When does it cease to be a hobby!?

[kyvinoman]

I just started making wine a few months back, I got real serious about it after finding all of the info here, I already have 6 Carboys going, and I am looking to start 3 more, I just have to figure out how to break it to my wife...lol!
On a good note, at least we are finding out which varieties we prefer, I am seriously considering making a 54 liter Demijohn of our favorite, 6 gallons just doesn't seem like it will be enough once we start sharing what we consider our best with friends and family.

Pumpkinman - I just started recently and have just started the secondary fermentation of my first batch. I am wondering when I should start a new batch? I know it depends on a lot of things such as personal preferences, space, amount of wine I want to have etc. what has been your experience so far?

 

[Pumpkinman]

Kyvinoman,
There are members that are far more qualified than me, but my personal experience is this:
I jumped in both feet first...lol, I started with two batches, I followed with two more a week later, and a week later two more, I recently scored a few inexpensive 5 gallon carboys, so tonite I am picking up two more Juice pails...that said..If you have a batch in secondary fermentation, I wouldn't hesitate to start another, you will have plenty of time to monitor the new batch.
As long as you feel comfortable, not overwhelmed with starting a new batch, I would. If you start now, you can have your fermentation done and even cold stabilize before temps get so cold that you cant put them out doors if necessary.
Plus, this community is great, anytime you post a question, you will get answers!

I'm addicted to the aroma of wine fermenting, it puts a smile on my face! But I've promised my wife that this will be the last 2 batches of juice that I start, at least until Chilean season. (I said nothing about Kits...lol)

 

[saddlebronze]

I have gone well past the hobby phase and headlong into obsession. I have 15 cases done, vines in the ground and am thinking about a winery. I am trying to convince myself its only a hobby but it gets tough when you take a trip and consider not going if there are no wineries or LHBS's on the way.

 

[Runningwolf]

just to expand on what rocky has said..

a) They weigh about 110 pounds when full. I find that (with two people) you can lift it up or move it with just a little effort.

b) Yes, they are more fragile. Although more fragile than a carboy, demijohns are still surprisingly tough. at one time I has some 45 of them (yes 45 of them) and have only has two or three break over a 12 year period.

The best part is that most demijohns come in a plastic bucket (avoid the wicker wrapped ones). When a DJ breaks, the bucket catches most of the wine. I find that 2 carbays can be saved in this case.

c) I find that "splitting a batch" into two carboys, when one carboy has a problem, the other one will too. I have never really had a case where the same wine, from the same batch of grapes, treated the same way, gave drastically different results. That is my own experience, but it is not to say that this is not possible.

I remember the same concerns when I purchased my first DJ. I remember the fear of "all my eggs in one basket". I have found, when you reach a certian point in the growth of your winery, going to DJs is the best choice.

By the look of things, you have reached that point!

Damn it John I thought you were all tied up with the storms! Now you have me seriously thinking about a few of these. A SS tank is out of the question as I don't have floor drains and I don't want to buy a pump. Plus starting prices for SS is about $500. My question is the price on them is $49 w/o a spout and $79 with a spout. I have never been a fan of spouts. What's your opinion (Rocky I'm asking you also or anyone else).

I have always been a fan of making tons of varieties and I still will but I also find myself making some rather large batches. So when is this no longer a hobby? Well I've cut back this year, with 25 or so carboys full and at least that many empty and about 1400 bottles filled, I wasn't so anxious to get the other carboys filled. Did I mention I'm headed back down to Luva Bella's in a few weeks.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Well, my wife informed me that my idea to "just try one 6 gallon batch of wine" has grown a bit...lol...my office is getting filled up with carboys and fermenting buckets!

Next season we have decided that I'll be making a Demijohn of Amarone, for us, this has been bar none our favorite, I can't wait until it ages and we can dive into it!

On a good note, we have a wine shop near us that is bigger than most supermarkets, a forty thousand square foot building with twenty-three thousand square feet of selling floor, this is a serious liquor store! They always have some sort of tasting going on, so of course I hit them up for their empty bottles, today they were sampling a Pinot Noir, and to my surprise, the Pinot that I'm making doesn't taste too far off from the bottle that we tasted!

Here is a shot of my home office, not too much real estate left...lol
As you can see, I cover mine with towels until I'll set them in the basement for bulk aging.
I have 6 in carboys and 4 fermenting.

 

[Gr8zins]

For me it started about 20 years ago with a batch oh Welches concord wine. if the pics come thru i am about up to 18 batches now. used all sorts of juices from the locals around here, kits and other concentrates. in the pics are mosty Regina juice and Lodi Gold from Cali. on the floor are 2010 and 2011. on the table are all cab from 2012 resting and enjoying a good dose of malo-lactic bacteria.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Nice! I'm trying to build up an inventory, hopefully at this pace in a year or two, I won't have to worry about wanting wine and taking a young bottle.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

You know you are getting obsessed when you actually have to keep track of how much you make to stay legal (<200 gal). Now we have to keep track, to pay excise tax!