Oct-Nov 2021
Live Chat with Chik Brenneman
Live Chat with Chik Brenneman, which took place on November 23, 2021.
Live Chat with Jef Stebben
Live Chat with Jef Stebben, which took place on October 29, 2021.
2021 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition
An overview of this year’s wine competition, which received nearly 2,000 entries from across the U.S., Canada, and as far away as Australia.
Cures To An Oversulfited Wine
Since you can’t measure your free and total SO₂, let’s do some numbers to see what kind of a potential problem you might be facing. First off, let’s talk about your bottle-rinsing
So, You Want to Go Pro?
Many hobby winemakers spend evenings sipping their wine and wondering if their hobby could become a profession. If you are serious about it, here is what you need to consider to get that career jump started.
Distillation 101: When Wine Becomes Brandy
When your wine is done fermenting, that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be aged or packaged. Where legal, the next step may be distilling it into brandy.
Winemaking from Down Under
Australia produces a lot more than Shiraz and budget wines with kangaroos on the label. Get an inside look at how Aussie winemakers are flipping the reputation of the wines from Down Under, with tips for creating their most touted styles in your home winery.
Making Mulled Wines
As autumn rolls into winter, it’s time to heat things up with mulled wine. A holiday tradition around the world, mulled wines usually include spices, citrus fruits, and wine served hot to take the chill away.
Distillation Guide
Check out the following programs and equipment to start your journey down the path to distilling.
Going Pro: Is the time and money worth It?
In our annual Reader Survey, hobby winemakers looking to go pro usually account for about 1 in 5 readers. Here is the story of one couple who made the leap and some of the details about how they’re making it work.
Making Lemonade: Vineyard fixes for underwhelming grapes
Not every harvest is going to be perfect. When the grapes come in at less than ideal numbers or with other “flaws,” make sure you’re well positioned and able to make the best of an inferior harvest. Plus, learn how to identify what went wrong in the vineyard so the same mistakes aren’t repeated in future vintages.
Going The Distance: Crafting age-worthy wines
When you set your sights on making a “keeper” wine, one you plan to lay down for several years, there are certain techniques you can employ to make sure it doesn’t round the bend too soon. Learn how to make that wine worth holding on to.
Flexible Frontenac: Making a case for this hybrid
Scattered throughout the Upper Midwest and Rockies, Frontenac wines are making waves as winemakers learn to coax a lot of flavor from this red grape. Chik Brenneman offers several tips and tricks to working with this hybrid varietal.
Advice For A Beginning Winemaker
Winemaking is always a learning process and even those of us that have been doing this for a long time still learn a lot every harvest and all year-round! However, that being
Remove A White Film on Carboy
Wow, looks like you’ve got a serious case of “Ring Around the Carboy.” Thanks for sending in the picture, I always love it when readers do that because, especially in cases like
Preserving Oak Barrels, Oversulfited Wine, Film on a Carboy, and Beginner Tips
What is the best way to store oak barrels that don’t have wine in them? Get the answer from the Wine Wizard, as well as her advice for a case of oversulfited wine, removing white film from a glass carboy, and five tips for a rookie winemaker.
Honey-Based Wines
The earliest known alcoholic beverage uncovered on Earth was a mead from northern China. Get familiarized with the great and storied world of honey-based wines.
