Winery Wiki

Question:

Hello, Sorry for being rude, but I am posting anonymously as I am afraid of getting ‘SPAM’ but I hope that you will all respond to my question anyway. Why can you not make wine just using fruit, or fruit juice, sugar and yeast? It seems that all the advice that I have read on line, require the inclusion of a variety of seeming undesirable and sometimes poisonous chemicals into the wine Must? Then I also note that most bottles of wine here in California, are marked with warning labels indicating danger to women who are pregnant, and also that fact that the wine contains Sulfites or Sulfates.  So why add the chemicals that seemly do not really need to be there. Thank you, Must Starting  :-)

Response:

Hello, Sorry for being rude, but I am posting anonymously as I am afraid of getting ‘SPAM’ but I hope that you will all respond to my question anyway.

Doesn’t look very anonymous to me. Why can you not make wine just using fruit, or fruit juice, sugar and

yeast? You can.  Some do. It seems that all the advice that I have read on line, require the inclusion of a variety of seeming undesirable and sometimes poisonous chemicals into the wine Must? Then I also note that most bottles of wine here in California, are marked with warning labels indicating danger to women who are pregnant, and also that fact that the wine contains Sulfites or Sulfates.  So why add the chemicals that seemly do not really need to be there.

The warning labels are mainly a caution against the alcohol itself, the consumption of which by pregnant women has been responsible for fetal alcohol syndrome.  The warning about sulfites is for those who are allergic to their presence in food, although the actual content in wines is very low and poses no risk for most people. The main reason for adding sulfite to wine is to protect it against spoilage by microorganisms.  Secondary reasons are to improve wine’s flavor and extend its shelf life.  Sulfites have been used for centuries to assure a quality product, and are quite safe in the small amounts employed in normal winemaking practice. Tom S

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, Sorry for being rude, but I am posting anonymously as I am afraid of getting ‘SPAM’ but I hope that you will all respond to my question anyway. Why can you not make wine just using fruit, or fruit juice, sugar and yeast? It seems that all the advice that I have read on line, require the inclusion of a variety of seeming undesirable and sometimes poisonous chemicals into the wine Must? Then I also note that most bottles of wine here in California, are marked with warning labels indicating danger to women who are pregnant, and also that fact that the wine contains Sulfites or Sulfates.  So why add the chemicals that seemly do not really need to be there. Thank you, Must Starting  :-)

Yes you can. It’ll limit your choice of fruit greatly to medium to high acid fruit and low in pectin. Something like blackberries. And you must pasteurize or boil the must before putting in the yeast, otherwise all kind of nasty things can consume the wine-to-be before the yeast can get started… And don’t expect it to be a storage wine if you don’t sulphite the wine before bottling. Start exploring some winemaking sites for the reason why people add chemicals, like Jack Keller’s site at http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/index.asp BTW, I think most chemicals are derived from natural sources, if that makes you feel better about it. Ren

Question:

Hi folks, I just got a 25L (6.6 gallons?) Hungarian Oak barrel as a gift. I plan on making a fresh grape wine this weekend and would like to use the barrel to age the wine. I do have a few questions though: (1) The barrel is of medium toast I think. It was sealed in shrink wrapped plastic with a large red sticker marked 25L M. I’m guessing that means medium toast. The barrel smells clean with a pleasent scent inside. The wood inside appears to look the same as on the outside. Is this normal? I would guess if it’s toasted it would look charred? Not sure about that… (2) Since it’s new I know I should swell the barrel. Given the size, should I use something like barrel kleen to remove some of the oakiness? (3) Any suggested length of time to age the wine in a new barrel? I know the small size will impart oak flavors quickly. My thoughts were to age in the barrel briefly then into a carboy. Not sure how long to do so…. (4) Best way to maintain the barrel after I’m done with it. (seems like a lot of different opinions on this. I’d appreciate advice based on past experience.) Thanks,

Response:

Hi folks, I just got a 25L (6.6 gallons?) Hungarian Oak barrel as a gift. I plan on making a fresh grape wine this weekend and would like to use the barrel to age the wine. I do have a few questions though: (1) The barrel is of medium toast I think. It was sealed in shrink wrapped plastic with a large red sticker marked 25L M. I’m guessing that means medium toast. The barrel smells clean with a pleasent scent inside. The wood inside appears to look the same as on the outside. Is this normal? I would guess if it’s toasted it would look charred? Not sure about that… (2) Since it’s new I know I should swell the barrel.

NO!!!  If it’s a new, shrink-wrapped barrel it should be tight and ready for wine.  If you must, fill it with _cold_ water to check for leaks, and empty it ASAP.  Given the size, should I use something like barrel kleen to remove some of the oakiness?

Absolutely NOT!  Wasn’t that barrel pretty expen$ive?  So why would you want to leach out the best part of that flavor and pour it down the drain?  I don’t approve of _any_ "barrel treatment" chemicals.  They are all a waste of money and good wood. (3) Any suggested length of time to age the wine in a new barrel? I know the small size will impart oak flavors quickly. My thoughts were to age in the barrel briefly then into a carboy. Not sure how long to do so….

That depends somewhat on the wine in question, as well as your own personal preference for oak flavor/aroma in wine.  A safe rule of thumb is to taste it weekly (making sure to top up and bung tight in between tastings), wait until it tastes about right, then leave it in another 15-20% longer.  You’ll be surprised how long you can leave wine in new wood without overoaking it. Also, after you rack it from the barrel it will lose some of the oakiness. If after that it is still too oaky, you can pull that back by fining the wine – either with gelatin or skim milk – or better still, by blending in some unoaked wine.  IOW, it is safe to overoak wines a little.  One of the best Chardonnays I ever made spent about 18 months in a new French barrel. (4) Best way to maintain the barrel after I’m done with it. (seems like a lot of different opinions on this. I’d appreciate advice based on past experience.)

