently started using specialty grains with other brand's extract kits (Brewer's Best - Oktoberfest). I've wanted to upgrade to the 5 gallon equipment kits with the carboys (probably better bottles) for a while and everything I've seen about the wine kits is using very similar equipment (fermenters, carboys), so I may just go ahead and buy one of those kits with an extra carboy (glass) for the wine. Then it will be a matter of just buying the wine ingredient kit and bottles/corkers to try wine making out while still being able to brew.

I know I'm definitely not ready to go to an all-grain setup and will probably stick with specialty grain/extract kits.

Talk to my brother "Sparko" Cobrabit. He lurks on the VT forum or maybe just PM him. We are both homebrewers and he brews wine too. He could probably help you out.

 

[wartyOne]

Yeah, I asked him in a thread last week on the water cooler and they haven't done anything home based. That's when someone mentioned this forum which I had no idea was created.

I'm planning on going to a "local" homebrewing supply store (hour away) and speak with the guys there since they also sell wine making kits. I've been using the Mr. Beer kits I received as gifts last year for a while and have just recently started using specialty grains with other brand's extract kits (Brewer's Best - Oktoberfest). I've wanted to upgrade to the 5 gallon equipment kits with the carboys (probably better bottles) for a while and everything I've seen about the wine kits is using very similar equipment (fermenters, carboys), so I may just go ahead and buy one of those kits with an extra carboy (glass) for the wine. Then it will be a matter of just buying the wine ingredient kit and bottles/corkers to try wine making out while still being able to brew.

I know I'm definitely not ready to go to an all-grain setup and will probably stick with specialty grain/extract kits.

That's just where it starts. Before long, you will have converted your garage into a snarled mess of stainless steel, coiled copper and an inch thick layer of fine mill dust.

Marzen (Octoberfest) at week three. We'll transfer on Friday, then it's off to the 5-month lagering phase.
Red Rye in the 14.5g conical. Sitting in diacetyl rest currently. Kegging on Friday.
Vanilla Milk Stout ready for transfer and vanilla extract inclusion.
Brewed an Irish Red yesterday. It's sitting in buckets.

All are 10-gallon all grain batches. It's been a while since I've dealt with extract (excepting our yeast starters). And my first exposure was with Mr. Beer. That was 12 years ago, but still...

Some people refer to this as a hobby. It's more of an obsessive addiction for me. Good luck with the wine. I hope you have more success than I did.

 

[Cobrabit]

Just added the juice for the first batch of wine we're making (a white zinfandel). Just have to wait for it to cool down before pitching the yeast. At least I know the fermenter is a good insulator because it's only cooled down 4 degrees (from 90) in the last 1.5 hours. I've got it sitting in a cool water bath with the lid opened half way to hopefully cool it down to 75* before pitching.

Also went ahead and ordered the wine bottles, wine thief, degaser, and an Autumn Amber Ale beer kit from Midwest Supplies. Going to let the majority of the Oktoberfest I bottled recently 'lager' in a second fridge until my birthday in September so I needed another beer to drink between now and then.

 

[The Crimson King]

muscadine wine ftw! drinking some right now