First Blackberry Wine (One Gallon batch)

[SBWs]

Dave as far as a pH meter I say buy what you can afford. Any pH meter is better than no pH meter. I have the Milwaukee pH55 however will upgrade to the pH56 someday because it reads hundredth, the pH55 only read tenths. They both use the same probe, that is why I'm sticking with the Milwaukee brand and I also found it was very easy to use.

 

[timber]

Good News ...

My wine yeast, pectic enzyme and acid blend arrived today ... YaHooo!
Think I have all the essentials to get started on my blackberry wine.
Tomorrow should be a fun day.

I'll do without them this round but ordered a few more pieces of equipment in preparation for a 5 gal batch of ??? wine:

Wine test kit (T.A)
H-B Instrument, 12" lab thermometer (enviro safe type)
Small Gram Scale (0.01)
Mechanical Scale (3Kg w/ lbs & oz)
24" Plastic stir spoon
(I know, I probably should have gotten a corker first but do want to be able to duplicate a recipe in the future).

Since I found the "The Home Winemaking Book" I think I'll go straight from that on this batch.
In reading through it, I find that it has no disagreements with any of the suggestions made by the helpful folks here and may help me keep on track and make a good batch right from the start.

 

[North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not]

I think your gonna do just fine, youve done more for yourself than you know already. Most first timers go into that first batch with probably less than half of what you know already, and even less proper equipment, and still come out the other end drinking a pretty good bottle of wine. As long as you remember to have patience, take good notes, and never be afraid to ask a question I believe your gonna be a happy camper when you get finished.


On another note, you are most definately addicted already. Haha You almost have a mini winery by the looks of it and havent even started your first batch yet. I can see that ill be seeing alot of you around here for awhile to come, as I have no plans on going anywhere I love this forum.

 

[timber]

Addicted pre factum ...

Thanks North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not,

Yup, no doubt, I'm irreversibly addicted, pre factum.
This site is such a tremendous resource and with very little effort it's easy to get the answers needed to either dig right in, if so inclined, or to take one's time and really enjoy the journey.

It's good that you remind me to take good notes, especially at this stage, it's easy to get wrapped up in doing and forget this important step. I have a little log book and will be sure to document well.

I'd imagine that a sure sign of addiction will be when I actually have a dedicated, wine making space as close to the kitchen as possible without having the wife throw me, the carboys and my acid test kit out the front door.

See ya around,

 

[jdrum]

i was lucky, we had just quit breeding dogs so i took over the welping house that we raised the puppies in, 8x8 and insulated 250 watt flood light keeps it between 60 & 70 degrees even this time of year. problem is it's already to small.
i am planning to extend it out another 16 feet and add a summer canning kitchen. then i hope next summer a storm/wine celler. (that way if the top gets blowed away, we can stay in the hole and drown our sorrows.

jim

 

[timber]

(that way if the top gets blowed away, we can stay in the hole and drown our sorrows.

LOL

Sounds like a great emergency plan ... we should all be so prepared.

 

[North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not]

Thanks North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not,

I'd imagine that a sure sign of addiction will be when I actually have a dedicated, wine making space as close to the kitchen as possible without having the wife throw me, the carboys and my acid test kit out the front door.

See ya around,

You are right about that, I went from "borrowing" a corner of a closet to a whole room. Lol I only hurt myself with the room thing though, bc in my old house my third room was where my workout equipment was and the other spare was storage and what not cause I had two living rooms. Well, new house has three rooms, a much bigger kitchen instead of an extra living room. So second room is now nursery with my new baby boy, and extra room/man den that took over for my other living room is now man den/winery. Haha So I lost a few seats by the plasma, football, and xbox in there so only a few friends can hang comfortably there now.

Granted the site of 20-30 gallons of wine sitting out in the open at any given time makes them not care about cramped much but still. I still use the man den closet to keep a few carboys out of the way here, but it isnt big enough. And the kicking you out, trust me I went through that plenty. That first batch you bring out and she drinks, itll stop. My gf bugged me for 30 minutes just last night to stop hording my wine, meaning we had none left bottled and chilled to drink(she drank 90% of it, just to note that) and I needed to come off of some I have ageing so she can drink some. Lol So as you can see, it also gets addictive to your friends and family just being able to drink good wine for free. You will soon be a hero my friend.