# I took the plunge



## mjdtexan (Feb 18, 2009)

Well, I took the plunge. I ordered equipment, chemicals, and an Blackberry Cabernet Island Mist Wine Kit. 

I ordered enough chemicals to probably make 60 gallons of wine, except for the yeast. I only ordered a few packs of yeast because I was told their shelf life is not long.

I was dissapointed that my local wine/brew shop was so high in prices. I love to spend my money locally whenever possible. I dont mind a spending a little more money to buy locally but they just were not competitive at all. Heck I got it alot cheaper online even with shipping. Go figure

And before yall ask, yes, I got a degassing whip 

Mike D


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## Racer (Feb 18, 2009)

Sounds like your off to a good start with equipment then.And you have picked out a quick and easy kit for your first effort too. Hope things come in quick and you get a chance to start that kit soon.

What kind of corker did you get?


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## mjdtexan (Feb 18, 2009)

Racer said:


> What kind of corker did you get?



I did not get the floor corker. I know I am going to kick myself in the butt for that. I told myself that I would only spend what I what I got out of my antique Evinrude outboard engine. Well, the guy was a better barterer than me and I lowered my price just enough to cut the floor corker out. The good news is he is coming back for more stuff so I will wind up with a floor corker and probably some of those 3 gallon carboys that I want. I also want a filter kit.


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## Racer (Feb 18, 2009)

You still have time to get one(corker that is). Enjoy starting the kit and watching it progress into a wine. Then start thinking about that floor corker.


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## Wine4Me (Feb 18, 2009)

{Heck I got it alot cheaper online even with shipping. Go figure}
WOW, EVEN WITH SHIPPING?? I know the shipping is what kills you!!!!!
My starter kit came with this silly corker that I could NOT use.. So I ended up getting a floor corker. The local store near me [45 mins away] is cheaper then online~

Good Luck with the kit you got.. It sounds YUMMY!!


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## arcticsid (Feb 18, 2009)

I am so excited for you bro, I may have whipped alittle degas myself.!!


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## Wade E (Feb 18, 2009)

Did you get it from George(finevinewines)? That Island mist kit is a very low alc wine and pretty sweet to add, what I do with them is add 4 lbs of sugar in the primary fermenter to boost the abv up to around 10.5% which will give you a starting sg around 1.080 ball park. It will void the warranty though just so you know and slightly lenghten the fermenting time from what s stated in the instructions but works out extremely well with these kits.


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## arcticsid (Feb 18, 2009)

i am most certainly on your page Mike, I will do everything I can to keep my money local, but a dollar is just that. glad you found what you needed att the price you could afford. So here you go, this should be interesting. Looking forward to hearing about your progress. See you just started and you are alredy trading stuff. just flipped my buddy 20 skins to run me to the store to get more juice and sugar to get another batch going. It never ends.


Troy


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## mjdtexan (Feb 19, 2009)

Wade E said:


> Did you get it from George(finevinewines)? That Island mist kit is a very low alc wine and pretty sweet to add, what I do with them is add 4 lbs of sugar in the primary fermenter to boost the abv up to around 10.5% which will give you a starting sg around 1.080 ball park. It will void the warranty though just so you know and slightly lenghten the fermenting time from what s stated in the instructions but works out extremely well with these kits.



No, I wanted to because he is more local than Indiana and he was better than my local DeFalcos but I could not get everything that I wanted from him with the dollar limit I set for my self. He does have something on his site that I want though. I will probably get it once I determine if I really need it or not.

I got it at Quality Wine & Ale Supply

I have a small wood working shop here at the house. I am already drawing up plans for a neat cabinet. I want it to look line one of those TV cabinets that the doors shut on the front. There will be a TV in it. Push a button and the TV rises and a wine rack becomes visable. I like to do furniture in the primative look as I get the materials for free all the time. It just cost me nails for my Paslode nailer and some Tite Bond III glue.


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## TheTooth (Feb 19, 2009)

Local shops are tough. Some have decent pricing, but many are way too high. It's sad that online stores can sell the same stuff cheaper, even after shipping... especially since so many of them are really just the cheaper brick-and-mortar shops that sell stuff online.

I just think a lot of shop owners aren't very good business people. They just love their hobby and don't spend much time figuring out their books and looking at the competition.


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## Luc (Feb 19, 2009)

I always buy my stuff locally.
That way I support the winemaking hobby.

