My year in review 2010.

[xoltri]

So this year was my first year making wine and beer, mostly from kits. I made a couple batches of skeeter pee and apfelwein, and am currently making a 3 gallon batch of choke cherry wine from fruit I picked in the fall.

Anyways, by the end of the year I'll be just over 100 gallons of wine and about 42 gallons of beer. Not sure if there is a 200gallon limit in Canada like you guys have in the states but if there is I'll probably break it next year.

My goal this year was to make a lot of wine to build up a stock. Eventually I'd like to get to the point that I'm not drinking anything that's younger than 1 year from when the yeast was pitched, with the exception of the mist wines maybe. I did rush things sometimes this year but I have learned to be more patient now, while still bottling wine quick enough so I can start a new batch. It's rare that all of my carboys and/or my two primary fermenters aren't full.

The one tool that has made me much more efficient at making wine is my vacuum aspirator pump. It has taken so much work out of the process of racking and degassing that I would not make wine without it. It's an essential tool in my opinion.

I can't wait until this time next year so I can start drinking some of these higher end red wines. Until now I've been mostly a beer and whiskey drinker, but I do like a good red wine when I've had them.

 

[JasonH]

Wow! You have had a busy year. I've only made 25 gallons this year and I felt busy!

 

[ellijaywinemaker]

Don't feel bad I have only made 5 gal and have none left in my wine room

 

[WinoOutWest]

xoltri: this could have been my exact post. I started in January with a Costco kit that was given to me and I've done 20 kits mostly premium reds from RJSpagnols as the factory store is 10minutes from work, 4 of their beer kits, 4 batches of Skeeter and 1 Apple Cider experiment so far this year. I'm in the same boat as far as the drinking vs aging struggle. My strategy has been to bulk age a minimum of 4 months and then I seal up one box each of my good kits with a do not open sticker for 12 months on them. Starting to get a decent supply stocked up and have definitely learned a ton about the process and which kits I prefer. Its a great sport!

Totally agree with on the aspirator too - best $50 I've spent on eBay.

My 2 primaries are have been dry for 3 weeks now and I am itching like crazy! Time to hit RJ Spagnols again!
Cheers from Abbotsford!

 

[xoltri]

3 weeks! I've been buying kits in advance so I'm always ready to start one when it's empty. Starting a Cellar Classic Shiraz tonight.

You must get a good deal if the factory store is so close. I wish I was so lucky. What is your opinion of the beer kits?

 

[WinoOutWest]

Yeah the factory store is a fun place to keep dropping in on. They have damaged boxes that have fallen off the pallets etc each week for $25% off their list. They tend to be really fresh and their list price is usually cheaper than one I can find at the LHBS anyway.

i am actually quite impressed with the beer kits too. They are easier to make than wine and so far I have quite enjoyed them. (they usually have one or two of these 25% off as well - thank goodness for crappy forklift operators!)

So for the year I've basically been an opportunistic buyer of whatever they happen to have "on sale" (mostly high end reds) but now that I have tried so many different ones I am definitely going to be making certain ones again. I just cracked my first bottle of my 2nd En Primeur kit and I see myself buying more of these EP kits next year. There seems to be a significant difference in quality in these kits. At least to my pallette and at least when they are young. Can't wait to see how some of these develop.

 

[frohe]

Not sure if there is a 200 gallon limit in Canada like you guys have in the states but if there is I'll probably break it next year.

Limit? Who's counting? Or, telling?