# Running Low!



## JWMINNESOTA (Mar 22, 2007)

I was starting to run low on Georges packaging peanuts, so a quick contact and...







Hidden amongs all them peanuts was a fine new kit, Lambrusco!












Not the all juice kit I really wanted, but a call from dear ol' Mom in New Mexico



thatshe was coming in August made me rethink, and go for the early drinker.
Of courses one of the great delights found amongst all those fresh peanuts was the labels, designed by Waldo, looking Good










So...dear sweet Mom can enjoy Minnesota...and this year, I won't even notice she's here!



*Edited by: JWMINNESOTA *


----------



## Wade E (Mar 22, 2007)

Thats quite the collection of peanuts.


----------



## Waldo (Mar 23, 2007)

I open all of my packages from George at the local carwash, I just pull up to the vacum, open the box, take out any small items that were packed and then vacum the peanuts from the box


----------



## kutya (Mar 26, 2007)

Waldo, it's no fun uless the kids can throw them around the house a little....


----------



## pkcook (Mar 26, 2007)

Keep us posted on this kit. I love lambrusco!


Also, enjoy your new basketball coach! Tubby is a fine man.


----------



## hdhunter (Mar 26, 2007)

pkcook said:


> Keep us posted on this kit. I love lambrusco!
> 
> 
> Also, enjoy your new basketball coach! Tubby is a fine man.










VERY excited about that news!!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Mar 27, 2007)

The Lambrusco is comiing alonge fine, should be ready for secondary Thursday or Friday.






Smells incredible, and the fermintation...well, I can hear the thumping when im down in the basement



, also had some bottling to do today, Pinot Grigio came out just fine.






Didnt have enough clear bottles, and the ol hobby shop only had green left, so a few in green.






I had already taken some to the basement when I thought of a few pics, so before you ask, that accounts for the missing ones...BUUURP



*Edited by: JWMINNESOTA *


----------



## NorthernWinos (Mar 27, 2007)

Looking good...that Pinot sure is nice and clear...And the color of that Lambrusco is awesome....Keep up with the photos...love em!!!


----------



## Wade E (Mar 27, 2007)

Nice Job JW.


----------



## geocorn (Mar 27, 2007)

We are going to try some new peanuts. Not suppose to carry the static electricity of the ones we use. Will be curious as to feedback.


By the way, the wine looks really good.


----------



## grapeman (Mar 28, 2007)

Are they the edible peanuts George? If so they are less susceptible to electrostic charges. They are made out of vegetable oil and can actually be eaten, but I don't know who would want to



We used to get them from one of our computer parts suppliers and didn't stick nearly as bad as normal ones.


----------



## OilnH2O (Mar 28, 2007)

Who'da thunk there were so many peanut types! 
I recall getting some biodegradable peanuts years ago in stuff from REI -- they literally "melted" away in water...I think they weremade from a wheat byproduct. I like Waldo's idea though -- but I'm too excited about the box to cart it off somewhere else to open!


----------



## geocorn (Mar 28, 2007)

The bio-degradable peanuts are made from corn starch. Put them in water and they disolve. You can also eat them.


We tried using them, but they compact too much and, as a result, do not provide as much cushionas the styrofoam peanuts.


We also looked into using the air bags, but they cost more and don't do as well as the styrofoam.


----------



## Wade E (Mar 28, 2007)

How about cashews?



I like the honey roasted George!


----------



## geocorn (Mar 28, 2007)

I like cashews any way they come!






Macadamia nuts, pistachios, brazil nuts, hazelnuts. I am just a nutty person



!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Mar 28, 2007)

Its all in fun, id rather have a bag of those peanuts than damaged goods, as long as we all are giving you a hard time on the nuts, the products must be arriving ok.


----------



## NorthernWinos (Mar 28, 2007)

We got a delivery of livestock drugs once that was packaged in popcorn...threw it out to the birds...Wonder if they had run out of peanuts or what????


----------



## geocorn (Mar 28, 2007)

The peanuts do their jobvery well. We have damaged packages at a rate of about 1 per 1,000 shipments. I will take that failure rate any day! We lose more packages due to the driver not delivering the package than we do with damage, although we don't have much of a problem with that either. Except in a few isolated pockets, FedEx Ground has down an outstanding job.


----------



## Wade E (Mar 28, 2007)

1 per 1000 =



customers!


