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Boatboy24

No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
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I realized earlier this morning that I'd missed my winemaking anniversary and have now been making wine over 5 years.

61 batches of wine have made their way through my 'winery'. I started by dipping my toe into the pool with a basic equipment kit and a Vino Italiano Barolo kit from Amazon. I was tweaking from the start - using BM45 yeast, adding oak, and reconstituting to a little over 5 gallons (to allow for some loss during racking). I even rehydrated with GoFerm and fed with Fermaid on that batch, as I'd read about the 'needs' of BM45 and was a little nervous. That batch was started 3/18 and bottled on 6/24 after what I considered at the time to be 'bulk aging'. :) I quickly started subsequent batches, moving to Dragon's Blood, nicer kits, and even wine from fresh peaches later that same year.

How times have changed. I now have over 15 carboys, along with several 1 and 0.5 gallon jugs. Supplementing those are 3, 23L Vadai barrels. I no longer use gravity, unless racking into plastic (only two of my carboys are plastic) and that is always from a barrel, which is elevated. I use the AI1 for racking and bottling (best tool ever!), I test for pH and SO2, and make as much (if not, more) wine from fresh grapes or juice than I do kits. I own a press and am always looking for a deal on a crusher/destemer. I guess I've been bitten by the bug. My dad is now in on this hobby with me on many batches and the kids even help with punchdowns and sometimes bottling.

I've also made some good friends here - some of whom I've actually had the pleasure of meeting and/or exchanging wines with. I've learned a lifetime's worth of lessons - the easy way - because of this site. So, here's to another 5 years and hopefully, continued learning and improving. And thanks to all for the advice, support and encouragement. :b
 
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Congats! I wonder what the next 5 years will bring to your wine making endeavors?
 
Yes many congratulations and you should no doubt celibrate. Do you still have any bottles in your cellar from those early first batches?

Cheers!
-johann
 
I also want to say congratulations!

And also, Thanks. Your threads and posts, have helped in improving my winemaking in many ways.
 
WTG! I had to stop and think about when I started! I blundered into wine making with a choke cherry. I really didn't know what I was doing and Wine Making Talk was my savior! I haven't been making wine for 5 years yet, but am surprised it will be 4 years this summer. Now I can't imagine buying wine, a wine kit but not commercial wine!
 
I realized earlier this morning that I'd missed my winemaking anniversary and have now been making wine over 5 years.

See, that's what happens when you stop drinking for 40 days! I'll toast your five years on Sunday, just may be with a beer, since my steak and wine have been postponed until dinner. It will be a good beer, I'm planning on one of my 60 minute IPA knockoffs (and a comparison to a real one). My younger brother really enjoyed it, he said it was bitter in a good way, then he remembered the original tasted that way too (duh, IPA, duh).

Congratulations, here is to 5 more!
 
Yes many congratulations and you should no doubt celibrate. Do you still have any bottles in your cellar from those early first batches?

Cheers!
-johann

Johann....celibrate? celibate? or celebrate? It must be celebrate! Surely after five years of wine making, Boatboy has managed to get laid by now!! :db :HB

Working on three here. Am finally getting some wines over their first birthday.
 
Ha ha I hope so! Must have been a freudian slip and with lent ending who know's what's going to happen.

Cheers to five years! I'm coming up on #1 and thanks for all the great input and knowledge from all it's very much appreciated.

-johann
 
Do you still have any bottles in your cellar from those early first batches?

Cheers!
-johann

A few, though not many. That first batch is gone. But here's what's left from 2012:

CC Showcase Lodi Old Vine Zin: 6 bottles; pitched April 22, 2012 (never was great - hopelessly waiting for it to 'come around')
Vino Italiano Cabernet Sauvignon: 1 bottle; pitched May 28, 2012
CC LR Red Mountain Trio: 1 bottle (and another from a batch started 1/26/13); pitched 8/4/2012
RJS Orange Chocolate Port: 4 bottles; pitched 9/15/2012
RJS Winery Series Super Tuscan: 1 bottle; pitched 12/1/2012
 

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