How often, ow many batches do you have going?

[P2000]

Since I'm still learning about my first batch I can see where folks may have several different operations at once, or just start one right after another.

What do you experienced folks do?

 

[AZMDTed]

Right now I've got:

Dessert Wine in Primary
Experimental Lodi Cab in extended fermentation
Shiraz just beginning bulk aging
Old Vine Zin bulk aging
Amarone bulk aging
Chardonnay bulk aging with WineStix
Cabernet bulk aging after having been in a barrel
Cabernet in second month of barrel, 1 or 2 more to go
Super Tuscan in barrel

I'm beginning my third year of kit winemaking. Interesting progression from first couple of kits to see if I liked the process and product. Then more, then realization that in order to let some age long enough to get mature I needed to make a whole lot more. So the last year and half have been quite busy making as many as I can so that I can have two years worth in reserve to age. From here on out I'll make just a bit more than my annual consumption projection (about 8 kits a year) knowing that most of that wine won't be drunk for another 2-3 years.

 

[tjgaul]

I followed AZMDTed's progression. I just started making kits this June, then made some raspberry from my garden fruit, then blackberry and Alexander concentrates and then more kits. Came to the same realization that I needed to get a lot of wine in carboys aging if I wanted to have a fair supply of quality product to drink. I also wanted to be able to experiment so I have several one gallon batches going.

Right now I have aging Cab Sauv / Pinot Noir / Rossa Ardente / Concord / Pinot-Zin-Gewurzt Blend / Blackberry Zin / Wild Grape / Raspberry / Zinfandel. In Secondary are Dragon's Blood / Gewurztraminer / Niagara. In primary is a Riesling-Traminer. Kits on deck Amarone / Pinot Noir / Moscato / Montepulciano / another Gewurztraminer. I expect to be busy through early spring.

This is addictive. I already have half the pages in my little wine journal filled up. My investment in glassware and fermenters got a little carried away, but I expect it will all make economic sense in less than a year. I have 1-2 6 gallon batches and a one gallon test batch going most of the time now.

Good luck. Don't fight the addiction!
Tim

 

[jburtner]

Commercial wine in bottles - various

- Four batches bottled
Chardonnay kit in bottles
Pinot Gris kit In Bottles
DB #1 In Bottles
DB #2 In Bottles

- Six carboys in production
1x Pinot Noir kit bulk aging (almost ready to bottle)
1x Lodi OVZ kit in bulk aging (almost ready to bottle)
2x Pear wine carboys bulk aging and clearing - will be adding oak soon.
1x Amarone in carboy under oak spirals.
1x Super Tuscan in carboy under oak spirals.

Planned
- Cyser mead - Honey & Cider & Apples - Starting this weekend.
- Chardonnay kit - starting this weekend maybe.
- Frozen chopped peaches in freezer to start "sometime"

I used to homebrew and always wanted to make wine so started about 6-7 months ago and thoroughly enjoy it - wish I had been doing it for years but oh well nice to start it up now too. I've got two or three empty carboys now with two batches to start on the shelf... Need to pick up another different chardonnay because we love them and they seem to be a nice fairly quick drinker in a lot of cases

I think for me I have started with some kits and enjoy the process and researching and yes the tasting along the way I want to be happy with them before bottling. Am excited to start doing frozen must and buckets as well as fresh grapes too... Every batch is a "micro batch" with it's own special tweaks so all become unique for me.

Cheers!
-jonathan

 

[dcbrown73]

Started this year.

* Barossa Valley Shiraz (bulk aging)
* Dry Creek Chardonnay (bottled)
* A country (fruit) wine (bottled)
* Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel (bulk aging)
* Columbia Valley Riesling (bulk aging)
* Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon (bulk aging)
* Stag's Leap Merlot (bulk aging)
* Amarone (clearing stage)
* Super Tuscan (fermenting now)

 

[Bodenski]

If by "experienced" you mean I started just before you did, then I can tell you it's addicting so beware! I'm about a month out from starting my first fruit wine (which will end up being straight hooch wine I'm afraid) but quickly started making some that I think will be much better. I've already got 6 1-gallon jugs full right now and have yet to bottle my first batch. (One is a Dragonblood that is ready to bottle now if I want to take some home for Thanksgiving. It's tough waiting!)

