All You Need to Get Started!

[amorgan]

Checkiing out colomafrozen.com - for beginner wine should I buy juice, or juice concentrate? How much would you recommend for a 3 gallon carboy? When you say country wine is that anything other than grape? Maybe I'll try a one gallon strawberry - is that a starter wine? Thanks! Ann

@amorgan ,,
so, what type wines are you aiming for, check out www.colomafrozen.com check this site out concentrates both country as well as grape, now that my health has got to be a nuisance, i don,t do from scratch no more, but that link has great concentrates at a decent price,
Dawg

 

[winemaker81]

When you say country wine is that anything other than grape?

"Country" wine is non-grape wine.

Juice or concentrate? Both work, depending on the method of concentration. I can't speak for this brand, but Richard (@hounddawg) likes it so I'll trust his opinion.

According to their site, their concentrates are 60 to 70 brix, e.g., percent sugar. You dilute those down to 18 to 24 brix, depending on what alcohol by volume (ABV) you want. Using ABV = Brix * 0.56, this ranges from 10.1% to 13.4% ABV.

If the concentrate brix is 60 and you want 20, dilute a gallon of concentrate with 2 US gallons water. HOWEVER, you'll lose volume during racking, so purchasing 1.5 gallons will produce enough wine for topup. This means you need extra bottles to hold the remainder.

 

[heatherd]

@amorgan
I hope you'll stick with it. There's a learning curve for sure but when you make something good, you'll be excited! I set out initially to make wine that's not rancid, so kept a low bar. And my first batch (a kit) was not great but also not rancid! That first batch lead me to others some kits, some juice, and some grapes and they are way better than my first try. I felt the same about sanitizing and washing being a pain, but you get used to it and that becomes routine.

Once you get another batch or two, you'll get better with each batch. If you want to post the next batch here and ask for feedback before you pull the trigger, the forum folks can weigh in based on their years of experience.

Plus there aren't that many of us girls involved, so you have to stick it put.

Too funny, so true. If I had that pump, and a bottle washer attached to my faucet, and a kit, I would start tonight! I better take down my post.

You really don't need much more than you have but I'd get a 7 gallon fermenting bucket and a 6 gallon carboy. If you decide on a kit, there are some good ones from Label Peelers that have great instructions and videos on their specific process: Finer Wine Kits | Label Peelers, Inc. Their kits are a new way to do things.
I have their Forte Cabernet Sauvignon and the Super Tuscan blend going now. Forte Super Tuscan Finer Wine Kit
https://labelpeelers.com/wine-makin...ies/forte-super-tuscan-finer-wine-kit/#videosThere's a thread on these as several folks are making them now.

 

[hounddawg]

Checkiing out colomafrozen.com - for beginner wine should I buy juice, or juice concentrate? How much would you recommend for a 3 gallon carboy? When you say country wine is that anything other than grape? Maybe I'll try a one gallon strawberry - is that a starter wine? Thanks! Ann

@amorgan
welp, as i said we line up to help and teach, on coloma they explain how much a jug dilutes to, each kind is different, so the 1 gallon or 3 gallon, is up to you, and as @winemaker81 said grape is traditional wine, non-grape tends to be called country wine, i like a concentrate better so i can make the flavor stronger using less water, on strawberry, they call for 10 quarts to the quart of strawberry concentrate, i would use 7 or 8 quarts of water to the quart of strawberry concentrate,, so you'd have a stronger strawberry flavor, wheatear you make 3 gallon or one gallon , i always make more, just for intense,, if i made said 1 gallon i'd make 5 quarts or more, or if i made say a 3 gallon batch then i'd make a 4 gallons, after ferment you'd fill your 3 gallon carboy, then i'd put the rest in other carboys. even air locked wine bottles,,, a small universel bung turned upside down will fit a wine bottle for your extras, everytime you rack, you lose a little wine, at which point you top up from your extra's so say 5 or 6 wine bottles airlocked with a small unaverse bung turned upside down with a airlock on each bottle of extra's,,, only during ferment is oxygen is your friend, after ferment oxygen is your enemy from then own out, i am happy like the rest that you are staying,,,,,,,, our secret agenda is to turn the world in to wine crafters,, lol ,,,,, from the thread above i see you got a army of teachers, don't worry,, you are not alone, just ask as you go along,, before you know it you'll be making really good wine, i make around 20 to 25 gallons of strawberry every single year, dang strawberry wine is good, but like i said i make mine stronger then they say, i want mine to be very flavorful, until lately i was a from scratch, wine crafter, but now i have went to concentrates, always on concentrates look to make sure the concentrat is a single fruit, a lot of places mix white grape to make it cheaper, but coloma is a good company it took me a few months to find them, most sell only bigger amounts, it is very hard to find a place that will sell in smaller amounts. for home wine makers.
Richard
Dawg

