# Winemaking...



## Fabiola (Nov 20, 2012)

Anyone into winemaking?


----------



## lorindaeb (Oct 23, 2012)

Oh yeah!!!! My friend and I just started a pumpkin wine tonight!!


----------



## rob (Jun 20, 2012)

my mate makes wine. i just drink what he makes lol


----------



## lorindaeb (Oct 23, 2012)

rob said:


> my mate makes wine. i just drink what he makes lol


LOL!!! That's the best part! We are working on perfecting making it and if all goes well, we may start a business. It's a lot if fun!!


----------



## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

I live in a dry county. Nonetheless, I do know that there is a winemaking supply store in the county to the north of us. I've always wanted to try it, just haven't gotten around to it.


----------



## lorindaeb (Oct 23, 2012)

Bird_slave said:


> I live in a dry county. Nonetheless, I do know that there is a winemaking supply store in the county to the north of us. I've always wanted to try it, just haven't gotten around to it.


A dry county!!!???!!! That's so sad! Reminds of a Bon Jovi song.


----------



## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

lorindaeb said:


> A dry county!!!???!!! That's so sad! Reminds of a Bon Jovi song.


Yep, we live in what's considered the buckle of the bible belt.


----------



## lorindaeb (Oct 23, 2012)

Wow I couldn't imagine! Our church actually serves wine for communion. Don't they know that Jesus turned water into wine?? I think I'd move!!


----------



## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

lorindaeb said:


> Wow I couldn't imagine! Our church actually serves wine for communion. Don't they know that Jesus turned water into wine?? I think I'd move!!


Oh I'd love to pick this farm up and move it to someplace where people actually have a clue. However, this farm has been in my husband's family since Civil War times and he's not going anywhere, so neither am I.
Funny (or bizarre, depending on your outlook) is that there is an organization in town called Stay Dry LLC; a group that has fought for over 20 years to keep the county dry. This same group of well-to-do people are almost all members of the local country club; the only place you CAN legally buy alcohol in the county.  
I can't drink due to medications I have to take, but I do dislike having someone else's sense of morality forced on me.

*Off my soapbox now*


----------



## lorindaeb (Oct 23, 2012)

I don't mind the soap box. I can't stand others telling people what they can and can't do. It just amazes me that there are still places out there like that. 
It awesome that the land has been in the family that long!! What a piece of history!!


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

My hubby and I have Grape,Peach-Mango,Strawberry,and White Grape.. Pretty good stuff and neat to watch how it develops!!! We even have made some homemade Rootbeer. Really good stuff. Next thing we are going to try is Champagne and Beer.. -Misti- Here is a couple of photo's of our grape wine cooking away!! lol....


----------



## Riverdale (Jun 23, 2012)

I 'fiddle' with making mead (honey wine) and hard cider. And beer and gruit (a 'beer' with herbs other than hops). 

When our fruit trees start producing more than we can eat (including canning and dehydrating), then I'll fiddle with fruit wines.


----------



## Fabiola (Nov 20, 2012)

lorindaeb said:


> LOL!!! That's the best part! We are working on perfecting making it and if all goes well, we may start a business. It's a lot if fun!!


 I am thinking the same, I want to get a license to sell wine...


----------



## Fabiola (Nov 20, 2012)

mistinichole said:


> My hubby and I have Grape,Peach-Mango,Strawberry,and White Grape.. Pretty good stuff and neat to watch how it develops!!! We even have made some homemade Rootbeer. Really good stuff. Next thing we are going to try is Champagne and Beer.. -Misti- Here is a couple of photo's of our grape wine cooking away!! lol....


 Looks very good..


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

I hear that the mead is hard to do and cider!!! Now that sounds really good.. Our apple tree's have not been doing very well the past 2 years .. we have red and yellow apples.. And we have peach tree's too but they have only produced 1 time..Bummer... But I planted some grapes this year so hope come spring they start growing!!! I can't wait..O.k. now on your beer instead of hops using herbs??? Does it give it a better taste??? I really don't like beer but my father-in-law loves it!!! Cool I hope the best for you on getting a business going... That would be so awsome!!!-Misti- Bottom's Up!!


----------



## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

Bird_slave said:


> I live in a dry county. Nonetheless, I do know that there is a winemaking supply store in the county to the north of us. I've always wanted to try it, just haven't gotten around to it.


Even in a dry county, you are allowed to make wine, just not to purchase or sell it. As long as you don't distill it, it is legal to make. 

Hubbo makes wine and used to make his own beer. He makes Muscadine, Scuppernog, Peach, Black Cherry (YUMMO), and lots from kits. I bought him a home brew kit for Christmas about 15 years ago, and it has turned out to be the gift that keeps on giving!!!


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

Sounds like that was the best gift you could of got him! We ordered our stuff all off line for pretty cheap and your right it keeps on giving!! lol


----------



## Sandy (Jul 23, 2012)

Just about to bottle my first sangiovese. I took some classes at a local winery, really helped take the scary out of making wine for me. Has anyone ever tried Persimmon wine? I have several pounds of puree in the freezer from trees on our farm. These are the small persimmons common to KY.


