I would only change one thing... do 2-3 five gallon batches each year,
each with different yeast/fermentation protocol variant, whereas I
limited myself to 1 three gallon batch each of the first two years.

Alas, I ended up not having enough 'ready to drink' wine from those
first two years. Live and learn.

Gene


Ryan Case wrote:
> I have been making beer at home on and off for approx. 10 years. I make
> some beers that I am quite happy with. Recently an older gentleman that
> has been making wine for about three years got involved with beer making
> and has been doing a fair amount of brewing with me. He has two cherry,
> an apple and an apricot trees and a line on Merlot and Gertzwiojgoihag
> (sp) grapes each fall. (we live in Yakima, Wa and wine making is quickly
> becoming the cash crop instead of apples and hops)
>
> We made a cherry wine about a month ago when the bings were ripe. The
> Cots are now ripe and we are going to pick and make some out of those
> tonight.
>
> I plan on doing a Merlot with him this fall, and we will probably do a
> cider with the home brew club this fall too.
>
> Back to the subject line, though. If you knew at your beginning hobby
> what you know now what would you do different?
>
> As an example if I knew then what I now about home brewing I would just
> start right away with all grain.
>
> TIA,
>
> Ryan