I wonder what happens with our hobby if all
shops dissappear and you can only buy stuff online.
I think for the hobby that would be a disaster.

If a hydrometer costs 6 or 10 dollar (for example)
who cares. It will last years and years and each year a few hundred bottles. So in the end it will costs just a cent or so for each bottle you make.

The most expensive piece of equipment I bought was my refractometer at 60 euro.

I might have bought it for 10 dollar less at the internet, but I do love the shopping in HBS and chatting around. It keeps the hobby alive.

luc

Luc


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## TheTooth (Feb 19, 2009)

That's only true if you only buy a few things like you do, Luc. Most of us need to buy our supplies AND ingredients... and that adds up quickly when a local shop drastically overcharges.

Let's say I can buy a wine kit online for $60 with shipping, but the local homebrew shop charges $90 for the same kit. The pricing can be this far off from what I've seen. If I can order online and make 3 kits or buy it locally and make 2, I think it's an easy decision. I think I'd like an extra kit, please.

I'm lucky to have a couple of the better priced and manned shops in the area, so I'm happy to buy locally. But from what I've seen other places, I could completely understand buying online. I am happy to support a local business, but some local businesses are drastically overpriced just because some people will pay too much to "buy locally".


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## Wade E (Feb 19, 2009)

Tooth, Im with you but Luc I see what you mean also. Luckily I am fortunate to have a small shop near me that is very cheap as the other 4 around me are much more. At my little shop I can get a RJS Winery Series kit for $92, at any other place its like $150 and I would not be paying that price. I am a moderator on Finevinewines and he gives me free shipping and a discount on top of that but must say that he has better prices ith shipping then the local stores and Im sorry but if he can beat them by that much then they are just being greedy IMO. Finevinewines is not a huge place like a Walmart or anything like that either.


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## mjdtexan (Feb 19, 2009)

When I need an item or two, I will probably go to my local shop. I needed everything, so it was worth it to me to buy online. Thats the way the market is.

Anyhow, I cant wait for it to get here. I am going to get right on that Blackberry Island Mist kit, but, I am really wanting to make a one gallon batch of that Joes Ancient Orange and Spice Mead. That stuff sounds good.

I wont get to drink any wine for months huh? You almost got to keep batches going all of the time or you will be waiting all the time for something to drink, huh? Somehow, I think you guys tricked me into this.


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## cpfan (Feb 19, 2009)

The Island Mist kit is drinkable pretty quick. Get it bottled in 5-6 weeks from starting, and it should be pretty good 2-3 weeks later.

Steve


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## Wade E (Feb 19, 2009)

So you are going to build an Armoir with the electric scissor jack? I build very custom stairs for a living now but used to build very high end cabinets for many years also. Are you going with the Accuride or Blum set up for the pocket doors?


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## mjdtexan (Feb 19, 2009)

I was considering Lift-Techs LT-100 Series Motorized Up/Down Lifts. I just cant work it out in my head on how it will go down past the bottles. I am beginning to think that maybe a sliding panel would be better. The panel would slide up and reveal the wine, or the panel would slide down and reveal the tv. I am not sure what kind of lift I would use for that. I am still looking. I am only a novice. I go out and make "primitive" stuff like bird houses, garden benches, dry sinks, out houses, etc etc. For some silly reason that stuff really sells to the rich crowd for out in their yards.


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## Wade E (Feb 19, 2009)

Maybe a server for a remote control car would work for that sliding panel.


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## mjdtexan (Feb 19, 2009)

Wade E said:


> Maybe a server for a remote control car would work for that sliding panel.


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## Wade E (Feb 19, 2009)

A server is what makes the car go forward or backwards or side to side all by remote control and sold at an RC hobby shop.


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## arcticsid (Feb 20, 2009)

*Now I feel Bad*

We should never have tricked you Mike, yeah it's true you'll need to get more batches going, it really doesn't take that long before you can drink it. Get a couple more going even if it's one gallons at atime, but thats no fun! Some of the gang in here are into kits, some into fruit, I think I may be one of those who do frozen concentrates. Mostly due to cost and availability of fresh fruits. Kits to me are like using bottled BBQ sauce, and I am sure I can imagine how you feel about that! I costed it out and if I make 5 gallons using frozen juice concentrate I can make a bottle of wine for around 80 cents(based on $1.50 per can, 3 cans for a gallon) May be a cost effective way to get another batch going right away, until you're prepared for the watermelon surprise! You're in a big city so you should have access to a wide varieties of flavors to choose from. Regardless of which direction you choose, we support you. If you think we tricked you thus far, I fear what you'll be saying next year at this time when you are working on your 100th gallon!!!!!!
Troy


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## mjdtexan (Feb 20, 2009)

I am actually out in the county, but I am near the big city. I feel really creepy anytime I have to go into the big city which is not often.


