Al, it's a very interesting and fun hobby. What other hobby, beside cooking, allows and almost demands that you sample the product all through the process? The outcome of wine making is limited only by your imagination. The possibilities are endless. You can make wine out of almost anything and the savings by making it yourself are wonderful. My wife and I like my homemade wine more than any of the store bought wine we've had. One reason is that it's made to our own specifications and tastes.
Watching the CO2 bubbles in the airlock is a lot like watching the smoker! It's easier to walk away from the fermenter for a day or two, tho.
I know what you mean. I remember getting up in the middle of the night, going in the mud room to watch the bubbles. I've gotten more patient as time goes by, but it was funny when I'd get back in bed, the wife knew where I'd been and would ask how the bubbles are doing. Like the bug zapper and beer being listed as quality entertainment for a redneck. :)
The winemaking forum I frequent is:
