Anyone here that used to make home made wine?
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Join Date: Jul 2014
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Anyone here that used to make home made wine?
Whelp, I'm coming up on two weeks sober and up until now I have been taking it "one day at a time" in an attempt to trick myself sober until the rough part is over with.
Being sober seems to be getting easier with each passing day a I am starting to feel mentally and physically better. One decision I am struggling with is what to do with all the batches of home made wine I still have. I put a lot of time, effort and money into making some good tasting stuff. It seems like it would be a shame just to throw it all out.
I know what you all are probably thinking..."don't be stupid, just pour it out or give it away!"...but this is hard for me. I'm not sure if it's the thought of wasting it that bothers me, or if that is just a lie I am telling myself and the real reason I don't want to pour it out is because that is an action that says "I will never drink another drop" to myself, which is scary. Especially since I have been using the "one day at a time" approach until now. This is a bigger step because it's taking something that I put a lot of effort into and throwing it out would be a huge step in the direction of making the thought of never drinking again become a reality. Does that make sense?
I keep thinking to myself "I was always a beer drinker and this wine making thing was just a hobby. You never drank more than a glass or so of wine, so maybe after a few months of sobriety you can have a sip of it every now and then...after all, it's only a few gallons. As long as you refuse to go to the store and buy more, what harm could it do?"
Can anyone else relate?
I think maybe someone needs to talk some sense into me.
Being sober seems to be getting easier with each passing day a I am starting to feel mentally and physically better. One decision I am struggling with is what to do with all the batches of home made wine I still have. I put a lot of time, effort and money into making some good tasting stuff. It seems like it would be a shame just to throw it all out.
I know what you all are probably thinking..."don't be stupid, just pour it out or give it away!"...but this is hard for me. I'm not sure if it's the thought of wasting it that bothers me, or if that is just a lie I am telling myself and the real reason I don't want to pour it out is because that is an action that says "I will never drink another drop" to myself, which is scary. Especially since I have been using the "one day at a time" approach until now. This is a bigger step because it's taking something that I put a lot of effort into and throwing it out would be a huge step in the direction of making the thought of never drinking again become a reality. Does that make sense?
I keep thinking to myself "I was always a beer drinker and this wine making thing was just a hobby. You never drank more than a glass or so of wine, so maybe after a few months of sobriety you can have a sip of it every now and then...after all, it's only a few gallons. As long as you refuse to go to the store and buy more, what harm could it do?"
Can anyone else relate?
I think maybe someone needs to talk some sense into me.
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,251
Hi there, wow what a hobby! I (used to!) adore wine and have enjoyed living surrounded by the (healthy) culture of wine making and cultivation. I can imagine you don't want to throw all that hard work down the drain.
This might not work because it is home made and there might be regulations and such, but could you donate it to a charity auction where healthy, non-alcoholics could bid on your hard work for a good cause? You could also store it away somewhere for now and save it for a holiday that you are feeling solid in your sobriety and give the bottles as Christmas/Hannukah/whatever you celebrate gifts?
If pouring it out feels like an important step in your recovery though you should do that. Maybe you could have some sort of personal ceremony (I know, I know, sounds a little weird) and find some meaningful way of disposing of it rather than just pouring it down the kitchen sink. This is going to sound weird and possibly anti-environment, but maybe you could write quotes that are meaningful to you and have some meaning about sobriety and strength and attach them to the bottles and send them out on a body of water for some random stranger to find.... hopefully not another alcoholic!!!!
This might not work because it is home made and there might be regulations and such, but could you donate it to a charity auction where healthy, non-alcoholics could bid on your hard work for a good cause? You could also store it away somewhere for now and save it for a holiday that you are feeling solid in your sobriety and give the bottles as Christmas/Hannukah/whatever you celebrate gifts?
If pouring it out feels like an important step in your recovery though you should do that. Maybe you could have some sort of personal ceremony (I know, I know, sounds a little weird) and find some meaningful way of disposing of it rather than just pouring it down the kitchen sink. This is going to sound weird and possibly anti-environment, but maybe you could write quotes that are meaningful to you and have some meaning about sobriety and strength and attach them to the bottles and send them out on a body of water for some random stranger to find.... hopefully not another alcoholic!!!!
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Join Date: Sep 2012
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What did you used to do with it, other than drink it? was it sold to others? other than that, how about some Xmas/birthday presents this year?
For me the idea of never going on a Scotch whisky tasting tour or to another beer/wine festival used to hurt a little when I first got Sober, but the reality was it wasn't compatible with my new lifestyle
So now that drinking your wine is off the table, you need to come up with who else is going to drink it if throwing it out is too far a step!!
For me the idea of never going on a Scotch whisky tasting tour or to another beer/wine festival used to hurt a little when I first got Sober, but the reality was it wasn't compatible with my new lifestyle
So now that drinking your wine is off the table, you need to come up with who else is going to drink it if throwing it out is too far a step!!
