New Michigan Winemaker!

[DavesWine]

Hi everyone. New to wine making, not to Michigan and I'm enjoying reading many of the posts on here. Everyone seems very helpful. I've been brewing beer for some time now but can no longer drink it due to gluten issues. (Not thrilled about gluten free beer). Hoping a lot of that knowledge and equipment will transfer over. I definitely enjoy wine and even more now that I'm starting to make my own. I've got a Winexpert LE21Marselan kit going that just finished primary.

So far there's less work involved than a typical brew day, but the waiting for the finished product ....... ugh!!!!

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

Yup. Welcome.

 

[BigDaveK]

Welcome!

Have you tried making beer with organic ingredients? I read that many people aren't really gluten intolerant but are sensitive to glyphosate.

We all have to deal with the Patience Demon. It gets better.

 

[rustbucket]

Welcome to WMT.

 

[Jim Welch]

Hi everyone. New to wine making, not to Michigan and I'm enjoying reading many of the posts on here. Everyone seems very helpful. I've been brewing beer for some time now but can no longer drink it due to gluten issues. (Not thrilled about gluten free beer). Hoping a lot of that knowledge and equipment will transfer over. I definitely enjoy wine and even more now that I'm starting to make my own. I've got a Winexpert LE21Marselan kit going that just finished primary.

So far there's less work involved than a typical brew day, but the waiting for the finished product ....... ugh!!!!

Welcome to WMT. Being a long time home brewer I found much of my equipment and knowledge allowed me to "hit the ground running" so to speak. There are some differences of course and you've already discovered one, much less work on "brew" day. One other thing you may find is that wine making is far, far more forgiving than beer making, at least that has been my experience.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome to WMT!

Where in Michigan are you? (Feel free to use your hands to answer! )

 

[ChuckD]

but the waiting for the finished product ....... ugh!!!!

Do what most of us do here. Use all that free time to make wine!

and welcome to WMT

 

[DavesWine]

Welcome!

Have you tried making beer with organic ingredients? I read that many people aren't really gluten intolerant but are sensitive to glyphosate.

We all have to deal with the Patience Demon. It gets better.

I wish it were as simple as sensitivity. I can still drink beer as it doesn't bother me but I've been diagnosed with Hashimoto's ... gluten is really bad for that, and of course organic malt still has plenty of gluten.
I'll feel a little better about all this once I can start enjoying the wine I make. With beer you only have to wait a few weeks on many of them. Long lag time till I have some stock to enjoy

 

[DavesWine]

Where in Michigan are you? (Feel free to use your hands to answer! )

LOL, I know right. Sure sign someone's from Michigan when they hold up their hand to show you where they live.
I'm in the Fenton area which is about halfway between Detroit and Flint.

 

[ChuckD]

With beer you only have to wait a few weeks on many of them. Long lag time till I have some stock to enjoy

Some wines are quicker than others. Search for “skeeter pee” or “dragons blood” for something you can drink in a few weeks. Some
Fruit wines can also very good after a few months.

 

[DavesWine]

I've already got the ingredients together for those two. Will start them soon hopefully ready for summer.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Welcome to Wine Making Talk

Most of your hardware will transfer over. The yeast family doesn’t really put up barriers between wines and beers and ciders and meads . From a practical standpoint you could do ciders/ “jail house wine” and live with the turbidity from still having suspended solids. The question is how clean does the consumer want it?
Beers are made with hops which act as an antioxidant. Wines from red grape have polyphenols and country/ whites fight oxidation with metabisulphite. Flavor wise if you like the hoppy notes you could make hopped wines/ ciders.

Wine is very forgiving.

 

[Gilmango]

Welcome to WMT! I am also a longtime beer brewer and former Michigan resident (raised in East Lansing), and I also bought that WE LE21 Marselan kit as the grape just sounds so interesting. But I have not started the Marselan kit yet as it is shelf stable, and I keep making Finer Wine Kits which need to be made or frozen upon purchase.

