My name is Brian Baldwin, I am new to this forum. I grow my own grapes in Antioch, California, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Mission grape, Sauvignon Blanc, Thompson and Concord labrusca, and have been successful with my vines. I also grow pomegranates for pomegranate wine. I have had success with brewing beer as well, specifically pale ale. I use five gallon plastic or eight gallon glass primary fermentors seven days with yeast starter in the must, then rack into glass gallon secondary fermentors with airlock for ten days, rack again into corked glass gallon jugs to sit for 3 months, then rack again into glass gallon jugs adding clarifying agents to clear for 10 days, then rack into bottles and cork. Sometime I add sugar or brandy if I am making angelica. My mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Mission, with some labrusca, works very well, I add a little sugar during the process and seems to get high alcohol. The grapes really grow in this area, I suspect I can grow almost any grape, red or white, including palomino. My Mission vine comes from Mission Soledad, the priest gave it to me from some of the original Mission vines at that location. In one part of my vines I have a pea-pebble under-base, another with typical Delta soil. The Mission just explodes on top of the pea-pebble, and the Cabernet red really produces on the native soil in this area. In fact, I have success growing all sorts of fruit, including peach, and I have even had luck with guava. I think this area once was covered by the San Joaquin river probably about 1000 years ago, perhaps less. The summers get pretty hot, but my reds do fine. My "bibles" are "The Art of Making Wine" by Stanley F. Anderson with Raymond Hull (1970 Longman Canada Limited) and "Wine" by Maynard A. Amerine and Vernon L. Singleton (1965, 1977 University of California Press and U.C. Davis). I may also try to make mead, which will be interesting to try. I found this forum in a flyer at a local Beer, Beer & More Beer store in Concord, California. They have great products and supplies and are very helpful. I hope to make use of this website and the forum. First, I have to figure out your online webcasts.
From the "Mouth of the Delta", greetings!