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## TheTooth (Feb 20, 2009)

mjdtexan said:


>



I think he meant to say a "servo".


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## arcticsid (Feb 20, 2009)

I can damn sure relate to the creepy feeling Mike been in Alaska almost 30 yrs, I could never imagine ever living in a city again. I don't even particularly going back to Milwaukee to see my family.
Troy


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## Wade E (Feb 20, 2009)

Yea Tooth, thats what I meant! Arcticsid, what you are doing with the frozen concentrate is exactly what a kit is so Im not really sure what you are getting at, it is a concentrate the same and they usually make a much better wine then a frozen concentrate ever will, Ive made quite a few of both!


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## arcticsid (Feb 21, 2009)

All I really meant Wade was that some of those kits can be a little spendy, and as long as you have the equipment and "chemicals" on hand already, using frozen concentrates may be a "cheap" way to have something going. I by no means am suggesting anything wrong with kits or fruit wines. In fact I am considering buying a kit just to give it a shot. I am interested in a Raspberry Merlot. Any recommendations on a brand for this type?
Troy


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## cpfan (Feb 21, 2009)

The only Raspeberry Merlot thatI am familiar with is a Niagaa Mist from Vineco. Probably tough to get in Alaska.

http://www.vineco.on.ca/cgi-bin/display/display.cgi?ProdCat=285

Steve


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## Wade E (Feb 21, 2009)

All of those Mist kits are the same IMO but will produce a very low abv just so that you know, around 7%. I now make a few still for my wife or her friends adding around 3 1/2 lbs of sugar in the primary to bump up the abv to around 10 1/2 % and it works well but will voi the warranty. Im just saying that with the higher end kits they will produce most of the time a 15-20$ commercial wine for around $3 a bottle and soe will make a much better wine then most commercials unless your buying an$80 bottle. In examle, I made an Amarone which will beat most $50 bottles of commercial Amarone out there and my cost is about $4.50 per bottle and mine is only 14 months old compared to most that are usually at least 4 years old before they even are allowded to shelf it in a store.


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## mjdtexan (Feb 21, 2009)

Wade E said:


> All of those Mist kits are the same IMO but will produce a very low abv just so that you know, around 7%. I now make a few still for my wife or her friends adding around 3 1/2 lbs of sugar in the primary to bump up the abv to around 10 1/2 % and it works well but will voi the warranty. Im just saying that with the higher end kits they will produce most of the time a 15-20$ commercial wine for around $3 a bottle and soe will make a much better wine then most commercials unless your buying an$80 bottle. In examle, I made an Amarone which will beat most $50 bottles of commercial Amarone out there and my cost is about $4.50 per bottle and mine is only 14 months old compared to most that are usually at least 4 years old before they even are allowded to shelf it in a store.



I will be adding sugar. I've been reading your past post and have noticed that you have done that. I think I saw somewhere else (I think that was you) that you made a White Chocolate White Port. That is for sure on my wish list. I figured that the more expensive kits were better but I just wanted to try the cheaper kit just to get started.


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## Wade E (Feb 21, 2009)

That is a limited edition kit but some places still have them available like Finevinewines.


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## mjdtexan (Feb 22, 2009)

Wade E said:


> That is a limited edition kit but some places still have them available like Finevinewines.


I was over there reading your post about it, did it ever taste like white chocolate or did it stay butterscotch?


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## Wade E (Feb 22, 2009)

It is slowly creeping a little more to a slight White Chocolate but is still predominalty butterscotch IMO.


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## arcticsid (Feb 22, 2009)

Awarranty on a wine kit what do they quarantee?


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## Wade E (Feb 22, 2009)

They guaranty that you will not have any problems with it fermenting, going ad, and that you will like it our they will give you your money back or replace the kit!!!!!!!! It is true!!!!!!!


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## arcticsid (Feb 22, 2009)

How much of it do I need to drink before I decide I don't like it And then do I send them the remainder? Seriously, they really quarantee a wine kit?
Troy


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