Best is to always keep it full of wine. Next best is to wash it as thoroughly as possible to remove all sediment and tartrates, drain it, gas it with SO2 while it is still wet and bung it tight. I know there’re a lot of people who advise putting is a gallon or more of sulfite/citric solution and bunging tight, but that leaches too much of the "goodies" from the wood.  The idea is to protect the wood from things growing in/on it and preserve as much of the wood flavor as possible.  I’ve rinsed, drained, gassed and bunged barrels and then just left them alone for ten years before using them again.  The hoops were all loose by then, but the barrel was _clean_ and dry inside.  All I had to do was re-tighten the hoops and fill the barrel up with cold water until it stopped leaking (~1-2 days) and it was ready to make wine in again. As for gassing, you _can_ use sulfur candles for that, with one caveat:  if you intend to do a barrel fermentation in that barrel, be sure _none_ of the candle drips into the bottom of the barrel or you’ll have a *guaranteed* H2S problem in the next fermentation. Tom S

Response:

Question:

"The Highly Esteemed Illustrator For ~ ‘The Friendly Guide to Mythology,’ By Nancy Hathaway." ~ Folly

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You folks know the routine. Hi Loonie, Seeing as alt.astronomy has been completely overrun by hoards of crossposting kookers, self-appointed saviors of Usenet, it leaves me longing for the asylum of a protected group like this. 1) I am abusing substance. In this case 30% cH3COOH laced syruy liquor. Acetic acid?  Boy your wine must have really gone sour! Or did you mean C2H5OH ? Yuk, yuk, yuk.  Mea Culpa. I AM an alcoholic Hallelujah. I don’t really buy into the concept of alcoholic.  If you believe that AA line of thought, then everytime you give in to temptation and have one drink, you feel compelled by your belief system to drink the whole bottle and then stagger down to the liquor store and ask about the 3-case discount! If alcohol is a problem for you, I think it’s better to try to confine its use to a smaller and smaller portion of your time.  I speak from experience.  I used to drink like a fish, and now I’m down to only a couple times a month.  I don’t have twelve steps like AA, but I think the first step is not to keep the bottle on your nightstand so you can take a swig first thing in the morning to stop your hands from shaking!  Then one can give up the practice of drinking his breakfast, and wait till lunch for the first drink of the day.  Giving up the 3-martini lunch is a hard step, but just remember that the tax benefits aren’t what they used to be.  Before you know it, you are only drinking in the evening, and from there you can confine it only to weekends and special occasions. Sounds as if you were heavily into the stuff at one time, Double-A. I admire you ability to dictate to the habit. The way that alcohol addiction is described, it’s supposed to very hard to break. I have never let myself get beyond the stage of beginning to feel the tug of a need. I usually get annoyed with myself at that point. The cost outweighs the benefit. This seems to be the reason that I never became an alcoholic. Sedatives/depressants don’t do much for me. Never really hit the ’spot’. I can only recall one or two occasions in my life wherein alcohol worked effectively, and at a time when nothing else would work. It seemed to be the only means of escaping the anguish. It was a very specific sort of angst. Having become aware of such a possibility, I can appreciate how some individuals are easily drawn into alcoholism.  There is no other escape!

It helps one escape from the ordinary cares of the day, also from depression, but when the pain is deep enough, even drinking doesn’t numb enough.  I guess that’s why people drink laudnum. I don’t think one should try to stop drinking completely because in smaller portions, alcohol does have health benefits for your heart, etc., especially red wine, which also goes well with dinner.  Of course the government in the U.S. has prohibited wine merchants from mentioning such proven benefits on the label, but requires inclusion of the surgeon-general’s "opinion" on its dangers to your health. In the interest of full disclosure as to my opinion, I used to sell wine myself. I used to make wine. Much cheaper and as good as or better than the cheap plonk.

I use to have a winemaking hobby too.  I served some of it that I had aged 10 years at Easter dinner along with a bunch of other high priced wines from my wine shop, and my Aunt said that my homemade wine was the best of all! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So far I fugure that I am 2 drinks zonked.  Legal to drive … No car which is drivable. I do have insurance. Have yet to recieve **NOTICE** that it has been cancelled for non-payment. 2) I am engaging is some public self-flogging. A bit of the

Question:

I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.  However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?  In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen.  Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs?  If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the ingredients change anything? Thanks, Anon

Response:

Are you going, or have you ever gone to any type of educational institution? — JC Eat less, exercise more. —

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.  However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?  In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen.  Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs?  If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the ingredients change anything? Thanks, Anon

Response:

Ok.. I will pass along the standard replies: Read the book It’s A*T*kins.. And what JC said.. go to school and learn basic math. Teeb

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.  However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?  In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen.  Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs?  If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the ingredients change anything? Thanks, Anon

Response:

I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.  However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?  In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen.  

If you add beano to mashed veggies, fiber will decrease and carbs increase (though I have no reason to believe that the net effect is more than negligible). If you let the pot sit for a while, microbeasties will consume the carbs. If the result is wine, vinegar, or yogurt, that could still be a good thing. Some uncooked beans contain rather nasty protective chemicals, which if not properly cooked can eliminate most carbs consumed in the same meal, but not in desirable ways. Other than that, not, particularly. Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs?  

Not usually. If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the ingredients change anything?

Presumably, your spoonful of fat will crisp-tender your 8 carbs of cruciferous vegetables to a perfect turn. If not, you’re not doing it right. Other than throwing part of the food away, nothing people ordinarily do in kitchens (except for the microbeasties part, above) will affect basic nutritional values. Martin 215/167/165 since April 2004 —           Martin Golding             | I cook, therefore I am.   You eat.  DoD #236  BMWMOA #55952  SMTC #2    |   What’s THAT supposed to prove?

Response:

No, cooking doesn’t change carbs, proteins or fats into each other. Common misconceptions occur when newbies look at carb counters, because a cup of cooked vegetables often contains two or three times as much as would fit in the cup when they were raw. I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.  However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?  In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen.  Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs?  If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the ingredients change anything?

–                 "There’s a seeker born every minute."

Response:

Are you going, or have you ever gone to any type of educational institution?

Oh, so you were also wondering who "Adkins" is?  ;-) — jmk in NC

Response:

I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.  However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?  In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen.   If you add beano to mashed veggies, fiber will decrease and carbs increase (though I have no reason to believe that the net effect is more than negligible).

