Making Wine

[geocorn]

How long have you been making wine?

 

[Hippie]

Right at 5 years for me.

 

[carverwood]

It's been3 years for me now.


Dan Myers

 

[AAASTINKIE]

3 weeks but I'm almost an expert, my son made some 3 months ago, I bought all the equiptment and ingredeints, got the recipe off the internet, but he says it's his wine cause he made it.

So this time I'm doing the work too!!

 

[MedPretzel]

I've been making wine for about 1.5 years now. And I LOVE IT!

 

[Hippie]

It says I cannot vote! This must be an old one. 5+ years.

 

[masta]

Sorry bout that folks....settings have been changed so you can vote in polls and create new ones.


that dang Viking Wench distracted me again!

Edited by: masta

 

[Richacla]

I have only made 300 bottles in the last 15 months. I am surprised that they have come out so drinkable. I have noticed that when I open a bottle at night that I have a high instance of evaporation.


If I leave the bottle open and on the counter there is always less in the bottle when I go back. I tryied putting the cork back in and that did not slow it down. I even tried putting the Vacumn corks in and it stilldisappears.


I think I have noticed that the evaporation rate is highest when my wife, daughter and son in law (or any other family member close or distant) are in the house.


If anyone has a similar experience please let me know what you do to slow it down.


Richacla

 

[Hippie]

Yes, I have also experienced that disappearing act. Usuallywhen one or more of the wife's lush friends are over. She won't touch it. Not sweet enough for her.

 

[Texas Rose']

I have been making wine for less than a year. I have made two country wines and a kit. I enjoy making them, but mine dissappear too,especially when my father-in-law and brothers-in-law show up! Happens a lot when we pay quarterly taxes, too!! So, I guess I will just keep on making them, I don't like empty bottles, they seems so lonely!

 

[masta]

I have been making wine for about 4 years and beer for 3 and juststarted my first batch of mead this year.


The goal now to take it to the next level and refine the process to produce a wine worthy of a medal in competition!

 

[MedPretzel]

I am a little hesitant to try mead. The "scraping of the scum" is a little scary to me. I'm worried that I wouldn't do it well enough. Is there a particular honey you would suggest that is less "scummy?"

 

[masta]

I am not sure what you mean by "scraping of the scum" but I will guess it is the scum you get when heating up honey?


I did lots of research including buying the complete meadmaker by Ken Schramm and decided to go with the no heat method. Why pay good money for honey if you going to heat it up and lose some of the great aroma and taste!


I used Tupelo Honey which is unique because of the composition of the sugar it does not crystallize! I chose it for my mead because I am making a traditionalmead and wanted something very floral. It is in the secondary now with some vanilla beans.


Only time will tell how this will come out in the end!Edited by: masta

 

[Bert]

I have been making wine for a little over two years.The kits are nice and they disappear pretty fast. I like the fruit wines and try to improve on them. The meads have got me really excited. Have three batches in bottles ageing and two more in carboys. Samples have been great, finding it hard to let the bottles age.

I just keep looking for ways to improve my wine.

 

[masta]

Sounds great Bert...what type of mead do you have working?

 

[Bert]

The two in carboys are from honey I got from a beekeeper who works part time for the farm. The first one I boiled the water and honey and added Alspice to it. I liked the samples so much I started another one, but just heated the honey and water to 150 degrees for 20 min. and added Alspice.

 

[MedPretzel]

Can anyone post a really, really simple recipe? I think I might make a gallon (or 3?)!!





Martina

 

[masta]

Martina,


The Mead Masters reside here...tons of info and another forum to post on!


http://www.gotmead.com/smf/index.php

 

[Hippie]

Thank you for the link, Scott.

 

[MedPretzel]

Wow! That is a great link, Scott! Thanks so much! I am definitely going to try some!

Martina