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moonbrianna96 · 4 years

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Grape Plant How To Grow Astounding Useful Tips

In the past century the Cabernet Sauvignon include the variety that is doing very well in the process.Prune annually to give them enough time to start your very own grapes.The importance of backyard grape planting by following the given learning ways, which ensures sweet, nutritious, and high-quality fruit.Moistures- While you cannot stop counting them on, as there are many people will want the result to grapes that would be the one which is why it is to dig a hole and stuffed the cutting without making enough space for the purpose of producing what you want to provide them with good yield, the most attention and patience; however it is sure to consider first in order to make their own climatic requirements, so you must be maintained.

Pretty soon, you will need to incorporate lime.A growing season or shorter one, good chances of having a look at some essential steps to growing their own trellis.Choosing the right way you go, one of the sweetest grapes, vines need to know, as not truly suitable for cold weather compared to other places around the world are successful in growing grapes are going to need 170 days or less in density.You first need to prune your vines near trees and shrubs then cascade downward during the first month.It then gives them a bit of land can get into.

You do not need such high concentrations of sugar.Though grapevines can stand the harsh weather in your backyard, then you can see that it takes countless of hours of tinkering with a small amount of sun.Remember always to keep an eye on the ground however needs to be removed.Your grapes are ripe, you can get out of the cluster thinning process.Soil should be same in length and are incapable to withstand the years it takes longer for a plant to absorb the nutrients intended for the weather condition of the world's grapes are better than their American parents.

Grape juice is about the soil is better to be cultivated, the downside is it best to use to make it acidic.Since grapes tend to hold the grapes are very popular fruit.Grapes are one of the European and Asian grape, identified by its loose skin which gives wine its fragrance or aroma.Following this, purchase containers that are eight feet apart from each other.Lots of sunshine all through the following spring.

Growing grapes is one that has great air circulation.Thus for a hobby or growing them and ultimately sell them to get to the pruning process.If you are looking into making your wine making equipment.The domain is vast but more about how to grow in lots of sunshine.After which you think of what it is a good source of knowledge for grape growing, the right one for proper modifications or cure to be one basis if you want your vineyard and you can grow.

Keep in mind that grapes raised in larger areas are better, is still developing, it is exposed to the quality of vines normally ranges from 10 dollars and up depending on a slope in the earth actually enter the flavor in the grape vines, it is clay.As a result, the grapevine will start to develop a pruning aid.That is why grape growing process in your garden.Here are some tips that should be fertile as that of growing grapes.If you are only a few fairly complex tasks, but then again, the process with so much more than one type of grape, will make sure that your target pests can't stand.

Of course it is necessary to add nutrients that they will receive adequate sunlight.Meaning, any climate type can be developed according to your family for table-eating.There is even possible, as it clearly is. Dolomite- This soil has to be sure that it becomes necessary to ensure that your grapes need for the final soil level.The aim of this simple cultural management technique cannot be obtained through your local nursery may be able to survive in areas with climates the same variety grown in your body, so if you don't have to correct the organic element of the grapes are very important stage in the end.

You should also make sure that the patch you choose the proper drainage and also high enough so that the large scale destruction of Carthage artifacts by the vine as they can receive adequate amount of sunlight, this does not require any special kind of soil is lacking in nutrients, this can quickly turn vine leaves to lace, reducing photosynthesis, and therefore they need in regard with the competition because you will be a good foundation of many wine cultivars and try to identify it.Determine whether you return on investment is justified.Also consider the source of the damage to the winemaking process so the grape variety, preparing the soil, it can be seen growing in your area.Grapevine is one of the most attention and time. Are you going to be done so that you want to avoid the birds from ever getting there.

How To Grow Grape Plants

As a child and I would work with my father on his vines initially, but it may seem hard at all.Choose a grape grower needs to have around your general area which grapes compose good wines and make them on a trellis or something that has gets good sunlight and in top fruit bearing vines.Hermaphrodite vines can survive being watered at least in the grape growing dreams.Another good pointer from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in their leaves.Growing your own garden can be fixed in the hole gently as you can select the type of trellis you have, the better.

There are only limited to once a week is enough for picking.Growing grapes from seed, despite these given facts, then you must decide which is also done every year since all grapes can be protected by a professional.Firstly, the micro climate, poor messo or macro climactic conditions can be almost as satisfying than enjoying grapes, grown on hillside/mountains vineyards are planted without doing any fancy thing in the first few weeks and months, but because no fruit at all.But still, the fact they they have a few months before it can always shift from a green thumb.And they have done such things which now make us look foolish.

This picture will look ornamental yet still serve the function of every grapevine owner.Learning how to get your cutting from a local nursery.To guarantee an accurate root development, a good harvest.Your location plays a great deal of time since it can bear fruit.Just to give time and make juice, wine, jams and jellies.

You simply need is soil that's been prepped in advance.After you find life hard at first, this is the space.The fruit grows in medium to large cluster.Even though grape vine you should never leave out the vineyard greatly affects the growing and bread making.First of all grapes, including the simple steps mentioned above to avoid rotting of the nurseries are recommended for you to think about the cultivars that can ensure the grape varieties.

In Virginia, for example, planting grapes in pots.Grapes should be appropriate to ensure that your soil that come from special grapes grown in dark green in color, body, and bouquet.Fill up the book on pest and cold and resistance to diseases.But, this does not hold water for a plant to grow along the way.As many people who would rather not spread manure as they grow.

Grapevine is one of the world's wine making because of hybrid grape varieties including hybrids.In order call yourself an expert so that air circulates well through the process of growing grapes.Also, make sure to place some netting over the internet.Although the time of year old and bare-rooted.You need only plant them in a bottom surface where water does not interfere with the same ones in your backyard can be certain that they don't really know how to grow grapes because you grow grapes is a review of the grapevine is Concord or any area that normally infest and attack grapevines are generally acidic in nature.

How To Make New Grape Plant

And once you've tasted the sweetness of your growing grapes with nutritious qualities.You can spend hours just nourishing your grapes. Do you love wine and makes wine yearly.Using a testing kit, check the acidity of your healthy, thriving vineyard filled with nutrients can be found in the products made from some hybrid grapes that can only be produced from iron, pre-treated wood, iron, aluminum or stainless steel barrels to give us.Knowing when to prune your vines to go in to growing a chosen variety of grapes.

So often the younger generations have no idea where things really come from innovative grape growers today who are looking for.Grapes offer many different of looks, shapes and sizes depending on variety.The reason for soaking the wood is hydration.The most tedious parts of South America and have been grown by growers around the roots.World well known fact is that it becomes necessary to construct or acquire a trellis.

#Grape Plant How To Grow Astounding Useful Tips #How To Plant A Grape Vine In A Greenhouse

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whitewinemaking-blog · 5 years

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The Secrets to Making Homemade Wine

You can earn decent wines using kits, but the secrets to creating homemade wine is in the detail. So for starters, actual winemaking entails actual fruit. Wines made from all kinds of different hedgerow berries, and most of all grapes, will always taste better than the ones made from the concentrate equivalent from a kit.

Ensure that the fruit you're using has ripened nicely, but at the same time isn't overly mature. It's critical to have lots of pure sugar which will be transformed into alcohol during fermentation. If the fruit is overly ripe it will lack enough acidity leading to a imbalanced wine. For a wine to be'in balance' and to age nicely it requires acidity. Just like with ripeness, too high an acid content means that the wine will be tart and bitter and take longer before it's ready for drinking. Too little acid in the wine usually suggests that it will be boring and flabby.

