Making Homemade Wine and Beer

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Easy Wine Labels
2008-03-27 12:06:00
If you happen to stop by my house, you would find that I generally store my wine in gallon jugs. I'm just too darn lazy or getting too old to mess around with filling wine bottles.Christmas time is a different story. I love to give my better wines away as gifts to friends and family. My problem is that I generally spend hours making the perfect wine label to make my bottles look professional.This year my problem is solved. At Wine Label Builder you can make a professional looking label in less than a minute.Not only did I find this as a real time saver but if your making several cases for that special occasion you can have professionally looking labels. Even though Wine Label Builder paid for this review, I found their collection of labels to chose from quite extensive.Price wise, Wine Label Builder is very reasonable. You can also upload your own custom label and have them print them for you. So, if your looking for some professional looking labels, give Wine Label Builde...
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Stu Brew
2008-03-21 12:49:00
This recipe is taken from Victory Beer Recipes and makes 10 gallons. 17 pounds two-row pale malt2 pounds Munich malt 1 Carapils malt6 ounces crystal malt1 ounce Perle hops - 60 minutes3 ounces Saaz hops - 30 minutes1 ounce Tettnanger hops - 12 minutes1/2 teaspoon gypsumWyeast no 2206 liquid yeastBoiling time 60 minutesPrimary fermentation 14 days at 49 degreesSecondary fermentation 28 days at 49 degreesMash grains at 120 degrees, raise to 153 degrees, then to 165 degrees. sparge with 175 degree water. Force co2 to carbonate.My BlogsBeer Recipes – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes
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De-Gassing Your Wine
2008-03-18 13:05:00
Searching through Youtube and I found this unique way to de-gas your wine. Really worth watching.My BlogsBeer Recipes – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes

Redesigning Site
2008-03-13 20:19:00
I'll be spending the next few days doing an overhaul of the site. Those of you that subscribe to the site's feed my get several feeds during this process. I hope to be back on schedule next Tuesday.My BlogsBeer Recipes – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes
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India Pale Ale
2008-03-11 11:18:00
India Pale Ale, otherwise known as an IPA, is a distinct style of beer and is characterized as a sparkling pale ale with a slightly higher level of alcohol and hops than a typical Pale Ale; the hops lend it a distinct bitterness.The IPA came about in the mid 1700's as a way for British brewers to ship unspoiled beer to India. The increase in hops and alcohol prevented the beer from spoiling and made for a rather strong tasty brew.Characteristics of this beer can, as with other styles, vary somewhat, but an IPA will always exhibit the alcohol and hopping that distinguished the original. English brewers designed their IPAs with original gravities of 1070 and above, which translates to alcohol levels of a whopping 7.5 to 8%. Modern recipes usually attain a more modest level of 1050 to 1060 OG, for a subdued, yet still noticeable strength of 5.5 to 7%. Specialty malt additions of carapils and crystal contributes to the deep copperamber color and provides an undertone of faint but per...
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Blogging About Wine
2008-03-07 02:43:00
Who blogs about wine? Why, me of course. I did find this article somewhat amusing in that it seems that the casual internet user has no clue about blogs. Also amazing that newspapers are just getting around to the idea of blogging as a source of info. Hope you enjoy the article.*** Note *** Feed readers may have to visit the blog to read the article.My BlogsBeer Recipes – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes
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Diabetic Strawberry Liqueur
2008-03-04 16:23:00
I have decided to experiment with an all natural sweetener called Stevia that basically has zero carbs and is a good substitute for those who are diabetic. 1 bottle of vodka (750 ml)1 lb strawberries12 packets SteviaCut the strawberries into small pieces and place into a crock or tupperware containerAdd the Stevia and stir the berriesCover and let stand for 6 to 7 hoursAdd the vodkaCover tightly and leave for 3-4 months, shaking (shake every day for first 2 weeks then once a month)Strain into another bottle or strain as you pour the latter will add the interest of having the fruit in the bottle as you pourFor a Stevia conversion chart, check out Cooking With Stevia.My BlogsBeer Recipes – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes
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Pouring a Black and Tan
2008-02-28 21:30:00
It's almost St.Patrick's day and everyone likes to act like they are Irish. And what's more Irish, than Guinness. Use a bottle of your homebrew and a can of Guinness to make your own Black and Tan's. This article tells you how to make a Black and Tan along with some other background. Experiment and have fun.My BlogsBeer Recipes – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes

