Wine making?

[dralarms]

Anyone do any wine making? I am looking for some of those glass carboys. Anyone got any?

[Okey]

I make a little. This was after a corking party. You ever around Nashville?

[dralarms]

I make a little. This was after a corking party. You ever around Nashville?

wow that looks good. Yes I will be in murp. on thursday. Is that close enough?

[xd shooter]

Byron you look like a sot!!

[Guest lostpass]

how does the winemaking process compare to making beer? I've made lots of beer but I would like to try fruit wine in the future.

[dats82]

I bought my five gallon ones at Old Time Pottery in Murfreesboro. They work pretty good for a larger batch. I am not sure what size you want, but if you are just making a few gallons, you can just use the one gallon jugs that can be bought about any home brew store. There is also a place in Nashville called All Seasons that had some last time I was in there. I know you are in Chattanooga, but if you get up toward either of those places, you can keep your eye open.

[dralarms]

how does the winemaking process compare to making beer? I've made lots of beer but I would like to try fruit wine in the future.

Wine making seems to be fairly simple.

I bought my five gallon ones at Old Time Pottery in Murfreesboro. They work pretty good for a larger batch. I am not sure what size you want, but if you are just making a few gallons, you can just use the one gallon jugs that can be bought about any home brew store. There is also a place in Nashville called All Seasons that had some last time I was in there. I know you are in Chattanooga, but if you get up toward either of those places, you can keep your eye open.

Thanks for the info.

[Guest dubaholic2]

My parents made their own wine for a while and all of their stuff is still in my basement. If you're interested I can see if they would be interested in letting it go.

[dralarms]

My parents made their own wine for a while and all of their stuff is still in my basement. If you're interested I can see if they would be interested in letting it go.

Yes. Absolutely.

[analog_kidd]

I tried it a few months ago. Just made some HOBO wine from fruit juice concentrate. We bottled it up in November. I tasted a little bit of it while I was siphoning it into the bottles. It was not very tasty, and burned in my stomach. I'm hoping that after it sits for 6 months it will be better, but I have a feeling I will be disappointed.

I have a buddy who is pretty good at it. He is going to have me come over the next time he makes a batch so I can learn from him.

The whole process is pretty cool though. I love watching it bubble up during fermentation.

[dralarms]

I tried it a few months ago. Just made some HOBO wine from fruit juice concentrate. We bottled it up in November. I tasted a little bit of it while I was siphoning it into the bottles. It was not very tasty, and burned in my stomach. I'm hoping that after it sits for 6 months it will be better, but I have a feeling I will be disappointed.

I have a buddy who is pretty good at it. He is going to have me come over the next time he makes a batch so I can learn from him.

The whole process is pretty cool though. I love watching it bubble up during fermentation.

Takes a while to age. I'll bet it's good in 6 months or so.

[dralarms]

Anyone with some of the plastic ones? The 6 gal ones.

I have found the 5 gal ones from Wal mart Are not big enough.

[dralarms]

I tried it a few months ago. Just made some HOBO wine from fruit juice concentrate. We bottled it up in November. I tasted a little bit of it while I was siphoning it into the bottles. It was not very tasty, and burned in my stomach. I'm hoping that after it sits for 6 months it will be better, but I have a feeling I will be disappointed.

I have a buddy who is pretty good at it. He is going to have me come over the next time he makes a batch so I can learn from him.

The whole process is pretty cool though. I love watching it bubble up during fermentation.

I have 2 batches right now of concentrate going right now. 1 white and 1 red. If you don't mind me asking, what receipe did you use? If you send me your email addy through a pm, I'll send you a pdf book that I downloaded, got 167 pages and most of the pages are wine receipes.

[JAB]

Last time I checked with them, the Tennessee Valley Winery, located just off of the Sugar Limb Road exit, sold wine making equipment, including carboys. You might want to call them and check. Also, I see you are in Athens. Last I heard, the Stryker winery was still open (it is in Athens.) I don't know if it has since closed or if they sell any winemaking supplies but you might check with them.

There is a place in West Knoxville called Fermentations which is a beer and wine-making supply store. They are still in business, as far as I know. Finally, there is a place in the South Knoxville area called Allen Biermakens (again, I think they are still in business) which is also a home brewer supply store.