----------



## maize (Mar 28, 2007)

George: 


You just have to start stocking carmel corn - then I can order candy-coated popcorn, peanuts and a prize (or a bunch of prizes)! Reminds me of my childhood.
And as always -thanks to Mark for the great job he does packaging and shipping - even if it means having to search for that last item.*Edited by: maize *


----------



## geocorn (Mar 28, 2007)

We try to make every aspect of dealing with us, rewarding!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Mar 30, 2007)

So its day 8 , sg has been at 1.00 for two days, thats right, time to rack to secondary for Mr. Lambrusco...




Filler up! Smell is truly incredible, didn't taste it (much, yeah its good). Big difference between this and the Pinot Noir I have going is the addition of oak. Lambrusco calls for it in the secondary, while the Pinot was in the primary. Anyone know the difference in the two methods? Instructions say the alcohol content helps extract the oak , be interesting to do two of these and see if there is truly a difference. The oak for Lamb was a dark, but didn't specify what kind, maybe a Minnesota Oak?




Two happy cousins, only a week or two apart, man, I better round up some more bottles soon!


----------



## NorthernWinos (Mar 30, 2007)

I have wondered about the difference of adding oak to the primary or secondary too.....


Last week I mixed up a Strawberry/Red Grape and put the oak in the Primary, did the same this week with a Raspberry/Red Grape...so have 2 good tests going....also added a Vanilla Bean to each batch.


Found some oak chips stuck in the Primary spigot, that was the only problem that way.


Might get more oak extraction in the secondary because of more contact time...Time will tell.


----------



## OilnH2O (Mar 30, 2007)

George, your peanuts do great, and FedEx ground too...


I hesitate to tell a story on my ex -- but years ago when I was in the Army she sent me a box of cookies -- weighed about 10 lbs and shook like BB's went I got it. And upon opening, I found all the cookies broken into crumbs and mixed thoroughly with the popcorn. It was really hard to figure out a way to tell her, without being "judgemental" -- "Honey, I think you're supposed to POP the popcorn before you pack the cookies...."


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 4, 2007)

Time to Stabilize and Clear Pinot Noir, so here we go....






At first I didn't think much gas coming off of it, but then..quick, get a glass!




Don't have a fizz-x , but things were slow one night at work, so a trip to the shop, looking through the scrap stainless and wallah , a Jw-X






Its been working great, and its very heavy duty...if anything it might wreck my drill , or destroy a carboy if not paying careful attention, so as they say "Don't try this at Home"...But I do.


----------



## grapeman (Apr 4, 2007)

Excellent work JW. I would say a equivalent one of a kind tool to the stailnless fizz-x.


----------



## Wade E (Apr 4, 2007)

Nice JW!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 5, 2007)

Had the day off yesterday, so was busy catching up on all the honey do's...down in the basement sawing and hammering, wondering how to get out of that long list, when it hit me! hey Dear!, you hungry? Road trip...




Hey, that guy on the right is building a vinyard behind his barn..I better stop in some day and see if he needs a hand!




Its too cold to fire up the grill, and snow flurries would make it no fun, Lets let this guy do the cookin!






Of course I ate all mine, but can always count on the wife to have some left for later! Rib Tips, make a nice snack after all the chores are done.




Ahh, the mighty Minnesota river, running full. Had a real hard time when we moved here getting my sense of direction, think the fact this river runs north may of had something to do with that. Its on its way to the Mississippi...and im off to the basement to finish that to do list, but it was a nice break!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 5, 2007)

Oh Yeah, the hammerin' an sawin'...


----------



## grapeman (Apr 5, 2007)

Good job JW. A place to put some of your Private Reserve. What kind of wine did you have with the ribs?


----------



## Wade E (Apr 5, 2007)

That rack looks lonely! Nice job. Now you just have to fill it, thats the hardest part!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 5, 2007)

appleman said:


> Good job JW. A place to put some of your Private Reserve. What kind of wine did you have with the ribs?




Ice Tea..



Guess all those years of telling the kids "If I ever catch you drinking and driving..." Well, at least I got the message,and never have one even with a dinner if we are out,so had to wait till I dipped into the left overs, then a glass of Pineapple Wine made in January, not bad together!


----------



## NorthernWinos (Apr 5, 2007)

Like your rack JW....I would like to have one from that plan someday....


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 6, 2007)

Thanks for the complements, this was the first try, just to see how it comes out,and for basement storage (hiding)Thinking of getting some quality wood, and maybe some slight modifications to put upstairs.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 11, 2007)

Day 20 already for Mr. Lambrusco, sg was .995 , so rack time!






Ever wonder what goes on deep inside when your racking a wine? I took a look...




Pretty cool view, wasn't easy crawling into that carboy to take a shot, not a lot of gas in this one, at least not near as much as the Pinot Noir...