----------



## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

No, I have just this year, at 52 years old ( I look 17 ) have ever eaten my first persimmion! The recipe that hubbo uses is one gallon of fruit and 5 gallons of water, and so many pounds of sugar, and so forth. If you want me to, I can get the recipe from him and post it for you. PM me to remind me if you want it.


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

I have never heard of making wine wine that way! What is it and how is it done??? Could you tell me abit about it and what's it taste like??? Learn something new every day!!! lol


----------



## Riverdale (Jun 23, 2012)

mistinichole said:


> I hear that the mead is hard to do and cider!!! Now that sounds really good.. k. now on your beer instead of hops using herbs??? Does it give it a better taste??? I really don't like beer but my father-in-law loves it!!!


The best thing about making hard cider is if you screw up, then you have a good start on cider vinegar! 

Mead is very simple. As simple and honey, water and yeast. It does take a long time (the hardest part of mead making) for some of it to age properly.

As for gruits, until 1500, hops were considered *bad* for beer. Scandavian brews still use certain herbs (hops and these herbs add 2 components, flavor and a small level of aniseptic property, to help kill bacteria) such as juniper, mugwort and sweet gale (known in Norwegian brewing as "hammerhead" from the hangovers that too much used or drank will cause).

An interesting book on the subject is by Stephen Bruner called Sacred and Healing Herbal Beers or something like that. Several good recipes, some downright icky.
The desciption of _chincha_ (corn beer from central America) is one. It was made by a bunch of women sitting around, chewing corn and then spitting into a vat


----------



## Fabiola (Nov 20, 2012)

mistinichole said:


> I have never heard of making wine wine that way! What is it and how is it done??? Could you tell me abit about it and what's it taste like??? Learn something new every day!!! lol


You should try it, it's a very addicting hobby, I also make cheese and sausages..


----------



## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

We are looking for someone that makes homemade buttermilk!! Not adding vinegar to milk and letting it curdle, but real buttermilk, and can't find anyone. We may have to make a trip to Amish country. 

The beer that hubbo used to make was from a kit, and it was as good as any you buy at the store. They discontinued the kind he liked, so he just quit making it.


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

Could you give us your recipe??? That would be really awesome to try something different!!! Thanks-Misti-


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

Do you have a recipe for the cider that I could get? It would be awesome to try something new!!!


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

Fabiola said:


> You should try it, it's a very addicting hobby, I also make cheese and sausages..


Sounds really how do you do this?????


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

Riverdale said:


> The best thing about making hard cider is if you screw up, then you have a good start on cider vinegar!
> 
> Mead is very simple. As simple and honey, water and yeast. It does take a long time (the hardest part of mead making) for some of it to age properly.
> 
> ...


Do you have a recipe I could get for the cider???


----------



## mistinichole (Nov 19, 2012)

fuzziebutt said:


> No, I have just this year, at 52 years old ( I look 17 ) have ever eaten my first persimmion! The recipe that hubbo uses is one gallon of fruit and 5 gallons of water, and so many pounds of sugar, and so forth. If you want me to, I can get the recipe from him and post it for you. PM me to remind me if you want it.


Could you post your recipe???


----------



## Sandy (Jul 23, 2012)

*Peach Mango wine*



mistinichole said:


> My hubby and I have Grape,Peach-Mango,Strawberry,and White Grape.. Pretty good stuff and neat to watch how it develops!!! We even have made some homemade Rootbeer. Really good stuff. Next thing we are going to try is Champagne and Beer.. -Misti- Here is a couple of photo's of our grape wine cooking away!! lol....


I would love the recipe for the peach-mango! sounds wonderful!


----------



## lorindaeb (Oct 23, 2012)

I would love the recipe for the cider and peach-mango too!


----------



## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

mistinichole said:


> Could you post your recipe???


I will have to get the recipe from hubbo tomorrow. He has already gone to bed, and he knows where his recipe is. I could wake him, but he quit smoking last night, so let's just leave him alone tonite, ok???


----------



## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

I got this off the internet, but it is the same as hubbo's. I keep forgetting to get his. The only difference is that he makes his in a 6 gallon bucket with a vaporlock. That is the same as an airlock.
Easy to Make Muscadine Wine

Ingredients
3 quarts of water
1 quart of mashed muscadine grapes
6 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon of yeast\

Directions

Wash the grapes and squash them. (A hint is to freeze them briefly, and it busts them open. You don't have to try to mash all of them)
Pour water into a clean 3½ gallon glass container and dissolve sugar in it.
Add mashed grapes and sprinkle yeast on top.
Cover the container and let it stand for a day.
Then stir once every day for a week, after which you need to strain off the liquid and pour it into a glass container which can be air locked.
Let it stand undisturbed for 6 weeks to allow fermentation.
Then open the container and strain the wine once more.
This time just cap the container lightly for 3 days to prevent fermentation.
Then cap and store in a cool place.


----------



## lorindaeb (Oct 23, 2012)

Last night I just started the process of making apple pie wine. I hope it turns out. It smells amazing. Love experimenting, it's kinda like a science project...just not graded!! =)


----------



## Sandy (Jul 23, 2012)

lorindaeb said:


> Last night I just started the process of making apple pie wine. I hope it turns out. It smells amazing. Love experimenting, it's kinda like a science project...just not graded!! =)


Sounds yummy!


----------

