Book for Beginners

[Giovannino]

Here is a good step by step with some basic wine info. Most of the "cheats" at the end only seem like they'd matter if you stick to making tea wine. Hopefully you'd only use this to start from It would be nice if they get around to writing up part 4 though...

Part 1:
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/ma...-the-fear-out-of-wine-making-part-one-by-mkg/

Part 2:
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/ma...ing-the-fear-out-of-winemaking-part-2-by-mkg/

Part 3:
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/ma...of-wine-making-part-3-cheating-and-improving/

This is an old post so there's probably a reason the pages won't come up.

 

[timber]

Hi Tom,

Wow, this is a gem!
Thanks for the link on Michiel Pesgens' book.
Very informative, easy to follow ... great information.

The Home Winemaking Book by Michiel Pesgens

... good thread in all with lots of resources for reading, thanks all.

Exactly what I need to get started on my blackberry wine.
Since I joined the forum (and it's a great one) I've been a tad overwhelmed with all the great information and advice ... this little book, however, seems to cull all that information together in one logical set of steps with charts, examples and even a great looking blackberry wine recipe near the end.

I think all beginners could benefit from this gem.

Thanks,

 

[Tom]

I make alot of fruit wines so ck here 1st for tried and true recipies.

 

[timber]

I make alot of fruit wines so ck here 1st for tried and true recipies.

Hi Tom,

I'll be interested in hearing what you know about Pear wines.
Live near Hood River OR which is a great apple and pear valley.

I'm thinking a semi-sweet, fairly high alcohol content, earthtone, soothing, cool, white wine that contains little if any sulphites.

This will be a springtime - summertime project.

Working toward a 5 or 6 gallon batch that will be well on it's way to ageing this time next year.


Wines so far:
Blackberry Wine ... first wine ... WIP

Thanks,

 

[Tom]

For 6 gallons
Get 40#'s of VERY RIPE pears
You need 2 straing bags and 2 fermenting buckets
Core them and 1/4 them
take 1/2 in a straining bag in a fermenting bucket, water to 3 gal (repeat)
add Pectic Enzyme
wait 24 hrs and ck gravity, add sugar to 1.085 ( take 3 qts out heat add sugar stir till dissolved.
Ck TA
I like Cote des Blanc yeast

(short version)

 

[timber]

Bookmarked ...

... Thanks Tom

May hit you up on some details when I get the pears.

 

[blairholand]

Great wine making book

This book is a great starting point thanks for the post I came up with a couple of new ideas thanks

 

[VegasScott]

I wanted to try and get many of the books referring to wine making on this forum and get them under one thread if we can. Here's a bunch that I came across. Some have been mentioned earlier in this thread.

No order however the free downloads are first.

The Home Winemakers Manual by Lum Eisenman
Free Down load on the web at http://www.winebook.webs.com/

The Home Wine Making Book by Michiel Pesgens
Available at http://www.homebrewit.com/winebook.pdf

How To Brew Fruit and Wine Kits
http://www3.nf.sympatico.ca/phumber/msie.html#How to Brew Fruit And Kit Wines

Introduction To Home Winemaking
http://www.home-winemaking.com/index.html

Home Wine Making
http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/content.php?category=Winemaking

Making Wine For Home Use
http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/Publications/MWFHUpub.htm

The Wine Maker’s Answer Book by Alison Crowe @ $15.00

Home Wine Making Step By Step by Jon Iverson @ $18.00

The Home Winemaker’s Companion by Gene Spaziani @ $30.00

Making Wild Wines and Meads by Pattie and Rich Gulling @ $17.00

From Vines To Wines by Jeff Cox @ $28.00

The Backyard Vintner by Jim Law @ $20.00

Growing Wine Grapes by McGrew, Loenholdt, Zabadal, Hunt and Amberg @ $11.00

How and Why To Build A Wine Cellar by Richard Gold on Amazon

The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil @ $14.00

The Joy Of Home Winemaking by Terry Garey

Successful Winemaking At Home by H.E. Bravery

Steve,
Have you read any of these books? I'm a newbie that has the 'drinking' part down, I'm now looking to 'making'!

I've been a beer guy since college, but over the past few years I've become a 'winer' due to my love for gardening and the fact that my in-laws have a beautiful home on Seneca Lake nestled amoung the many wineries in the area.