While I was looking around, I took a peak at my mead, Clover and Buckwheat honey, Blueberries, Banana , and dark toast French Oak, gotta wonder how that will turn out.




Getting so close to done on the two Kits I have going, already looking ahead, think I need more peanuts from George, so....thinking Chardasia, sound interesting!


----------



## geocorn (Apr 11, 2007)

You realize of course that all of you that are ordering the strange name MM kits are making me question what I have been told about wine names. I was taught that the strange names don't sell. I am not having any trouble with the Greesling, Chardonasia, etc. I even sold a Pinomer which sounds way too close to Pee-No-More.


----------



## grapeman (Apr 11, 2007)

Those surely are nice and dark. I love the look of that last one with all the big purple bubbles.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 11, 2007)

Did you really think any of your customers fit the average profile?



You could put your winemaster members up against any forum group, and they wouldtruly baffle and impress them with there knowledge and experiences!


----------



## Wade E (Apr 11, 2007)

Nice pics JW and I bet that mead is going to be GGGOOOOOODDD!


----------



## geocorn (Apr 11, 2007)

JW,


You are sooooooo correct!






and I stand properly chastised for not remembering the quality of my wine makers!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 14, 2007)

Was visiting my little friends this morning, when I noticed a hairline crack starting on the neck of a gallon of cherry I have been bulk aging since January, so off to bottle land it went... 





Turned out there was just enough for 5 bottles, and a small sample. I didn't plan on bothering with a label, but one taste and I figured it deserved one! Very smooth, cherry flavor already coming to the front very nicely! These wont last, thats for sure!*Edited by: JWMINNESOTA *


----------



## PolishWineP (Apr 14, 2007)

Nice work! Love the labels! Sample time!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 14, 2007)

Racked the Mead, what a color!


----------



## Wade E (Apr 14, 2007)

JW, those look really nice including the labels and yea that mead is a strange color! Kinda pretty!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 15, 2007)

Friend of mine stopped by after work tonight to donate to the bottle cause, glanced in the box and saw this label, turns out his uncle makes wine, what a hobby! Now I just got to get a message to "uncle" and direct him to the best forum for wine making!






Always fun to see others handy work, I like this guy and haven't met him "yet" !


----------



## geocorn (Apr 15, 2007)

The more the merrier!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 19, 2007)

I finally got around to ordering the Chardasia today, oh what excitementand anticipation itis to look forward to playing with the new peanuts!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 21, 2007)

While waiting on the next shipment of George's Fine Vine Peanuts, did a little bottling...




Thats 30, count em, bottles of Pinot Noir. Dressed em up with black shrinks, and a quickly made label...




Lacking a bit on the creative side, the ol' coat of arms will do in a pinch. Taste isn't as good as the Lambrusco, to me, but then I'm no expert in any area, maybe with age (me or the wine)I will develop a taste for it. Speaking of the lambrusco, its ready too, but think I will age a bit in the carboy, thats better than seeing an empty sitting there with nothing to put in it. Now we wait for the Chardasia to arrive, and tend to the few still fermenting, the meads, Cab, and Riesling. Maybe build another wine rack in the meantime, looks like I'll need it.


----------



## Wade E (Apr 21, 2007)

Very nice JW.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 22, 2007)

Isn't it something how the mead color changes so quickly.


----------



## Wade E (Apr 22, 2007)

Wow, 8 days and it went from Pepto to wine!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 22, 2007)

THATS what it looked like , LOL, I couldnt put my finger on it, but Pepto it was!


----------



## Wade E (Apr 22, 2007)

I bet it will still sooth your tummy!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 25, 2007)

So I just got home form work, and who pulls up...FED EX! At first I thought OH NO!, I'm (lucky me) that 1 in 1000 that got a damaged package...












Before I could say a thing, the driver said "They loaded your box on my top rack, its busted a little, please open it and inspect so I can make sure there are no damaged goods"






Thanks to an excellent packing job, and a few of Georges quality peanuts, not a scratch! even the replacement racking cane was A OK!
The moral of the story...Quality Businesses do business with quality Businesses...Hats off to Fed Ex, And of course to George and all the good people at FVW!


----------



## Wade E (Apr 25, 2007)

Awesome job George(Mark)!


----------



## geocorn (Apr 25, 2007)

Looks like it was hit with a fork lift! This picture shows why we use so many peanuts. It's cheaper than dealing with claims or disappointed customers.


