A true beginner

[JoshDivino]

I've been on this forum for a few days now, and I must say the amount of knowledge I've already learned is so crazy. With all this newly learned stuff I've decided what I'm going to learn this year when it comes to winemaking. Unlike many of you I don't have my own house and not hardly enough space to do any real big batches of wine... I'm very jealous after perusing all the picture of your wine workrooms/kitchens/cellars on the thread. I rent an apartment, as I'm still in school, and as funny as it sounds I have 5- 1 gallon carboys, which I store in my spare closet.
My goal to this year of wine making is to master PH and TA levels. I really want to find a handful of recipes I like, and then tinker with them until I find what suits my taste best. I really enjoyed reading dangerdaves bentonite study on the dragon blood wine, and the color of the wine in the carboys looked so delicious. I've also really enjoyed reading Doug's business posts, and it seems like he's a really great guy to do business with, (if only he lived closer to me .) if anyone would like to help this wine noobie learn, I could really use some help finding the following:
1. PH/TA target level table (based on ingredients)
2. A good apple cinnamon cider recipe
3. A good dessert wine recipe
4. A good white wine recipe
5. A good table red recipe.

The help is much appreciated, and thanks to all on this forum for the most valuable gift of knowledge. I look forward to continuing to read your posts, admire your pictures, and copy your recipes!
Josh

 

[southlake333]

Welcome to the forum! I myself am just now looking into proper measurement of PH/TA levels so I can't help there. But, I can offer up a couple of recipes. First will be #2 - A good apple cinnamon cider recipe.

Apple Pie Cider

15 Cans of Apple Juice concentrate
Sugar to an SG of 1.080 (didn't measure but it was over 4lbs)
3 tsp Pectic Enzyme
3 tsp Yeast Energizer
6 tablets Campden - crushed up.
1 packet Red Star Pasteur Champaigne Yeast
Water to 6 gallons

Mix all ingredients (including Campden) and let sit a day.
Pitch yeast and ferment in primary until 1.020 then rack to secondary.
Ferment dry, then rack onto campden and sorbate. Mix in sparkolloid solution for clearing. (follow qty directions on packages of all of these).
Once clear, rack to bottling bucket prepare the cinnamon solution by heating all ingredients until nothing is left suspended.

Cinnamon solution = 2 cups of water, 2 cups of light brown sugar, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Mix all of the cinnamon solution into bottling bucket. From there sweeten to taste using additional apple juice concentrate.
The result will taste like a liquid apple pie.


My other suggestion will be for #5 - A good table red recipe.. So far, I have to say my wife and I prefer Welch's wine (concord grape wine) for a standard red to have around at all times. The link below is to a thread where I posted that recipe:

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f5/wine-tasting-32835/

The nice thing about both is that they are easily made using concentrates and taste great young.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!!

 

[Ernest T Bass]

John, you are in good company, most of us on this forum, as well as the site are beginners. Listen to what everyone has to say, but only do what the moderators and senior members recommend and you'll do alright. The rest of us just have our own ideas, not proven by experience.
Semper Fi
Bud

 

[robie]

You might be surprised how many have to make smaller batches, just like you do. Right now you are learning and you won't be in school for ever. Use this time to get the basics down. Later, you can get yourself a bigger place and start branching out.

If you have the time, maybe you can volunteer at some local brew shop in exchange for fermenter and carboy space. I am getting ready to retire and I know I will have to go the opposite direction from yours and downsize. Once I do, I will drastically have to reduce my home wine making operation. My plans are to volunteer at a local LHBS and do much of my wine making there.

Good luck, Josh.

 

[JoshDivino]

Thanks JJ! I'm going to start the apple cider one tomorrow so by the time winter comes I can have hot apple cider in the mornings, start off the day right.. right?

Thanks for all the replies.
What a shame Robie, I don't think I could let myself ever downsize, once I size up. Good idea with the volunteering, but I'm almost out of this apartment and then I'll be renting a house for my last year so I should have more room.
My hope this year is to really nail down the basics of every step, then come 5-10 years my hope is to be a home brewing expert!

 

[Dend78]

WELCOME! I have my own house....well i can stay there and pay for it and even park my car in the driveway ....I was able to pry some space away in a closet to put together a 3 shelf unit, which my 6 1 gal carboys, and my wine bottles fit on nicely with 3 of my 6 carboys sitting on the top finishing out some wine. So i feel ya on the space thing. I think you have some good goals going.

I currently have Dragons Blood (+ watermelon) in the carboys, and i just fired up a new batch of apple wine which i plan to make into apple pie wine. Keep notes and keep us updated on how things turn out. I plan to do the same with my stuff I may need someone to compare notes with

 

[JoshDivino]

Sounds good Dend!
I'll be starting a watermelon, apple pie, and dragon blood all with in the next couple weeks so we will definitely have to compare notes!