Self sufficent?

[Cellar_Rat]

I occurred to me that it has probably taken me a couple of years+ to become self sufficient - i.e to have enough 'in' to be able to drink my wine at it's best rather than with the airlock still in it.

We have glass most nights with dinner - or I have a couple of beers.
5 or 6 bottles a week = roughly a gallon (of something) a week.
52 gallon a year = 260 litres
..and that excludes presents & parties.

But I am aware that I cheat by making a lot of grape wine once a year.

Is it possible to become self sufficient with kits and country wines?

[goldseal]

Yes.

However, I reckon you still need to buy commrcial wines for research purposes. Yes, that's it ... research.

[Tibley Bobley]

Wouldn't that be nice!?

I had my first bottle of my own cider last night... and it tasted like cider! And the beer is recognisably beer

Now I just have to wait for the wine. Two years, you say? Gulp.

[Cellar_Rat]

Yes.

However, I reckon you still need to buy commrcial wines for research purposes. Yes, that's it ... research.

I agree with research it is the only way to improve!


'yes' ? but did you start winemaking in primary school?

[NorthernWiner]

It took about 5 years to get to the point where I was only drinking wines that were properly aged. Right now, we are drinking the 2007 & 2008 reds (and an occasional 2009). As far as whites, we're trying to finish up the 2009s while they're still good (I always end up making too much white wine).

I don't drink homemade wine every night, though. I used to, but after awhile you start to get bored drinking only your own wine. I only make a half dozen or so varieties every year. That limits my drinking choices.

What I've been thinking lately is how great it would be to organize a swap with other home winemakers. For example, there are several guys in the club I belong to who make excellent wine. I think it would be fun to sit down with these fellas and do some trading. It would give all of us a better variety of wines and alleviate some of the boredom.

[Delmonteman]

Is it possible to become self sufficient with kits and country wines?

I suppose I cheat really because I hardly drink much but really enjoy making it so i am easily self sufficient.... But I think (for people that drink more than me) if country and kit wines were to be combined with early drinking juice wines (i.e. wn1 &2's) then self sufficiency would easily be achievable... The limiting factor would be space to store enough to meet a persons needs...

Following on from Steve's comment though about boredom is not just a question of what you consume, I think the sterilizing, fermenting, racking, cleaning bottling can all become a bit of a chore sometimes if your just churning it out like a production line... So I can see why popping to the shop for something 'treaty' and a bit different would appeal...

[ToulouseLePlot]

This seriously helps, now pretty much full and the 9 month+ are getting moved to the available for consumption rack...

full.jpg

[Cellar_Rat]

What a brill wine rack, and if I am not mistaken all made from identical pieces (except the sides).

I suppose the key self sufficiency thing is how much you drink - or do you drink more if you make it?

[ToulouseLePlot]

Yes, I'm very pleased with the wine rack, made by a chum of mine who has the equipment to cut angles accurately & consistently.

Self-sufficiency is impaired by having 3 appreciative children living with appreciative flat-mates and a gang of chums locally who are all highly appreciative, some of whom do carpentry.

But then being able to share and enjoy your wine with others is a great pay-back for all that washing-up!

[lockwood1956]

Thats a really neat looking wine rack!

regards
Bob

[blocky129]

That wine rack looks fantastic - I have a perfect spot for something like that.
From the photo it appears to be made of small "modules" that are then combined. Do you have a plan or instructions - I might be able to get some timber cut to size and have a bash at building one myself?

Cheers,
Kev

[ToulouseLePlot]

Sadly no plans or instructions, I did suggest to my chum that he prepare a set and he flogs them for the price of a pint, but I think his 'thing' is working with wood not drawings. As we work with elder and vine I suppose we have to respect such idiosyncrasy.

We tried numerous variations in the size of a cell and think we have come up with a good compromise at 370mm internally between two flat faces. Bottles do have different dimensions and this will take 19 standard 'claret' type bottles but only 14 of the heavy 'burgundy' type bottles (19 again of the lighter, more common variety). Claret, with their long straight sides are stable, burgundy can be a bit dodgy, particularly when empty, if I was doing it again I think I would plan to tilt the whole thing back 10°-15°. Meanwhile, we are trying to move our bottle-stock wholly towards claret style, a slow process as so many bottles are now screw-top, but we have enlisted the kind support of a local restaurant in our quest.

The material used is 20mm ply. The cells are screwed & glued. Once you have the construction of the cells worked out you can design your own shape to fit odd spaces (under stairs, porch, etc). As this one holds 300 bottles, and a full bottle can weigh 1.5kg the whole thing weighs close to half a tonne, so it's screwed to the wall at the top with steel brackets and we have neither exploring children or cats at home... If this is not your situation I'd suggest you think of an alternative. Here's a view at an angle in case this helps someone making his own design.

small.jpg

If there's real interest, I can stick an 'ad' in the suppliers section and get my chum to quote for design/build/install, let me know if anyone thinks that's worthwhile?

[blocky129]

Thanks very much for the info and additional pics - thats probably enough to have a bash myself. Now where did i put that pencil and fag packet

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[Leon]

Is it possible to become self sufficient with kits and country wines?

If its possible, I haven't achieved it yet. I have only been winemaking since August 11, but just when I think I'm getting ahead, we have a busy social week and I am back to square one. And that's just quantity, never mind aging and quality. And I've had an issue with Demi Johns smashing so that's reduced production! I will keep slogging away though.

[robwrx]

It has taken me nearly eighteen months but I would say I'm virtually self sufficient. Nothing is drunk younger than six months old and the high end kits are being left for twelve months before bottling. Even my wine no.1s are being bulk aged for at least six months as I prefer them that way and I can enjoy a variety of wines from fruit juice, hedgerow, award winning wines recipes and kits from Beaverdale, Selection and Kenridge. Bulk ageing at constant temperature is my biggest problem as I'm running out of space.