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Join Date: Jul 2014
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I never sold it or even shared. I always just sampled it and I never got a chance to try any that had been properly aged.
Honestly I think I'm just having a hard time convincing myself that the thought of keeping it is a result of a lie that I am telling myself in some sad attempt to take a drink again at a later date and the right thing to do is get rid of it, no matter how much work went into it(sorry for the massive run-on sentence) ...It's just so hard to bring myself to throwing, or even giving it away.
giving it away in my eyes is almost the same as throwing it away. I guess thats me being selfish...i suppose selfishness is part of the reason I was drinking like i was to begin with...it's something i need to work on.
someone please spell out how weak and foolish I am being. I need to work up the strength to rid myself of this disease for good!
Honestly I think I'm just having a hard time convincing myself that the thought of keeping it is a result of a lie that I am telling myself in some sad attempt to take a drink again at a later date and the right thing to do is get rid of it, no matter how much work went into it(sorry for the massive run-on sentence) ...It's just so hard to bring myself to throwing, or even giving it away.
giving it away in my eyes is almost the same as throwing it away. I guess thats me being selfish...i suppose selfishness is part of the reason I was drinking like i was to begin with...it's something i need to work on.
someone please spell out how weak and foolish I am being. I need to work up the strength to rid myself of this disease for good!
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
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Originally Posted by NightmaresOnWax 
someone please spell out how weak and foolish I am being. I need to work up the strength to rid myself of this disease for good!
Alcohol is alcohol. Doesn't matter if it's wine, beer or booze. Doesn't matter If you made it yourself, bought it or stole it. Doesn't matter if you could drink it a long time ago.
If you are an alcoholic you cannot control your drinking....PERIOD.
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Canada
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Please, get rid of it. My husband made wine and when he died I had 600 bottles to deal with. I gave away all but 100 bottles to friends and neighbours. I soon made my way through the 100 I kept, sometimes 2 bottles a night. He made good wine too, but I'd have drunk rubbish. Sometimes a bottle was "off" but I downed it anyway.
The first few weeks I just tried to drown my grief. I'd have probably bought wine anyway, but having that stash in my house, I think, set me on a terrible course and tipped me into full blown alcoholism.
Don't romanticize your wine, I'm sure others would welcome it.
It's probably a good time to develop a new hobby.
Well done on your two weeks!
The first few weeks I just tried to drown my grief. I'd have probably bought wine anyway, but having that stash in my house, I think, set me on a terrible course and tipped me into full blown alcoholism.
Don't romanticize your wine, I'm sure others would welcome it.
It's probably a good time to develop a new hobby.
Well done on your two weeks!
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Okay, I might pour it out.
I started thinking about what to do with it. There are tons of things I could do with it other than pouring it out. Tons of ideas rushed through my head, but why is it so hard just to pour it out?
I could mail it to my sisters or mom for the holidays... send them a letter with it saying I don't need at anymore...then I started feeling really anxious for some reason and just about had a panic attack. I'm not even quite sure why. Maybe because I know I should pour it out, but keep trying to justify keeping it.
If I'm troubling myself this much over it, maybe It's not worth keeping around....?
I started thinking about what to do with it. There are tons of things I could do with it other than pouring it out. Tons of ideas rushed through my head, but why is it so hard just to pour it out?
I could mail it to my sisters or mom for the holidays... send them a letter with it saying I don't need at anymore...then I started feeling really anxious for some reason and just about had a panic attack. I'm not even quite sure why. Maybe because I know I should pour it out, but keep trying to justify keeping it.
If I'm troubling myself this much over it, maybe It's not worth keeping around....?
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: in the city by the bay
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cost of wine vs cost of your health (physical, mental, psychological)
Which is worth more to you?
Seriously, when I had enough, the day I quit, my husband came home with 12 bottles of white wine from Costco. I said I wanted all alcohol out of the house, I don't care what he does with it. Well, I don't know what he did with it. I haven't asked. It's gone.
Which is worth more to you?
Seriously, when I had enough, the day I quit, my husband came home with 12 bottles of white wine from Costco. I said I wanted all alcohol out of the house, I don't care what he does with it. Well, I don't know what he did with it. I haven't asked. It's gone.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Wisconsin
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You will have a psychological victory from pouring it out unlike any other method.
You will be demonstrating that it has NO value to you.
Any perceived value is TRUMPED by the GREATER value that you are placing on SOBRIETY.
I can tell your AV is working on your head. Hard.
I dumped TONS of stuff. Expensive stuff. Booze, drugs, paraphernalia. It all made me stronger.
You will be demonstrating that it has NO value to you.
Any perceived value is TRUMPED by the GREATER value that you are placing on SOBRIETY.
I can tell your AV is working on your head. Hard.
I dumped TONS of stuff. Expensive stuff. Booze, drugs, paraphernalia. It all made me stronger.