 

[Jovimaple]

Plus there aren't that many of us girls involved, so you have to stick it out.

Yes!!!

I agree with @heatherd regarding a bigger fermenting bucket.

I ended up with a couple of 5 gallon carboys and instead of going with a 6 gallon for 6 gallon kits, I either use a 5 gallon and a 1 gallon or split it into two 3 gallon carboys. The 6 just ends up being too big for me. I can carry full 3 gallons. If I need to move a full 5 gallon, I recruit my husband to help. But with the All In One Wine pump, I can generally avoid moving the 5s when full, besides scooching them around on the counter in my wine room, aka the corner of the laundry room.

 

[winemaker81]

Plus there aren't that many of us girls involved, so you have to stick it put.

I used to participate in various gaming and technical forums, but stepped away as the overgrown male children got far too tiresome. Women would join, but most left quickly due to the childish idiocy. It's nice to have a wide spectrum of winemakers, not just male/female, but from around the world. As many have commented, this is the friendliest forum on the net.

 

[VinesnBines]

Yes, welcome from one of the girls. Strawberry is a nice starter wine. Don’t let a plethora of information overwhelm you. A lot of the folks are well versed in chemistry and get deep in the testing and numbers. You can make good wine with very little testing especially with something like strawberry or a kit.

 

[kilendra]

You can make good wine with very little testing especially with something like strawberry or a kit.

This! Kits and wines like Dragon's Blood are a great intro - I learned so much from my first kit.

I got my start with a one gallon batch of Skeeter Pee - didn't turn out perfectly, but I had fun and my sister-in-law loved it. I gave her most of it then used the rest to make margaritas

Fast forward a year or so and I've done two 6gal wine kits (highly recommend kits, they make it easy - I did one Master Vintner kit and one Finer Wine kit), a bunch of classic Dragon's Blood, and my current project is 1gal of apple wine. I also make a lot of ~7% ABV hard kombucha, and the winemaking techniques I've learned have vastly improved its taste and consistency.

 

[amorgan]

@amorgan
welp, as i said we line up to help and teach, on coloma they explain how much a jug dilutes to, each kind is different, so the 1 gallon or 3 gallon, is up to you, and as @winemaker81 said grape is traditional wine, non-grape tends to be called country wine, i like a concentrate better so i can make the flavor stronger using less water, on strawberry, they call for 10 quarts to the quart of strawberry concentrate, i would use 7 or 8 quarts of water to the quart of strawberry concentrate,, so you'd have a stronger strawberry flavor, wheatear you make 3 gallon or one gallon , i always make more, just for intense,, if i made said 1 gallon i'd make 5 quarts or more, or if i made say a 3 gallon batch then i'd make a 4 gallons, after ferment you'd fill your 3 gallon carboy, then i'd put the rest in other carboys. even air locked wine bottles,,, a small universel bung turned upside down will fit a wine bottle for your extras, everytime you rack, you lose a little wine, at which point you top up from your extra's so say 5 or 6 wine bottles airlocked with a small unaverse bung turned upside down with a airlock on each bottle of extra's,,, only during ferment is oxygen is your friend, after ferment oxygen is your enemy from then own out, i am happy like the rest that you are staying,,,,,,,, our secret agenda is to turn the world in to wine crafters,, lol ,,,,, from the thread above i see you got a army of teachers, don't worry,, you are not alone, just ask as you go along,, before you know it you'll be making really good wine, i make around 20 to 25 gallons of strawberry every single year, dang strawberry wine is good, but like i said i make mine stronger then they say, i want mine to be very flavorful, until lately i was a from scratch, wine crafter, but now i have went to concentrates, always on concentrates look to make sure the concentrat is a single fruit, a lot of places mix white grape to make it cheaper, but coloma is a good company it took me a few months to find them, most sell only bigger amounts, it is very hard to find a place that will sell in smaller amounts. for home wine makers.
Richard
Dawg