I haven't made any wine in a few years and in the past I have mostly used a combination of 'serious' methods and old 'country' methods. I have never used a carboy but came up with a home-made alternative based on a setup one of my uncles told me about. This year, I hope to get a carboy and make a small batch or two of beer (haven't made beer, before) and maybe a batch of wine. I'd kind of like to try my hand at making a batch of homemade hard cider, too.

[Okey]

Your carboy is on the way to Chattanooga. Will PM you a phone number.

Okey

[JAB]

I tried it a few months ago. Just made some HOBO wine from fruit juice concentrate. We bottled it up in November. I tasted a little bit of it while I was siphoning it into the bottles. It was not very tasty, and burned in my stomach. I'm hoping that after it sits for 6 months it will be better, but I have a feeling I will be disappointed.

I have a buddy who is pretty good at it. He is going to have me come over the next time he makes a batch so I can learn from him.

The whole process is pretty cool though. I love watching it bubble up during fermentation.

I got started making home made wine because my dad used to make it. I made my first batch long before I was old enough to be allowed to drink it. Dad just used the old, country method of letting the natural yeast ferment the wine. That can work but you have to know when to stop the fermentation. Refrigerating the wine will stop the fermentation - at least as long as the wine is kept refrigerated. Dad used to think that fermenting too long caused the wine to turn to vinegar. Apparently (based on books about wine making that I have read), he was not exactly right. Instead, fruit flies carry a particular bacteria on their legs which, if the must isn't sterilized before fermenting, can cause the wine to turn to vinegar after it has begun fermenting. Letting the wine sit (while fermenting) too long can let some pretty good wine turn to vinegar (my understanding is that some of the 'fine' vinegar makers actually control the strand of bacteria in order to achieve a specific, end result in their vinegar.) If you sterilize the must and then add a packaged wine maker's yeast you cut down on the potential for it to turn to vinegar. It is also important to sterilize the wine making equipment and bottles in order to avoid the introduction of unwanted bacteria or yeast strains.

I think some people - especially in the old days - would simply boil the must and clean equipment with hot water. That would probably still work but there are also chemicals - available in powdered form at home brewing stores - that can be introduced to the must in order to kill any naturally occurring bacteria, yeast, etc. before introducing the packaged yeast. These chemicals are also sometimes used to stop fermentation before bottling. If you cork a bottle and the wine is still fermenting the gases will build up and blow the cork out of the bottle - I know from experience. Champagnes and sparkling wines (at least sometimes) undergo a secondary fermentation process in the bottle. If you notice, those types of wine generally have corks that are held in by a wire 'cage' that is twisted tightly around them.

My understanding is that the secondary (bottle) fermentation is how the 'sparkling' (carbonation) gets in the wine. When yeast digest sugars in the presence of oxygen, they use the oxygen to digest the sugars and give off carbon dioxide (which can 'carbonate' the beverage if it is sealed and the gas can't escape.) In the absence of oxygen or in low-oxygen environments, the yeast will use nitrogen (iirc) to digest the sugars and the by-product is alcohol. Therefore, using a setup that limits the amount of oxygen that gets in during fermentation can drive up the alcohol content of the final product. I guess enough oxygen gets into the wine during the bottling process that before the yeast use all the oxygen in the bottle up they give off enough carbon dioxide to carbonate the wine.

Before I knew about all that, I once 'bottled' some home-made blackberry wine (one of the first where I used a packaged yeast) in pint Mason type jars with tightly screwed on lids and didn't keep the jars refrigerated. When I got ready to drink that wine it was highly carbonated - fizzed almost as much as a Coca Cola. It was danged tasty, though.

Edited February 1, 2012 by JAB

[dralarms]

Last time I checked with them, the Tennessee Valley Winery, located just off of the Sugar Limb Road exit, sold wine making equipment, including carboys. You might want to call them and check. Also, I see you are in Athens. Last I heard, the Stryker winery was still open (it is in Athens.) I don't know if it has since closed or if they sell any winemaking supplies but you might check with them.

There is a place in West Knoxville called Fermentations which is a beer and wine-making supply store. They are still in business, as far as I know. Finally, there is a place in the South Knoxville area called Allen Biermakens (again, I think they are still in business) which is also a home brewer supply store.

I haven't made any wine in a few years and in the past I have mostly used a combination of 'serious' methods and old 'country' methods. I have never used a carboy but came up with a home-made alternative based on a setup one of my uncles told me about. This year, I hope to get a carboy and make a small batch or two of beer (haven't made beer, before) and maybe a batch of wine. I'd kind of like to try my hand at making a batch of homemade hard cider, too.

Thanks, got the carboys I need now.

Strikers has some of the best wine I ever tasted, but he is not producing much anymore. I'm afraid he might close due to lack of business.

Your carboy is on the way to Chattanooga. Will PM you a phone number.

Okey

Got it, many thanks. Will pick up it tomorrow.

I got started making home made wine because my dad used to make it. I made my first batch long before I was old enough to be allowed to drink it. Dad just used the old, country method of letting the natural yeast ferment the wine. That can work but you have to know when to stop the fermentation. Refrigerating the wine will stop the fermentation - at least as long as the wine is kept refrigerated. Dad used to think that fermenting too long caused the wine to turn to vinegar. Apparently (based on books about wine making that I have read), he was not exactly right. Instead, fruit flies carry a particular bacteria on their legs which, if the must isn't sterilized before fermenting, can cause the wine to turn to vinegar after it has begun fermenting. Letting the wine sit (while fermenting) too long can let some pretty good wine turn to vinegar (my understanding is that some of the 'fine' vinegar makers actually control the strand of bacteria in order to achieve a specific, end result in their vinegar.) If you sterilize the must and then add a packaged wine maker's yeast you cut down on the potential for it to turn to vinegar. It is also important to sterilize the wine making equipment and bottles in order to avoid the introduction of unwanted bacteria or yeast strains.

I think some people - especially in the old days - would simply boil the must and clean equipment with hot water. That would probably still work but there are also chemicals - available in powdered form at home brewing stores - that can be introduced to the must in order to kill any naturally occurring bacteria, yeast, etc. before introducing the packaged yeast. These chemicals are also sometimes used to stop fermentation before bottling. If you cork a bottle and the wine is still fermenting the gases will build up and blow the cork out of the bottle - I know from experience. Champagnes and sparkling wines (at least sometimes) undergo a secondary fermentation process in the bottle. If you notice, those types of wine generally have corks that are held in by a wire 'cage' that is twisted tightly around them.

My understanding is that the secondary (bottle) fermentation is how the 'sparkling' (carbonation) gets in the wine. When yeast digest sugars in the presence of oxygen, they use the oxygen to digest the sugars and give off carbon dioxide (which can 'carbonate' the beverage if it is sealed and the gas can't escape.) In the absence of oxygen or in low-oxygen environments, the yeast will use nitrogen (iirc) to digest the sugars and the by-product is alcohol. Therefore, using a setup that limits the amount of oxygen that gets in during fermentation can drive up the alcohol content of the final product. I guess enough oxygen gets into the wine during the bottling process that before the yeast use all the oxygen in the bottle up they give off enough carbon dioxide to carbonate the wine.

Before I knew about all that, I once 'bottled' some home-made blackberry wine (one of the first where I used a packaged yeast) in pint Mason type jars with tightly screwed on lids and didn't keep the jars refrigerated. When I got ready to drink that wine it was highly carbonated - fizzed almost as much as a Coca Cola. It was danged tasty, though.

I have a bottle of that stuff to stop the fermination process, I will use it once it's in the 3rd stage.

[analog_kidd]

I have 2 batches right now of concentrate going right now. 1 white and 1 red. If you don't mind me asking, what receipe did you use? If you send me your email addy through a pm, I'll send you a pdf book that I downloaded, got 167 pages and most of the pages are wine receipes.

Thanks, PM inbound.

It was a couple of recipes I found on the Web, and just used the 100% real, frozen grape juice concentrate containers from the grocery store. I think the first one was 2 containers of concentrate and 1 cup of sugar, the second recipe was 1 container of concentrate and 2 cups sugar. Both were done in 1 gallon water jugs, with enough water to fill it up after the juice and sugar were added. I used special wine making yeast from the wine making supply store in town.

Of the two recipes, the one with more sugar went crazy, fermenting really fast for about a week, then slowed down to a slow bubble for another three weeks or so and then stopped. The other recipe bubbled at a steady pace for about 6 weeks.

I really need to start again. I don't have a good place to keep it other than my unfinished basement, and it gets cold down there, which I understand is not good for the fermentation process. Once spring rolls around, I'll probably start up again.

