Making your own wine and beer

[bae]

Years ago, I started brewing my own beer, and liked the control I had over the process, and the wide varieties of cool brews I could make.

Then I got into winemaking, and discovered more of a lack of control, and more reliance on The Guy Upstairs to make the right things happen. Which is humbling, and good.


Be careful where this hobby leads you - it can get out of hand, and may spiral past the point of being "simple" or "frugal". I spent much of the day doing some R&D on some upcoming projects on the back 40 here :-)


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[bae]

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4wv7nEAcD24/UAshZki-SNI/AAAAAAAAF48/ScCFwF1scko/s640/Awesomized.jpg


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[Rogar]

That look a little more than hobby-like to me! I used to make a lot of home brewed beer. On my last move I got rid of all the equipment due to a taste for the heavy beers closely correlating to an expanding waistline. It's a fun science to learn about.

[JaneV2.0]

That's an impressive operation! I'm still working up to yogurt, so my hat's off to you...

[CathyA]

As this your property Bae?

[Blackdog Lin]

I agree, that's a LOT more than a hobby. :) What an impressive setup, bae.

DH has been making wine for several years, and I think he's quite good at it (he doesn't even drink wine, just makes it for me, so alas, I have to do my part in disposing of the stuff). And our setup is a little smaller than yours - 2 5-gallon carboys, and he has to use store-bought juices.

One of my retirement plans for next year is researching and planting grape vines in Kansas. We've got plenty of room, I'm sure there are varieties that will suit, and I like the idea of having even more control over his finished product.

[catherine]

That is SOOO beautiful! The whole thing! Well, if you're worried about the time and expense of your hobby, just think, you could be spending the same amount of time and money golfing... :) (With all due apologies to my Scottish golfing family, I never got the fun of chasing little balls into holes all afternoon. I know it's a wonderfully restorative, fun leisure activity for lots and lots of people--just not me.)

I love the arbors/pergolas.. did you make them? I'm looking for good instructions/designs for an attached arbor for my backyard. And I'm debating: do I cover it with wisteria or grapes? I'm in the NE.

[iris lily]

I have a real fondness for Columbia Valley cabs, so perhaps this would produce a product close to that. Similar weather? I don't know.

[CathyA]

I don't think Bae is a home hobbyist. I have the feeling he's a professional winemaker.......
How's my sleuthing Bae?
Tell us about your wines and what you use in them.

[leslieann]

What gorgeous photos. I love the vineyard shots; this has been an ongoing project for some time, apparently. Great example of a hobby gone...big.

[razz]

Funny how a hobby grows and grows and space expands and expands. :laff: - sounds as though you are having fun with it all including the vineyards. How many varieties of grapes? There is no way that you grow your own hops for your beers though, is there?

[lizii]

Bae, in your 2nd and 3rd pictures there are two barrels on wheels I'm curious about. Are they for holding water or wine?

Beautiful property, by the way.

[Amaranth]

Razz, hops can be grown at home. It's a really beautiful plant. My favorite planting is one where hops vines covered a pergola-like structure.

[Stella]

Razz, hops can be grown at home. It's a really beautiful plant. My favorite planting is one where hops vines covered a pergola-like structure.

There's a brewpub in my neighborhood that grows hops as a living cover for their patio. It's just lovely.

[Stella]

Dang bae! I am impressed and more than a little jealous. I used to homebrew beer and I have been thinking about doing it again. My neighbor, who I went to high school with, recently won an award for his homebrew. It's a good hobby.

[Merski]

DH used to brew both beer and wine....now he doesn't. It was the most incredible stuff! WAAAAAAAA!!!!

[jp1]

I used to brew beer but haven't done it since we moved to CA. It was definitely a fun hobby, and I loved being able to vary the outcome with relative ease. However, even in my prime my hobby wasn't nearly as extensive as bae's. But then, knowing bae, I wouldn't expect anything less then a full-on, all out effort to take this as far as he possibly can.

And I agree that this hobby is one that easily consumes all available resources and space. Most of my brewing was done in my 250 sq foot NYC apartment. That apartment was plenty big for me until I took up brewing and bought my first computer, both at roughly the same time. Soon both expanded to take up more space then my home could comfortably afford to give up.