New Winemaker on board ;)

[lewisericeric]

Hi All

I'm Lewis, and totally new to winemaking but will be starting this-coming weekend!... And I'm really excited!

I've just ordered all the equipment I'm going to need and two wine kits as I wouldn't feel confident going straight into using fresh fruit etc and feel that may also be a bit too much hassle when I can just get the grape concentrates in a kit?

Anyway, I've ordered a Beaverdale Barolo and another kit which I think is the brand "Island Mist" (?) which is a strawberry white merlot which sounds really nice.

Both will make 6 bottles each and myself and my partner intend to make the red first and then the strawberry merlot.

Any tips/advice at all?

I guess I'm starting this due to my grandparents who used to make wine and I remember fondly as a child them stressing over the demi-johns and equipment, sterilisation etc....!!

Not only that, but even though I was quite young and not really into wine, when I visited and was allowed a taste of their wine, I remember it being amazing! So maybe the reason I'm going into this is nostalgia, although I thought that it would make an interesting hobby for me and my partner also

Really excited about this (is it wrong to be THIS excited?!) but maybe next week I'll be on here complaining that I've "had enough already!"

Take care all and hope to speak to you soon.
Lewis

 

[djrockinsteve]

Welcome here. You've picked a great hobby however it can become addicting. Browse the forum and search for info. If you need additional help ask. There is a list of kits on this forum that may provide info. to yours as well.

Have fun.

 

[Runningwolf]

Welcome aboard!

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!

 

[phermenter]

Hi All

maybe next week I'll be on here complaining that I've "had enough already!"

Lewis

That is NOT gonna happen.

Jim

 

[Goodfella]

Welcome aboard.

This is an amazing hobby. You can spend as much, or as little time as you want doing it. It is also a procrastonators dream hobby!!! haha hmmmmmm....... I think I'll wait...... "That guy makes great wine because he doesn't rush the process"

 

[Marquez]

Welcome!

I am a home beer brewer, and have found that the process itself can be as intoxicating as any of the spirits produced.

I am very new to wine making, and haven't even bought my first kit! However, understanding my curiosity and intent to make great wine I foresee that I will be attending to every detail throughout the process.

Beer has the advantage that it is ready to drink relatively faster than wine. So your skills will progress faster as well.

So, hijacking this thread...... if you like wine making, consider adding homebrewing to your hobbies!

 

[UglyBhamGuy]

i have heard that people up the SG on those Mist kits, you would have to ask about that specific one though.

 

[robie]

Welcome aboard!

Myself, I haven't seen any kits that make just 6 bottles, but lots of them make 6 gallons. Either you meant 6 gallons or you are going to be very surprised!

Have fun!

 

[lewisericeric]

Hi Robie

Thanks for your reply. Yep they're definately 6 BOTTLE kits. We can get them in UK not sure where you are? But wouldn't be that depressed if it did make 6 gallons!Haha

 

[BIGJEFF]

Both will make 6 bottles each and myself and my partner intend to make the red first and then the strawberry merlot.

are you sure you don't mean 6 gallons?? I just saw ou already ansered that sorry!!

I made a couple of Island mist,(white cranneberry pinot gris and blackberry Merlot) They are very good, I added corn sugar to mine in order to kick them up to around 13-15%alcool...it was a summer favorite!

Anyway welcome! People here are very nice and very PATIENT so don't hesitate to ask questions!!

 

[robie]

WOW! That is a small kit!
Welcome to the forum.

Hey, did you see that AquaCom is new to the forum and also from the U.K.?

 

[AquaCom]

Hi Robie

Thanks for your reply. Yep they're definately 6 BOTTLE kits. We can get them in UK not sure where you are? But wouldn't be that depressed if it did make 6 gallons!Haha

Hi there. Welcome from me also! I joined up a couple of days ago myself.
Yes, the 6 bottle kits are very popular over here.
Wine Expert, Beaverdale and most of the major brands sell them. Personally I go for the bigger kits, but sometimes it's nice to try the 6 bottle kit for something more unusual. I did a 6 bottle Elderflower a few weeks ago and it was fantastic.

 

[lewisericeric]

Hi Aqua

Nice to meet you!

Can you remember what brand the Elderflower one was as i would LOVE to try that mostly as that was one of the wines that my grandparents used to make, but, unfortunately, they can't remember what brand it was or anything else!

Have you made it often? Did it always turn out well?

Cheers!

 

[PPBart]

Hi Robie

Thanks for your reply. Yep they're definately 6 BOTTLE kits. We can get them in UK not sure where you are? But wouldn't be that depressed if it did make 6 gallons!Haha

Perhaps that equals one Imperial gallon?
(1 Imperial gallon = 1.20095042 US gallons)

 

[AquaCom]

It's the first time I have made it. Apparently you can make it into a champagne very easily. I didnt' have any champagne bottles otherwise I would have kept it "fizzy". It did have a slight fizz left in it and it was simply gorgeous!! Everyone that tried it was amazed at how good it was.
It was a "Solomon Grundy" kit. Only about £8.50 GBP. You need to buy the sugar on top of that, but even so, it's still very cheap and the results are great. I'll be making some more!

 

[lewisericeric]

Aww brilliant thanks for that Aqua!

And thank you for the welcome Big Jeff! I'm sure I'll be talking to many of you in the next few weeks!

Lewis

 

[xanxer82]

Welcome Lewis!
My Tips...
Remember to order an extra hydrometer or two as one always breaks.
Get yourself a drill mounted mix stir. It makes mixing in stabilizers and degasing wine so much easier than using a spoon.
Get yourself a glass jug, and mix up some sanitizer strength K Meta solution (3 tsp per gallon). It will keep for a while and makes cleaning up easier.
Be patient! Don't rush the wine into the bottle. Let it sit in the carboy for 3 months. Add 1/8 tsp KMeta at the end of 3 months and let it sit another couple of weeks. You won't regret it.

 

[St Allie]

Welcome to the forum Lewis,

we have 6 bottle kits here.. but they are made up by the local brew store, so we only get red or white..

I wouldn't mind doing the elderflower kit myself.. you don't have the brand on the box do you.. the distributor etc.. ?

Might see if the local store can order it in.

Allie

 

[rodo]

Lewis, welcome to the forum.
When you have a few minutes please check out "The Map" and add a marker for yourself if you like. You will see several member markers in GB and we would love to see some more.

Here is a link to "The Map"
http://www.michaelsouellette.com/apps/winemakingtalk/index.php

If you have any problems with "The Map" PM me.