New to the Forum

[drainsurgeon]

Hi, I just joined the forum and should have joined one long ago. I'm 60 and live in northern MN. I've been brewing for about 7 years with kits. The wine is delicious and the kits are fool proof. My kids (all in their 30's) absolutely love home made wine! I've got 3 carboys on the kitchen island right now!

I'm to the point where I would like to start experimenting a little bit. I don't think I can make wine from grapes or concentrate because I spend 5 months a year in Mesa AZ. I've been told making wine from scratch takes about a year and being gone probably wouldn't work. I have a friend that got started brewing about 4 years ago, but he just buys cheap kits (island mist) and adds about 4# of sugar to each batch. It defiantly kicks up the alcohol content, but makes them SUPER sweet and almost syrupy.

Any suggestions? Also I can't seem to find out when is the best time to move wine into cold storage after bottling? Looking forward to being part of the forum.

Jon

 

[Tnuscan]

Check out @joeswine it's something new and fun to do to the kit wines. I 'm having a blast tweeking mine.

Welcome!

Cheers!!!

 

[bkisel]

Welcome to the forum!

All of the fruit/country wines I've done could be drunk 2-6 months out. Check out this early drinker which can be ready to drink in a month or two... http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41825&highlight=Danger+Dave

 

[heatherd]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[hounddawg]

I had a apple/pear wine, a elderberry wine, a blackberry wine, and a strawberry wine all started at the same time, was racked into carboys for the first time, then I had bone infections blood infections, a total of 4 infections at one time, I laid in a hospital 11 months straight, my nephew kept the airlock fulls of water when I got home minus a leg below the knee I spent around 3 more months recuperating, so after well over a year I racked them all off the gross lees and aged another year, added my sorbate, back sweetened all, the only problem was on of the blackberries did not have enough berries in it the other 2 carboys of blackberry and all the others were good, so from my limited experience you should have no problem letting them sit awhile as long as somebody keeps your airlock topped off, of run tubing thru your drill stopper take a five gallon bucket and drill tight holes so you can run each tube to the bottom of the bucket, in the center of the lid dill a 1/16" hole for gas release, that way with five gallons of water with a tight lid with hoses run in tight holes and a center 1/16" pressure release hole you probably would not have to refill or a very long time,
Dawg::

Hi, I just joined the forum and should have joined one long ago. I'm 60 and live in northern MN. I've been brewing for about 7 years with kits. The wine is delicious and the kits are fool proof. My kids (all in their 30's) absolutely love home made wine! I've got 3 carboys on the kitchen island right now!

I'm to the point where I would like to start experimenting a little bit. I don't think I can make wine from grapes or concentrate because I spend 5 months a year in Mesa AZ. I've been told making wine from scratch takes about a year and being gone probably wouldn't work. I have a friend that got started brewing about 4 years ago, but he just buys cheap kits (island mist) and adds about 4# of sugar to each batch. It defiantly kicks up the alcohol content, but makes them SUPER sweet and almost syrupy.

Any suggestions? Also I can't seem to find out when is the best time to move wine into cold storage after bottling? Looking forward to being part of the forum.

Jon

 

[hounddawg]

oop's sorry,
WELCOME TO WMT
Dawg::

 

[drainsurgeon]

Well thanks for the wine welcome! Ya, I've figured out I need to let them age a bit. The whites not so much but the reds come of age at about 6 months. A year out they are even better. I'm still wondering when to move them to cold storage. I've read that you should keep the bottled wine at room temp. for a few months before moving to a cooler area. Any advice would surely be appreciated. I could also use a book or two on wine making. Any suggestions?

Jon

And hounddawg, you sound like a survivor and a fighter. Good job beating the infection but it must of been quite a year!

 

[drainsurgeon]

Welcome to the forum!

Quite the resume LOL! Nice wine list though. Any favorites?

 

[hounddawg]

to be honest, it made me happy every morning I awake, rain, shine, snow, ice, they ,, each and evey day I am blessed, I raise a few dexter cows, smallest natural cow in the world, my bull is 3 now 34 to 35 inches tall at his back line, he's black polled and carries all 3 color genes, red, dun, black, I have no red cow yet but I got 3 black cows and got 3 black babies, I got 3 dune moma cows, two I have not had 2 very long but the third I got a sweet dun heifer. all are poled but two black ones but I get polled babies from them, one black I got no papers on, so her babies I eat, right now I got a year old bull from her this fall he gets to meet Jesus,,, this year she gave e a killer litter heifer I think I'll sell her so between my wines an farm animals
I keep busy, life is good, wine taste drinkable meat and eggs farm fresh, and this forum is like a family, ever one more then willing to give expert advice,
DAWG::

Well thanks for the wine welcome! Ya, I've figured out I need to let them age a bit. The whites not so much but the reds come of age at about 6 months. A year out they are even better. I'm still wondering when to move them to cold storage. I've read that you should keep the bottled wine at room temp. for a few months before moving to a cooler area. Any advice would surely be appreciated. I could also use a book or two on wine making. Any suggestions?

Jon

And hounddawg, you sound like a survivor and a fighter. Good job beating the infection but it must of been quite a year!

 

[drainsurgeon]

hounddawg, you sure have got a good outlook on life for what you've been through! I looked at some pictures of your Dexter cows and they are smaller than a Great Dane! The red ones have a beautiful cinnamon color and one was even white. I see you're from the Ozark's. We passed through that area this spring on the way home from AZ. We stayed in the Van Buren Recreation Area (nice campground) in Fairfield Bay on Greers Ferry Lake. Beautiful area! We met some friend there for a memorial service and to spread ashes for a fallen buddy that passed this last November. Jim and Wally raised hell on that lake when they were kids. You live close to that area dawg?

 

[Johny99]

Welcome Jon!

As for moving to "cold storage", that depends some on what you mean by cold. If you are storing, 50-65F is good. I move mine into that cellar as soon as I bottle. If you are talking whites, and 40-50F, I'd let it age a while at a warmer temp. Lower temps slow the aging process. That is ok if you want to wait. I keep my whites in the winery at 55-65 for about 6 months to a year (depends on style), then to cold to make them ready for drinking. I wouldn't keep anything at "room" temperature after malolactic fermentation if I could prevent it. Of course, I'm a cold fermentation guy too.

Books- I love them all. How to Make Wine is a good one for steps. Allison Crows little reference book is one I open a lot for questions, and for me Danial Piambachi's Techniques in Home Wine Making is a good technical resource. Good way to get to sleep too

If you can find a nice neighbor to keep your air locks full, or go with waterless air locks, I don't see why you can't try some country or grape wines. Ferment, rack, airlock, and head to AZ. When you get back, you'll be ready to rack again. Sure you might have a nasty that happens you can't stop because you aren't there, but if you are clean and careful, that is actually unlikely. Yes it takes a year or longer to make the wine mature, but you don't have to babysit it. Of course, I'm looking to retirement and a winter away and am trying to justify it with the wine. I have my own vineyard. Harvest October, ferment November, perhaps I can be gone by Christmas and back by April? Don't know yet but if I don't go South in the winter at some point, my wife will say see you in the spring, cause she is planning on it.

Have fun and welcome

 

[heatherd]

Quite the resume LOL! Nice wine list though. Any favorites?

So far my favorite has been the Winery Series Super Tuscan. Great at all ages!

 

[hounddawg]

not all that far from me, I live up in the very instep of the mo boot heel. or 45 mile north of Jonesboro an 21 mile south of hardy ar. , and yes my bull is better then 3 years old now and he's only 34 inches tall. I was raised staying busy, so know I have wine making when I don't feel like going out side, when outside I got Dexter cattle, a couple horses, chickens, geese, and fruit trees mull berry trees, peach, pear trees, any thing I can find to stay busy, and unlike those that brood for what they have lost, I thank god for every morning I awake to see, and I can look around an see people much worse then me, I give thanks for all I have, and never worry about I no longer have, just got home 3 days ago, tick fever an( new-moan-yea ) sorry cant spell, the next day I mowed my yard, and went up into the woods and ate blackberries till my stomach hurt,, a person should always see what they still have an be thankful that god is giving you more time so don't waste time brooding what you don't have anymore it's gone but you are not, I have now been resuscitated more times then I can count on both hands, both by CPR and with paddles, I have no fear off death, I will enjoy life till God calls me home, GOD BLESS
Dawg:: Richard



a

hounddawg, you sure have got a good outlook on life for what you've been through! I looked at some pictures of your Dexter cows and they are smaller than a Great Dane! The red ones have a beautiful cinnamon color and one was even white. I see you're from the Ozark's. We passed through that area this spring on the way home from AZ. We stayed in the Van Buren Recreation Area (nice campground) in Fairfield Bay on Greers Ferry Lake. Beautiful area! We met some friend there for a memorial service and to spread ashes for a fallen buddy that passed this last November. Jim and Wally raised hell on that lake when they were kids. You live close to that area dawg?

 

[drainsurgeon]

Welcome to the forum!

All of the fruit/country wines I've done could be drunk 2-6 months out. Check out this early drinker which can be ready to drink in a month or two... http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41825&highlight=Danger+Dave

I forgot to thank you for the link to the Danger Dave Dragon Blood link. It took me 2 1/2 weeks just to read through the very lengthy thread but it was worth it. I got several good recipes and much information (6 pages of notes) for future use. I'm on my 4th batch right now and they do disappear quickly! You've also shown me that I can make fruit wines that don't take forever! Thank you bkisel!

 

[bkisel]

I forgot to thank you for the link to the Danger Dave Dragon Blood link. It took me 2 1/2 weeks just to read through the very lengthy thread but it was worth it. I got several good recipes and much information (6 pages of notes) for future use. I'm on my 4th batch right now and they do disappear quickly! You've also shown me that I can make fruit wines that don't take forever! Thank you bkisel!

Please, you needn't thank me as I was just the messenger. Even Dave gives credit to those who came before him...

"V. A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
This knowledge is nothing new. I have built my methods and recipes from the stones quarried by others. The wine making community is a wealth of information and a multitude of wonderful people. They are your greatest resource. I am more than willing to help anyone who asks. If I don’t know something, I will point you in the right direction. You may seek me out in the winemakingtalk.com forums (dangerdave), or email me at [email protected], and we’ll talk about making some good wine!

David C Land"


BTW, you deserve some sort of trophy for reading through the entire thread. Here you go...