Glass Carboy¿

[mjdtexan]

Tex, do you have anything going now? If not start something just so yall got something to look at. Even a frozen juice concentrate wine will get you excited.
Troy

Nope, nothing going yet. I am lookin to to buy a couple of equipment kits fairly soon, probably this weekend. I've got some reading and learning to do. Plus I need to learn where I am going to be buying all of them additives that wine requires.

M y bestest buddie died a couple weeks back and he loved his watermelon wine, and I too want to make some in his memory. This is a label one of the members made for me.

Thats an awesome label. I didnt catch the watermelon in the glass the first time. I bet label making is going to be fun as well. Sorry to hear about your friend.

 

[arcticsid]

Surely if you are in the Houston area you have a home brew shop, probably several. accessible to you. Don't go crazy buying equipment you may not need. If you want to start with a "kit" there are several members on here who know alot about that, I am not one of them. Please state your intentions a little cleare on how you would like to start, that will make a difference on what we recommend you go out and buy. Make sure you get you a hydrometer! it's crucial. Don't be intimidated by the "additives", they are really quite cheap. Keep us posted.
Troy
(ps, getting ready to BBQ some country ribs on my smokin' grill, I'll be thinkin' of ya)

 

[mjdtexan]

Surely if you are in the Houston area you have a home brew shop, probably several. accessible to you. Don't go crazy buying equipment you may not need. If you want to start with a "kit" there are several members on here who know alot about that, I am not one of them. Please state your intentions a little cleare on how you would like to start, that will make a difference on what we recommend you go out and buy. Make sure you get you a hydrometer! it's crucial. Don't be intimidated by the "additives", they are really quite cheap. Keep us posted.
Troy
(ps, getting ready to BBQ some country ribs on my smokin' grill, I'll be thinkin' of ya)

If by kit you mean the wine kit and not the equipment kit then no, I dont really want to do a kit. I really want to use fruit. I hope thats what you meant.

I did pork spare ribs yesterday with a pineapple habenero glaze. I've won many a first place trophy with that combination.

 

[Skyhawk]

mjdtexan, I noticed there are a number of wine making supply stores in Houston, including a "DeFalco's Wine and Beer Making Supplies". Unfortunately, things look a bit pricy in your neck of the woods - $55 for a 6 gallon glass carboy. At our "DeFalco's", they cost $19!

Anyway, perhaps you know of places already there you can buy your stuff from. If I were you, I'd try a little cheap wine kit and get one glass carboy just to get your feet wet. Stores in your area like DeFalco's will usually offer in store starter packages for a discount that include a carboy, primary fermenter, racking tubing, bottle filler, long stirring spoon, large funnel, bottle brush, sulfite, sometimes the bottles/labels/corks, hydrometer, acid test kit, and often more. Because these stores are locally run and owned in most cases, don't be afraid to bargain for custom package deals. Usually the people in these stores are very friendly compared to your average Walmart associate.

 

[mjdtexan]

mjdtexan, I noticed there are a number of wine making supply stores in Houston, including a "DeFalco's Wine and Beer Making Supplies". Unfortunately, things look a bit pricy in your neck of the woods - $55 for a 6 gallon glass carboy. At our "DeFalco's", they cost $19!

.

Yes, I saw the DeFalco's. $19 for you huh, wish it was that way here. Thank You very very much for your advice. I am investigating stores and prices.