There's some expenditure in some basic equipment, and 1 gallon jug setups are cheap. If you are doing anything from scratch and you have all the chemicals for it, it doesn't make sense not to use them and to get several batches going. If you are making from kits, then it's your call. They are low maintenance once they start bulk aging.

 

[ceeaton]

I have 12 batches aging right now. Have a couple of open carboys, so my palms are itching to do another batch. I just hit my second year anniversary (started 11/11/14, I think).

 

[dcbrown73]

I have 12 batches aging right now. Have a couple of open carboys, so my palms are itching to do another batch. I just hit my second year anniversary (started 11/11/14, I think).

If you're not sharing the wine with me, it didn't happen.

 

[ceeaton]

If you're not sharing the wine with me, it didn't happen.

PM any requests with a valid address. Shipments the day after payday (next Wednesday). Only one shipment per payday (have medical bills to catch up on, discretionary fund is greatly reduced for a few months).

 

[Mismost]

I'm slow right now...hunting, holidays, sausage making, travel...so only have 3 batches working, 18 gallons or so. Bad planning on my part....I should have filled some carboys...they could be soaking up time as I slack off! So noted on my 2017 calendar for next year.

Old Vine Zin
Bravado
Jam & Jelly...made from the same...we'll see

Got enough jam & jelly for another 15-20 gallon batch I think. Folks tell me I need to make more whites (but I like reds). I stashed about 50# of tomatoes in the freezer to make jam or wine out of, I know the jam is awesome!

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I can have as many as 8 six gallon batches going. I still have bulk aging is some Apple (which is done) and the Oregon Grape, that is still moving the water in the airlock to one side. The Oregon Grape is super dark and has a very dry pleasant taste. I'm really looking forward to getting it bottled so I can start enjoying it.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

Got enough jam & jelly for another 15-20 gallon batch I think. Folks tell me I need to make more whites (but I like reds). I stashed about 50# of tomatoes in the freezer to make jam or wine out of, I know the jam is awesome!

Tomato wine? Jam? Really???

 

[Mismost]

Tomato wine? Jam? Really???

YEAH! I said the same thing! Blame Jerricurl...she started it. Jam is awesome...we make ours spicey with more red pepper flakes...I like more salt too...sweet, salty, spicey...awesome on a pulled pork sandwich...on a bisquit with some bacon and you'll slap your Momma for not feeding this to you as a kid!

Haven't done the tomatoe wine...seen it...comes out like white as I understand it.

 

[Rodnboro]

4 six gallons, 2 five gallons, 2 three gallons, 4 one gallons all bulk aging. Nothing in primary at this time.

 

[biscmc]

I have 11 batches bulk aging right now, with 1 kit planned.

* 2014 Concord
* 2016 Concord
* Amarone
* Merlot
* Liebfraumilch
* Riesling
* Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
* Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
* Syrah
* Sangiovese
* Super Tuscan
* Riesling Ice Wine (planned)

I would have more in production, but empty carboys seem to be in short supply.

 

[jgmann67]

I have six 6-gallon glass carboys... so, I have six batches going right now.

Petite Sirah from grapes (in MLF).
Chard from a juice bucket (clearing).
WE SE Cab Sauv Rose (clearing).
WE Eclipse Super Tuscan (aging until March).
WE Eclipse SLD Merlot (aging till Jebruary).
WE LE15 Fourtitude (ready to bottle).

In January, we'll kick of a RJS RQ French Cab.

 

[Bodenski]

I think the bottom line is that an empty carboy is a sad carboy. I keep one 1-gallon jug free for transfers, but I don't know if I'll ever let more than one sit empty at a time at this point!

 

[tjgaul]

This is a comforting thread. It makes me feel much less guilty about the volume I have in carboys and on the shelf waiting in line for the fermenter. Good to know that there are many others out there that are deeper into this than I am.

My wife refers to wine making as my second job . . . one heck of a job! One I hope to never retire from.

Tim

 

[tbayav8er]

I usually have at least 3 batches going at any given time, and I always start several kits at the same time about every six months. I will do 3 batches of cheap kits, and bottle them at 6 months. When I bottle the cheap kits, I start a few batches of very high quality kits. I follow that cycle all the time, that so I always have at least some lower quality wine to drink while I am letting my good stuff age.

 

[dcbrown73]

I think the bottom line is that an empty carboy is a sad carboy. I keep one 1-gallon jug free for transfers, but I don't know if I'll ever let more than one sit empty at a time at this point!

I always have one sad carboy because I need a carboy to rack the others into!