I suggest you look into those Finer Wine kits, only available from Label Peelers in Ohio, they'll ship to you much faster and cheaper being in Michigan, and they are on sale right now (35% off vs. usual 25%) and if you buy one this month you can also email to get 10% off all future purchases including discounted purchases.

 

[DavesWine]

Welcome to WMT! I am also a longtime beer brewer and former Michigan resident (raised in East Lansing), and I also bought that WE LE21 Marselan kit as the grape just sounds so interesting. But I have not started the Marselan kit yet as it is shelf stable, and I keep making Finer Wine Kits which need to be made or frozen upon purchase.

I suggest you look into those Finer Wine kits, only available from Label Peelers in Ohio, they'll ship to you much faster and cheaper being in Michigan, and they are on sale right now (35% off vs. usual 25%) and if you buy one this month you can also email to get 10% off all future purchases including discounted purchases.

I actually just bought one today, I got the Forte Pinot Noir. Their having a sale this week to celebrate their 1 year anniversary. 35% off plus 10% off for life. I'm excited about doing this one. I've been reading the threads on their kits and everyone seems to be really liking them.

 

[Gilmango]

I actually just bought one today, I got the Forte Pinot Noir. Their having a sale this week to celebrate their 1 year anniversary. 35% off plus 10% off for life. I'm excited about doing this one. I've been reading the threads on their kits and everyone seems to be really liking them.

Cool, just be sure to send an email, replying to your purchase confirmation, so that they add you to their list of customers getting 10% off for life on FWK. I honestly thought that extra incentive came and went (was only available to those of us who bought in the first few months and sent the email), pretty cool that it is back. And do let me know how that Marselan goes, I have 1 more FWK in the freezer (my first Pinot Noir) which I will make before I get to the Marselan.

 

[BigDaveK]

I've already got the ingredients together for those two. Will start them soon hopefully ready for summer.

Check the forum for skeeter pee. There are some simple tweaks to really make the flavor pop.

 

[BigDaveK]

I wish it were as simple as sensitivity. I can still drink beer as it doesn't bother me but I've been diagnosed with Hashimoto's ... gluten is really bad for that, and of course organic malt still has plenty of gluten.
I'll feel a little better about all this once I can start enjoying the wine I make. With beer you only have to wait a few weeks on many of them. Long lag time till I have some stock to enjoy

Ah, Hashimoto....that's different.
Well, wine it is then!

 

[Jovimaple]

Welcome to WMT! Hubby and I were in Frankenmuth a couple of years ago and managed to spend far too much money at Bronner's. So much Christmas!!!

 

[Steve Wargo]

Hi everyone. New to wine making, not to Michigan and I'm enjoying reading many of the posts on here. Everyone seems very helpful. I've been brewing beer for some time now but can no longer drink it due to gluten issues. (Not thrilled about gluten free beer). Hoping a lot of that knowledge and equipment will transfer over. I definitely enjoy wine and even more now that I'm starting to make my own. I've got a Winexpert LE21Marselan kit going that just finished primary.

So far there's less work involved than a typical brew day, but the waiting for the finished product ....... ugh!!!!

Welcome aboard. You will find posts for using 'stuff' that you might not have thought could make wine. As far as the wait time? Some recipes on this site are designed for a quick turnaround time. Ask away! Someone will try to help

 

[wineview]

Hi everyone. New to wine making, not to Michigan and I'm enjoying reading many of the posts on here. Everyone seems very helpful. I've been brewing beer for some time now but can no longer drink it due to gluten issues. (Not thrilled about gluten free beer). Hoping a lot of that knowledge and equipment will transfer over. I definitely enjoy wine and even more now that I'm starting to make my own. I've got a Winexpert LE21Marselan kit going that just finished primary.

So far there's less work involved than a typical brew day, but the waiting for the finished product ....... ugh!!!!

Welcome. I Remember spending eight hours on a typical brew day from start to finish and clean up. Wine making is different in that respect but you still have to be vigilant. Depending how deep you want to get into this hobby.