What R you doing today?

[GreenEnvy22]

At work we throw an annual BBQ for our volunteers, which is today. I made 20lbs of pork sausage, have about 30lbs or ribs, and 20lbs of chicken thighs, and 1 vegan sausage.
It's raining today (remnants of hurricane Barry) so under a tent, but all still good. I like getting paid to grill
Ribs went into smoker at 8, rest of meat will go onto the grill around 11.

 

[GreenEnvy22]

 

[Kraffty]

Our patio has a 12'x12' metal framed, screened mesh topped, covered area where we set up our table and grills. It always has an afternoon breeze but it's still pretty warm even though protected by a tall hedge on one side and the house on the other side. There was a non working and questionable looking mister system on two sides of the cover (10 misters). There was an open pvc tube at one end but no water connection and all the nozzles looked completely corroded. So today I added a PVC hose connection and all new nozzles and fired it up, works perfectly! About 3.00 for the connection and 12.00 for 20 nozzles on amazon and I'm ready for "Thursday is the new Friday" night tomorrow. Might be able to see 3 of them in the picture.

 

[ibglowin]

Gotta luv Arizona air conditioning!

 

[jgmann67]

Enjoying some time on the back patio with the pups as the sun comes up over the neighbor’s farm. Gotta mow the rest of the lawn before it gets too hot today.

 

[sour_grapes]

Now that the heat wave passed and we have some benign conditions, we are going for a sail!

 

[mainshipfred]

Now that the heat wave passed and we have some benign conditions, we are going for a sail!

Sounds like fun!

 

[mainshipfred]

Just finished my first Meritage blend. It didn't turn out quite as good as I would have liked so I only made 11 gallons. Put 8 in a barrel with a French oak stave and 3 in a carboy. I might do some acid and tannin trials with the barrel. Going to let it sit for a month before I bottle. What a pain though. 2.4 and .84 gallons out of 2 different 8 gallon barrels, 4 gallons out of a 6 gallon barrel, 1.2 gallons out of a 5 gallon carboy to name some. A lot of racking, filling and cleaning of carboys and barrels.

 

[Boatboy24]

Came home from the beach today - a long trip. I ended up with a mild stomach bug yesterday afternoon (fortunately still had a few good hours on the beach beforehand), but it passed pretty quickly and without much fanfare. It hit my wife and my youngest right as we were leaving this morning and was not as gentle on them. They were troopers, but a 4.5 hour trip ended up taking over 6.

 

[Boatboy24]

Just finished my first Meritage blend. It didn't turn out quite as good as I would have liked so I only made 11 gallons. Put 8 in a barrel with a French oak stave and 3 in a carboy. I might do some acid and tannin trials with the barrel. Going to let it sit for a month before I bottle. What a pain though. 2.4 and .84 gallons out of 2 different 8 gallon barrels, 4 gallons out of a 6 gallon barrel, 1.2 gallons out of a 5 gallon carboy to name some. A lot of racking, filling and cleaning of carboys and barrels.

I think that's the hardest part of blending for us 'little guys'. We'll do bench trials, and then I try to come up with something close that'll allow me to either use everything up, or be left with enough for 'standard' containers.

 

[mainshipfred]

Just finished my first Meritage blend. It didn't turn out quite as good as I would have liked so I only made 11 gallons. Put 8 in a barrel with a French oak stave and 3 in a carboy. I might do some acid and tannin trials with the barrel. Going to let it sit for a month before I bottle. What a pain though. 2.4 and .84 gallons out of 2 different 8 gallon barrels, 4 gallons out of a 6 gallon barrel, 1.2 gallons out of a 5 gallon carboy to name some. A lot of racking, filling and cleaning of carboys and barrels.

Edit: I tasted the wines today and after only 4 days it's like drinking 2 different wines. The barrel with the oak is much more structured, as it should be, and better than it was with out it. What puzzles me though it's also much fruitier on the nose which is different than I'm used to.

 

[wpt-me]

I capsuled and labeled two wines. A Blueberry-Pomegranate (12 bottles) and a Raspberry Tea (10 bottles).

