Wine suplies retailers experience

[Granrey]

@Granrey, the small batches are great for experimentation, especially as there are sooo many choices. Wine can be made from most fruits and some vegetables. And if a batch does not work out, there's only a few bottles to drink or toss.

On the flip side, when a batch works out well ... there's only a few bottles ...

It's great having a hobby where everyone can do their own thing.

It gets even scarier when you realize that yeast give different flavors lol

 

[Raptor99]

I make mostly 1-gallon batches because I like to try different fruits, yeasts, additions, and finishing. I count seasons based on the harvest season in the fall. So far in the 2020-2021 season I have started 18 gallons. That includes fruit wine, cider, and mead. A few of those were 2-gallon batches, but I usually try something different in each gallon during secondary or finishing (e.g. oak or no oak). If those were all 5-gallon batches I would have way too much wine and not enough space to put it.

I have never used a wine kit, but once you've done a few kits it shouldn't be that big of a transition to using your own recipes. Fruit concentrates make it simpler because you don't need to prepare the fruit.

 

[raspberry]

yawl are pretty lucky, the closest i believe i might buy from a store, would be 50 miles one way,,,
Dawg

your lucky mine is 100 miles plus

 

[s w]

Can partially used kit juice bags be frozen if you don't want to make the full 6 gal at once?
Hey Hound Dawg- what are the names of the two? suppliers you use for concentrates?
I orderded from one once and was pleased, but forgot the name.

 

[Bossbaby]

Hi Guys,

I'm new on this hobby. Totally enjoying it. Good to have something you can enjoy with your significant other. I've been receiving good advice here.

However, among my other hobbies, this is the one with worst experience with sellers. I'm assuming I'm just having bad luck.

1) Amazon vs local retailers. Unfortunately, my local retailers do not post their prices online. So, I bought some stuff in Amazon and later discovered they are way cheaper with local retailers.

2) Local Retailers. I have met 3 and two of them seem like crooks.

2a) I went to buy a 1 gal carboy but not regular one but the one with the wide mouth that seems good for veggies as well. The retailer did not have a glass one but a plastic cheap copy that you still need to buy like cork cap to put on the lid. He had it with a sictiker for $22.99 CAD. Which I found very high.

I asked him what is the price for your regular glass carboy which he had. He says: $13. At this moment he realizes I'm picking up there is something wrong with his pricing on the plastic one (plus I know this carboy that he wants $13 I bought for $7 with another retailer). He then he goes to his computer and comes back with a new pricing like $15 for the plastic one.

I decided to leave and go somewhere else. He tries to keep me in with some stories. I left anyways.

On his favor, he said his employee put the wrong pricing. While possible, I cannot trust the guy anymore.

2
b) I go to this second vendor. He does not have the fermenter I want either but he has the regular 1 gal car boy for $7 (the one the other seller wanted me to sell for $13).

I asked this seller how do you degass the wine with a bottle like this, then he sells me a tool you can put on a drill that does the job. I decide to buy it ($30+). So far so good.

Then comes the moment to pay. By mistake,rather than grabbing my Personal credit card I paid with my employer credit card that I use for work items

I asked him to cancel the transaction and I would pay with my personal card. He refuses because credit card company will charge a fee. I asked what is the fee? he says 5%. I said no problem, I'll pay you that 5%. He still refuses.

Notice, I had not even touched the items yet (so he cannot say C19). In other words, I'm entitled to a refund if I don't want to buy them anymore. He tried to make an issue out of it.

Either way, I left with the purchase contacted my boss and let him know I used his credit card by mistake.

I bet this is bad luck plus some mistakes on my end but I have never experienced anything like this before.

Btw, this is in Edmonton, Canada.

Check out your local thrift shops for 1 gal or larger carboys, I've found many of mine there and paid next to nothing for them..

 

[user 32114]

Can partially used kit juice bags be frozen if you don't want to make the full 6 gal at once?
Hey Hound Dawg- what are the names of the two? suppliers you use for concentrates?
I orderded from one once and was pleased, but forgot the name.

www.colomafrozen.com
Dawg

 

[user 32114]

i use't to use www.homewinery.com till they started mixing there juices to save money ,,,
Dawg

 

[user 32114]

i would have to guess,,, but I'd think you could freeze your extra,,, I freeze my concentrates when i get to many irons in the fire,,,
Dawg

 

[Granrey]

Check out your local thrift shops for 1 gal or larger carboys, I've found many of mine there and paid next to nothing for them..

yes, I bought one for less than third of price on Thursday

 

[user 32114]

@Granrey, sorry to hear about your poor experiences. Hopefully the 3rd one will work out.

I have 2 local retailers -- one is good as gold, the other insulted me 2 years ago and I haven't been back.

I buy locally as much as possible, so my good retailer will still be there next time I need him. I buy online when it's a specialty item he can't easily get (like an enzyme) or the price break for buying online is large enough that I have to think of my own wallet first.

Shipping weight is a problem when buying online. Light things are not often a problem, although the S&H when buying directly from a manufacturer is typically high. I found kits are expensive due to weight, and since my local shop will order anything I want (assuming it's available) to I buy kits locally.

hey what did they say to you,, so i can say it,,, hey you know i'm joking, and drinking, i think i'm going to log off before i mess up,, lol
Dawg

 

[winemaker81]

Can partially used kit juice bags be frozen if you don't want to make the full 6 gal at once?

It should freeze ok, but I have no idea now long it can be left in the freezer. I've notice that one vendor of frozen juice buckets has juice remaining from 2018, but their storage facility is probably a bit different from the typical home freezer.

 

[winemaker81]

hey what did they say to you,, so i can say it,,,

Dawg, no worries! I know when you're joking, which is most of the time.

Honestly, I don't recall exactly what that LHBS owner said to me. He spoke to me in a fashion no retailer should ever speak to a customer, so I left and won't go back. I don't go out of my way to talk about the guy, although if anyone asks I'll tell 'em. In general I don't even think about it unless the topic comes up -- it's not something that preys on my mind.

I focus on my favored LHBS, American Brewmaster. I try to not hang onto negative stuff, and pointing folks to a retailer where I know they'll get great service is the better choice. [Other than being a satisfied customer of many years, I have no affiliation with AB.]

 

[user 32114]

Dawg, no worries! I know when you're joking, which is most of the time.

Honestly, I don't recall exactly what that LHBS owner said to me. He spoke to me in a fashion no retailer should ever speak to a customer, so I left and won't go back. I don't go out of my way to talk about the guy, although if anyone asks I'll tell 'em. In general I don't even think about it unless the topic comes up -- it's not something that preys on my mind.

I focus on my favored LHBS, American Brewmaster. I try to not hang onto negative stuff, and pointing folks to a retailer where I know they'll get great service is the better choice. [Other than being a satisfied customer of many years, I have no affiliation with AB.]

yep... life's way to short ,to waste it on the negative,
Skoal
Dawg

 

[Khristyjeff]

www.colomafrozen.com
Dawg

How many quarts do you suggest to make a 6 gallon batch of Blueberry from colomafrozen?