I went to the used book store and found a wine making book. It has several recipes in the back. Most of them are pretty involved, using real fruit, or other natural ingredients, like flowers, or honey. Right now I need to keep it simple. I may try some of the concentrate they sell at the wine making store. It's enough for 5 gallons I think.

[Guest bdenny]

I just started making wine also, it is pretty fun .I made elderberry and strawberry to have for Christmas .I have another batch of strawberry and now I'm trying blackberry.Some thing I found is that you can you use those plastic water fountain contianer for carbouys and they are alot cheaper than the glass.Most of my recipes that are fruit based either I pick the fruit or buy it from Aldi's frozen when it's on sale add sugar and yeast and let her bubble great flavors so far

Bill

[dralarms]

I just started making wine also, it is pretty fun .I made elderberry and strawberry to have for Christmas .I have another batch of strawberry and now I'm trying blackberry.Some thing I found is that you can you use those plastic water fountain contianer for carbouys and they are alot cheaper than the glass.Most of my recipes that are fruit based either I pick the fruit or buy it from Aldi's frozen when it's on sale add sugar and yeast and let her bubble great flavors so far

Bill

Any problems with leeching using those plastic water jugs? I was told not to use them because of stuff leeching into your wine and also wine oxidzing from getting air when it's not supposed to.

Right now I have 1 6 gal carboy with white, 1 6 gal carboy with red, and a ferminting bucket with apple going. lol.

[Caster]

Hope ya'll are better than some of the locals here. I've tried several people who say they can do it right... I've mixed grape koolaid and Stolichnaya that tasted better.

[dralarms]

We one i used.ell, I just stole me a taste out of my jug, if it taste this good after its finished, I'll be very happy.

Anyone who makes wine and wants a simple recipe pm me and I'll give you the one I used.

[analog_kidd]

I started a few more batches this weekend. I'm making a red grape, an apple, and a lemonade wine, all recipes from the .pdf that dralarms sent me. All of them use frozen juice concentrate.I mixed them up Saturday afternoon, and they are just now starting to ferment. The lemonade wine has this large mass of cloudy stuff forming in the top of the jug. It kind of looks like a big glob of wax. It may just be foam, I don't know.

One of the recipes called for acid blend, which I didn't have. My book says that you can substitute lemon juice for it, so I tried that. I put it in the grape, which called for it, and I added it to the apple, which didn't call for it. I left it out of the lemonade, (duh).

The apple recipe called for two containers of apple concentrate and one container of white grape juice. The store was out of white, so I bought a red instead. As I was mixing it up it occurred to me why the red was a bad idea. It's going to come out looking like red wine. Oh well, It should taste OK regardless.

I did crack open a bottle from the batch I made last Fall. As expected, it tasted horrible. There was a very strong flavor of yeast in it, which is what I experienced when I bottled it. Not sure what I did wrong, or how to fix it this time. I did sweeten a glass of it with a teaspoon of sugar and endured it all. I must say it had a bit of a punch to it.

I have another bottle from a different recipe I made at the same time last Fall that I plan on opening today. We'll see how that one goes. It also had a pungent odor when I bottled it, but not as bad as this first bottle.

I'm taking better notes this time around. Last time I kind of lost track of which recipe I was using in each bottle.I'm starting a Word file with each recipe, adding my notes to it, tracking dates, and I labeled each bottle with the type of wine it is.

I'm thinking about going and getting some better supplies from the wine store. I need some of the actual ingredients that are called for, like the acid blend, and yeast starter. I need something to stir it with that's better than the handle of a wooden spoon. I need some more bungs and airlocks. I got a nice collection of 1 gallon bottles. I don't want to try a 5 gallon batch until I get the process worked out.

[analog_kidd]

Hoo Boy! I just checked on the wine and we are in full blown fermentation mode! The grape and apple are going nuts. The lemonade, not so much. I'm pretty sure the goopy stuff that was forming is just a bunch of foam, but there is barely any fermentation going on. We'll see what happens in a few days. Last time I made some wine, one batch went; crazy right away then fizzled out after a week or two. The other recipe started slow, but kept going for 6 or 7 weeks.

[TMF]

Thread revival. I was going to get into home brewing but went with wine batches instead. I just started primary fermentation with a 6 gallon batch of Reisling juice as well as a few gallons of hobo wine and two different gallon batches of mead recipes.

Any Clarksville/Montgomery people know of a local source for home wine/home brew equipment?