You. Yes you, alcohol-consuming Californian. Go buy some grapes whilst they're cheap and make some wine.
I barely drink these days, but wine production is great fun and pretty damn easy. I've done it a couple of times, it was super rewarding.
It's much more straightforward than most booze (e.g., beer). You just need clean gear and mashed up grapes, and some sulphites on hand if things get a bit wonky. There's very little else to it.
I think anyone who drinks should make wine once in their life.
As a homebrewer, this is a comment I was expecting to see. Barley prices skyrocketed in 2021 due to increased demand (COVID) and geopolitical turmoil (One major European barley producers happened to invade another). These increased prices along with the quality jump in American beers (and becoming a father) reduced my interest in brewing, but it's still a hobby I revere.
Grape sales to hobbyists won't save the industry, but it could diversify the market slightly. Home winemaking is obviously less efficient than manufacturing, but when the supply must be liquidated that becomes a feature instead of a bug.
I barely drink these days, but wine production is great fun and pretty damn easy. I've done it a couple of times, it was super rewarding.
It's much more straightforward than most booze (e.g., beer). You just need clean gear and mashed up grapes, and some sulphites on hand if things get a bit wonky. There's very little else to it.
I think anyone who drinks should make wine once in their life.