Everyone is too kind - I love Winemaking Talk! It's like you're all my friends. I have a new shopping list and am so excited to try a kit(s)! And I REALLY want Steve's pump but might wait on that until next year. In the near future I'll probably end up spending more than I was asking for all my equipment and supplies lol!! But then it never was about the $$$.

 

[hounddawg]

Everyone is too kind - I love Winemaking Talk! It's like you're all my friends. I have a new shopping list and am so excited to try a kit(s)! And I REALLY want Steve's pump but might wait on that until next year. In the near future I'll probably end up spending more than I was asking for all my equipment and supplies lol!! But then it never was about the $$$.

do you live where you can buy your wine bottles or get them from a honky tonk, bar, club,t shoot & stab,, ECT,,, and carboys as you move along, i have links to both at good prices, the carboys are italian premium carboys, at around $35 for a 6 gallon, 3 gallons are less costly,,
Dawg

 

[winemaker81]

Everyone is too kind - I love Winemaking Talk! It's like you're all my friends. I have a new shopping list and am so excited to try a kit(s)! And I REALLY want Steve's pump but might wait on that until next year. In the near future I'll probably end up spending more than I was asking for all my equipment and supplies lol!! But then it never was about the $$$.

This is a friendly forum, far friendlier than any other in my experience. A lot of us have migrated to a first name basis, from the typical screen names. While it's unlikely I'll meet most in person, there are a few folks in my area that I'll eventually meet. [once we get past life events, holidays, and a frickin' snowstorm every weekend ...]

A word of caution -- pace yourself! It's easy to go hawgwild and suddenly discover you have far more wine to bottle than you can store or drink!

 

[hounddawg]

i agree 100% with @winemaker81
Dawg

 

[ChuckD]

caution -- pace yourself! It's easy to go hawgwild and suddenly discover you have far more wine to bottle than you can store or drink!

Now you tell me!

 

[winemaker81]

Now you tell me!

You're a slow learner. To make up for it, drink more.

 

[hounddawg]

You're a slow learner. To make up for it, drink more.

OMG, you're the man, man you've come up with some zingers lately,, LMFAO
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

Now you tell me!

i heard you was kinda slow LMFAO,,, lol
Dawg

 

[ChuckD]

You're a slow learner. To make up for it, drink more.

That’s why I’m a slow learner!

 

[hounddawg]

man i know this forum is for learning, but i have so much fun, , i've been on here for a little while, and having fun while learning i feel is great,,,
Dawg

 

[Scooter68]

I BOMBED when I tried strawberry wine. I started out with blueberries but that was because I had blueberry bushes. Being on the cheap side I tend to look at those less expensive solutions. I suspect that if you use a Coloma product you will be happy. I would suggest using the concentrate so you have the ability to get a solid flavor for you wine. Most standard juices tend to end up on the lighter side in flavor after all is said and done. So for me if a concetrate says it makes 1 gallon, I use the amount for 4 gallons in a 3 gallon batch. That way the flavor is solid. For that same reason I NEVER use straight juices from the store that are already at drink strength. ( When you do that you may already be starting with a slightly watered down juice as the average person can't detect if they add an extra 5% of water to that juice. )

 

[amorgan]

do you live where you can buy your wine bottles or get them from a honky tonk, bar, club,t shoot & stab,, ECT,,, and carboys as you move along, i have links to both at good prices, the carboys are italian premium carboys, at around $35 for a 6 gallon, 3 gallons are less costly,,
Dawg

I have enough wine bottles saved up for my 3-5 gallon batches but am interested in a couple more 3 gallon carboys.. I think if I bought a 5-6 gal kit I might go with two 3-gal carboys in case I need to move them - heavy!. Would you mind sharing the best link for carboys? You guys are trouble! Now I’m reignited and shopping again! But love it.