Making Your Own Wine
2008-02-26 21:26:00
So, you want to make your first wine? How do you get started and what equipment do you need? Hopefully I'll be able to guide you through the process. The first step is to decide what kind of wine you plan on making. Do you plan on making it from fresh fruit? Or, do you plan on using juice? Let's start with using frozen juice. One of the simple ways to make wine is to use frozen juice concentrate. I have used Welch's frozen concentrate for numerous wines. For a recipe, click here. You must use the frozen since it does not contain potassium sorbate. The potassium sorbate will prevent your wine from fermenting. So make sure you buy the frozen kind of juice. You can also buy juice in 5 gallon containers and these are usually specific kinds of juice. ie Merlot, Syrah, etc. Another kind of juice that you can buy is Vintner's Harvest. Usually this comes in 46 ounce or 92 ounce cans and is usually fruit. Ie. Peach, Cranberry, Raspberry, etc. The side of the can provides generic ...
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3 Basic Ways to Make Beer
2008-02-21 22:02:00
So, your tired of the mass produced swill that you have been drinking. Your ready to make a change and you want to make your "perfect" glass of suds. Well, grab a beer, sit back and for the next few Thursdays, learn how to brew your own beer. Now, in the old days, making your own beer was a long process and still is for the all-grain brewer. But, thanks to modern technology, you don't have to spend hours making beer. There are 3 basic methods in making beer. You can be an extract brewer and this will also include those who use a kit, a partial masher, or an all grain brewer. If you are a beginner, then you might want to make quite a few extract batches before move up. I will cut down on your frustration factor big time.The outline for this series is pretty simple. I'll go over the steps of the 3 basic brewing methods, talk about some equipment, and give some helpful hints in brewing. Today we will cover the steps in making an extract beer. Extract Brewing Steps1. Fill your brewpot...
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Why Is Moonshing Against The Law ?
2008-02-19 22:38:00
It's one of those cold winter's days and I'm sitting here waiting for a shipment of hops to arrive so that I can make a batch of beer. I was out of hops and had to order them online. (see why at Beer Recipes) So beer making has been put on hold. Instead, I went surfing and found this article and thought that I would share it with you.You can make your own wine and beer, can't you?By Michelle TsaiPosted Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007, at 6:50 PM ETTwo Georgia men pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges of operating a moonshine still in the Chattahoochee National Forest. One of the bootleggers faces up to 35 years in prison for his crimes: making the brew, selling it, and not paying taxes on the proceeds. Back in college, the Explainer had friends who brewed their own beer, and that wasn't against the law. So why is moonshine still illegal?Because the liquor is worth more to the government than beer or wine. Uncle Sam takes an excise tax of $2.14 for each 750-milliliter bottle of 80-p...

Pilsner Urquell
2008-02-14 22:08:00
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English Bitter
2008-02-13 01:39:00
Beer Style SeriesThe Bitter style came from brewers who wanted to differentiate these ales from other mild brews, enter pale malts and more hops. Most are gold to copper in color and are light bodied. Low carbonation. Alcohol should be low and not perceived. Hop bitterness is moderate to assertive. Most have a fruitiness in the aroma and flavor, diacetyl can also be present. These are traditionally served cask conditioned, but many breweries have bottled versions.There are three classic styles of English Bitters. They are the Ordinary (mild), the Special (moderate strength), and the Extra Special (a stong bitter). They are typically characterized with traditional hops such as Kent Goldings, Fuggles, or Brewers Gold. Just as they range from mild to strong, the color and alcohol percentage also follow.Style statistics:OG (Original Gravity): 1.039–1.042FG (Finished Gravity): 1.006–1.012IBU’s (International Bittering Units): 28–46SRM (Standard Reference Method): 12-14Alcohol (% ...