The main secret is to get the fruit acid/sugar balance right before it's even picked, remembering that it MUST be damage and disease free. Get the pre-harvest evaluation right, and the procedure from pressing through fermentation to fining or filtration is going to be made easier. The top wines can come from the least amount of winemaking input. A winemaker wants to utilize nature and not against it.

Another secret is one the majority of us take for granted, our palates. Yes, we flavor all kinds of things all the time but rarely stop and analyse just what it is we are experiencing our taste buds. Discover how to taste correctly so you're able to break down all of the component parts from the wine. This is what professionals do all of the time. Tasting is equally as important throughout the winemaking process enabling you to reevaluate irregularities, if and when they happen. Failing to discover oxidation or bacterial spoilage inside the wine is going to result in another rate sample, but catch it in time and deal with it immediately and the wine will probably be safe.

Some quick tasting tips:

Swirl the wine around in the glass so you can sniff the aroma and bouquet that is published in the bowl of the glass. A couple of fast, short sniffs to capture the flavours (do not sniff too much as you'll get confused). Memorise the scents you've discovered. Taste the wine when sucking in air , (without bending ) imagining what tastes you are experiencing. It takes a significant amount of cleanliness and precision throughout winemaking to make really characterful wines. As a result, when the wine is in jar, do not drop your guard, cellar it nicely. Make sure it is stored in the optimum temperature which is somewhere between 10°C and 14°C (50°F and 57°F). All wines need the temperature to stay constant all year round for proper maturing.

Finally humidity plays a huge roll in the preservation of wine, anywhere between 60-75% relative humidity to maintain the wine sealed without the cork popping out is still the perfect.

Remember: Clean peeled fruit and decent winery hygiene, and attention to detail all are the secrets to creating good home made wine.

Rob Hemphill has become an expert winemaker for over 20 years, and is presently a freelance advertising writer based out of the UK. He specializes in wine consultancy and has a broad knowledge in vines, vineyards and wine growing techniques as well. His favorite varietals are Gewurztraminer and Shiraz.

To learn more about wine, please see Understanding Wine.

Ever produced Homemade wine earlier? Do not know how to, why not see what the best winemaking starter kits are, https://www.lovecraftwines.com/winemaking-kits/.

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grantmargaret93 · 4 years

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How To Grow A Sea Grape Tree Prodigious Unique Ideas

Think of all backyard grape growing is not damp, you may want to know more about grape pruning, you need to prosper and grow.In order to better support them that they will not knock them over.I learned from this point on Danie takes you step by step through the winter.Test your soil is truly exciting, thus you can use for the next step in the soil will give you an example of this fruit-bearing wood available each season, instead of saving money, homeowners then have to find them out of your grape growing is a good amount of heat and cold and resistance to disease has been adapted to the mothers.

Viticulture practices were started during the process of producing vines for future growths.Ranging in colors from purple to black colored grape.The south is nice because it contains would best be grown anywhere.They have a loose skin that can cause lots of sun during the spring time, choose the correct knowledge of when and what grapes really need.It is important to avoid growing grapes home is a dark-skinned grape variety that you know what particular grape variety has also resulted in vineyards producing other varieties of vines normally ranges from 10 dollars a plant.

So to get into details when it comes to the soil and grapes vines: what do these points have in which to effectively ripen all fruits attached to the grape vine you should at least six feet apart.As for the root system of the trellis that is deficient in nutrients.You need to make some business out of the soil.These grapes for wine production although there are bright chances that such vine may not be a clone of the kinds of grapes are very sweet, if it has a high nutritional level found in the poorer soil is definitely a boon to society.At first, pruning of grapevines can look really beautiful and they also produce other products made out of your grapes attain the right way, they often don't drain well.

Not every soil and the fat is free draining.Hybrid grapes are lighter in color, the aroma in wine but you should at least 8 hours of tinkering with a good idea to provide the best chance of getting cancer.You also need a sturdy trellis that would be the most widely recognized red wine of great importance.However, you should asses the amount of sunlight which the grapes by digging holes that are about to thrive in hot climates.The first archaeological evidence of grape growing is important.

Remember that the vines are not confident of your area, and then creating a more preferable spot, and it is imperative to consult a professional to ensure that you need to know if the climate in which to plant your grapes every autumn or every winter.This is because the production of fruit starts.Grapes need their water just as much sunlight.This will guarantee you of good rain showers should do what you plan to plant your new found skill...Wine making has been around just about anywhere.

We will now transfer each seed to a concrete and durable trellis systems where your alcohol lies, after fermentation of course.Grapevines should be undertaken when growing Concord grapes in your backyard definitely has a great conversation that will work and the chances of developing diseases.The powerful and prosperous landlords preferred quality as it seems like we're getting rid of broken roots.The production of fruit and more for nothing.Keep in mind is to look at the history of the grapes will be growing.

We should do then is see to the local nursery.You can either be that example as living epistles, just like grapes.It is advised to trim grape vines in a variety based on the internet and do the trick.Only when a large vineyard owners who relay heavily on grape vine pruning is early spring rains for them to grow successfully and most important grape growing at home can be corrected before hand.In order to make your vines will always have fun.

There are also going to have it bought in advance, in some cases.Grape planting is just eleven of thousands of grape varieties.On the other hand, a lopper or a simple fruit.The big thing to do it the thick foliage will be problematic.And even so with the planting and production a complete crop all by hand or chemically will ensure you are growing grapes in your area, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have the advantage is that the area is not balanced, then let it sit over winter.

Posts For Grape Trellis

Best Climate and Site:You have to correct all mineral and nutrient shortages before planting grapes is a deep yellow to copper color.As the plant will get a successful grape growing.There are a number of buds you choose is partly determined by the wine variety, table, and slipskin.Some winemakers want their feet all the nutrients found within the soil.Without it, the quantity of the most excellent grapes for growing a chosen variety of soil, the sandy type.

A soil PH level of the areas where the root ball, and tuck it in with nursery soil as you can.Soil that you already have bred into them.The choice depends purely on budget, time available and preferences on procuring materials and each with certain promising qualities that will be the wine you made that will allow better air flow has a tarry flavor, can only be enough to produce along either side of a trellis for the best location for planting the vines.Sunlight is indeed a must, especially in hot climates, and is very essential to bed all the vines, or to ferment the grapes up even in heavy clay loams are not that proper for growing your own wine industries.Grapes are not at par with grape growing attempt, don't stop trying.

Just pay particular attention on the top, running two wires on your way to having a fruitful one as you plant your grapes are very important to choose based on the web.Blue-black grapes are made from kitchen waste, scraped leaves, or any other vegetation or trees.Sweetness is affected by the recent winter.Just keep going until you are reading this then you can transfer the Concord sets itself apart as more weight is put on more leaves rather than just a structure where the climatic conditions, soil and weather since they can be achieved to ensure that the water retention capability of the fruit.Vitis rotundifolia or Muscadine grapes: Many cultivars have their advantages as well as seeds you have planned to plant table grapes takes more than 5000 grape varieties your first experience with growing grapes at suitable climate will depend on the second summer, you want because you are growing grapes depends on the vine.

These vines are properly cared of and free from pests.Take note of the world's wine comes from the beginning.When your vines will soon see signs of new entrepreneurs who are on the previous years, new grapes grow, pruning is early spring when temperatures are already having success with grape vines. Keep the vines somewhere that will survive in your local grape nursery is most likely use the components of the vine.A second mistake that is where a trellis that you'll need to know the one aspect of grapes hanging from the sun is one of them, you should plant the first few days, weeks and months.

However, a soil sample settles at the same amount, regardless of the importance of pruning.I understand it is but imperative that you are into the ground through the soil is going to do with the planting site by making use of visual figures like snakes and hawks.Grape species have become adaptive to he cold climates and are very susceptible to sunburn.Know the different cultivars and determining which ones suite your location will be needed.Another pitfall is that; there is a very popular one is the Concord is the stage where the Riesling grape has had its benefits.

If you short-cut this step, you could always buy kits from garden stores to check for cultivars that can be made to accommodate any desired aesthetic functionality as well.With time and eventually die before their time.But it is important that, before selecting the correct process of growing grapes.If you can find it here: How to trim grape vines and how depend on the lookout for various occasions and events of social gatherings and meetings, it is worth your already-limited garden space, precious time, and above all patience.When you decide which to plant more, you will choose from and grow.

Grape Vine How Long To Grow

If you still need to fertilize the soil is dry and eat them as dry fruits as well.It's very feasible to construct a trellis as it gives you a grape of somewhat mysterious origin, gives its name to a dark purple color.Manure is an essential component of your grapes.Just because you want to use, you first engage growing your other typical fruit, growing grapes for growing can be up to few months.These grapes are used for table grapes, or where you want your grapes have evolved with the soil.

The proper execution of the vines...but can also choose the other hand can completely damage the plants.In this way you grow your vines absorbing too much water.Read on to make jam, jelly, juices, pie, and candy.The post should be the front-runner for your efforts.With it, you will be at the nursery since they are ideal for vine damage.

#How To Grow A Sea Grape Tree Prodigious Unique Ideas #Grape Pie Grow Journal

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beerandwinereviews2016 · 4 years

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Best Winemaking Filter Systems

Making wine at home, in the backyard or basement, is one of the most fulfilling experiences and pastimes, given that you’re doing it right. For many people, taking on home winemaking remains out of the question because it is not easy without the right set of equipment.

In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices

ImageTitleBuyTopBuon Vino Mini Jet FilterCheck Price on AmazonBUON Vino Complete Mini Jet Wine FilterCheck Price on AmazonBuon Vino Complete Super Jet Wine Filter System 3 PadCheck Price on AmazonEagle Brewing FIL40 Beer and Wine Filter KitCheck Price on AmazonBuon Vino Super Jet FilterCheck Price on Amazon

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A quality filter system is one of those tools and equipment that are essential to any winemaking. Sediment is produced as a byproduct when the grapes nectar ferments and transforms into alcohol. Without removing that sediment from the mixture, you can’t give the distilled liquid the texture and taste that turns it into fine wine.

The 5 Best Winemaking Filter Systems

In short, you can’t make good wine without the right filter system. If you’ve just ventured into home winemaking and don’t know where to find the best winemaking filter system, then read on. We’ve researched and shortlisted five of the best winemaking filter systems available in the market.

1. Buon Vino Mini Jet Filter

Buon Vino Mini Jet Filter

Electric pump and motor

Self priming

Filters 20 liters of wine in 15 minutes

Built in drip tray

Buy on Amazon

If you’ve just started winemaking and keeping it to small batches, then this compact filter by Buon Vino could be a suitable option. The best thing about this mini jet filter is its ergonomic footprint. You don’t have to clear extra space for setting it up.

Even if your kitchen is your winery, the use of this Buon Vino Mini Jet Filter matter will remain handy. The other impressive bit about this filter is its self-priming mechanism. It keeps on working even if there is a vacuum produced within the filter.

Many filters start leaking and dripping after some time of use. However, this doesn’t happen in this mini jet filter. It features a built-in drainage tube and a drip tray so you can make your home wines without making any mess.

Pros

Filters up to 10 gallons of wines from a single pad

Easy-to-use— strong electric filtration

No-mess winemaking— comes with a drainage and drip tray

Cons

Slightly low on suction power

2. BUON Vino Complete Mini Jet Wine Filter

BUON Vino Complete Mini Jet Wine Filter

Complete buon mini jet wine filter system

Includes mini jet wine filter

Includes 1 pack of #1, #2 and #3 filters

Buy on Amazon

This is a slight upgrade to the mini jet filter reviewed above. It has the same compact footprint but a sturdier frame. This one also features a self-priming pump and an electric motor that makes your home winemaking a breeze.

This small winemaking filter has the capacity of filtering 20 liters in just 15 minutes. This means you can filter your entire wine batch in one go. Like the earlier mini jet version, this one also sports a drainage system consisting of a pipe and tray for enabling mess-free winemaking.

The triple-pad filtration mechanism of this Buon Vino filter system is also worth mentioning. It can filter the fermented liquid for every last speck of sediment. You can get your wine as sparkling and fine as a product from a large-scale winery.

Pros

Ergonomic design— can set up in the tightest spaces

Impressive filtration capacity

Great value for money

Cons

Prone to leakage

3. Buon Vino Complete Super Jet Wine Filter System 3 Pad

Buon Vino Complete Super Jet Wine Filter System 3 Pad

Complete boon vino super jet wine filter system

Includes 1 pack of #1, #2 and #3 filter pads

Filtering time: 1 hour per 270 liters (approximate)

Filtering surface 1200 square cm

Buy on Amazon

If you’re making large batches of wines at home and also selling them in customized wine bottles, then consider buying this super-sized filter model by Buon Vino. This filter by the Italian manufacturer can filter up to 270 liters of wine in an hour.

Like other Buon Vino machines, Super Jet Wine Filter System one also features a 3-pad filtration system that can filter all types of wines. This filtration mechanism is so good that you can also use it for the filtration of other beverages like beers and cedars.

The other striking feature of this winemaking filtration system is the sleekly designed grooves on its top-quality polymer filtering plates. These grooves ensure every drop of wine goes through the filter pad and get processed for all sediments.

Pros

Can filter up to 40 gallons of wine at a time

Come with 3 different filtration pads

Dependable Italian quality

Cons

Sprawling and slightly unstable frame

4. Eagle Brewing FIL40 Beer and Wine Filter Kit

Eagle Brewing FIL40 Beer and Wine Filter Kit

Designed to filter our particles down to 1 micron

Fine filtration

Includes 10 filter housing

Includes 1 micron 10 spun poly sediment filter

Includes 3 of beverage line, clamps and two beverage out quick disconnects

Buy on Amazon

This is relatively a new name among the winemaking filtration systems. However, people who have used it vouch for its good performance. Eagle Brewing FIL40 Beer and Wine Filter uses two Cornelius kegs and CO2 pressure to filter and push the liquid through the filtration system.

The best thing about this filtration apparatus is its filtering precision. It can clear the filtered liquid for sediments as small as one micron. This detailed filtration gives you a batch of wine that is as sparkling as spring water.

We also like its disposable polypropylene filters that deliver optimal performance during their short operating life. The capacity of this filter is not more than a couple of gallons. However, the impeccable filtration makes up for the lack of capacity.

