Actually have 3 different batches going as of last week, and two more that are just waiting a bit longer to let yeast starter bubble before I add it to the juice.
Big batch is a Vintner's Reserve(brand name, kit with 7.5 qts of concentrate) Merlot kit. That'll be ready for first bottle in a month and a half or so, about done with fermentation. 6 gallon batch.
Last weekend I started on what I'll do more of, which is smaller 1 gallon batches, and not from kits, but from various ingredients. Last weekend started two made with Welch's frozen concentrates. One is just regular Welch's Concord Grape juice, and one is Welch's White Grape Peach.
Starting today there is a batch of apple wine(aka cider, at least, kind of), and a batch of Welch's White Grape Raspberry.
That's probalby all I'll do this month, but will probalby do several more next month. Starting so many because the recipes that aren't from kits, all call for 6 months to 2 years of aging, after at least 30 days for full fermentation/clearing process. So can't really make a batch to the finish, taste it, decide if I like it, then start another one. I'd be dead by time I did that with all the different recipes I want to try.
Luckily, I have a good web site I'm getting recipes and information from(read his whole site before I tried anything), and also have a good local supplier with a knowledgable owner who is happy to answer questions.
if anyone else is interested in trying, here are my main sources right now:
For Information and recipes, Jack Keller's Winemaking Site:
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/index.asp
For supplies and information locally, I have The Brew Shop at:
http://www.thebrewshopokc.com
For supplies Chuck at the Brew Shop doesn't carry(which is primarily 1 gallon jugs), there's EC Kraus:
http://www.eckraus.com
And lastly, on Usenet there is the newsgroup rec.crafts.winemaking If you don't know how to access newsgroups, you can access it through Google at
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.crafts.winemaking
And as an aside, it sure is good to be back. Hinkle sounds like my kind of guy, munk.