Future of Homebrewing
2008-02-07 22:21:00
These are the last few paragraphs from an article from Brew Your Own magazine that touches on the the upcoming hop crisis. Really makes you think about the short term future of homebrewing.Some folks have opined that the decrease in hop varieties will cause some homebrewers to take a break for a few years or quit altogether. Others say that, as the price of commercial beers go up, homebrewing will become a more attractive option for many. Charles Culp of Austin Homebrew Supply doesn’t see the hop shortage fundamentally changing our hobby. “Homebrewing is a lifestyle,” he says, “We do it because we like brewing. People aren’t going to throw this all away just because they can’t find anyStyrian Goldings.” We’re all going to spend some time crying in our beers over the temporary absence of our favorite hop varieties. However, this shortage will likely spur a lot of innovation in brewing and — just as with the birth of the craft brewing industry — homebrewers will ...
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Wine and Dine Your Sweetheart
2008-02-05 12:17:00
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought that I would give you another idea for you to celebrate that day. ** Note -- Feed readers may have to visit the site to view the article.Related Post: Top 10 Wine and Chocolate MatchesTechnorati Tags: Wine, Dine , Sweetheart, ValentineMy BlogsBeer Recipes – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes

Landshark Lager
2008-01-31 13:00:00
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Top 10 Wine And Chocolate Matches
2008-01-29 13:32:00
“Want to seduce someone this Valentine’s Day?” asks Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine -Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass. “Just share a glass of wine (or three) with your sweetheart.”“Wine is liquid sensuality: Its heady bouquet stimulates the appetite and its velvet caress soothes that desire,” she observes. “What other drink is described as both ‘voluptuous’ and ‘muscular’? And when you pair wine with the mouth-coating luxury of chocolate, the combination is impossible to resist.”The creamy flavors of chocolate go best with sweet, full-bodied, high-alcohol wines, MacLean notes. She suggests wines to complement 50 chocolate dishes in her online matching tool at www.nataliemaclean.com/matcher. Just click on “desserts” to find pairings for chocolate mud pie to chocolate cheesecake.Natalie’s top 10 wine and chocolate matches:1. Dark Chocolate and Banyuls, France2. Chocolate-Covered Biscotti and Recioto Della Valpolicella, ...
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Cancer Fighting Agent Found In Beer
2008-01-24 06:06:00
I knew there was a reason for me drinking beer. Short article from the United Press International about a German study. Read more below. ** Note ** Feed readers my have to visit the site to read the article. Subscribe in a readerTechnorati Tags: Beer , Cancer My BlogsBeer Recipes – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes
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Brix Scale Calculations
2008-01-22 06:01:00
In beer making you usually hear of Original Gravities being 1.0 something and some winemakers will do the same. More common in winemaking is the Brix Scale . So, what is the Brix scale and why should I know it. Basically, it measures the sugar content of your juice and knowing that you can get an idea of how much alcohol your wine will produce. Here are a couple of definitions: Brix scale from Answers.com A system of measurement, given in degrees, of the amount of sugar present in grape juice. Similar systems are used in different countries, eg. the Balling, Baumé and Oechsle scales, all providing sugar content measurements that can be used to approximate the final alcohol content of wine being produced. See also must weight. Another definition from Onlineconversion.com Balling: The name of a density scale for measuring sugar content in water base solutions. Since grape juice is primarily sugar and water, the balling scale was used for a quick and easy "sugar ...
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Jackies Abbey
2008-01-17 15:13:00
This recipe is taken from Victory Beer Recipes.Makes 5 Gallons12 pounds Alexanders pale malt extract6 ounces crystal malt4 ounces chocolate malt1 3/4 ounces bullion hops 9% - 45 minutes1/4 ounce Perle hops 7.4% - 45 minutes1 teaspoon Irish moss - 15 minutes3/4 Saaz hops 4.4% 10 minutes3/4 ounce Hallertauer hops 3% - 10 minutes1/4 ouce Saaz hops 4.4% - 1 minute1/4 ounce Hallertauer hops 3% - 1 minuteCultured Chimay yeast3/4 cup corn sugarBoiling time 60 minutesPrimary fermentation 15 days at 65 degreesPre-boil filtered water for 1 hour and steep grains at 175 degrees Subscribe in a readerTags: Beer, Belgian, Abbey, AleMy BlogsBeer Recipes – Beer, Wine and Food – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes

Using Your Hydrometer - Part 2
2008-01-15 06:01:00
Part 1 of Using Your Hydrometer deals with how to measure the sugar content of your must or wort. There are a couple of things you need to know to get an accurate measurement.Most hydrometers are calibrated to give correct readings at 59-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures thin the liquid slightly and result in lower readings than you'd get at the correct temperature. At 70 degrees F., the reading will be 0.001 low. To correct it, add 0.001 to the reading. At 77 degrees F., add 0.002. At 84 degrees F., add 0.003. At 95 degrees F., add 0.005. At temperatures above 95 degrees F., you risk killing your yeast and losing your wine. If you can't remember all that just print out the chart below. Another thing you need to know is that most hydrometers come with three scales. Specific Gravity, Balling and Brix are the ones that are usually on your hydrometer. Specific Gravity and Brix are the ones that are most used. Sugar can be measured as ounces per gall...
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Absinthe
2008-01-10 18:58:00
This article was sponsored by: Buy Absinthe Alcohol.com I received an email about a few months ago describing a drink called “The Green Fairy.” Curious, I opened the email and it was about a liquor called Absinthe. Honestly, I have never heard about this drink and had no idea what it was. So, I thought that others may have not heard of this and thought I would share some info about it. According to Wikipedia, Absinthe is a distilled, highly alcoholic (usually 68 to 80 percent) anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called Grand Wormwood or Absinth Wormwood. Absinthe is typically green (either naturally or with added color) or clear and is often referred to as la Fée Verte (’The Green Fairy’). Although it is sometimes mistakenly called a liqueur, absinthe is not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor or spirit. Absinthe is uncommon among spirits in that it is b...

Using Your Hydrometer - Part 1
2008-01-08 06:06:00
The hydrometer is a simple instrument that measures the weight--or gravity--of a liquid in relation to the weight of water. Because the relation of the gravity to water is specified, the resulting measure is called a specific gravity. A hydrometer will float higher in a heavy liquid, such as one with a quantity of sugar dissolved in it, and lower in a light liquid, such as water or alcohol. In truth, the average winemaker has no interest in the specific gravity of a must per se, but has a very keen interest in the amount of sugar dissolved in it, for yeast converts sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol. By knowing how much sugar one started with and ended with, one can easily calculate the resulting alcohol.There are many variants of the hydrometer. Some have only one scale, some two and some three. The typical hydrometer measures three things: specific gravity (S.G.), potential alcohol (P.A.), and sugar. How To Use The Hydrometer It's really pretty easy to use the hyd...
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History Of American Beer
2008-01-04 06:06:00
Nice short video about the history of beer in the United States. Note: Feed readers will have to visit the site to view the video. Subscribe in a reader Technorati Tags: Beer , American , History My BlogsBeer Recipes – Beer, Wine and Food – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes

Barleywine
2008-01-03 06:06:00
Barley Wine is a very intense and complex beverage with alcohol content equal to most wines. It is not for the faint of heart. It has a hearty, sweet malt flavor which is offset by a strong and bitter flavoring from the hops for balance. Because of the preserving qualities of alcohol, this is the best beer for storing over a long period of time. The color ranges from copper to medium brown. The strong scent of malt, hops, and even the alcohol are evident. You can even feel the warmth of the alcohol as you swallow. The bitterness ranges from medium to the highest of all beer types.Barley wine or Barleywine is a style of strong ale originating in England in the nineteenth century (derived from the March or October beers of the 18th century) but now brewed worldwide. The term was originally coined around 1900 by Bass to refer to their No. 1 Ale. It is the strongest member of the bitter family of styles.A barley wine typically reaches an alcohol strength of 8 to 12% by volume and is bre...

Blogging For Beer
2007-12-27 13:34:00
Well, not quite blogging for beer but more like other bloggers that have set goals for their blog. And, since everyone is setting goals, either for themselves or for where they work, I thought I would provide you with some material to get you started. If you are looking for some ideas for setting your goals, this list from Daily Blog Tips will give you a good head start. If you are looking to kill time at work, this list is a good one.Making Home-made Wine and Beer - 2008 Goals For This Blog2008 Plans for Sk8 DadBlog Gigs - Blogging Goals For 2008My Life with IT - Blogging Goals for 2008Butterfly Media - 2008 Blogging GoalsScott Andrew Bird - Blog goals 2008Objetivos do 1001 Gatos para 20082008 Goals For Money and BlogsKris Cpec - Blogging Goals for 2008Win A Revolution ThemeNon Profit Leadership, Innovation and Change - Goals for 20082008 Blogging Goals and The Rewards They EarnBlogging Notes - Blogging Goals for 2008The University Blog - Blogging Goals for 2008#Comments - Goal...

2008 Goals For This Blog
2007-12-19 00:10:00
With the end of the year just around the corner, I want to share with you the goals that I have for this blog. My overall goal is to make 2008 a more informative year on making wine and beer. Also, I want to explore using more video on the site even though it doesn't show up well in RSS feeds. I will continue to post every Tuesday and Thursday as I have for the past 18 months along with a twice a month Friday post. The goals for 2008 are:A series on different beer styles along with recipesA series on different wine stylesMore basic tips on making wine and beerImproved navigation to find tipsIncrease in video use for postsFriday post for news articles, opinions and rantsTweaking the blog designThese are the goals for 2008. I'm excited about trying to achieve them for this blog. Enjoy the holidays and I'll see you right after the new year. Subscribe in a readerMy Blog sBeer Recipes – Beer, Wine and Food – Making Homemade Wine and Beer – Wine Recipes
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Blogging Vacation - Safety Dance
2007-11-17 15:43:00
Don't you wish that you could be doing this instead of working? I sure do. So, in keeping with that spirit, I am taking the rest of the year off as far as posting on my blogs.It's holiday time and time to make merry and enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas an the New Year.So enjoy the time, and I'll be back right after Jan. 1For Your Viewing PleasureAnd remember the true reason for the seasonSpirit of Christmas Present: So! Is your heart still unmoved towards us, then?Ebenezer: I'm too old and beyond hope! Go and redeem some younger, more promising creature, and leave me to keep Christmas in my own way!Spirit of Christmas Present: Mortal! We Spirits of Christmas do not live only one day of our year. We live the whole three-hundred and sixty-five. So is it true of the Child born in Bethlehem. He does not live in men's hearts one day of the year, but in all days of the year. You have chosen not to seek Him in your heart. Therefore, you will come with me and seek Him in the hearts of ...
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Patron Saint of Beer
2007-11-13 18:44:00
I just thought that this is pretty cool. A Patron saint for beer makers.Saint Arnold was born to a prominent Austrian family in the year 580. Even back in those days the Austrians were famous for their love of beer, and admired for their brewing prowess. Beer was a proud Austrian tradition that was not wasted on young Arnold. As a young man, Arnold entered the priesthood and began moving his way up that earliest of all career ladders. At the age of 32, he was given the title Bishop, and in 612 was named "Arnold, Bishop of Metz." (Metz is in France.) He is said to have spent his life warning peasants about the health hazards of drinking water. Water was not necessarily safe to drink during the dark ages, especially around towns and villages. Nasty stuff. Arnold always had the well-being of his fo...

Utopia
2007-11-09 06:06:00
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