Hello From Austin, Texas

[GrandpasFootsteps]

Howdy folks! I've been browsing various wine making forums as I begin my wine making adventure, and this place is great!

My why: A hobby that my wife and I can do together, something we are both interested in. My grandfather made wine for decades before he passed in '92 at the age of 92. When I was younger I would go help him lift the carboys and other heavy activities since he was pretty frail. We still have bottles of his wine, and my family agrees they are better than ever after 20+ years. I only remember his homemade fruit wines. But when I started my first kit my mother told me that he had made plenty of kits in his years, in addition to the fruit wines.

My first kit is a VR Riesling, I just cleared / stabilized it today. I also have an Island Mist Mango Citrus Symphony that I just started today. I added 4# of corn sugar from LHBS in a simple syrup for fun, based on some of the Island Mist kit tweaking comments I read about on here. And I have an apfelwein going too.

 

[Runningwolf]

Welcome to the party. Feel free to pop in any time to ask questions or to respond to a post. It's always nice to hear stories such as yours. How close are you to Fine Vine Wines?

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!

 

[Wade E]

Wow, as I have only started making wine for about 10 years now and dont have any of my wine that old Im hoping that some makes it that long and is still great. I love the story and am glad to have you aboard. Feel free to ask any questions you might have as thats why we are here. Im sure your grandpa probably didnt use sulftes or yeats when making his wine so Im asking you if you plan to. Were you able to salvage any of your grandpa's equipment?

 

[djrockinsteve]

I believe that most of us had someone in our lives influence us with wine making. Mine was both my father attempting it in the 70's. Years ago it was my neighbor who taught me.

As Wade said it's always great to hear the stories. Welcome and I agree this forum is great. Browse, search the forum and ask if you have a question or are confused. Answers come quick which is good because you don't know what you don't know until you need to know....and need to know NOW!

Enjoy.

 

[jtstar]

Welcome to the forum it's always great to hear the stories

 

[Duster]

Welcome, Great story, my grandmother made wine up until she passed away in 01 at an age of 98. she always forced herself to have a glass a day rather she wanted it or not. There is some argument amongst the family that the wine helped her live as long as she did.
glad to have you aboard. the others have already mentioned about asking questions and posting you comments so no need to repeat it.
this is a great forum and were glad to have ya.

 

[wjdonahue]

Welcome. Find a lot of knowledge here, and even better, people who are always willing to share. Your story brings up memories of the 70s for me. Opening wine concentrates with a can opener cause that was all that was available, and yet somehow turned out OK. You will find that kits today are soooo different. In most cases though, you get what you pay for. Island Mist is early drinkable and cheap, but high end kits make wine that is sooooo great. Any questions.....you will get them answered here. Probably more answers than you ever would want (grin)

 

[GrandpasFootsteps]

Welcome to the party. Feel free to pop in any time to ask questions or to respond to a post. It's always nice to hear stories such as yours. How close are you to Fine Vine Wines?

Not close to Fine Vine Wines in Carrollton at all! But Austin Homebrew is only a few minutes away.

 

[GrandpasFootsteps]

Wow, as I have only started making wine for about 10 years now and dont have any of my wine that old Im hoping that some makes it that long and is still great. I love the story and am glad to have you aboard. Feel free to ask any questions you might have as thats why we are here. Im sure your grandpa probably didnt use sulftes or yeats when making his wine so Im asking you if you plan to. Were you able to salvage any of your grandpa's equipment?

My mother told me the other day that my grandpa never used sulfites, but he did use yeast. He made a jalapeño wine that I'm going to try to mimic using some recipes from here. It's been over 20 years since his winemaking days ended, and I don't know what happened to his equipment.

 

[jtstar]

It is nice that you got to help your grandfather with his wine I can remember my mother making wine but I never got to help with it. My family tells stories about some of her wine that exploded in the pantry once also I am sure that my mother used bread yeast back then and she wouldn't of had all the chemical that we have now for our wine

 

[ibglowin]

Welcome aboard!

 

[GrandpasFootsteps]

This is the first glass of my first wine attempt - the VR Riesling. I started this wine on Dec 21. It is tart now, I expect it will mellow nicely after 6-12 months of aging. Even though it is tart, it still tastes great and it tastes like a Riesling. I guess I was thinking pessimistic about this, but I'm really proud of myself. And the best part for now for me is how crystal clear it is. This is just beautiful to look at in the glass!

So, as I drink this I give a toast, "Here is to many years of wine-making bliss!"

 

[Runningwolf]

Congratulations! That sure does look good and ...oh so clear!!

 

[Wade E]

Yep, sure is perty! Very nice wine glass also. Im sure it will mellow some but some Rieslings are more tart then others so it may not mellow much. I actually prefer these tart along with most of my white wines.

 

[ibglowin]

Looks great and you picked a great wine for your first batch as Rieslings can be drunk very young.

 

[Brian]

Very nice wine and glass... It will be better when you let someone try it and they look at you in astonishment and say "You made this?? It is wonderful" Gee isn't this a fun obsession??? Congrats on your first!

 

[wjdonahue]

Congratulations!!!! Your first is always one you will remember.....then from a hobby, it goes to being an obsession.
If it is too tart for your taste, a little more residual sugar will help. Reisling, like most coeler climate grapes can be quite acidic, and the residual will help balance it more
Bill

 

[Love_in_Texas]

Yay Austin Homebrew! I LOVE THAT PLACE!!!