-
Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
-
We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.
How many batches do you make...
- Thread starter keepitlow
- Start date
As many as I can find space for. 
I think I'm averaging about 10 batches/year except for this year (2), which is my low mark since I started. Average batch size is probably around 3 gallons, and I'm running about 60% beer, 30% mead, and 10% cider.
I think I'm averaging about 10 batches/year except for this year (2), which is my low mark since I started. Average batch size is probably around 3 gallons, and I'm running about 60% beer, 30% mead, and 10% cider.
I started just over a year ago and have done roughly 40 batches, but a lot of those were 1 gallon.
I only started 6 months ago, but I have done 4 batchs so far. I have 4 more planned, I am just waiting for the temperatures to come back down.
As many as I can find space for.
That's my limiting factor too!
<inhale> I had to know, so I just went through my whole log book and made a list, put it into a spreadsheet... here's the breakdown.
2004 - 12 batches totalling 26 gallons, of which 10 gallons were from wine kits, 3 gallons traditional mead, the rest, country wines made with sugar.
2005 - 7 batches totalling 14 gallons, one of which was acerglyn, the rest, country wines.
2006 - 27 batches totalling 60 gallons, of which 3 gal were melomels, one acerglyn, 5 gal traditional mead, 4 gal JAO or variations, and 15 gal was kit wines for my mother's wedding, the rest country wines.
2007 - 15 batches totalling 24 gallons, of which 5 gal were melomels, 5 gal JAO variations, one gal sherry and a 5 gal wine kit, the rest country wines.
2008 - 12 batches totalling 18.5 gallons, of which 5 gal are JAO or variations, 1 gallon melomel, 5 gallons acerglyn and the rest, country wines.
2009 - 11 batches totalling 29 gallons, of which 7 gal are JAO variations, 3 gal perry, 1 gal melomel, 15 gallons of kit wine for my wedding and only one 3-gal batch of country wine!
2010 - 16 batches totalling 21 gal already with plans for 5 gal chocolate group brew, 5 gal of JAO variations, 3 gal ice wine made from a 5 gal kit, 3 gal metheglyns, 1 gal acerglyn, 2 gal show meads, 2 gal port, 4 gal melomels and a gallon of hydromel (but not in a pear tree). No country wines as of yet but I will be doing a bunch as fruits ripen and I get stuff bottled to make more room.
Looks like I'll be hitting 200 gal this year...
and I think the pear experiment I started last night was my 100th batch!!... so, an average of 15 batches per year, around 30 gallons per year.
That's my limiting factor too!
<inhale> I had to know, so I just went through my whole log book and made a list, put it into a spreadsheet... here's the breakdown.
2004 - 12 batches totalling 26 gallons, of which 10 gallons were from wine kits, 3 gallons traditional mead, the rest, country wines made with sugar.
2005 - 7 batches totalling 14 gallons, one of which was acerglyn, the rest, country wines.
2006 - 27 batches totalling 60 gallons, of which 3 gal were melomels, one acerglyn, 5 gal traditional mead, 4 gal JAO or variations, and 15 gal was kit wines for my mother's wedding, the rest country wines.
2007 - 15 batches totalling 24 gallons, of which 5 gal were melomels, 5 gal JAO variations, one gal sherry and a 5 gal wine kit, the rest country wines.
2008 - 12 batches totalling 18.5 gallons, of which 5 gal are JAO or variations, 1 gallon melomel, 5 gallons acerglyn and the rest, country wines.
2009 - 11 batches totalling 29 gallons, of which 7 gal are JAO variations, 3 gal perry, 1 gal melomel, 15 gallons of kit wine for my wedding and only one 3-gal batch of country wine!
2010 - 16 batches totalling 21 gal already with plans for 5 gal chocolate group brew, 5 gal of JAO variations, 3 gal ice wine made from a 5 gal kit, 3 gal metheglyns, 1 gal acerglyn, 2 gal show meads, 2 gal port, 4 gal melomels and a gallon of hydromel (but not in a pear tree). No country wines as of yet but I will be doing a bunch as fruits ripen and I get stuff bottled to make more room.
Looks like I'll be hitting 200 gal this year...
... so, an average of 15 batches per year, around 30 gallons per year.
Holy Cow, when do you find time to sleep
Bet you have garnered a whole lot of great experience....
I just started about three weeks ago. I've got six, one gallon batches of JAO under the counter. Buying up honey for as soon as they are empty. Have a five bucket and carboy waiting for cooler weather. Maybe I can get 26 gallons +/- by the end of the year.
But just wait until next year.
But just wait until next year.
Holy Cow, when do you find time to sleep
Bet you have garnered a whole lot of great experience....
Heh heh... being unemployed for the last nine months has really helped... I have a lot of experience with fruit processing and sanitary methods, but I think I've learned more about the science behind fermentaion in the couple of months I've been following this forum than I did in the last 5 years... it's not the starting of batches that takes the time (well, except when I'm processing a lot of fruit, but I often do that in advance and freeze it), it's the bottling. Specifically, cleaning and de-labelling bottles... this is why there are at least two or three things each from 2006, 2007 and 2008 that are still bulk-aging among the 50 gallons currently in the kitchen...
Mmclean, welcome to the addiction!!
I'm so lazy that 90% of my bottles still have the old labels on them. Looks terrible, but if I'm serving it to someone else I just decant it out of sight, and if it's for myself then hey, what do I care?