Bill

 

[Boatboy24]

Racked the 2017 Merlot and Cab Franc, as Dad is coming over tomorrow for some blending trials. The CF is off the hook and the Merlot is pretty darn good too. While I can see that blending a little of each might be good, I'm hesitant to do too much. I had initially been willing to go as much as 50/50, but we shall see what the bench trials reveal. These are my last two batches from Lanza grapes purchased through Harford Winery. I have one more batch from there - a 2018 Chilean Carmenere/Petit Verdot field blend. 11 gallons total of that, 6 of which are in a neutral Vadai and ready to come out.

 

[mainshipfred]

Racked the 2017 Merlot and Cab Franc, as Dad is coming over tomorrow for some blending trials. The CF is off the hook and the Merlot is pretty darn good too. While I can see that blending a little of each might be good, I'm hesitant to do too much. I had initially been willing to go as much as 50/50, but we shall see what the bench trials reveal. These are my last two batches from Lanza grapes purchased through Harford Winery. I have one more batch from there - a 2018 Chilean Carmenere/Petit Verdot field blend. 11 gallons total of that, 6 of which are in a neutral Vadai and ready to come out.

How's the HHH Merlot turning out? I remember you weren't impressed initially. This evening or tomorrow I'm going to be doing the Syrah, Petite Sirah and OVZ blend.

 

[Boatboy24]

How's the HHH Merlot turning out? I remember you weren't impressed initially. This evening or tomorrow I'm going to be doing the Syrah, Petite Sirah and OVZ blend.

You know, I'm not sure. I guess it's time for a taste. I should probably rack that as well.

 

[ceeaton]

This week was a really nice week humidity wise around here. Every day a bit more heat and a bit more humidity, but no rain in the forecast until Tuesday. Decided to get the lawn done and do some trimming until the sun got behind a large atlas spruce and made some shade in the driveway. Then I had planned to build a frame to enclose my tomato garden so I might get a ripe tomato or two (mocking birds, deer). While trimming I found a ground yellow jackets nest the hard way. Those buggers even followed me into the garage. I finally went into the house and my wife removed one from my back. These guys took some skin when they stung, so I wonder if they are that nasty African strain they all talk about (not too sure they are this far north). Either way no biggie for most, but I was diagnosed at an early age with a bee allergy, so I've gotta be careful. I did have a series of shots over 3 or so years to desensitize me from their venom. Seems to be working so far, but only got stung 7 times that I can find/feel. Still have the epi-pen on standby just in case. The cool basement with a cold beer sounds like a better plan for this afternoon.

I did venture back outside, dodging anything that flies (I'm sure it's quite comical from a distance) and found where the nest is located. I'm researching the nastiest method to get rid of it this evening. My neighbor next door to the nest side ran into one a few years back pulling out a shrub and almost stopped breathing. The ambulance didn't have an epi-pen so he had to wait until he got to the hospital for treatment. I later let him know that my epi-pens are his if he needed them. Of course he had no idea I even had them.

 

[Kraffty]

Craig, I think you earned the afternoon off and a dozen cold beers of your choice after that....
Mike

 

[ceeaton]

Craig, I think you earned the afternoon off and a dozen cold beers of your choice after that....
Mike

I'll keep count. I'm working on #4 and just put some gyro meat on the grill. Smoke should keep those pesky wasps away.

BTW, I think I was lucky only getting stung 7 or so times. There is a torrent of yellow jackets in and out of that nest right now (and it should have died down a bit from me stepping on it earlier).

 

[Boatboy24]

I like your thinking, Craig and am glad you're getting some well deserved R&R. Be careful w/ the booze though - ya never know how that might react with venom + allergies.

 

[ceeaton]

I like your thinking, Craig and am glad you're getting some well deserved R&R. Be careful w/ the booze though - ya never know how that might react with venom + allergies.

I figured it would have manifested itself within an hour or two. Hasn't yet, the most important thing is to listen to the phillies game tonight and hope the offense shows up.

I'm gonna gas those suckers. I did warn the neighbor, he was very thankful as he was thinking of weed wacking in the same area. They are right on the border of our two properties.