Beano is an enzyme from Aspergillis niger (IIRC) that converts oligosaccharides into digestible sugars. So the fiber goes down *significantly* and the carbs are likewise increased. You don’t have to add it to the veggies. Taking a few drops with the first mouthful of the offending veggies will take care of the whole batch you consume. If you let the pot sit for a while, microbeasties will consume the carbs.

Fermentation is not to be encouraged in the home kitchen. <g If the result is wine, vinegar, or yogurt, that could still be a good thing. Some uncooked beans contain rather nasty protective chemicals, which if not properly cooked can eliminate most carbs consumed in the same meal, but not in desirable ways.

Some uncooked beans harbor enough natural insecticides and other chemicals to make them worth a second thought if consumed regularly. Other than that, not, particularly. Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs?   Not usually.

No. If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the ingredients change anything? Presumably, your spoonful of fat will crisp-tender your 8 carbs of cruciferous vegetables to a perfect turn. If not, you’re not doing it right.

"Right" is in the eye of the masticator. Or mouth. Or something. Other than throwing part of the food away, nothing people ordinarily do in kitchens (except for the microbeasties part, above) will affect basic nutritional values.

Exactly so. Pastorio

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Fermentation is not to be encouraged in the home kitchen. <g

My mileage varies.  I make bread and cheese now and plan to make wine and vinegar in the near future.

Response:

I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.

You might know that but that doesn’t make it true.  20 grams via a Snickers bar is absolutely not the same as 20 grams via a bucket sized helping of broccoli. As the gram counts, though, it is the total grams that are used. However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?

The carb count is not reduced in any way.  In fact fiber is changed into digestible carbs to some extent so the carb count can go up. In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen.

Yes, 4 + 4 does in fact equal 8. Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs?

After digestion, inside the body, eventually yes.  Especially in the case of prtotein that’s why Atkins is high-fat, medium-protein and low-carb.  Excess protein gets converted to carbs to burn it, 50ish% efficiency.

Response:

Fermentation is not to be encouraged in the home kitchen. <g My mileage varies.

<LOL Doesn’t everybody’s. I make bread

Did some today as an experiment and for a piece I’m writing. Tried a funny retro (50’s as far as we can tell) baking device I just got from someone online. It’s called a "Bake-A-Round" and it’s a Pyrex tube about 4-inches in diameter and maybe 14-inches long. Comes with a carry-rack. Made bread dough and let it rise once. Punched it down, shaped it, put it into the tube to rise a second time. Baked it. Lovely. Crisp crust (I expected soft because of the semi-enclosure). Made a more conventional-shaped loaf in a ceramic bread pan. Also lovely. and cheese

Depending on the cheese. Most aren’t fermented, just curdled with rennet or acids. and plan to make wine

No question there. What sorts of wine are you talking about? Made how? and vinegar in the near future.

Vinegar is a very different process than bread or wine. Different critters. Acetobacters rather than yeast. I live in the south. Fermentation at home has some cultural implications that run afoul of several government agencies. It’s good not to annoy them. Making these sorts of foods at home have been startling experiences for me. Seeing how different the commercial versions are. My daughter today said that she’s spoiled for "store bread." Bob

Response:

Fermentation is not to be encouraged in the home kitchen. <g My mileage varies. I make bread [...] and cheese Depending on the cheese. Most aren’t fermented, just curdled with rennet or acids.

I’m not sure I’d agree with that. Certainly swiss and cheddar (and cheddars many relatives) are fermented. If one strikes the all-chemical-all-the-time sludges, I’d argue that IS most cheese. I live in the south. Fermentation at home has some cultural implications that run afoul of several government agencies. It’s good not to annoy them.

While I can understand YOUR reticence, being a highly trained professional, us amateurs are perfectly content to consume the entire production our own selves. You know that you can brew or vint pretty much to your heart’s content, right? Don’t sell or concentrate any, of course. On the other hand, there are satisfactory Argentinian and Australian wines that are cheaper than I’ve been able to find bulk wine grapes. Martin —  Martin Golding | Anyone who eats three meals a day should understand     DoD #236    | why cookbooks outsell sex books three to one.

Response:

and cheese Depending on the cheese. Most aren’t fermented, just curdled with rennet or acids.

Yup.  I made my simplest recipe alst night, it’s being pressed as I type.  Ingredients are milk, apple cider vinegar and salt. and plan to make wine No question there. What sorts of wine are you talking about? Made how?

The simplest recipe I have found basically involves letting a mixture of fruit and honey rot.  ;) I have some brandy recipes to try too.  Same basic idea, starting with fruit. Im a homesteading type, my basic notion is to learn how to make everything from scratch. and vinegar in the near future. Vinegar is a very different process than bread or wine. Different critters. Acetobacters rather than yeast. I live in the south. Fermentation at home has some cultural implications that run afoul of several government agencies. It’s good not to annoy them.

*Fermentation* does?  Or distillation?  I think I’m missing something. Making these sorts of foods at home have been startling experiences for me. Seeing how different the commercial versions are. My daughter today said that she’s spoiled for "store bread."

Yeah, we have lost our taste for pre-packaged junk too.   And most restraunts have become disappointing as well you "remember" the food as being good, but when you atually eat there, it’s not.  The vast majority of the time, I end up thinking, "We should’ve just eaten at home." Since I am occassionally too busy or lazy to cook, I tend to keep leftovers in the fridge, and make big pots of stuff to can and freeze, so we always have some "fast food" without having to actually eat stuff that sucks.

Response:

The simplest recipe I have found basically involves letting a mixture of fruit and honey rot.  ;)

Mmm, methilgil mead. I live in the south. Fermentation at home has some cultural implications that run afoul of several government agencies. It’s good not to annoy them. *Fermentation* does?  Or distillation?

Distillation is regulated on a federal level.  Making homebrew fermented products for personal consumption is or can be regulated at state level.  Every state I’ve checked allows brewing more mead, beer or wine for myself than I could possibly drink but i’ve only looked it up in a few states. But if you make brandy, be sure not to mention it here when it’s done.