Cat Lady
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 164
Hmmm... Do you have family or friends that would enjoy a gift of home made wine? That sounds like a great gift for a normal drinker during the holidays. Or even a birthday!
In the mean time... I would say that you don't have to just toss it out. It does seem like a shame. You definitely DO NOT want to drink it though. Maybe store it at a friend/family members house if they say it's okay. Tell them to only allow you to touch it if you want to gift it to people.
I guess that's the only option I can see right now. I understand not wanting to just throw it all away as it was a hobby, but having it around is causing you to rationalize being able to drink "just one drink".
I could just imagine all the cute decorations and what not you could do to make it a great gift! Look on Pinterest or something for some ideas.
In the mean time... I would say that you don't have to just toss it out. It does seem like a shame. You definitely DO NOT want to drink it though. Maybe store it at a friend/family members house if they say it's okay. Tell them to only allow you to touch it if you want to gift it to people.
I guess that's the only option I can see right now. I understand not wanting to just throw it all away as it was a hobby, but having it around is causing you to rationalize being able to drink "just one drink".
I could just imagine all the cute decorations and what not you could do to make it a great gift! Look on Pinterest or something for some ideas.
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Originally Posted by NightmaresOnWax
If I'm troubling myself this much over it, maybe It's not worth keeping around....?
Cat Lady
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 164
Oh... I didn't read the whole thread before I posted it.
Here's another idea if giving it away seems hard. Get in your car... Drive somewhere farther away and throw all the wine bottles in a dumpster somewhere.
You just have to do it. Get rid of them. All of them. It just needs to be done.
Here's another idea if giving it away seems hard. Get in your car... Drive somewhere farther away and throw all the wine bottles in a dumpster somewhere.
You just have to do it. Get rid of them. All of them. It just needs to be done.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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Some folks can keep stuff around, but this is why you should not keep them.
Dump them, pour them out, give them away...but yes, I'd get rid of them.
D
I keep thinking to myself "I was always a beer drinker and this wine making thing was just a hobby. You never drank more than a glass or so of wine, so maybe after a few months of sobriety you can have a sip of it every now and then...after all, it's only a few gallons. As long as you refuse to go to the store and buy more, what harm could it do?"
D
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Dump them then take all the bottles to a recycling bin and throw each one in and listen to the crash. If it is a big enough bin and you don't have to worry about shards of glass hitting you, throw them in with force and with each bottle attach a bad memory or emotion "this one is for the time I xyz, NEVER AGAIN". *bang crash*. "This one is for how disgusting I feel when I wake up hungover, NEVER AGAIN" *bang crash*. "This one is for how angry I am that I have to do this" *bang crash*. If the idea appeals to you it could be a way to throw out some of your anxiety, sadness, frustration, anger and move on.
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Sydney Australia
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I'm thinking you made all this wine as a pastime while you were drinking?
Apart from the fact it's alcohol, having it around would still signify my old pathetic alcy hobbies. For example, when I got sober, I had to paint over a lot of artworks I did when drinking. It was just too painful to look at some of them. A lot of wasted paint there, too.
Others have made suggestions because it's alcohol, and I absolutely agree - get rid of it. But the secondary reason is - it's time to move on.
Apart from the fact it's alcohol, having it around would still signify my old pathetic alcy hobbies. For example, when I got sober, I had to paint over a lot of artworks I did when drinking. It was just too painful to look at some of them. A lot of wasted paint there, too.
Others have made suggestions because it's alcohol, and I absolutely agree - get rid of it. But the secondary reason is - it's time to move on.
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Yeah, I used to make my own wine too. I know how expensive and time consuming that little hobby can become.
Yet I value sobriety a lot more, so for two years now the grapes I grow (the fastest growing "weed" on the planet...) are for straight consumption, and the rest is for the birds.
Don't give it a second thought and get rid of it, give it away, turn it into cooking vinegar, whatever is the quickest/most convenient. Most important of all: never kid yourself, addiction is a strange beast, and if I read you correctly you will be tempted at one point. - a fellow ex-Yeasty Boy.
Yet I value sobriety a lot more, so for two years now the grapes I grow (the fastest growing "weed" on the planet...) are for straight consumption, and the rest is for the birds.
Don't give it a second thought and get rid of it, give it away, turn it into cooking vinegar, whatever is the quickest/most convenient. Most important of all: never kid yourself, addiction is a strange beast, and if I read you correctly you will be tempted at one point. - a fellow ex-Yeasty Boy.
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Oregon
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If it is a big enough bin and you don't have to worry about shards of glass hitting you, throw them in with force and with each bottle attach a bad memory or emotion "this one is for the time I xyz, NEVER AGAIN". *bang crash*. "This one is for how disgusting I feel when I wake up hungover, NEVER AGAIN" *bang crash*. "This one is for how angry I am that I have to do this" *bang crash*. If the idea appeals to you it could be a way to throw out some of your anxiety, sadness, frustration, anger and move on.
Yep, entire collection gone. . .and I love it. No regrets!!!
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