Greetings from Maine

[MaineGal]

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted say hello and thank you all for the helpful information that I've found on your site.

We're new to wine making, and are sure to have lots of questions as we go along.

First kit that we are going to try is an Orchard Breezin Strawberry Riesling. Made it once with some friends and liked it very much.

Could someone point me in the right direction for purchasing equipment? I already have 6 buckets and a carboy, but would like to get the rest of the stuff that I will need. I was told there is a starter kit that includes a floor model corker?

Thanks in advance

 

[admiral]

Welcome aboard! You have come to the right place to get started and to grow in our hobby/obsession. I hope you have fun.

As far as equipment is concerned, you can click on the yellow Fine Vine Wines logo above and that will take you to the main page which is the starting point for a number of really helpful pages on wine or beer making. Or, if you want to go directly to searching out equipment, you can click on the address below. Have a great time.

http://www.finevinewines.com/Wine-making-kits.htm

 

[admiral]

BTW--You are up early!

 

[nursejohn]

Welcome MaineGal. Glad to have you aboard. Any winemaking needs or questions can be taken care of by George and his staff at FVW. Their customer service is second to none. Good luck with your wine, John.

 

[uavwmn]

Welcome. Good choice to start with!! Sounds yummy. George has everything you need. And if you need help with anything, just call him. He is a great guy and ALWAYS has time to help you.

 

[xanxer82]

Call George and maybe get a new starter kit. You'll save a lot of money on a package than buying everything separately. PLUS you'll need the extra carboy because you're going to get hooked.
Welcome aboard!

 

[NEBama]

Welcome and call George FVW is a great place.AL

 

[Scott B]

WELCOME TO THE PARTY!

CALL GEORGE. HE'S THE MAN WITH ALL THE GREAT TOYS!
1-866-417-1114

 

[MaineGal]

Thanks everyone. I will be sure to contact George. After I posted my message I came across a link that directed me to his equipment packages. Wow...He certainly covers it from every angle.

I'm really excited about getting our first batch up and going. But I'm concerned about temperature fluctuations, as we heat with pellet stoves. What is the lowest temp that it can be subjected too?

BTW--You are up early!

Oh no, Admiral....I wasn't up early......I was up LATE! Started reading here on the forum about 8:00 pm last night and didnt get done until about 4:30 am.... LOL.....And only got done then because my eyes were getting sketchy on me

It's like a good book around here....hard to put it down!

'Tis a great site. I look forward to learning much for all of your experiences.

Have a great day

 

[ibglowin]

Welcome to the (best) wine making forums out there on the internets.OK we may be slightly biased!

 

[admiral]

Oh no, Admiral....I wasn't up early......I was up LATE! Started reading here on the forum about 8:00 pm last night and didnt get done until about 4:30 am.... LOL.....And only got done then because my eyes were getting sketchy on me

It's like a good book around here....hard to put it down!

'Tis a great site. I look forward to learning much for all of your experiences.

Have a great day

[/QUOTE]

Believe me, I understand.

 

[Runningwolf]

Welcome aboard MaineGal. I agree with everyone else about calling George. I called him this morning about upgrading some equipment and he advised against it due to the size of my operation and saved me $350. This is the second time he did that. George is not out to make a quick buck but he is here to truley serve us wine makers. The only suggestion I would have is to start right off with a Portugese corker instead of upgrading later. It will make life a lot easier for you and save you from upgrading later. Look forward to hearing about your adventures.

 

[MaineGal]

Thanks for the welcome guys.... You all sure do make folks feel at home here. I agree it is the best site on the net!

Runningwolf, I do plan to buy a kit with the Portuguese corker. I used one when I helped our friends bottle their Strawberry Riesling, and was amazed at how easy it was.

Love the pictures you've all posted. Especially the wine rooms/wine cellars/and wine racks. Sure does give some great ideas. Now I just have to get my DH on the 'puter so he can putter around and see what you've all come up with. He's a carpenter by trade and will appreciate all your work.

I asked earlier, but so far no one has answered...can someone tell me what the lowest acceptable temp would be when making wine? (It will determine where we make it here.) Cellar stays a pretty consistent 50*, and from what I've read, that would be too cold. The rest of the house is heated with wood pellets, and so some areas are warmer than others.

I have a feeling that my dining room is soon to become the wine making room........ It is only used twice a year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, otherwise just unused space.

Thanks again for your welcome.

Blessings to you all.

 

[vcasey]

Welcome to the forum! I would give George a call and he'll guide you through the packages and help you pick out what is best for you. Extra airlocks, bungs, and hydrometers, especially hydrometers are good to keep around. Well a few extra carboys never hurts!
VC

 

[MaineGal]

Extra airlocks, bungs, and hydrometers, especially hydrometers are good to keep around. Well a few extra carboys never hurts!
VC

LOL.... I'm getting the impression there are never any extra's

 

[Wade E]

I would not go lower then 72* or you could run into trouble with stuck fermentations or wine not clearing or degassing. I agree with everyone on calling George as most equipment kits will have the bucket and carboy. If I were you Id call him and he could most likely substitute the bucket included for an upgrade on something like the standard corker to a floor corker.

 

[vcasey]

I have found with hydrometers if you only have one, it will break. If you have 2 you'll wonder why you have an extra! A couple of small wine bottle bungs & a couple of airlocks will help when you have just a bit extra wine.
VC

 

[MaineGal]

I would not go lower then 72* or you could run into trouble with stuck fermentations or wine not clearing or degassing.

OK, so no lower than 72*....
Our dining room is only 69* right now but this will fluctuate with the coming winter weather.......

What about high temp exposure? I'm thinking we may need to do it right in our big country kitchen if we need to keep it no lower than 72*, but then chances are, it could be subjected to temps of up to 80*.....


What do you think?

Is this a situation where I could do it in my dining room and use one of those warming belts that I have seen on here?

 

[xanxer82]

Check out a Brew Belt. It will help in cooler climates. Also get a couple of floating thermometers and some stick on thermometers for the outside of your fermenters

 

[ibglowin]

Yep,

Brew Belt or a heating pad for your neck of the woods when your in fermentation phase. You'll also need one of those long plastic spoons like George has. You probalby won't find a floor corker in a stock starter kit unless George will custom build you one.