Response:

Homebrewing is NOT regulated by states. The Fed handles the manufacture, regulation and labeling of alcohol-based products. One person can brew up to 100 gallons. A family, no more than 200. Doesn’t matter what state your in. You can thank Jimmy Carter for allowing homebrewing. That’s a lot of brewing.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The simplest recipe I have found basically involves letting a mixture of fruit and honey rot.  ;) Mmm, methilgil mead. I live in the south. Fermentation at home has some cultural implications that run afoul of several government agencies. It’s good not to annoy them. *Fermentation* does?  Or distillation? Distillation is regulated on a federal level.  Making homebrew fermented products for personal consumption is or can be regulated at state level.  Every state I’ve checked allows brewing more mead, beer or wine for myself than I could possibly drink but i’ve only looked it up in a few states. But if you make brandy, be sure not to mention it here when it’s done.

Response:

Beano is an enzyme that allows the body to process sugars that are otherwise indigestible to humans. The sugars are capable of being used by intestinal flora (bacteria) just fine, which produces the "gas" you wish to avoid. To combat the problem they give you the enzyme so you can digest the sugar and thus reduce the amount available for the bacteria to eat "down the road" so to speak. Certain vegetables also have the problem of causing gas for the same reasons. I am not cartain how many more carbs one would have to account for by adding a product like beano to the food before eating, but I would make a guess that they are already accounted for since the sugars are not "fiber" in the sense of roughage used to keep yourself regular. One trick I learned a while back (before LC’ing) to encourage micro-organisms to "eat" the indigestible sugars in beans (before they got in me) was to add yeast to the soaking water, and keep the water at a temperature that would support yeast growth. Yeast seem to love those sugars since I rarely had problems with beans after doing that. Just be sure to change the water when you are ready to cook with the beans to avoid any unpleasant taste from the yeast. Of course I will have to wait a while to enjoy beans again since I am still in Induction, but I hope to be in OWL soon. I know I posted a lot of info that maybe no one needed, but I thought it might be helpful to some out there.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.  However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?  In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen. If you add beano to mashed veggies, fiber will decrease and carbs increase (though I have no reason to believe that the net effect is more than negligible). If you let the pot sit for a while, microbeasties will consume the carbs. If the result is wine, vinegar, or yogurt, that could still be a good thing. Some uncooked beans contain rather nasty protective chemicals, which if not properly cooked can eliminate most carbs consumed in the same meal, but not in desirable ways. Other than that, not, particularly. Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs? Not usually. If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the ingredients change anything? Presumably, your spoonful of fat will crisp-tender your 8 carbs of cruciferous vegetables to a perfect turn. If not, you’re not doing it right. Other than throwing part of the food away, nothing people ordinarily do in kitchens (except for the microbeasties part, above) will affect basic nutritional values. Martin 215/167/165 since April 2004 —           Martin Golding             | I cook, therefore I am.   You eat.  DoD #236  BMWMOA #55952  SMTC #2    |   What’s THAT supposed to prove?

Response:

Beano is an enzyme that allows the body to process sugars that are otherwise indigestible to humans. The sugars are capable of being used by intestinal flora (bacteria) just fine, which produces the "gas" you wish to avoid. To combat the problem they give you the enzyme so you can digest the sugar and thus reduce the amount available for the bacteria to eat "down the road" so to speak. Certain vegetables also have the problem of causing gas for the same reasons. I am not cartain how many more carbs one would have to account for by adding a product like beano to the food before eating, but I would make a guess that they are already accounted for since the sugars are not "fiber" in the sense of roughage used to keep yourself regular.

Interesting question. The indigestible part of the veggies is largely oligosaccharides which we can’t digest but can be, as you point out, be digested by bacteria. Given that nutritional labeling doesn’t break them out, I’d bet that in the USDA nutrient database, they’re just lumped into the carb category. Not all fiber is "roughage." I still don’t get why they’d call pectin "fiber," but that’s how it’s labeled and described by FDA and USDA. It’s a "soluble fiber" as opposed to the bulk that is roughage. One trick I learned a while back (before LC’ing) to encourage micro-organisms to "eat" the indigestible sugars in beans (before they got in me) was to add yeast to the soaking water, and keep the water at a temperature that would support yeast growth. Yeast seem to love those sugars since I rarely had problems with beans after doing that. Just be sure to change the water when you are ready to cook with the beans to avoid any unpleasant taste from the yeast. Of course I will have to wait a while to enjoy beans again since I am still in Induction, but I hope to be in OWL soon. I know I posted a lot of info that maybe no one needed, but I thought it might be helpful to some out there.

Never heard of this yeast technique. Interesting. Got some new questions to ask around the lab. Bob – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or simple carb.  However, if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter them?  In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4  carbs from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs or do other things happen. If you add beano to mashed veggies, fiber will decrease and carbs increase (though I have no reason to believe that the net effect is more than negligible). If you let the pot sit for a while, microbeasties will consume the carbs. If the result is wine, vinegar, or yogurt, that could still be a good thing. Some uncooked beans contain rather nasty protective chemicals, which if not properly cooked can eliminate most carbs consumed in the same meal, but not in desirable ways. Other than that, not, particularly. Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs? Not usually. If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the ingredients change anything? Presumably, your spoonful of fat will crisp-tender your 8 carbs of cruciferous vegetables to a perfect turn. If not, you’re not doing it right. Other than throwing part of the food away, nothing people ordinarily do in kitchens (except for the microbeasties part, above) will affect basic nutritional values. Martin 215/167/165 since April 2004 —          Martin Golding             | I cook, therefore I am.   You eat. DoD #236  BMWMOA #55952  SMTC #2    |   What’s THAT supposed to prove?

Response:

Homebrewing is NOT regulated by states. The Fed handles the manufacture, regulation and labeling of alcohol-based products.