 

[arcticsid]

Tex, if you start with a kit, I am nowheres near qualified to help, I just frankly know nothing about them, if you decide to use fruit you can always use a 5 gallon bucket(FOOD GRADE!!) for you primary fermenter. The primary usually takes 5-14 days or so. When you transfer it to the secondary, alot of the equipment and techniques become a little more necessar and some. crucial. The first thing I learned from the guys and gals in this forum is that the two most important ingredients are sanitation and patience, and unfortunately you can't buy either one! The most important piece of equipment is a hydrometer unless you're fixing to hook up with one of those chemistry speakin gals, she probably has the equipment!
Troy

 

[mjdtexan]

Tex, if you start with a kit, I am nowheres near qualified to help, I just frankly know nothing about them, if you decide to use fruit you can always use a 5 gallon bucket(FOOD GRADE!!) for you primary fermenter. The primary usually takes 5-14 days or so. When you transfer it to the secondary, alot of the equipment and techniques become a little more necessar and some. crucial. The first thing I learned from the guys and gals in this forum is that the two most important ingredients are sanitation and patience, and unfortunately you can't buy either one! The most important piece of equipment is a hydrometer unless you're fixing to hook up with one of those chemistry speakin gals, she probably has the equipment!
Troy

I have plenty of patience and I understand sanitation very well. I will be getting the hydrometer for sure, plus that bottleling stuff, etc etc. I know yall are saying get one equipment kit but I know myself. I will be wanting to get several batches going at once

 

[Skyhawk]

mjdtexan, I don't have much patience so you already have one up on me!

My substitute for patience is to have lots of stuff going, bulk aging, and stored in bottle whenever possible. That way I'm not tempted to start going through wine before it's aged to the degree that I like, which in some cases maybe a few years. My patience is subsidized by buying commercial wine as well, and those bought wines add to my reusable bottle collection.

 

[arcticsid]

sorry about your bbq grill

Tex, you're gonna need to think about movin that bbq grillin' outfit outta your spare bedroom, not only does it smoke up the whole joint, but sounds like you'll be needin' it for your wine making laboratory.!!!
Troy

 

[cpfan]

mjd:

The local provincial liquor board has a "Red Wine 101" promotion running at the moment. Included is a brochure that covers some points on the 'major' red wines. This may help you.

The interactive version is at http://www.lcbo.com/promo/redwine101/en/html/guide.html

The VERY LARGE PDF is at http://akamai.myvirtualpaper.com/client/LCBO/RedWine-guide/2009020301/upload/guide.pdf

Hope this helps in some way.

Steve

 

[mjdtexan]

mjd:

The local provincial liquor board has a "Red Wine 101" promotion running at the moment. Included is a brochure that covers some points on the 'major' red wines. This may help you.

The interactive version is at http://www.lcbo.com/promo/redwine101/en/html/guide.html

The VERY LARGE PDF is at http://akamai.myvirtualpaper.com/client/LCBO/RedWine-guide/2009020301/upload/guide.pdf

Hope this helps in some way.

Steve

Thank You very much Steve. I will print them and read them during the NASCAR race tomorrow evening.

 

[mjdtexan]

Tex, you're gonna need to think about movin that bbq grillin' outfit outta your spare bedroom, not only does it smoke up the whole joint, but sounds like you'll be needin' it for your wine making laboratory.!!!
Troy

I dont grill. I smoke meat for a LOT of hours at a fairly low tempature allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll day long.

 

[mjdtexan]

Edited to save space

 

[mjdtexan]

mjd:

The local provincial liquor board has a "Red Wine 101" promotion running at the moment. Included is a brochure that covers some points on the 'major' red wines. This may help you.

The interactive version is at
http://www.lcbo.com/promo/redwine101/en/html/guide.html

The VERY LARGE PDF is at http://akamai.myvirtualpaper.com/client/LCBO/RedWine-guide/2009020301/upload/guide.pdf

Hope this helps in some way.

Steve

You know, that is a very good site. Thank You so much for that. It explains alot. I am going to print it and use it as a guide.

 

[david1]

sorry to intervene but,

arcticsid, where in wi. did you reside. i'm from nw. wi. in st.croix co.

 

[arcticsid]

St.Francis(Milwaukee). This is my 30th winter here, so I may have been born there but I am an Alaskan through and through.

You could always start a new thread in the menu in the chit chat, then you won't need to woory about "intervening" on someones thread.

Glad to have you all the same amongst us.
Troy