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jsmahoney

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While in my time off from work this week. I ran across a long lost school friend of mine. She had just started a batch of Rhubarb/Apple wine. She had gone down into Kansas to talk to an elderly man of his 80's that makes a mighty fine batch of wine. His techniques were quite barren,and something out of the ordinary.
He stated the best made wine is from the fruit after it has gone through the first batch of wine making. In other words, after you make a batch of wine, "don't" throw the fruit away and make a second batch from it. He stated that is the best wine you can make. Now, I too am skeptical, but as she is making this second batch of wine from the used fresh fruit, I will be able to sample it down the road.


He uses plastic sandwich bagson the top of the jugs/carboys. I did get to sample one of his wines and it was outstanding.


I also found someone that makes wine, and uses the yeast off the fruit to make his wine. I haven't been able to get close to him fore he is a person of little words and likes to be left alone. I'm hoping to get closer to him and learn from his experiences before he has to go see his maker. Kind of a grumpy elderly man who is determined to live the rest of his life left alone.
 
JSM, he must not use pectic enzyme so is not getting what needs to be
out of the fruit the first time. After 10 days in the primary there is
absolutely nothing left of the fruit to offer when using pectic. I bet his 1st batch does not have the flavor that we want. I am posting some before an after pictures of the Raspberry batch I did, This was 18lbs.
20071013_072103_Raspberries_Bef.jpg

20071013_072244_Raspberries_Aft.jpg
 
WOW! What a difference in the pictures! This is the first time wine making for my friend. She was really interested in it and so went to this older gentleman. I'm Leary of her results, but never know again time will tell. His wine was very good though. But, like you said, not like ours.


I haven't been able to see her since, but have a couple of bottles of wine for her from my cellar. I'm afraid she may get discouraged with her first batch, and wanted he not to get discouraged and quit.
 
Using the natural yeast strains is old fashioned and works but what we have available to us now is much more precise and renders a much more guaranteed result and you know that it will ferment dry and have a much better chance of not re fermenting n the bottle.
 
Many 'old-timers' around that make wine their way often mention the popping corks they get....so we are lucky to have better control over our products.


Nice to see you back js....didn't you go on a trip somewhere far away????
 
I have a friend that is Italian and makes wine the old fashioned way. He really doesnt clean anything and uses nothing but the grapes themselves and manual labor. His whole basement is purple from exploding bottles, he had 75 gallons of vinegar last year, and his wine is nasty but he keeps going. His wife had a bottle of my other friend kit wine and asked her husband why he just doesnt do it the right way and said that this is how wine is supposed to taste. Man I wish I could have been there for that 1!
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My italian born grandfather made many gallons of vinegar too and thats why i never became interested in wine making as a youth. He had a huge press and a cellar beneath the ground that was always cool
 
My grandparents had an orchard, mostly strawberries and raspberries....she made strawberry wine and was always adding vodka to it....
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Don't know if it was good or not.
 
We were allowd to drink wine as children. Maybe GRANPAS WINE is the reason i dont drink much alcohol as a grown up lol
 

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