I really don't want to fail in my first attempt at wine making, so I want to do my homework first. My plan is to get a couple of books, ask for all of your input, and make my initial kit purchase, and possibly a couple of supplemental pieces of equipment.

When looking at amazon.com, I came across these:




I liked this one because it tied in the gardening, and since I have a couple of grapevines, I thought it would bring me full circle throughout the process.

Then I found this one...




This is the book Steve quoted above and had on his list. From looking at the preview pages on the site, it looked pretty good.

Anyone on the forums read either of these? The first book has a 5 star rating from reader reviews and 41 of the 50 were 5 stars. The second book has no reviews as of yet.

And thanks to view the classified area of this website, I saw this deal on 6 gallon carboys from amazon as well:




At only $30 with free shipping, I can't go wrong. If it turns out I can't vint wine worth a damn, I'll have a great start to building a pirate ship in a bottle! LOL!

 

[djrockinsteve]

I have read several of the wine making books here, after I learned how to make wine. I wanted to understand why I was doing what I was doing. I prefer the science of it all.

The book by Lum Eisenman is very good but may be too much for a beginner. Others are good in their own way but sometimes can assume you know something already.

One of the fears many have is after spending money and waiting 6 months they have a blah wine. Now you either give up or are just frustrated about it all.

We have some good tutorials on many parts of the wine process. They are located on the home page here under tutorials.

I have never made wine from a kit, just juice and a few canned concentrates. Kits were too pricey compared to buckets of juice. To each his own. Kits are a good way to start and learn the basics and get most of the items you need to get started. If nothing else buy a hydrometer and learn how to use it (tutorial).

Let us know what kit you are considering and I'm sure there are folks on here who have made it. You can also make wine via juice concentrates found in the grocery store if you like.

We can help you and others with your hobby. All of us started in our own different ways and are now hooked on making not just ok wines but great wines. Don't be afraid to ask if you are unsure of anything.

 

[VegasScott]

Steve,
I totally agree. I don't like being told "add this to that..." and "do this to that" without knowing why I'm doing what I'm doing. I'm a self proclaimed science geek and want to know "WHY".

As for the kits, I'm looking at some of the kits from amazon that are just equipment and no supplies. I'm also interested in the wine kits themselves for my first attempt at winemaking. I want to take out as many variables out of the equation as I can. If its a quality kit, the results should be very good each and everytime as long as you stick to the instructions and don't make any bonehead mistakes.

Any suggestions on either the equipment only kits? Or the winemaking supply kits?

Thanks everybody for the warm welcome!

VegasScott

 

[PeterB]

Lost!!

Hi its Pete here,
I love wine, but I am a complete beginner when it comes to everything else to do with wine, I only know how to drink it, where should I start help me haha. I would like to grow my own!! I would very much appreciate any help.

Cheers Pete B

 

[PeterB]

Cheers Tom, I shall be having a look at that one..

Pete B

 

[djrockinsteve]

Pete welcome to the forum. If you visit the home page you will find useful items to assist you. Wikipedia of terms. Tutorial section. Recipes. The Map to see who is near you along with wine supply stores and more.

 

[PeterB]

Cheers steve nice 1

 

[PeterB]

Cheers steve nice 1

 

[djrockinsteve]

We did the Tutorials because we were getting the same questions posted. Wade's fingers were getting tired typing the answers.

Hope they shed a little light on the subject for you.

 

[Bjarne]

Hi Guys

Tom said that is was ok to post links to PDF books here. I am currently developing a business teaching hobby wine makers how to make their own wine through a book delivered with 12 month support from an award-winning winemaker in Napa, California, Cynthia Cosco of Passaggio Wines.

Our site also has free wine radio 24/7.

 

[Julie]

Hi Guys

Tom said that is was ok to post links to PDF books here. I am currently developing a business teaching hobby wine makers how to make their own wine through a book delivered with 12 month support from an award-winning winemaker in Napa, California, Cynthia Cosco of Passaggio Wines.


Sorry Bjarne,

I'm sure if Tom gave you permisison, he would have left us know and introduced you. I'm deleting your link, please contact Wade if you want to advertise on the site.

Thanks for your support.

 

[Wade E]

I emailed him but he wont be back until the 9th. Sorry for the confusion Bjarne.

 

[Giovannino]

Glad someone caught this one.
No pdf to be found. Besides, if only just putting the book together why have testimonials from people who refer to the book all the time.