Interesting.  I’d thought the XXIst Amendment put the authority to regular alcohol to the states and the only reason the Fed was involved was taxation.  But I just read the exact text of the XXIst and it says no such thing.  It only says that states get to forbid alcoholic beverages if they wish. One person can brew up to 100 gallons. A family, no more than 200. Doesn’t matter what state your in. You can thank Jimmy Carter for allowing homebrewing.

When I was a kid before the Carter administration, New York State allowed 300 gallons annually by a family.  That’s a vast amount. I’ve brewed a few times but I’m not sure I’ve ever done more than 2 gallons in any one year. I didn’t know the Fed had set a nationwide standard but it makes sense that they would have eventually gotten around to it.  So homebrewing is now regulated by the Fed and has been since the Carter administration.  Thanks for the eductional experience.

Response:

Not all fiber is "roughage." I still don’t get why they’d call pectin "fiber," but that’s how it’s labeled and described by FDA and USDA. It’s a "soluble fiber" as opposed to the bulk that is roughage.

Isn’t it just a problem with the word?  That is, ‘fiber’ sounds thready in nature, and we think of it as not dissolving.  But fiber is actually just what isn’t absorbed out of your intestine, so it’s not peculiar that pectin is fiber.   Or have I got it wrong again? Chakolate — The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.   –Dorothy Nevill

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Not all fiber is "roughage." I still don’t get why they’d call pectin "fiber," but that’s how it’s labeled and described by FDA and USDA. It’s a "soluble fiber" as opposed to the bulk that is roughage. Isn’t it just a problem with the word?  That is, ‘fiber’ sounds thready in nature, and we think of it as not dissolving.  But fiber is actually just what isn’t absorbed out of your intestine, so it’s not peculiar that pectin is fiber.  

Agreed.  The choice of the word "fiber" is bizzare.  But consider: Threads like cotton are made of bonded sugars.  Most natural fibers are made of indigestible cellulose variants.

Response:

Sec. 25.205 Production   (a) Any adult may produce beer, without payment of tax, for personal or family use and not for sale. An adult is any individual who is 18 years of age or older. If the locality in which the household is located requires a greater minimum age for the sale of beer to individuals, the adult shall be that age before commencing the production of beer. This exemption does not authorize the production of beer for use contrary to state or local law.   (b) The production of beer per household, without payment of tax, for personal or family use may not exceed:     (1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are two or more adults residing in the household, or (2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only one adult residing in the household.   (c) Partnerships except as provided in Sec. 25.207, corporations or associations may not produce beer, without payment of tax, for personal or family use. (Sec. 201, Pub. L. 85-859, 72 Stat. 1334, as amended (26 U.S.C. 5053)) From the Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (formerly the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Homebrewing is NOT regulated by states. The Fed handles the manufacture, regulation and labeling of alcohol-based products. Interesting.  I’d thought the XXIst Amendment put the authority to regular alcohol to the states and the only reason the Fed was involved was taxation.  But I just read the exact text of the XXIst and it says no such thing.  It only says that states get to forbid alcoholic beverages if they wish. One person can brew up to 100 gallons. A family, no more than 200. Doesn’t matter what state your in. You can thank Jimmy Carter for allowing homebrewing. When I was a kid before the Carter administration, New York State allowed 300 gallons annually by a family.  That’s a vast amount. I’ve brewed a few times but I’m not sure I’ve ever done more than 2 gallons in any one year. I didn’t know the Fed had set a nationwide standard but it makes sense that they would have eventually gotten around to it.  So homebrewing is now regulated by the Fed and has been since the Carter administration.  Thanks for the eductional experience.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sec. 25.205 Production   (a) Any adult may produce beer, without payment of tax, for personal or family use and not for sale. An adult is any individual who is 18 years of age or older. If the locality in which the household is located requires a greater minimum age for the sale of beer to individuals, the adult shall be that age before commencing the production of beer. This exemption does not authorize the production of beer for use contrary to state or local law.   (b) The production of beer per household, without payment of tax, for personal or family use may not exceed:     (1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are two or more adults residing in the household, or (2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only one adult residing in the household.   (c) Partnerships except as provided in Sec. 25.207, corporations or associations may not produce beer, without payment of tax, for personal or family use. (Sec. 201, Pub. L. 85-859, 72 Stat. 1334, as amended (26 U.S.C. 5053)) From the Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (formerly the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms)

So, can the 18 year old drink the stuff?  Is this a way around the 21 year old requirement for buying beer? — Bob in CT

Response:

The drinking age is a state matter. The Fed’s just worry about getting their fair share of possible revenues. The states can contend with the "particulars." – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sec. 25.205 Production   (a) Any adult may produce beer, without payment of tax, for personal or family use and not for sale. An adult is any individual who is 18 years of age or older. If the locality in which the household is located requires a greater minimum age for the sale of beer to individuals, the adult shall be that age before commencing the production of beer. This exemption does not authorize the production of beer for use contrary to state or local law.   (b) The production of beer per household, without payment of tax, for personal or family use may not exceed:     (1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are two or more adults residing in the household, or (2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only one adult residing in the household.   (c) Partnerships except as provided in Sec. 25.207, corporations or associations may not produce beer, without payment of tax, for personal or family use. (Sec. 201, Pub. L. 85-859, 72 Stat. 1334, as amended (26 U.S.C. 5053)) From the Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (formerly the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) So, can the 18 year old drink the stuff?  Is this a way around the 21 year old requirement for buying beer? — Bob in CT

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| I know Adkins considers a carb a carb, no matter if a complex carb or | simple carb.  However, |  if you combine and cook the carbs, does it alter | them?   NO In other words if you have 4 carbs from one ingredient and 4 carbs | from another ingredient, does it indeed equal 8 carbs    YES or do other things happen.  NO Do the fat or protein grams ever convert themselves to carbs?   NO | If I have 8 carbs and 4 fat grams will combining and cooking the | ingredients change anything?   NO | Thanks, | Anon — Peter website:  http://users.thelink.net/marengo

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Question:

For a blackberry wine I like 5 lbs per gal.  If you have that much, you have enough to make a wine.  There are lots of people who have made wine from jelly and I see no reason why you could not make wine from failed jelly. (We have made some pancake syrup that way too.)  Hopefully someone will suggest something.  It would help if you mentioned the type of grapes.  They are probably not a wine grape so they will probably need to be treated more as regular fruit than grapes. Some good wines are described as having a hint of blackberry so how could it hurt to mix the two. Freezing and skimming wine!  Oh horrors.  No one in the US would do that. That is a form of distillation and is quite illegal.  And if they did they would not talk directly about it.  Of course it was common practice with hard cider in the *Past* but none of us do that today, do we?  You might find some who would talk about it in a theoretical since. Ray ;o)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi folks, I’m not a winemaker by any traditional means, just a person who likes to experiment with things at hand.  I just thawed out a bunch of blackberries that I picked months ago from my yard and don’t think I have quite enough to make a full batch of wine. A while ago I made a stab at producing some jelly from grapes in my yard.  Unfortunately, it was a dismal failure and despite adding additional fruit pectin I could not get the substance to gel.  So now I have a case of grape non-jelly that actually makes satisfactory pancake syrup. ok, any problem with adding this grape substance to my blackberry mixture?  Its got lots of sugar and the flavor outcome can only be imagined.  But I’m game for anything, lol! Also, I was curious about ways to "fortify" wine.  Has anyone tried freezing wine and then skimming off the ice crystals or slush that results thereby concentrating the flavor and alcohol content?  I’m just an amatuer with an active mind and lots of fruit growing in my yard.  Any insight to my questions will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Response:

I boils down to — do you have any enemies that might want you in trouble, are there any local politicians who what to make a name for them selves, any religious nuts who are pushing anti drinking, … The penalties if you DO get caught are large.  I sure would not be talking about it on the internet.  Granted I remember when you were allowed to make wine here in Texas but it was strictly illegal to make home made beer.  No one was ever arrested over it but it was illegal and if the law is on the books it can be used. Ray

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [snipped] I hardly think they’d give a damn at all about some home winemaker freezing some of their own wine for their own consumption, regardless what laws are technically in place.  :-)  Distilling might be a different matter, they might be concerned you’ll be smoking that joint while you’re distilling and blow yourself up! I doubt even in the US there would be much concern. Ian Ian, The risk is a matter of gain vs. possible loss.  If it was only a possible fine, I’d probably do it and damn the torpedos.  But if I’ve read the law correctly, the penalty can be considerable, to include the confiscation of the residence that the "distilling" was taking place in.  With the stakes as high as the ownership of my home, I’d rather buy some good scotch, than take that chance, small though the possibility of detection might be.  It’s just not worth it, to me, for a lark. — Cheers, Ken

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[snipped] I hardly think they’d give a damn at all about some home winemaker freezing some of their own wine for their own consumption, regardless what laws are technically in place.  :-)  Distilling might be a different matter, they might be concerned you’ll be smoking that joint while you’re distilling and blow yourself up! I doubt even in the US there would be much concern. Ian

Ian, The risk is a matter of gain vs. possible loss.  If it was only a possible fine, I’d probably do it and damn the torpedos.  But if I’ve read the law correctly, the penalty can be considerable, to include the confiscation of the residence that the "distilling" was taking place in.  With the stakes as high as the ownership of my home, I’d rather buy some good scotch, than take that chance, small though the possibility of detection might be.  It’s just not worth it, to me, for a lark. — Cheers, Ken

Response:

LOL, thanks for the response Ray.  The grapes are a medium size purple, I don’t know if all purple grapes constitute the Concord varieties but they lean a bit on the tart side.  I’ve tried making wine with those grapes in the past, but was even more of a novice than now.  I learn Mr. Fawlty, I learn!  The end results are still here somewhere and are reserved for unwanted guests.  But there is more than one way to skin a cat. As far as the latter subject I mentioned,  I had no idea!  But thankfully, I live in Canada. :}

Up here in Canada they have things in congress underway so that it is not a criminal offence to posess 1 ounce of marijuana, where small-time users are encouraged to grow small quantities in their home as opposed to buying it off the street, and it will only be punishable by a fine. Even though marijuana is technically illegal in Canada, a friend was walking down the street smoking a joint in Vancouver, passed a cop, and the cop said to him, hey, don’t do that in public, put it out please. I hardly think they’d give a damn at all about some home winemaker freezing some of their own wine for their own consumption, regardless what laws are technically in place.  :-)  Distilling might be a different matter, they might be concerned you’ll be smoking that joint while you’re distilling and blow yourself up! I doubt even in the US there would be much concern. Ian — http://www.upright.net/ian/

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Question:

My apologies, I should not have assumed that he was from the US.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, D Taylor – that depends.. Correct if in the good ole’ US of A.. I believe Dene is posting from elsewhere – Good ole’ Australia I believe. Can’t answer the first question (Is post allowed.) But I’d be glad to discuss distilling anytime. Discussion IS allowed in the USA.. Dene, You can email me directly (It’s valid) or post on the news group ‘ free.uk.distilling  ’ – that is, if your ISP carries it. I hope this helps.. Paul      Oh – another place – Subscribe to and join The Distilled      Beverage Digest, an e-mail based digest. Subscribe by      Use plain text only. Articles for publication should be sent to First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help. I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

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I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses. Depends where you live and – not where I live.

I apologize for assuming you live in the US.  As I have stated before, since I have no idea the laws concerning other countries you may very well have no problem doing what you are wanting to do.

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Cool, no offense meant or taken.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My apologies to you D Taylor. I did not mean for my post to sound so brash and create this large thread of bashing. I wanted only to point out he may be a foreigner to the the USA. As it turns out he is. We are all here because we enjoy making beer, wine, mead, etc… If there is a member of this newsgroup who wishes to venture to the unknown and distill his product than I wish all the power to him/her. There was a famous King who once said: "Cant we all just get along" Rodney King.. — George Daher Katy, TX "Life is good, Beer is better, Prost!!!" www.geocities.com/sgdaher/brewery My apologies, I should not have assumed that he was from the US. Well, D Taylor – that depends.. Correct if in the good ole’ US of A.. I believe Dene is posting from elsewhere – Good ole’ Australia I believe. Can’t answer the first question (Is post allowed.) But I’d be glad to discuss distilling anytime. Discussion IS allowed in the USA.. Dene, You can email me directly (It’s valid) or post on the news group ‘ free.uk.distilling  ’ – that is, if your ISP carries it. I hope this helps.. Paul      Oh – another place – Subscribe to and join The Distilled      Beverage Digest, an e-mail based digest. Subscribe by      Use plain text only. Articles for publication should be sent to First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help. I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

Response:

Dene, this Yahoo! group seems to be very active.  They may be closer to what you are looking for.  Good luck  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/new_distillers/

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help.

