Hi All this thread and forum stuff is new to me. Sorry in advance if i error.For years My family has made wine starting with the grapes. We destemed,crushed into barrels etc. I'm getting to old for that work. I would like to try making wine from the juices in pails.I have oak barrels, carboys etc . We never used sulfer or yeast. Wine was always made end of oct and bottled around easter with a close eye on the phase of the moon. PLEASE help me get started . thanks
help me get started
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Hi Ann, Im over here in Middlebury so not far from you. I would highly recommend at least using a hydrometer to know where you are starting at at when its truly done. Im a big advocate of using sulfites and yeast but to each their own is my modo but must say using wine yeast is much more predictable to end up with a great product. Around here I get my stuff at Maltose Express in Monroe and was down there ths morning picking up grapes and they will be open tomorrow and Ill be there again as I forgot to pick up a few supplies for ph testing. What kind of wine are you looking to make? There are a few other Ct'ers here amongst us.
rodo
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Ann welcome to Wine Making Talk.
The way I learned was to start with some inexpensive kits and of coarse lurking and interacting on this forum. The thing about kits is the directions and all the additives are right there for you. A drinkable wine is the normal conclusion of a kit. And in the prosses you will learn most of the steps and chemicals that will be required to progress to juice.
In my first year of wine making I made only kits. At the beginning of my second year (last year at this time) I started my first non kit wine from apple cider and it turned out pretty well. This year I have progressed to juices with about 120 gallons fermenting now.
The way I learned was to start with some inexpensive kits and of coarse lurking and interacting on this forum. The thing about kits is the directions and all the additives are right there for you. A drinkable wine is the normal conclusion of a kit. And in the prosses you will learn most of the steps and chemicals that will be required to progress to juice.
In my first year of wine making I made only kits. At the beginning of my second year (last year at this time) I started my first non kit wine from apple cider and it turned out pretty well. This year I have progressed to juices with about 120 gallons fermenting now.
Ann, I'm sure the folks here can get you started on the path you want, but I'm interested in the old method you mentioned. I understand starting in october and bottling in the spring, but what exactly do you look for in the phase of the moon? Which phases are good for bottling I guess is my question?
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Ann, welcome to the party. Lots of great folks here. Feel free to pop in, lurk around and ask your questions. You're living right by the master, and that's a good thing.
moon phases
My father-in-law always said a new moon would give the clearest wine and if you bottled and there was a ring around the moon or a haze ,it was not only going to rain but your wine would have a haze too. I don't know if this would test out but I'm not about to mess with what he said. We picked up juice and everything today in Monroe(thanks for letting me know that place is there)It's bubble,bubble no trouble in my house now.
thanks for everyones help
My father-in-law always said a new moon would give the clearest wine and if you bottled and there was a ring around the moon or a haze ,it was not only going to rain but your wine would have a haze too. I don't know if this would test out but I'm not about to mess with what he said. We picked up juice and everything today in Monroe(thanks for letting me know that place is there)It's bubble,bubble no trouble in my house now.
thanks for everyones helpSimilar threads