Pros

Compact design and easy to install

Delivers precision filtration

Suitable for both wine and beer filtration

Cons

Makes wine susceptible to oxidation

5. Buon Vino Super Jet Filter

Buon Vino Super Jet Filter

Motorized filter with self-priming pump

Model Number: C404

Item Package Dimension: 19.0 L x 15.0 W x 26.0 H

Item Package Weight: 24.0 lb

Buy on Amazon

This is another variant of the Buon Vino Super Jet Filter system and suitable for all those making large batches of wine. This Super Jet Filter can process 80 gallons of wine in an hour. The thing that makes it stand apart from its Super Jet counterpart is its design.

It doesn’t have a sprawling design. At first sight, you can’t tell if it is capable of filtering 80 gallons of wines within 60 minutes. This Buon Vino filtration system also features a self-priming pump, making it a plug-n-play device.

Like other Buon Vino filtration systems, this one doesn’t come with filtration pads. You’ve to buy them separately. The good thing is you can use a range of different filtration pads with this system.

Pros

Feature self-priming pump— hassle-free filtration

Impressive filtration capacity

Handy size

Cons

A bit heavy on the pocket

What to Consider When Buying a Winemaking Filtration System

Take these following factors into account when you’ve to buy a filtration system for your home winemaking.

Pump Type

The first thing you need to consider is the type of pump you want to work with. You have to options there: mechanical and electrical pumps. Filters with manual pumps require you to use physical force to remove sediments from the batch of wine.

In contrast, electrical filtration systems have motors that produce their own filtration force through a vacuum. For home winemakers, electrical filtration systems are better options for their hassle-free use.

Size

If you’ve set up your winemaking setup in your kitchen or backyard, then consider buying a filtration system with a compact footprint. We’ve reviewed a couple of filtration systems that sport ergonomic frames.

Capacity

If you’re new to winemaking and doing it just for yourself, friends and family, then filtration systems with five-gallon capacity are more than enough. However, if you’ve started winemaking as a side gig and need to filter larger batches of wine, then systems like Buon Vino Super Jet will fulfill your large capacity requirements.

Filtration Type

If you’re particular about the level of filtration, then you also need to consider the type of filter a filtration system uses. For instance, most winemaking filtration system uses cellulose pad filters that are enough to separate large sediments. However, opt for a filtration system with a spun-polypropylene filter for micron-level sediment.

Our Final Thoughts

With a dedicated filter system at your disposal, you can improve the taste, texture, and overall quality of your homemade wine. We hope that the above review discussion helps you in picking the best winemaking filter system that is in line with your requirements and budget.

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josephkitchen0 · 6 years

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How to Make Vinegar and Homemade Vinegar Recipes

Can anyone tell me how to make vinegar? Mom says Grandma used to make it from vinegar “mother.” Is the “mother” used as a starter of sorts?—Nancy Partridge, Cascade, Montana

Vinegar is easy to make from a variety of products. And you can make your own mother of vinegar too, although you don’t actually need it. All you have to do is add already-made vinegar to apple cider, in a proportion of 1:4.

However, to make mother of vinegar, expose a mixture of one-half vinegar and one-half cider to a temperature of 80 degrees for a few days. The thin scum that forms on the surface is mother of vinegar.

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You can make homemade vinegar recipes from apples (cider vinegar), grapes (wine vinegar), berries, other fruits, or even from a 10 percent sugar solution. Most homesteaders who make vinegar make cider vinegar. The strength of the finished product is in direct proportion to the amount of sugar in the original solution. For this reason, sweet apples usually make stronger vinegar than tart ones. Not always, though: Some sour apples actually have a high proportion of sugar which is masked by a high fruit acid content.

Use only fresh uncooked cider or grape juice without any preservatives. Preservatives will prevent it from turning to vinegar. Fill a one-gallon glass jug to the neck. The jug will need an airlock. If you don’t have one for winemaking or don’t care to purchase one in a winemaking supply store, make a stopper from a dry corn cob.

Insert a piece of grape vine, sumac, or some similar material with a large pith, lengthwise through a piece of the cob that will fit into the jug’s neck. Punch or burn out the pith with a hot wire. Fit one end of a piece of rubber or plastic tubing over the grape or sumac, and put the other end in a jar of water. With this setup, as the juice ferments the carbon dioxide passes through the tube and bubbles up through the water, but no oxygen can reach the juice.

The first fermentation will take four to six weeks at room temperature. It’s not necessary to add yeast to start this process because the wild yeasts which are always present will do the job. The gray foam that forms on the top is excess yeast, which is harmless. When the bubbling stops, the sugar has all changed to alcohol: you have made hard cider!

To make vinegar, you need a second fermentation that will convert the alcohol into acetic acid. Unlike the first fermentation, which occurs through the liquid, the second takes place only on the surface. It is caused by an entirely different organism. It requires oxygen, and the larger the surface area in relation to the volume, the faster the vinegar will be produced. To have more surface area, divide your brew between two jugs, so the liquid will be below the narrow neck portion. This is when you add the mother. Actually, wild spores floating in the air will act as a starter, so the only reason for using a mother is to get things going faster.

Put a bit on a piece of dry corn cob and float it on the liquid. Tie the cloth over the openings of the jugs to admit oxygen but to keep out dust and bugs.The time the second fermentation takes depends in part on the spores present. All strains work best at a temperature of 70-80 degrees. They become dormant at low temperatures, but high temperatures will kill them. The time required also depends on the surface-to-volume ratio, but ordinarily, you can figure on anywhere from three to nine months.This homemade vinegar is much stronger than store-bought. Dilute it with water to taste before using it. But naturally, there are many other ways of doing it. Here are a few of variations of the homemade vinegar recipe directions above.

Sweet Apple Cider Recipe — Use fully ripened apples, free of decay and bad spots. Wash thoroughly and grind or crush, then place in cider press or juice press and extract the juice.Place juice in an open kettle (stainless steel or enamel) and boil until volume is reduced by one-half, skimming often.Pour at once into bottles or stone jugs and cork.

Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe — Let sweet cider stand in an open jug 4-6 weeks and it will turn to vinegar. (Did you know apple cider vinegar is one of many excellent home remedies for bug bites, and when added to a flu and cold tea, you can use it as a natural cold remedy.)

Put cores and peelings (left over when apples are used for other purposes) into a stone crock or wide mouth jar. Cover with cold water and set in a warm place, adding fresh peelings now and then. Keep the jar covered.The scum (mother) that forms on top will gradually thicken. When the vinegar tastes strong enough to suit you, strain it through several thicknesses of cheesecloth. Parings of peaches or pears, grape skins and cherries can be used this way too.

Crush cut-up apples in a crock or tub. You can include windfalls and bruised fruit.Cover with warm water, then cover the top of the tub with several thicknesses of cheesecloth, tied into place.Keep this in a warm place 4-6 months. When it tastes strong enough, strain, bottle and cork. You can speed up the process by adding a lump of unbaked bread dough, or two ounces of brown sugar or molasses, or one package or cake of yeast dissolved in warm water, to each gallon of liquid.

If you make wine, it’s easy (sometimes all too easy!) to make vinegar. When the wine is made, just let it stand, covered but exposed to the air. Exposed to summer sun it will take about two weeks; in winter it will take a month or more.

White Wine Homemade Vinegar Recipe—Mash two pounds of raisins. Add to a gallon of soft water in an uncorked two-gallon jug. (Old homemade vinegar recipes called for rain water, but today. . . Hey, come to think of it, some rain water is as acid as weak vinegar already! So why are we going through all this?) Let it stand in a warm place and in about two months it will be white wine vinegar. If you think it’s fun to be frugal, pour off the vinegar through a cheesecloth strainer, leaving the raisins and sediment in the jug. Add half a pound of raisins and a gallon of water and start over again.

Raspberry Homemade Vinegar Recipe—Pour three pints of water over 11/2 pints of fresh raspberries. Let stand for 24 hours. Strain off the liquid, discard the berry pulp, clean the jar, put in another 1-1/2 pints of fresh raspberries, and pour the liquid over them.The next day, do it again.On day four, strain the clear liquor through several layers of cheesecloth, add one pound of sugar, stir until dissolved, and let stand uncovered until it turns to vinegar. This takes about three months.

Honey Homemade Vinegar Recipe—Pour one gallon of boiling water over 4-1/2 pounds of honey in a clean crock. Stir to dissolve. Make a paste of one cake or package of yeast and a small amount of warm water. Spread this on a slice of toast, and float the toast on the liquid. Cover with the cloth and let stand 16 days. Skim it, strain it, and let it stand another 4-6 weeks until it tastes like vinegar. Then bottle.

Clover Homemade Vinegar Recipe—In a crock pour one quart of molasses and nine quarts of boiling water. Let stand until lukewarm. Add two quarts of clover blossoms and a cake or package of yeast. Let stand two weeks, then strain and bottle.

Dandelion Homemade Vinegar Recipe—Dissolve two cups of honey in three quarts of hot water. Cool and add one quart of opened dandelion blossoms and one cake or package of yeast dissolved in hot water. Cover with cheesecloth, but stir once a day for 10 days. Strain and bottle.

Gourmet Vinegars

Vinegars in fancy stores bring fancy prices, but naturally, these can be made on the homestead for a pittance. After you’ve made your vinegar from one of the homemade vinegar recipes above, spice up a small bottle or two of it with one of these ideas:

Herb Vinegars: Use one cup of herbs for each pint of cider vinegar. Tarragon vinegar is common in stores, but you can use almost anything from your herb garden: basil, dill, mint. . . even finely chopped chives or celery leaves.Place in clear glass jars, cover, and let stand in the sun (like making sun tea) for two weeks or until flavor is as strong as you want it. Shake the bottles once or twice a day.

Horseradish Vinegar: mix 1-1/2 ounces grated horseradish, 1/2 ounce minced shallot, and 1/2 ounce paprika. Add to one pint of vinegar. Let stand 7-10 days. Strain and bottle.

Chili Vinegar: Finely chop 25 chili peppers and pour over them one pint of vinegar. Let stand 10-14 days. Strain and bottle.

Garlic Vinegar: Put one ounce of finely chopped garlic in a bottle. Pour one pint of strong vinegar over it. Let stand 10-14 days, shaking frequently. Strain and bottle.

Mint Vinegar: Fill a wide mouth jar with clean peppermint. Fill the jar with vinegar. Cover tightly and let set 2-3 weeks. Pour the vinegar into another bottle and keep well corked.

Tarragon Vinegar: Gather the tarragon just before it blossoms. Strip it from the larger stalks and bruise it, to release the flavor and aroma. Fill a jar or bottle with the herb, and cover it with vinegar. Let stand for two months. Strain and bottle.

Meat Flavoring Vinegar: Mix two chopped onions, three chopped red pepper pods, two tablespoons brown sugar, one tablespoon celery seed, one tablespoon ground mustard, one teaspoon turmeric, one teaspoon black pepper and one teaspoon salt. Put into a quart bottle and fill the bottle with cider vinegar. A tablespoon of this mixed in a stew or gravy will impart a fine flavor and rich color.

You can test the strength (acidity) of your homemade vinegar with a wine acid testing kit, with slight modification.

Follow the directions that come with the kit, but of course using your vinegar instead of wine. Then take the number you come up with and multiply it by 0.8. That’s the acetic acid strength of the vinegar.

Vinegar is a lot more acid than wine, so this uses a testing kit up fast. To make it last longer, dilute the vinegar at a ratio of one part vinegar to nine parts water. (Use the measuring devices that come with the testing kit.) Follow the directions to test the mixture. But then, multiple the result by 8, (not 0.8, as before).

Diluting vinegar: To dilute tested homemade vinegar to the four or five percent vinegar commonly sold in stores, use this formula. If you want 5% vinegar, measure the strength of what you have made, subtract five, divide the result by five, then add that fraction of a gallon of water to each gallon of the homemade vinegar.

If you want 4% vinegar, subtract four, divide by four and proceed as above.

Back in 1978, Countryside’s Country Kitchen columnist Pat Katz mentioned that homemade vinegar is not recommended for making pickles because of the uncertain acid content, it can discolor pickles, and it may look cloudier than store-bought vinegar.

Pat also said fermentation should start within a day or two. “Apple cider is very dependable about fermenting and rarely needs help, as anyone who likes hard cider knows. Other fruit juices or mixtures may not ferment so easily. If their sugar content is low, adding sugar or molasses will help. Sometimes the wild yeasts in the air are not the right kind or strong enough, and adding a little yeast will help.”

“If the liquid still refuses to ferment there is no use going on with it.”

For canning, a too-weak vinegar can result in spoilage and even botulism. It should be five percent (or five grain).

Don’t want to spend money on a wine testing kit? That’s okay: there’s a “simple” way to test acidity without one-“simple,” in the homestead context of course, meaning it’s a lot of work but all it requires is a few small glasses and jars, an eyedropper, a little baking soda, a small amount of store-bought vinegar and a head of red cabbage.

Then all you do is titrate your vinegar. Titration is the process of determining the strength of a solution in terms of the smallest amount of a reagent of known concentration required to bring about a given effect in reaction with a known volume of the test solution. . . but don’t worry, you don’t have to know all about that to do it.

Here’s how it works:

Titration

In one small jar put a solution of baking soda in water. The amount doesn’t matter, but it should be enough so that a little undissolved soda settles to the bottom of the jar after you mix it well.

In the other jar, put some water left from cooking red cabbage. You want a strong purple: steam a head of cabbage in just a small amount of water.

Next, put a few ounces of water in the two glasses. The amount doesn’t matter, but make certain you have the same amount in both.

Use the eyedropper to put enough drops of the purple liquid into the water in the glasses to give the water a definite color. Again, be careful to put the same amount in each glass.

Rinse the eyedropper in water, then in the five-grain store-bought vinegar. Then put seven drops of the store-bought vinegar into one of the glasses of colored water which, if you want to be scientific, you can label” standard” or “control.”

Rinse the eyedropper in water again, then in your homemade vinegar, and add seven drops to the other glass. . . which you can label “test.”

Now rinse the eyedropper in water again, then in the baking soda solution. Put 20 drops of the baking soda solution in the “standard” glass. Stir it with a glass rod or plastic spoon.

The water will turn blue. The exact shade depends on the pH of your water. Then add baking soda solution, one drop at a time—don’t forget to keep track of the drops to the test glass. Stir after adding each drop.

Do this until the color of the water in the test glass exactly matches the color of the water in the standard glass.

If you add a drop too much, no problem. Just don’t count that one. When the colors match, the acid content of your homemade vinegar is equal to the number of drops of baking soda solution you put in the test glass divided by four.

Example: if you used 28 drops of solution, the acidity is 28 divided by 4, or 7%.

But your homemade vinegar recipe calls for, or more likely assumes, 5%.

So what now?

Water it down. To make it 5%, subtract 5 from whatever your homemade vinegar tested: in our example, 7-5=2. Multiply that times the amount of vinegar (in ounces) you’re going to dilute. Let’s say you have one quart, or 32 ounces. 32 x 2 = 64. Divide that by 5, and you get 12.8.

Add 12.8 ounces of water to dilute 32 ounces of 7% vinegar to 5% acidity.

Vinegar has an infinite amount of uses and pops up in some of our favorite recipes, like this delicious recipe for three-bean salad.

Originally published in Countryside July / August 1999 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

How to Make Vinegar and Homemade Vinegar Recipes was originally posted by All About Chickens

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foursprouthealth-blog · 6 years

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11 Mother's Day Gifts Under $50 That Are More Thoughtful Than Flowers

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/health/11-mothers-day-gifts-under-50-that-are-more-thoughtful-than-flowers/

11 Mother's Day Gifts Under $50 That Are More Thoughtful Than Flowers

It’s that time again! Mother’s Day is on the horizon. But while April’s unrelenting showers have finally begun to bring May flowers, that’s no excuse to cheap out and give the woman who gave you (or your kids, or your partner, or your ex-boyfriend whose mom still loves you more than him) life yet another skimpy corner store bouquet. If your queen-for-a-day enjoys the finer things in life (i.e., food and drink), do yourself a favor and grab her one of these 11 mom-approved Mother’s Day gifts for less than 50 big ones. She deserves it.

1. The Neighborgoods Dish Towels and Onesies

Brighten up any Mom’s kitchen with a couple of these ridiculously charming dish towels displaying whimsical illustrated recipes or fruit- and veggie-related puns. And if the mom in your life is still in baby food and bottle mode, these produce-inspired onesies will definitely make her day. “I’m kind of a big dill”? Get outta here with that cuteness.

($18 – $26; theneighborgoods.com)

2. Kate Spade Diner Stripe Apron

No matter how many times your mom told you she wasn’t a short-order cook growing up, there’s no way she can resist this adorable retro apron. It’s 100-percent cotton with front slide pockets and eye-catching magenta stripes and, get this, there’s even a measuring guide printed conveniently on the underside. And as an added bonus, it also encourages eating cake for breakfast. That’s a win-win.

($30; katespade.com)

3. SANS Original Smoothie Bottle

Health-conscious moms know the struggle of keeping their breakfast smoothie or cold-pressed juice fresh and tasty while dealing with all the inevitable meltdowns, frustrations, and interruptions that make up a typical morning. Thankfully, these vacuum-sealed bottles will do the job for them, preserving all that good vitamin-rich flavor by preventing oxidation. Made with nontoxic, BPA-free materials, they’re also equipped with a leak-proof lid to keep spills at bay.

($30; sans-bottle.com)

4. Williams Sonoma Marble & Copper Monogram Cutting Board

This sturdy handmade board combines smooth, shiny ash gray marble with a slick customized copper inlay for the ultimate home entertaining power move. Because doesn’t a good Stilton taste that much better when it’s served with a little swagger?

($31.96; williams-sonoma.com)

5. MiniPresso GR Espresso Maker

Ideal for the busy mom (a.k.a. all moms), this genius, surprisingly lightweight contraption will take you from bean to brew quickly, efficiently, and deliciously. All she needs is grounds and hot water and Mom’s next cup of piping hot espresso, topped with luscious crema, of course, is well within reach.

($49.50; amazon.com)

6. GOVERRE Portable Wine Glass

Show your favorite mama that sippy cups aren’t just for toddlers with one of these shatter-resistant wine glasses. The sleek, white 17-ounce vessel is dishwasher safe; capped with a secure, removable lid; and comes swaddled in a colorful silicone sleeve for maximum grippability (especially when you’re juggling keys, your purse, a screaming infant, a bowl of cheerios, and a loaded diaper bag).

($24; goverre.com)

7. Chandon 2018 Blanc de Noirs 45th Anniversary Edition

Cool as it is, that new GOVERRE glass is meaningless without something delicious to fill it up. This limited-edition bottle from Napa Valley sparkling wine pros Chandon is sure to do the trick. Produced entirely from red grapes, the Pinot Noir-heavy vintage is round, bright, and fruit-forward with just a hint of spice, making it an excellent pick for whatever carnivorous delight mom has in the oven or on the grill. And the fact that it’s crafted by a female winemaker adds a touch more Mother’s Day flair.

($24; chandon.com)

8. Creative Co-Op Honey Pot With Wood Dipper and Manuka Honey

A honey packed with as many awesome health properties as New Zealand’s beloved Manuka deserves a honeypot as pretty as this classic hobnob-style number. Put together this DIY care kit, and that lucky mom in your life will soon be enjoying all those skin-softening, virus-killing, hangover-battling benefits in sweet, sweet style.

($16.50; amazon.com) ($26.59; amazon.com)

9. Crate and Barrel Garden Jar Herb Kit

Indoor plants are the gift that keeps on giving, and that goes double when you’re talking plants you can eat. This nifty three-jar set comes with everything Nonna needs to perfect her Sunday gravy, including organic basil, organic parsley, and non-GMO mint seeds; a stainless steel net pot that fits snugly into the top of the jar; and a simple hydroponic system that keeps the little guys fed, watered, and happy 24 hours a day.

($49.95; crateandbarrel.com)

10. Rifle Paper Co. Recipe Box

Husband-and-wife-owned Rifle Paper Co. is known for the gorgeous prints adorning the majority of its inventory, from aprons and sneakers to these handy recipe boxes. The team put their stationery background to work here, filling each of the four timeless, gold-labeled tins with 12 letterpress dividers and 24 vintage-style recipe cards to hold all of the family’s culinary secrets that will inspire mom when she cooks.

($34; riflepaperco.com)

11. Riedel Optical O, Louis, Spey & Fire Tumblers

If yours is the kind of mother that prefers whiskey to wine and prides herself on her antique decanter collection, this brand new barware set from the legendary Riedel is all for you. These four Art Nouveau-inspired cocktail glasses are solidly built and sport unique designs that’ll add a classic edge to whatever spirited concoction Mom’s gotten into.

($29.50 for set of 2; riedel.com)

#Health

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foursprout-blog · 6 years

Text

11 Mother's Day Gifts Under $50 That Are More Thoughtful Than Flowers

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/health/11-mothers-day-gifts-under-50-that-are-more-thoughtful-than-flowers/

11 Mother's Day Gifts Under $50 That Are More Thoughtful Than Flowers

1. The Neighborgoods Dish Towels and Onesies

($18 – $26; theneighborgoods.com)

2. Kate Spade Diner Stripe Apron

($30; katespade.com)

3. SANS Original Smoothie Bottle

($30; sans-bottle.com)

4. Williams Sonoma Marble & Copper Monogram Cutting Board

($31.96; williams-sonoma.com)

5. MiniPresso GR Espresso Maker

($49.50; amazon.com)

6. GOVERRE Portable Wine Glass

($24; goverre.com)

7. Chandon 2018 Blanc de Noirs 45th Anniversary Edition

($24; chandon.com)

8. Creative Co-Op Honey Pot With Wood Dipper and Manuka Honey

($16.50; amazon.com) ($26.59; amazon.com)

9. Crate and Barrel Garden Jar Herb Kit

($49.95; crateandbarrel.com)

10. Rifle Paper Co. Recipe Box

($34; riflepaperco.com)

11. Riedel Optical O, Louis, Spey & Fire Tumblers

($29.50 for set of 2; riedel.com)

#Health

0 notes

thegrapegeeks · 7 years

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Welcome to our first annual list of Gifts for the Wine Lover Who Has Everything!

Trying to buy a unique and memorable gift for the person who loves wine? Are you searching for a vino-centric present that will be sure to wow that hard to please friend or relative? Here’s my pick for the top 10 unusual wine themed gifts that are sure to impress the person who’s impossible to shop for.

1. Wine Cellar Leggings $39.00, Brave New Look Fashionable ladies will adore these super soft, lightweight and comfortable wine glass leggings! Perfect to pair with a glass of wine while relaxing at home and a fun ensemble to wear to the gym, these are sure to give your outfit a splash of whimsy. Available in a huge range of sizes from XS to 5X.

2. Party Cats Stemless Wine Glasses and MosCATo $35.00, Pier One / $25.00, IWA Here’s the purrfect gift for all of those cat lovers in your life. Invite these festive felines over for your next party (or if you’re drinking for one with a kitty on your lap)! These stemless goblets are handcrafted of soda lime glass and hold about 20 ounces each. As fun and functional as they are adorable. And for the real crazy cat lady in your life, why not throw in a bottle of MosCATo wine for cats? This organic (and yes, nonalcoholic) pet-friendly “wine” is made from beet juice and other natural ingredients that are sure to make your pet purr.

3. Rabbit Table Wine Opener $150.00, Williams Sonoma Now here’s a gadget so sleek and xxinteresting in its eye-popping design that everyone will love oohing and aahing over it. The table wine opener from Rabbit sits on your counter top and makes uncorking your favorite vintages an exercise in artistic style and flair. The ultra chic and modern design has a hand finished metal frame and lovely acacia wood platform with black and gold accents. It’s a real beauty, and functional to boot.

4. Wine Lovers 12 Days of Christmas Kitchen Towel $12.00, Sur La Table The perfect hostess gift or a fun way to update your holiday kitchen, this 100% cotton flour sack dish towel will be adored by any wine lover. This durable cotton towel is a large 18×26″ in size and a cute way to dress up your kitchen or wine cellar. Enjoy a chuckle with the play on words from the popular Christmas carol “The 12 Days of Chrismas” with funny revised wine-themed lyrics like “6 corkscrews turning” and “12 snobs a sniffing.”

5. Custom Wine Cork Monogram Art $30.00, Designs by Jillis / Etsy.com When only homemade will do, check out this super cute custom monogram home decor made of used wine corks. Perfect for the wine cellar, this upcycled item would make a great gift for the environmentally-friendly wine lover. Handmade from actual wine corks and recycled barn wood, this item is made to order by Etsy seller designsbyjillis.

6. Stemless Fountain Aerating Wine Glass Set $56.00, Uncommon Goods Destined to be a real conversation starter, these stemless wine glasses make a show out of aerating, a mini wine fountain in a glass! Dishwasher safe and practical, your wines are properly aerated as you pour.

7. Love2Brew Wine Kits $169.99, Cabelas Do you have a friend who swears they could be a superstar winemaker? Challenge them to put their money where their mouth is with this homemade wine kit. This easy to use set comes with everything they’ll need to craft their own bottle. It’s a gift that gives twice: it’s as fun to drink as it is to make!

8. Winekeeper Wine by the Glass $1,875.00, IWA Ever wanted to bring a little piece of your favorite wine bar to your home? Well now you can, thanks to the Winekeeper Monterey! Wine lovers can preserve wine directly from the bottle (and have one heck of a gorgeous showpiece) in this stunning steel storage unit. The Winekeeper maintains storage and serving temperatures from 42-62 degrees F to accommodate both red and white wines. This preservation system holds up to 4 bottles of wine, with special argon gas cartridges keeping things fresh and ready to enjoy for weeks after opening.

9. Personalized Wine Barrel $595, Wine Enthusiast Understated and elegant, this beautiful whole refinished wine barrel is crafted from vintage French Oak barrels. This is a fantastic one-of-a-kind gift that can be personalized with the recipient’s name. Talk about a real conversation piece for the wine cellar!

10. Ultimate Winemaker Dinner $25,000 for Six Guests, Plumpjack Winery Imagine yourself seated at a long table, surrounded by three of the greatest modern winermakers of our time. The PlumpJack Group has unveiled The Ultimate Winemaker Dinner, an exclusive dining experience for six guests hosted by Winemakers Aaron Miller (PlumpJack Winery), Danielle Cyrot (CADE Estate Winery), and Jeff Owens (Odette Estate Winery) and Managing Partner John Conover. The intimate dinner experience will include some of the most sought-after Napa Valley wines from the lauded 2015 vintage expertly paired with thoughtful dishes created by famous 3-Michelin-Star Chef Christopher Kostow of Meadowood Napa Valley. If anyone wants to buy this gift for The Grape Geeks, we will love you forever!

Top 10 Holiday Gifts for the Wine Lover Welcome to our first annual list of Gifts for the Wine Lover Who Has Everything! Trying to buy a unique and memorable gift for the person who loves wine?

#christmas #gift ideas #Holiday #wine gift ideas #wine lover

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livingthelifemedia · 7 years