Response:

I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

Depends where you live and – not where I live.

Response:

You are correct.  I was mistaken to assume that he was a poster from the US. My apologies.

No apologies necessary, it’s a free country…   oops, I mean free forum.  (grin) Ed

Response:

First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help.

"knowledge is an easy burden" Ask away, just be careful with what you do with the knowledge

Response:

and, as others in this thread have suggested, if he is from Australia or New Zealand he may not have any worries at all.

Looks like an Ozzie to me : – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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That is not completely correct. I think you are being presumptuous in thinking he lives in the USA. There are many countries in the world that distilling spirits are perfectly legal. i.e. New Zealand. His question was about distilling. It is not illegal to own a still in the US, but it is illegal to distill alcoholic beverages. Distillation is nothing more than a purification process. If you distill hard water you end up with distilled water.

You’re right.  It’s not illegal in all countries, just MOST of them. Also, do you honestly believe that he’s thinking about distilling water? John. —                            *** John P. Kolesar ***                          *** Valley Mead Brewery ***

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My apologies to you D Taylor. I did not mean for my post to sound so brash and create this large thread of bashing. I wanted only to point out he may be a foreigner to the the USA. As it turns out he is. We are all here because we enjoy making beer, wine, mead, etc… If there is a member of this newsgroup who wishes to venture to the unknown and distill his product than I wish all the power to him/her. There was a famous King who once said: "Cant we all just get along" Rodney King.. — George Daher Katy, TX "Life is good, Beer is better, Prost!!!" www.geocities.com/sgdaher/brewery

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My apologies, I should not have assumed that he was from the US. Well, D Taylor – that depends.. Correct if in the good ole’ US of A.. I believe Dene is posting from elsewhere – Good ole’ Australia I believe. Can’t answer the first question (Is post allowed.) But I’d be glad to discuss distilling anytime. Discussion IS allowed in the USA.. Dene, You can email me directly (It’s valid) or post on the news group ‘ free.uk.distilling  ’ – that is, if your ISP carries it. I hope this helps.. Paul      Oh – another place – Subscribe to and join The Distilled      Beverage Digest, an e-mail based digest. Subscribe by      Use plain text only. Articles for publication should be sent to First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help. I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

Response:

First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help.

Response:

First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help.

I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

Response:

That is not completely correct. I think you are being presumptuous in thinking he lives in the USA. There are many countries in the world that distilling spirits are perfectly legal. i.e. New Zealand. His question was about distilling. It is not illegal to own a still in the US, but it is illegal to distill alcoholic beverages. Distillation is nothing more than a purification process. If you distill hard water you end up with distilled water. — George Daher Katy, TX "Life is good, Beer is better, Prost!!!" www.geocities.com/sgdaher/brewery

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help. I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help. I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

But, according to at least some of the information I have read (it’s amazing what all is available on the internet and where links will take you), a still under 5 liters is legal (or at least exempt from laws requiring reporting and registering) in Austrailia which is where the question originated (if I’m interpretting the email address correctly.)  Sometimes it’s tough to remember that this is an international "thing". To answer the original question…  this ng (rec.crafts.brewing) is the perfect place to ask that question if you want to ruffle feathers and start a mile long thread on how it is a waste of time and illegal.  At least it has done so every time in the short time I’ve been hanging out here.  I don’t know where you should ask but there is lots of info out there if you look (or in my case, even if you just happen upon it.) Ed

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Well, D Taylor – that depends.. Correct if in the good ole’ US of A.. I believe Dene is posting from elsewhere – Good ole’ Australia I believe. Can’t answer the first question (Is post allowed.) But I’d be glad to discuss distilling anytime. Discussion IS allowed in the USA.. Dene, You can email me directly (It’s valid) or post on the news group ‘ free.uk.distilling  ’ – that is, if your ISP carries it. I hope this helps.. Paul      Oh – another place – Subscribe to and join The Distilled      Beverage Digest, an e-mail based digest. Subscribe by      Use plain text only. Articles for publication should be sent to

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help. I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

Response:

I certainly didn’t mean to come across as presumptuous.  You are absolutely correct though that I was mistaken by assuming that he was posting from the US.  I do think you are being naive if you honestly believe that he has come to a newsgroup about fermenting home made beer in hopes to get advice on how to distill water.  However, as I do not know the laws of other countries and, as others in this thread have suggested, if he is from Australia or New Zealand he may not have any worries at all.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – That is not completely correct. I think you are being presumptuous in thinking he lives in the USA. There are many countries in the world that distilling spirits are perfectly legal. i.e. New Zealand. His question was about distilling. It is not illegal to own a still in the US, but it is illegal to distill alcoholic beverages. Distillation is nothing more than a purification process. If you distill hard water you end up with distilled water. — George Daher Katy, TX "Life is good, Beer is better, Prost!!!" www.geocities.com/sgdaher/brewery First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help. I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First I’d like to ask if it’s ok to ask distilling questions in these two groups.  If so, I’ll post a few questions I have so I can get some expert help. I don’t have any say if you can post questions or not.  However, if you are looking for help in building a still or distilling alcohol, you should be aware that while it is OK to brew beer and make wine, distilling spirits is a crime unless you hold the proper state and federal licenses. But, according to at least some of the information I have read (it’s amazing what all is available on the internet and where links will take you), a still under 5 liters is legal (or at least exempt from laws requiring reporting and registering) in Austrailia which is where the question originated (if I’m interpretting the email address correctly.)  Sometimes it’s tough to remember that this is an international "thing".

