December 2013 Wine of the Month Club

[Jericurl]

I've got a couple of ideas for January's wine, but I'm also wanting to try my hand at mead.
I've got to figure out where I can buy good honey online and not go completely broke.

 

[vernsgal]

Jericurl, on the oak, I use the powdered kind in primary and the chips, spirals in the secondary. I don't do anything with them, just toss them in. The good part about putting them in the secondary is you can keep taking wee sips and when it gets a little stronger than you want, rack them off.

 

[LoneStarLori]

Ray: I had no idea an imperial gallon was so much bigger. See? I told ya suck at math. haha

Kim: I think that color is beautiful. I think it will mellow out to a really nice ruby color.

Jeri: I'm with Kim. I have used the powder in the primary and chips or cubes in the secondary. I didn't do anything to mine either, just toss in a handful. If it gets to be too much, pull some out and if not enough, you can throw more in. (I know I'm new, but sometimes I think some folks here over-think things.)

 

[vernsgal]

(I know I'm new, but sometimes I think some folks here over-think things.)

Love it!!

 

[Winenoob66]

Hey Jericurl is there a Sam's club where you live in Texas, They have pretty good deal on honey here there.

 

[vernsgal]

I'm using imperial gallons (Canada, eh?), so it's approximately 5000mL to one gallon. Therefore, it only works out to about a 1/2 gallon of brandy to 1.5 gallons of must.

From another Canadian- we do have to pay attention to the math eh?

Ray: I had no idea an imperial gallon was so much bigger. See? I told ya suck at math. haha

No worries Lori, I know a guy...lol

 

[Jericurl]

Winenoob,
We do have a Sams Club here. I don't know why I didn't think of that.
I will check them out.

 

[Winenoob66]

Sam's is where I buy a lot of my wine making supplies at (as in fruit, lemon juice, apple juice, sugar)

 

[jamesngalveston]

we have a sams, which is good priced on frozen fruit....
we are getting a costco, which i like better..cant wait.

 

[Winenoob66]

There's a Costco's here but I have never been in it, they say the membership is a lot higher than Sam's, I go in Sam's at least once a month.

 

[Jericurl]

When I lived in DFW area and in Colorado, I had the option to use Costco or Sams Club.

I much preferred Costco.
I really do wish we had one here.

I have used Sams for apple juice and bulk frozen fruit.
I will also check them for honey.

I did find a seller on ebay that sells different types of honey in bulk.
All of his reviews are very favorable and is over 500 sales.
I'm finding myself considering purchasing from there for specialty type honey.

 

[the_rayway]

Lori: one full gallon finished gets me exactly 6 bottles of wine. the perfect amount for 'testing'. The difference between US and Imp is constantly a struggle for me with the math stuff. Maybe I should hit up one of the Math Profs at work for a cheat sheet...

Kim: that colour is amazing, I'm rather jealous...mine's just sort of apricot coloured

Jeri: yaay for vanilla beans! You won't regret it, they are useful EVERYWHERE. Seriously. I don't know how I got by without them before.

I'm with most of you on the oak. I use powder where I have it in the primary, and chips in secondary (no cubes available up here). In one of Seth's threads, I mentioned I will be doing a side by side with oak sometime soon. When I do, I'll let you know if there is any difference that a newbie can taste.

The MoreWine site had both Tupelo honey and Orange Blossom for sale last time I checked, and I've heard amazing things about both of them. Jeri - maybe the shipping wouldn't be so prohibitive for you? Also, in our regular grocery stores here, we usually have at least basic clover or wildflower honeys in the mix. Have you had a look? Which ebay seller are you looking at?

I don't have any advice on the Werthers wine as I haven't done a candy wine yet. However, the Torani syrups (think starbucks) are nice in finishing a wine and upping the flavour. I used the caramel and the vanilla in my Caramel Apple Wine. Yum! They sold it to me by the oz, but you can also buy them at places like Winners, etc.

My apricot now has about 3.4 inches of sediment in each gallon. Yikes! Still degassing as well, so I feel comfortable leaving the head space for a bit longer.

 

[vernsgal]

My apricot now has about 3.4 inches of sediment in each gallon. Yikes! Still degassing as well, so I feel comfortable leaving the head space for a bit longer.

Lol. you'll be down to the one carboy soon.

 

[vernsgal]

you know Raelene you have to stop with the mentioning of these testings of wines lol. You keep giving me ideas and I'm running out of 1 gal.'s. These are ones I have going and I've only got 2-1 gal's left for January's.

 

[Jericurl]

Lol.

Kim, I can't wait till my table looks like that.

Rayway,
I can't wait to get the vanilla beans.
I'm going to set aside a couple for wine, then the rest are going to be used for homemade vanilla. I think I'm just going to put a few in a bottle of vodka and forget about it until this time next year.

 

[kryptonitewine]

Put one or two vanilla beans in some sugar and let sit a few weeks. Makes awesome cookies.

 

[kryptonitewine]

you know Raelene you have to stop with the mentioning of these testings of wines lol. You keep giving me ideas and I'm running out of 1 gal.'s. These are ones I have going and I've only got 2-1 gal's left for January's.

Yeah my 5 - 1 gallons are full. Need to get some more. When I first got in this hobby I was buying 5 & 6 gallon carboys. Now I need 1 gallon, kind of seems backwards.

 

[the_rayway]

Kim - I have no idea what you're talking about That is so much awesome on your table there! I actually find that for the country wines/meads that I make from scratch, I'm a little bit sad when I bottle them. So I tend to procrastinate a little bit. It always feels like saying goodbye because I won't see them for at least a year!

Jeri - just be careful doing that. Bryan found my first batch of vanilla and drank it. When I asked him about it he thanked me for making him such amazing vanilla vodka. Now I make the vanilla in a mason jar instead so there is no confusion. Lol, although there are certain times of the year it tends to disappear faster than I'm using it!

kryptonite - it's also really nice in a flaked salt or a pink Himalayan! Great for vanilla finishing salts (ever had it on scallops? Amazing!).

 

[vernsgal]

Lol.

Kim, I can't wait till my table looks like that.

It will soon and then you'll be looking for more carboys... lol

Yeah my 5 - 1 gallons are full. Need to get some more. When I first got in this hobby I was buying 5 & 6 gallon carboys. Now I need 1 gallon, kind of seems backwards.

Lol yup. but those 1 gal's come in handy

Kim - I have no idea what you're talking about That is so much awesome on your table there! I actually find that for the country wines/meads that I make from scratch, I'm a little bit sad when I bottle them. So I tend to procrastinate a little bit. It always feels like saying goodbye because I won't see them for at least a year!

Jeri - just be careful doing that. Bryan found my first batch of vanilla and drank it. When I asked him about it he thanked me for making him such amazing vanilla vodka. Now I make the vanilla in a mason jar instead so there is no confusion.

1st -Lol . don't have that feeling because these are on a table beside my bed
and 2nd your post to Jeri totally gave me a laugh

 

[kryptonitewine]

My chocolate raspberry smells amazing. Even better than the chocolate strawberry I started last month. I may do this again as a port.

Lori - if yo still have dutched chocolate left give it a whirl.