I found the forum from a link when doing a search this past fall. And did not know that there was actually a place to introduce one self more formally until today. So here we are. Rich and Bonnie Hale, both in our early 60's.
We are originally from MI and moved to NC in 2000 after selling our retail garden center/ nursery/florist and pond store and opened a home based Internet shipping business growing and selling pond plants and breeding and shipping koi. We have a 96' commercial greenhouse on 2.5 acres.
In the fall we look for things to pass the slower months in our business. For 9 months out of year, we both work 70 to 80 hours a week and about 30 hours each in our slower months.
Any way, it all started because we had more muscadine grapes then we could eat and decided to make wine out of the last grapes of the season. Doing a search for a recipe and knowing nothing about making wine, I did not realize the recipe assumes you have basic knowledge. We sure were in for a big surprise!
The muscadine was only a gallon and we did everything wrong. And the local brew shop did not provide us with much help, actually seemed bothered by our questions so I started searching the web.
We still have 1/2 a gallon left that we are aging. The first half gallon while it was young, was very dry and only 2.5 months old, was not too bad at Thanksgiving. Very high in alchol though because when we had a problem at the start with what I thought was stalled fermentation and called the brew shop, he told us just throw in more sugar. Now I know it was not stuck but was actually done fermenting. Since we did not have a hydrometer at the start, I don't know what the ABV except it is very high. I added sugar right into the must 2 different times after it was done fermenting.
Now a few months later we have made 4 different Vinter Harvest fruit wines and on the 3rd batch of Skeeter Pee. The wines will age until next fall, which will be a year or more.
Anyway this is late to make introductions, after so MANY posts I have made - I figured better late then never.
We are originally from MI and moved to NC in 2000 after selling our retail garden center/ nursery/florist and pond store and opened a home based Internet shipping business growing and selling pond plants and breeding and shipping koi. We have a 96' commercial greenhouse on 2.5 acres.
In the fall we look for things to pass the slower months in our business. For 9 months out of year, we both work 70 to 80 hours a week and about 30 hours each in our slower months.
Any way, it all started because we had more muscadine grapes then we could eat and decided to make wine out of the last grapes of the season. Doing a search for a recipe and knowing nothing about making wine, I did not realize the recipe assumes you have basic knowledge. We sure were in for a big surprise!
The muscadine was only a gallon and we did everything wrong. And the local brew shop did not provide us with much help, actually seemed bothered by our questions so I started searching the web.
We still have 1/2 a gallon left that we are aging. The first half gallon while it was young, was very dry and only 2.5 months old, was not too bad at Thanksgiving. Very high in alchol though because when we had a problem at the start with what I thought was stalled fermentation and called the brew shop, he told us just throw in more sugar. Now I know it was not stuck but was actually done fermenting. Since we did not have a hydrometer at the start, I don't know what the ABV except it is very high. I added sugar right into the must 2 different times after it was done fermenting.
Now a few months later we have made 4 different Vinter Harvest fruit wines and on the 3rd batch of Skeeter Pee. The wines will age until next fall, which will be a year or more.
Anyway this is late to make introductions, after so MANY posts I have made - I figured better late then never.
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