You are correct.  I was mistaken to assume that he was a poster from the US. My apologies. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To answer the original question…  this ng (rec.crafts.brewing) is the perfect place to ask that question if you want to ruffle feathers and start a mile long thread on how it is a waste of time and illegal.  At least it has done so every time in the short time I’ve been hanging out here.  I don’t know where you should ask but there is lots of info out there if you look (or in my case, even if you just happen upon it.) Ed

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Question:

Hello everyone. I’m a college student and one of my courses is requiring me to do a presentation about a topic of my choice. I was thinking about this for awhile and my intructor approved of a presentation about how to make wine! Are there any of you who have through photographs of the stages of primary/secondary fermentation and bottling, showing the final product? I know the basics and I’ve made my own several times. I know that there are a lot of sites out there that give recipes and procedures, but I would like to know if I can find something with instructions AND detailed pics (so I can show it to the class on the overhead). I don’t have enough time to be able to make a batch and photograph everything, but I assume that there are a couple of enthusiasts who have…

Response:

See my site at www.kamiljuices.com for detailed instructions.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone. I’m a college student and one of my courses is requiring me to do a presentation about a topic of my choice. I was thinking about this for awhile and my intructor approved of a presentation about how to make wine! Are there any of you who have through photographs of the stages of primary/secondary fermentation and bottling, showing the final product? I know the basics and I’ve made my own several times. I know that there are a lot of sites out there that give recipes and procedures, but I would like to know if I can find something with instructions AND detailed pics (so I can show it to the class on the overhead). I don’t have enough time to be able to make a batch and photograph everything, but I assume that there are a couple of enthusiasts who have…

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Question:

Hello anyone have a simple wine cooler receipe ????? Thank you in advance Terri

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You can add any wine to soda pop; if you want it dry add it to club soda. That’s the easiest way. Regards’ Joe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello anyone have a simple wine cooler receipe ????? Thank you in advance Terri

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Put a few ice cubes in a tall glass. Add a few "glugs" wine (red or white will do). Fill the rest of the glass with grapefruit soda, leave a little bit of room in the glass for a splash of fruit punch. Stir. I have done this mant times in the past, people are always surprized that it tastes as good as it does. Don’t kick it ’till you’ve tried it. Gary – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hello anyone have a simple wine cooler receipe ????? Thank you in advance Terri

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Question:

Wendy, I’ve tried broad beans, pea and bean pods, mesquite beans, and hominy.  The latter was a failure in that I could not get it to clear and the taste, while not unpleasant, had little to recommend it. However, I’ll admit that I did not experiment with differing quantities as I sometimes do, nor did I have any Amylase on hand to attempt a starch haze elimination.  The other wines were all nice and worth revisiting.  I have not tried pinto beans, but might.  Right now, however, I have about sixteen bases awaiting empty jugs, so pinto beans are way down on the list. Jack Keller, The Winemaking Home Page http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/

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 I’d wonder if he’s ever  tried to make wine out of them?

Be sure to degass this one before bottling!! clyde

Response:

OH NO! Not the oddball wines again! Please, you are straining my "fruity sensibilities" beyond measure! Please, Jack, say it aint so? Aaaaaarrrrgh! Joanne

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Let me say first that I haven’t, nor do I want to. But, married to a Texan I make many a pot of pinto beans for chili, burritos, etc. A couple weeks ago, as I was pouring the cooking water off a pot of beans and watching it go down the sink, I thought to myself, "Jack Kellar is a Texan. I bet he’s cooked his fair share of beans. I’d wonder if he’s ever tried to make wine out of them?" I was too embarassed to ask at first, but after looking over the requested recipe list on the Winemaker’s homepage and seeing some of the other "unusual" items there, my curiosity overcomes my shyness. And if not pinto beans, how ’bout hominy? ~W.

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Let me say first that I haven’t, nor do I want to. But, married to a Texan I make many a pot of pinto beans for chili, burritos, etc. A couple weeks ago, as I was pouring the cooking water off a pot of beans and watching it go down the sink, I thought to myself, "Jack Kellar is a Texan. I bet he’s cooked his fair share of beans. I’d wonder if he’s ever tried to make wine out of them?" I was too embarassed to ask at first, but after looking over the requested recipe list on the Winemaker’s homepage and seeing some of the other "unusual" items there, my curiosity overcomes my shyness. And if not pinto beans, how ’bout hominy? ~W.

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Question:

arkansas

Response:

arkansas

From a transplanted Arky, who thinks he died and went to Texas:   a.. Fayetteville: The Home Brewery   b.. Little Rock: Fermentables   c.. Paris: Cowie Wine Cellars Extracted from Jack Keller’s most outstanding wine website: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net Good luck Fred

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Hello I stumbled on this forum by accident…..Also can you buy the equipment at wal-mart or local hardwood stores?

Look in your local phone book.  There may be a Homebrew or Winemaking shop in your area.  They will have everything you need.  Besides the excellent winemaking websites mentioned in another post get yourself a copy of "From Vines to Wines" by Jeff Cox.  It’s a great book for all aspects of grape growing and winemaking. Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas

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Brian,  Where do you live, someone here might know of a shop close to you. Jeff

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http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/index.asp or: http://home.att.net/~lumeisenman/contents.html These are the two "best" websites out there for information. Also, Library.  Check out a book. Dewey

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello I stumbled on this forum by accident. I would love to learn how to make wine, but have the slightest clue on how to make homemade wine. Is there any good websites out there for beginners?  Also can you buy the equipment at wal-mart or local hardwood stores? I really don’t want to order off the internet.  I  would like to know what I need to get started. Also I have a muscadine vines so I will be making muscadine wine.

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Hello I stumbled on this forum by accident. I would love to learn how to make wine, but have the slightest clue on how to make homemade wine. Is there any good websites out there for beginners?  Also can you buy the equipment at wal-mart or local hardwood stores? I really don’t want to order off the internet.  I  would like to know what I need to get started. Also I have a muscadine vines so I will be making muscadine wine.

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