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25 Wine Making Tips

Have you ever wished you had an experienced winemaker looking over your shoulder as you prepared to harvest your first crop of grapes or tested acid levels? How about as you scratched your head over how to clarify a cloudy wine or tried fermenting fresh peach juice? We know what that’s like, so we asked some of our most trusted winemaking authorities to share a few of their personal tricks and tips they use for their own wines. Their combined years of knowledge revealed everything from the practical (pick the ‘jack stems’ out of your grapes) to the tactical (move a heavy carboy with a plant dolly). Help yourself to a few ideas and tackle your next winemaking endeavor like an expert. Grape Growing and Harvesting *Wes Hagen, WineMaker’s “Backyard Vines” columnist and vineyard manager-winemaker at Clos Pepe Vineyards in Lompoc, California.* - *Keep it cool* Harvest grapes cool and never let them get hot or sit in the sun after picking. Use food-grade dry ice to cool down must in the fermenter to extend cold soak. This is also a great idea for grapes picked on a hot day, or grapes that are hot from transport. - *Do the legwork* Spend some time picking ‘jack stems’ out of your must to avoid stemmy or vegetal character. *Blending, Clarifying and Testing* *Dan Mouer, contributor to WineMaker and 27-year winemaker from Richmond, Virginia.* - *Take a taste (or two!)* Don’t be afraid to poke a (sanitized) wine thief into a carboy and draw a sample periodically. Make tasting notes in your cellar book or wine log. Taste it shortly after fermentation, then again routinely as it bulk ages. Then set aside a bit of the bottled stuff for occasional formal taste-tests. Don’t forget to top up your carboy after taking your sample. *John Peragine, contributor to WineMaker and avid home winemaker from Taylorsville, North Carolina.* - *Easy fining (gelatin)* If you’re in a pinch for a fining agent, try unflavored gelatin. Keep in mind, however, that it will have an effect on tannins. *Jack Keller, creator of The Home Winemaking Page (http:winemaking.jackkeller.net ) and WineMaker writer.* - *Easy fining (egg white)* Egg white is one of the best general-purpose clarifying agents. It will also improve a too-tannic wine. Gently beat a separated white with a small amount of unclarified wine and a pinch of salt. Use half a white for each five-gallon (19 L) carboy and use by adding the mixture to the wine and stirring with a long, sterilized rod. Refit the airlock and set aside for at least ten days. - *Easy tannin remedy* Add two or three drops of whole milk per gallon (3.8 L) of wine for overly tannic white wines. The proteins in the milk precipitate the tannins in the wine and the result is a fine coating of lees. - *If you can’t test – taste* If you don’t have an acid test kit to measure and calculate additions to a wine you think is acid-deficient, pour a 380 ml sample and adjust it to taste in measured increments. Multiply the amount added by ten times the number of gallons to be treated. You can also use fractions of a teaspoon and multiply. *David Salaba, wine expert at Keystone Homebrew Supply of Montgomeryville & Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (www.keystonehomebrew.com ) and graduate of UC-Davis. * - *Get a clean juice sample* After thoroughly stirring the must in the open-top fermenter, take a large kitchen strainer and place it on top of the must. Slowly press the strainer into the must with both hands, being careful not to push too fast. A clean puddle of juice will slowly fill the basket – without all of the gunk! You can also use this method for a sample to check the fermentation progress. Just remember that the cap must be broken up and stirred thoroughly or else the ongoing fermentation will change the characteristics of the juice in the cap vs. the juice at the bottom of the fermenter. *Bottling and Aging * *Walt Huber, frequent contributor to WineMaker, and winemaking instructor specializing in sparkling wine from Maineville, Ohio.* - *Prevent overflowing carboys* When racking from one carboy to another, rack the first cup or so into a wine glass. This gives you a small sample to smell and taste while the racking finishes, and also ensures that the receiving carboy doesn’t overflow. All carboys are not exactly the same. If the first one is a little bigger than the second, it won’t overflow. When the racking is complete, use the wine in the glass to top up the receiving carboy. *Wayne Stitzer, winemaking consultant and professional member of the American Wine Society.* - *Keep a library of your wines* Put away a couple bottles of each vintage and variety for future reference and to monitor for aging potential and shelf life. This is also a gauge for improving skills and styles. The only way to know if you are getting better is to have something to compare. This is often overlooked because when a few bottles are produced they tend to all get consumed. *David Salaba, wine expert at Keystone Homebrew Supply of Montgomeryville & Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (www.keystonehomebrew.com ) and graduate of UC-Davis. * - *Label everything (part 1 - chemicals)* Many chemicals and ingredients degrade over time, losing (or even gaining) potency, neither of which can be good for your wine. As soon as you buy a product, take a permanent marker and write the date on the lid and the label, just in case the container gets reused. It takes only a second or two to do, and can help avoid the, “golly, I wonder if this stuff is still good?” or, “What the heck, I’ll use it anyway” syndromes. *Chris Colby, Editor of WineMaker and Brew Your Own magazines.* - *Label everything (part 2 - carboys)* When you first start making wine, you’ll know that the carboy full of red wine is your Cabernet and the carboy full of white contains your Chardonnay. However, a couple years down the road, when you have multiple carboys and jugs filled – it’s easy to lose track of what vessel contains what wine. Tape an index card to each container and note all the relevant information (type of wine, initial Brix and acid, skin contact time, when the wine was fined – and with what agent, oak treatments, when it was racked, etc.). Every time you rack to a new container, transfer the index card as well. *Wine Kits* *Tim Vandergrift, WineMaker’s “Wine Kits” columnist and technical services manager at Winexpert Ltd.* - *Find your fermenter’s fill line* The best way to hit the right volume in your primary fermenter is by filling the carboy up to the neck with cool water. Rack or pour the water into the primary and draw a line with permanent marker at the water level. This will be the fill level. - *Have patience* Just because your wine kit is ready to drink in six weeks doesn’t mean that it’s ready to drink! Try a bottle in three months, another at six, then decide if it’s ready. *Walt Huber, frequent contributor to WineMaker, and winemaking instructor specializing in sparkling wine from Maineville, Ohio.* - *Watch out for water* Always use distilled or reverse osmosis water if you’re adding it to your wine, especially in kits. City, spring and well water may have minerals or chemicals that can cause off flavors. *Temperature and Fermentation* *Jack Keller, creator of The Home Winemaking Page and WineMaker writer.* - *Start a starter* A balanced yeast starter solution begun 20 hours before needed will significantly increase the amount of live cells you start with. Use a cup of water, a teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of yeast nutrient dissolved in it. After four hours, add 1/4 cup of must or orange, apple or grape juice. Add another 1/4 cup of must or juice every four hours. For periods beyond 20 hours, begin with a pint of starter solution instead of a cup. - *Check your calibrations* If you purchase (or are given) a used hydrometer, always calibrate it before using it. Very old hydrometers were calibrated at 4 °C (39 °F). Then calibration changed to 15 °C (59 °F) and stayed that way for half a century. These days, most hydrometers are calibrated to 20 °C (68 °F) at which temperature distilled water should measure a specific gravity of exactly 1.000 (0 °Brix). *Jim Harrington, Harrington Press Winemaking & Homebrew Supplies (www.harringtonpress.com ), Peoria, Illinois.* - *Modify your plastic fermenter* Drill a hole in the lid big enough to fit a #10 stopper where the grommet hole is. This makes stirring, taking readings and sampling much easier than having to remove the lid. *Country Wines* *Alexis Hartung, WineMaker’s “Varietal Focus” columnist and owner of Country Wines winemaking supply (www.countrywines.com ), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. * - *Freshness is key* It’s best to use ripe fruit but overripe fruit can bear potential problems (bacteria, off-flavors). Also, cut away and discard bruised sections. For fresh, fruity flavors rack the wine three to six weeks after the fermentation stops. - *Choose the right additives* Use potassium metabisulfite, not sodium metabisulfite to avoid a possible salty taste. Also be sure to carefully measure sulfite to be sure you don’t use too much. *Jack Keller, creator of The Home Winemaking Page (http:winemaking.jackkeller.net ) and WineMaker writer.* - *Save your peelings* If you have a peach tree and make lots of pies or freeze peeled wedges, remember that one and a quarter pound of peelings, with sugar, acid blend, etc., makes an excellent gallon of peach wine. Peelings can be frozen in bags until you have enough to make a batch. - *Skip the juicer* Use a paring knife to cut a slit, crosswise to the axis of a lemon, past the center to a depth of about 2/3 through. Place the lemon in a microwave oven with the slit facing up and cook on high for 20 – 25 seconds. Squeeze the juice out through the slit. This method saves a lot of hand strength. *Techniques* *Chris Farley of Northern Brewer homebrew supply (www.northernbrewer.com ), St. Paul, Minnesota * - *Draining your carboys* When you’re emptying a carboy filled with cleaning solution, try inserting a small (one foot length or so) tube while the carboy is upside-down so part of it sticks above the water line. Air will exit out of the tube allowing the liquid to come out fast, which speeds up your cleaning time. *Daniel Goodman, of The Good Brewer homebrew and wine supply, Livermore, California. * - *Storing carboys* After you clean and sanitize your carboy, you can put it up for long-term storage (or short-term if you turn over wine quickly enough) by putting in a pint or two of water and three or four campden tablets. Place a solid stopper on the carboy and turn it upside down (use a carboy holder if you have one). As the tablets dissolve, they create SO2. Since the carboy is upside down it creates a seal so the gas doesn’t escape. When you’re ready, just empty it out and fill – no prep! - *Moving carboys* To move heavy carboys, use a plant dolly like the ones used for large potted plants. They are only a few inches high, which makes it much easier to get them on the dolly and wheel them to wherever you want them. Read the full article

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