# Austin grape juice buckets



## knockabout (Jul 25, 2020)

Hi since fine vine wines closed I havent been able to get California grapes in Texas I’ve seen many of you looking for grapes too. -Colavita hooked me up with someone unresponsive to email last year :-( - Austin homebrew supply is selling 5 gallon juice buckets that are balanced and preinoculated. Anyone have any experience with these ? I’d love to know what you thought. - if anyone is interested in purchasing about a dozen or so varietals..
Thanks in advance!
Kim


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## rca (Jul 25, 2020)

I’m interested in people’s thoughts on this as well. I have 3 juice pails in my cart right now. I know someone on here bought the pails from Chile from Austin Homebrew earlier this year, but I don’t they’ve had enough time to be ready.


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## ithink2020 (Jul 25, 2020)

I wish I could get something for this price around KC/Omaha/Des moines! The one place I contacted said their buckets are going to be $200-300! For that price, I would get a bucket just to try it out!


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## Chuck E (Jul 27, 2020)

rca said:


> I’m interested in people’s thoughts on this as well. I have 3 juice pails in my cart right now. I know someone on here bought the pails from Chile from Austin Homebrew earlier this year, but I don’t they’ve had enough time to be ready.



I bought Chilean juice buckets near Chicago this spring and last year. It was part of a wine club "buy." They work pretty well. They're not inoculated with wine yeast, but I suspect there is some natural field yeast in the juice. The wine from last year's buckets has just been bottled, and I'm pleased with it. The Carmenere is particularly good. I paid $55 each bucket.


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## pete1325 (Jul 30, 2020)

I buy from the same club, the past few years turned out pretty good. But just like any wine juice buckets you need to add/adjust to create better wine. More body, color, ect.


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## The Dutchman (Aug 12, 2020)

don't know where in Texas you are but I picked my grapes and juice up in Gainesville TX last year. Might be the one that was unresponsive to your emails. Anyway I know they will get grapes and juice again this year



ithink2020 said:


> I wish I could get something for this price around KC/Omaha/Des moines! The one place I contacted said their buckets are going to be $200-300! For that price, I would get a bucket just to try it out!


I don't know how far you are from Northwest Arkansas but I am a distributor for Colavita over there, 
and have plenty of room left for additional orders.


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## ithink2020 (Aug 12, 2020)

The Dutchman said:


> I don't know how far you are from Northwest Arkansas but I am a distributor for Colavita over there,
> and have plenty of room left for additional orders.



I'm about 6.5 hour drive from Fayetteville, AK. Won't be getting any grapes this year, though. However, thank you for the offer.


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## knockabout (Aug 13, 2020)

The Dutchman said:


> don't know where in Texas you are but I picked my grapes and juice up in Gainesville TX last year. Might be the one that was unresponsive to your emails. Anyway I know they will get grapes and juice again this year
> 
> 
> I don't know how far you are from Northwest Arkansas but I am a distributor for Colavita over there,
> and have plenty of room left for additional orders.


I’m guessing you’re Wilhelm, nice to meet you. No, it was the Houston folks last year that didn’t respond - if I got the story correct it wasn’t clear to Ally C. that they only wanted to arrange for their group - not a problem and I can understand that. I’m in San Antonio so For me to get to Gainesville and back it’s about 12+ hours not including stops.... before pandemic we’d spend the night in Dallas and pick up our grapes in the morning. Hubbys not willing to do the drive this year:-( but I am sharing your info with our San Antonio regional wine Making group and I really appreciate the offer. Our wine from Colavita grapes is fantastic!!!!! 
Thank you again for the very kind offer. Looking forward to visiting your winery when it opens.
Kim


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## The Dutchman (Aug 13, 2020)

No I am actually Stefan haha, I did pick up from Willem last year. And I know he will do it again this year. I decided to become a distributor myself in Northwest Arkansas, since there isn't a single source for grapes and juice anywhere near here. Worst case if I don't get enough orders to get a truck here, I will rent a truck and make the drive to Gainesville TX again to pick up my portion of the shipment.

Willem is a very nice guy though, last year he gave us a tour of his winery and let us try some of his wine. So I would definitely recommend picking up with him if you are still on the fence about it.

I have been very pleased with the quality of Colavita as well, and in general just glad that there is a company willing to work with you on getting grapes to states where there are no other suppliers doing it.


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## knockabout (Aug 13, 2020)

The Dutchman said:


> No I am actually Stefan haha, I did pick up from Willem last year. And I know he will do it again this year. I decided to become a distributor myself in Northwest Arkansas, since there isn't a single source for grapes and juice anywhere near here. Worst case if I don't get enough orders to get a truck here, I will rent a truck and make the drive to Gainesville TX again to pick up my portion of the shipment.
> 
> Willem is a very nice guy though, last year he gave us a tour of his winery and let us try some of his wine. So I would definitely recommend picking up with him if you are still on the fence about it.
> 
> I have been very pleased with the quality of Colavita as well, and in general just glad that there is a company willing to work with you on getting grapes to states where there are no other suppliers doing it.


Nice to meet you Stefan! Mea culpa!


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## rca (Aug 14, 2020)

knockabout said:


> I’m guessing you’re Wilhelm, nice to meet you. No, it was the Houston folks last year that didn’t respond - if I got the story correct it wasn’t clear to Ally C. that they only wanted to arrange for their group - not a problem and I can understand that. I’m in San Antonio so For me to get to Gainesville and back it’s about 12+ hours not including stops.... before pandemic we’d spend the night in Dallas and pick up our grapes in the morning. Hubbys not willing to do the drive this year:-( but I am sharing your info with our San Antonio regional wine Making group and I really appreciate the offer. Our wine from Colavita grapes is fantastic!!!!!
> Thank you again for the very kind offer. Looking forward to visiting your winery when it opens.
> Kim


What's this San Antonio regional wine making group you speak of? I'm in Spring Branch, just up the road, and would love to hear about it.