----------



## grapeman (Apr 26, 2007)

I could show you something hit by a forklift! I got an engineering copier (36 inch paper) on Ebay a few years ago. It shipped by truck. When it arrived-packed on a pallet it was absolutely smashed! $7500 repairs estimate. It shipped by Green(choose a different color of dandelions)Freight. Thier insurance coverage is a joke and I would never use them again. A company standing behind their own actions says a lot about the company(like FVW and FEDEX). I ended up being lucky my business policy covered my equipment in transit. Lice job packing George and Mark!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 27, 2007)

Got busy this A.M. , Lambrusco in the bottle, Dressed up with shrinks and a nice label from Waldo.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 27, 2007)

Was like a kid with a new toy he can't play with looking at the Chardasia, and not having an available primary...when it hit me, hey that bucket looks like it IS a primary! So , GENTLY laid it over and removed those sweet juices...




Would make a nice pillow, but I have better plans for it, then scrub with a NEW soft sponge, and sanitize...






Now for the lid, the hole is marked where the airlock would go, so a little drilling, scrub and sanatize, and all ready...




Had a grommet on a 1 gallon primary not in use, so in place it went. Then came the dilemma of how to get the juice from the bag to the primary, a little extra attention and caution, and was able to pour from the table to the bucket, didn't spill a drop!






While this was going on, the bentonite was re hydrating as per instructions, mixed in well with the JW-X ...






Took sg reading and temp, all within spec, so pitched the yeast,Lalvin EC-1118 , and tucked it away to begin its journey into wine.






Maybe some are curious as to the instructions on these all juice kits, well here they are, easy enough to follow I think.


----------



## geocorn (Apr 27, 2007)

Looking good! Let us know how the smaller primary works.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 27, 2007)

Since we're among friends here, I'll go ahead and tell on myself, I only got 29 bottles of the Lambrusco, that ain't ice tea in the gallon jar in the fridge!







George, it will depend on how vigorous the fermentation is, not allot of room to play around with there, will have to keep close watch on it.


----------



## geocorn (Apr 27, 2007)

I will appreciate any feedback as I am skeptical about using the 6.5 gallon pail. Thank for posting the pics.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 29, 2007)

So far so good, the fermentation on the Chardasia is picking up speed as expected, no issues with smaller primary. 






Racked and Oaked a Cab this morning,Thanks to Waldo for advice on the Oak, making it for a friend, not a big fan myself, But the Riesling will be all mine(ok, maybe wife will let me have a glass)added Strawberries to primary, racked it this morning also.





*Edited by: JWMINNESOTA *


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (Apr 30, 2007)

Day 3 and we are starting to see a little blow-bye in the airlock, I've had worse, but in this case a bigger primary would indeed have been better.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (May 6, 2007)

Took a couple of extra days to get to 1.020, but there at last, racked to carboy, smells really good, I've never been a big chard fan, but malvasia has long been a favorite, think this blend will be awesome.






Just hope I don't mix it up with the apple ale in the background, and try to prime and bottle it!


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (May 12, 2007)

Chardasia continues along at a nice clip, nice bunch of lees developing at the bottom






Was a busy morning doing some bottling, a Gewürztraminer and Strawberry Riesling, took a shortcut on the labels, Used the one already on there



, thank goodness for bar tending friends!






And, the Blueberry Mead, doesn't look like Pepto anymore!




Now on to mow the lawn, clean the basement, and build wife a shelf, nice relaxing weekend!


----------



## Wade E (May 12, 2007)

Nice batches there!


----------



## NorthernWinos (May 13, 2007)

Nice Rosé color...


----------



## JWMINNESOTA (May 18, 2007)

Its only day two of the clearing stage, already looking really good. I'll rack this Chardasia on the 26th, Instructions recommend 6-8 weeks of bulk aging, so I will go the 8 then bottle. Waldo, It taste mighty fine!







*Edited by: JWMINNESOTA *


----------



## Trigham (May 18, 2007)

geocorn said:


> The bio-degradable peanuts are made from corn starch. Put them in water and they disolve. You can also eat them.
> 
> 
> We tried using them, but they compact too much and, as a result, do not provide as much cushionas the styrofoam peanuts.
> ...






Not to bring up an old subject but as George said they work best of all, and they really can be recycled again and agian, I know for example The UPS Stores really love it when someone brings them a few bags or even a grocery bag full of clean packing peanuts. remember they are not biodegradable so if they get resused over and over again it will stop the need to keep producing so many that only end up in our waste stations. Those of you who live near FVW I bet george will take them back with enthusiasm, they do have a cost!! Great looking pics in the post by the way!!


----------



## PolishWineP (May 19, 2007)

It sure cleared up quickly! Pretty color too.
And George, I just might be able to bring you some peanuts!


----------