In the past two years I have made ten 5 or 6 gallon batches of wine or mead and one six gallon batch of beer. Also two one-gallon batches of mead and a two 2-gallon batches of beer. Total 69 gallons.
I now have 5 carboys that are 5 gallons or larger and plan to ramp up production in September when it starts to cool down a bit.
I now have 5 carboys that are 5 gallons or larger and plan to ramp up production in September when it starts to cool down a bit.
Over the last, not quite two years, I have ~ 50 gallons over 12 batches, most are 6 gallon, a few 3 gallon, a couple of 1 gal. JAO's, etc.
My issue is mostly space. Here in FL I have to use a fridge for my ferments, plus, I do all of my bulk aging in there as well, so I end up with gaps in my mead making.
On the positive side, I'm just now feeling like I'm over the hump of having to wait to drink some good not-too-young mead because the backlog is finally enough. Although, I took stock and dang! I need to keep making more!
Eric
My issue is mostly space. Here in FL I have to use a fridge for my ferments, plus, I do all of my bulk aging in there as well, so I end up with gaps in my mead making.
On the positive side, I'm just now feeling like I'm over the hump of having to wait to drink some good not-too-young mead because the backlog is finally enough. Although, I took stock and dang! I need to keep making more!
Eric
I know exactly what you mean!
I have well over 100 bottles of wine/mead in the house and produce more than I consume. Obsession is not necessarily a bad thing. And remember, age improves with mead, perhaps even more than mead improves with age.
I'm sure that's a common sentiment. I'm planning on having another 30 gallons going by the holidays. I think that's when I'll be happy with the quantity, variety, and age of of my inventory.
I have well over 100 bottles of wine/mead in the house and produce more than I consume. Obsession is not necessarily a bad thing. And remember, age improves with mead, perhaps even more than mead improves with age.
7 so far, still 2 months till my first year closes and plan on getting atleast another 1 started in that time. Mostly 1g batches, because I've spent the year experementing with mead and 1g lets you come up with a recipe without major investment. My latest batch was my first 3g batch.
As a beginner from the fall time of 2009 I have made 15 gallons cider, 27 gallons wine, and 5-3 gallon batches Mead! Whew...that's a lot of work
It's a curse I tell ya....one thing leads to another and before you know it your hooked into this brewing loop..As soon as one finishes you feel that you must have something in the fermenter ;D
Obsessed? Who's obsessed?!?! Okay, I guess I am a little ocd with this.... In the last month I've started 9 one gallon batches and 1 five gallon batch of meads. The kids use to look forward to going to the zoo and such on the weekends. Now it the extended trip to the nearest brew shop an hour away so that we can look around at all the cool stuff that I keep saying that I need for the next batch!
I make about 15 gallons a year these days. Have found my favorite honeys, favorite fruits so that keeps me well stocked. Also make about 20-25 gallons of cider and around 100 gallons of ale every year.
It's been steadily increasing as I increase the number/volume of carboys I have.
In 2009:
8 1 gallon batches of mead
2 5 gallon batches of mead
3 5 gallon batches of beer
13 batches brewed, 33 gallons
so far in 2010:
5 1 gallon batches of mead
2 5 gallon batches of mead
1 5 gallon batch of beer
8 batches, 20 gallons
This year I've been cutting way back in preparation for a cross-country move. Sadly, the moving company won't take alcohol, and my Civic will only carry so much, so I've been taking inventory to figure out what I want to take and what will be dispersed to friends. As of a few weeks ago, I had 18 gallons that needed to be bottled and about 12 gallons that were already bottled. I've been brewing since 2006, I believe.
Today's project: bottle the 3 5-gallon carboys that have been sitting in the dining room.
And yes, I'm postponing that overwhelming task by sitting at my computer and going through my old brew logs.
In 2009:
8 1 gallon batches of mead
2 5 gallon batches of mead
3 5 gallon batches of beer
13 batches brewed, 33 gallons
so far in 2010:
5 1 gallon batches of mead
2 5 gallon batches of mead
1 5 gallon batch of beer
8 batches, 20 gallons
This year I've been cutting way back in preparation for a cross-country move. Sadly, the moving company won't take alcohol, and my Civic will only carry so much, so I've been taking inventory to figure out what I want to take and what will be dispersed to friends. As of a few weeks ago, I had 18 gallons that needed to be bottled and about 12 gallons that were already bottled. I've been brewing since 2006, I believe.
Today's project: bottle the 3 5-gallon carboys that have been sitting in the dining room.
And yes, I'm postponing that overwhelming task by sitting at my computer and going through my old brew logs.
hmmm...
It varies a lot.
I do one large batch of grape wine that's 30-40 gallons,
Then do 3-6 more batches that are a minimum of 5 gallons each. Usually 1 or 2 fruit wines/meads, a traditional mead or two and the occasional odd one...
JKane, As head of a household (if married) you can make 200 gallons a year (of wine/mead)...
I have never come close.
It varies a lot.
I do one large batch of grape wine that's 30-40 gallons,
Then do 3-6 more batches that are a minimum of 5 gallons each. Usually 1 or 2 fruit wines/meads, a traditional mead or two and the occasional odd one...
JKane, As head of a household (if married) you can make 200 gallons a year (of wine/mead)...
I have never come close.
