Wine & Other Alcohol


This would seem like an appropriate time to mention that my dad runs a vineyard, and makes really really nice wine.

Quoins Organic Vineyard

<end shameless self-promotion>

Other than that, I'm really not much of an expert, although I would recommend Casillero Del Diablo
 
fiveseven said:
This would seem like an appropriate time to mention that my dad runs a vineyard, and makes really really nice wine.

Quoins Organic Vineyard

<end shameless self-promotion>

Other than that, I'm really not much of an expert, although I would recommend Casillero Del Diablo

That is the most awesome thing I have ever heard this week.

Are you all just permanently wrecked on your never ending wine supply or do you get bored of it eventually?

Do you suddenly have hundreds of friends popping by at certain times of the year?

How is it all going overall? I'd really love to have something like that when I'm older, but I guess there is, as always, far more work involved than anyone would suspect.
 
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craigix said:
How is it all going overall? I'd really love to have something like that when I'm older, but I guess there is, as always, far more work involved than anyone would suspect.

Fermenting is actually really easy. I finished my first batch of hard cider (Turned out more like an apple wine at 18%). My aunt makes wine, and I am gearing up to do a mead next.

All it takes is a 5 gal carboy, "Other Hardware" (bottler, corker, bottles, hose, cleaning supplies), some cheap chemicals/yeast, and a vat of juice (you can get canned, which seems to be how most people start). I used fresh apple cider from a local mill for mine. I think as an initial outlay, I spent around $200 USD, but most of that is 1 time cost.
 
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There's been a few really good parties (some friends of the family got married up there a couple years ago). Unfortunately I've moved away now and miss out on them :(

We outsource the actual brewing to another local vineyard, so we only really have to worry about growing the grapes (and selling the wine of course).
A lot of the work is planting the vines in the first place, but now they're fully grown, it gets a little easier. A lot of the work is seasonal after that, so there's not a lot to do between October (harvest) and springtime (when the buds start growing). After spring, though, the vines need pruning and the occasional bit of fertilizer.
I don't know much more than that, as I haven't really worked doing any of the more complex stuff.

It is nice having a constant supply of wine, but unfortunately I'm more of a beer person.
 
craigix said:
Oh and I'm not that in to beer, but I see there is now a 32% beer! Tactical Nuclear Penguin, http://news.bbc.co.u...ast/8380412.stm

I had a beer once that was 13% and that was enough. I found that the alcohol overwhelmed the flavour, even at that percentage. If I want to drink hard liquor, I'll stick to whisk(e)y, preferably from either Scotland or Ireland. Though I did have a good Indian whisky once at a liquor tasting event. I forgot the name, but it was around 60%. I also had a Japanese whisky whose name I've also forgotten but it was terrible.

Can't recommend a wine for you though as I don't drink it. Every time I have a glass, it tastes like church.
 
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Nighttime starts. I wonder if this thread will be where the last one ended yesterday, tomorrow.
Edit: Does this make sense from a grammatical point of view? My whisky level is too high by now to realize.
Edit2:
Sorry pals, corrected. Is it whisky at all, I have to check, but boy it's hazardous stuff.
Edit: ROFL, it's Rum, so forget it :lol:
 
That's sabotage, petrol=deadly! I usually drink good old German Weizenbier, but there was this botttle in the cupboard..
 
How bad are the Germans at alcoholic beverages? FFS your national drink, bier, is probably only slightly better than English Beer (read:real ale). And that's only because you serve it cold.

Czech Lager FTW
 
Dunno, the only foreign beer I tried so far was from the netherlands. No wait, In tried Guinness and I liked it, but it was too late in the night to get a real impression. Usually I don't drink at all any more. Being good idol for my kids and all, but this weekend they are elsewhere and so let it go :lol:
 
Unfathomable Depths said:
The finest beer I've ever tasted is Crown Lager, served to almost freezing in a pub in Melbourne.

Did you try Carlton Draught while you were there?

Edit: late reply quote
 
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fr4n said:
Unfathomable Depths said:
The finest beer I've ever tasted is Crown Lager, served to almost freezing in a pub in Melbourne.

Did you try Carlton Draught while you were there?

Edit: late reply quote

Yes I did.

Australian lager on the whole is excellent :) Half pints in pubs so your beer isn't warm by the time you finish it. Stubbies are brilliant - copied mercilessly by cheap lager producers but as it's fecking freezing here in Scotland most of the time the effect is lost.
 
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