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## knockabout (Aug 14, 2020)

Really nice group of folks great meetings once a month. We’re pretty new to the group find it on Facebook San Antonio regional wine guild discussion group... pm me with your email if you can’t find it or have questions.


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## rca (Aug 14, 2020)

knockabout said:


> Really nice group of folks great meetings once a month. We’re pretty new to the group find it on Facebook San Antonio regional wine guild discussion group... pm me with your email if you can’t find it or have questions.


Thank you, I found it and requested to join.


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## Old Corker (Aug 14, 2020)

I live north of Austin and Austin Homebrew is my LHBS. I have only ever done kits but saw their ad for the juice and think I'll try a bucket or two. Is the process much different than kits?


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## knockabout (Aug 16, 2020)

I haven’t done them before .... I should’ve really posted this under the kit forum there’s a lot of info there on juice buckets sounds about the same to me


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## sour_grapes (Aug 16, 2020)

Old Corker said:


> I live north of Austin and Austin Homebrew is my LHBS. I have only ever done kits but saw their ad for the juice and think I'll try a bucket or two. Is the process much different than kits?



Yes, I think that juice buckets and kits are pretty similar. Especially for whites!


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## Wineforthewin (Feb 10, 2021)

The buckets are back for $72 fully inoculated. Can anyone reply on their quality? It seems like the thread maybe was a little early but now some of the wine is probably being enjoyed. Let me know what you think. South American Fresh Wine Juice


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## Old Corker (Feb 11, 2021)

I did a Sauvignon Blanc. Thought that would be a safe first one. The ferment was pretty slow. I think I added some nutrient (will have to check my notes). I was thinking it may have been a waste of time but it actually turned out ok. We are drinking it now. Probably won't do another right now but only because my wine making calendar is pretty full with other stuff.


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## Robert R (Feb 11, 2021)

@The Dutchman I just found this thread, and might be interested in some juice buckets this year, if possible. I live just west of Tulsa, a little over 2 hours to Fort Smith.


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## rca (Feb 12, 2021)

I got some reds in August of last year from Austin Homebrew. I like how they are coming along, but it's still to early to say for sure. I might try the Chilean buckets this year. The one's I got in August were from California.


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## The Dutchman (Feb 20, 2021)

@Robert R Unfortunately I am going to have to skip this year as me and my wife are expecting our first baby this year, about 4 weeks before the pick-up time frame.
However, if you are willing to take a drive out to Deschain cellars in Gainesville TX you could pick it up there.
Local Distributors — F. Colavita & Son here is the list of distributors.

I am pretty bummed out about not being able to do it this year, but I am sure I can do it again next year.


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## SteveC (Jun 25, 2021)

The Dutchman said:


> don't know where in Texas you are but I picked my grapes and juice up in Gainesville TX last year. Might be the one that was unresponsive to your emails. Anyway I know they will get grapes and juice again this year
> 
> 
> I don't know how far you are from Northwest Arkansas but I am a distributor for Colavita over there,
> and have plenty of room left for additional orders.


I am moving to the Dallas area next month from Chicago. Plenty of places in the Chicago area for grapes and juice buckets. Having a hard time locating sources. Who in Gainesville distribute grapes and juice buckets? Also, coming from a northern climate we are used to doing everything in basements, temperatures never above 70 degrees. No basements in Texas. Where is everyone making their wine during initial fermentation and storage? Texas environment a lot different than Chicago.


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## knockabout (Jun 25, 2021)

Yeah I miss basements. A lot of us in Texas make our wine in food grade garbage cans we keep in the bathtub so we can surround with ice baths if it gets too hot or buy lotsa dry ice.....


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## MHSKIBUM (Jun 26, 2021)

I live in Canada and a lot of the most common juice buckets available produce a low quality product. There are some fresh juice buckets from Chile at half again the price. Anyone out there have experience with fresh Chilean juice? 
Also, what has been your experience with frozen juice?


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## Rice_Guy (Jun 26, 2021)

over the last few years the Chilean buckets have been low on TA and gravity excellent. There are several growing areas and I can’t offer which the club has sourced, but the routing is frozen to Canada then frozen through Detroit customs to us.
Fresh? ? ? we can get fresh grapes from Chile but a juice product in a bucket should have been frozen.


MHSKIBUM said:


> I live in Canada and a lot of the most common juice buckets available produce a low quality product. There are some fresh juice buckets from Chile at half again the price. Anyone out there have experience with fresh Chilean juice?
> Also, what has been your experience with frozen juice?


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## The Dutchman (Aug 2, 2021)

SteveC said:


> I am moving to the Dallas area next month from Chicago. Plenty of places in the Chicago area for grapes and juice buckets. Having a hard time locating sources. Who in Gainesville distribute grapes and juice buckets? Also, coming from a northern climate we are used to doing everything in basements, temperatures never above 70 degrees. No basements in Texas. Where is everyone making their wine during initial fermentation and storage? Texas environment a lot different than Chicago.


Hey Steve,

in Gainesville TX the distributor is Willem who owns Deschain Cellars.
here is the page that has his contact information Local Distributors — F. Colavita & Son
I really enjoyed picking up with him the last few years, he is a very cool guy who loves to share his winemaking knowledge and his wines.
Pick-up day is always fun, several home winemakers show up and bring some of their wines to share.


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