Where to start?

[Wade E]

O2 and wine are actuallty friends. But it has to be done in small amounts ove a long time. This is called micro-oxygenation. This process really enhances a wine just like decantng does and by doing this with a barrel small amounts of water evaporate over time (Called the "Angels Share") and your wine has to be topped up often due to this. What is happening is that ypour wine is acy=tually concentrating like this and aging in the preocess. Not all wineries do this anymore cause its time consuming and it takes more monitering on their behalf. Lots of places now age in Stainless Steel tanks and use oak staves to oak their wine.

 

[Old Philosopher]

"How to Brew" by John Palmer is a great book to read for someone who wants to start homebrewing.

You can buy his book if you want a hardcopy, but he also posts it for free online at:
http://www.howtobrew.com/

Thaks, TT!!! Free on-line fits my budget perfectly.

BTW Everybody: YES! SWMBO just agreed to scrap the Mr. Beer idea and go for the gusto!

 

[Old Philosopher]

... If you know someone that works at a bar or have some beer drinking buddies you can have enough in no time at all....

Haha! Great idea. We have at least 2 friends who are bartenders, and know the manager of the local VFW club. In a weekend, I could have enough empties to last me a year!!!

 

[TheTooth]

Haha! Great idea. We have at least 2 friends who are bartenders, and know the manager of the local VFW club. In a weekend, I could have enough empties to last me a year!!!

Awesome! I wish I knew one that could hook me up like that. I'm good with beer (kegs), but I'm still trying to keep up with my wine bottle consumption.

 

[Old Philosopher]

Awesome! I wish I knew one that could hook me up like that. I'm good with beer (kegs), but I'm still trying to keep up with my wine bottle consumption.

Wine bottles could be a problem with that resource. The clientèle there is more into the screw-top coolers. Hahaha. I'm doing my cider in 1 gallon jugs. Wine bottles don't fit the mood, and don't have that little finger ring do-hickey so you can swig it over your shoulder.

 

[Wade E]

Just remember you dont want screw top bottles.

 

[Old Philosopher]

Just remember you dont want screw top bottles.

I have the capper and 144 caps in my Wish List, ready to hit the "go" button! Hahaha.

 

[Wade E]

Remember that a lot of the bottles you collect will probably be scrw tops so tell them you dont want them.

 

[Old Philosopher]

Remember that a lot of the bottles you collect will probably be scrw tops so tell them you dont want them.

Good point! Pop tops only. Hehehe. At least I won't be washing a bunch of Bud LIte and Kokanee bottles!
But wait a minnit. I know I can buy screw tops, and the bottles ARE glass...so why not screw tops?

 

[Malkore]

www.howtobrew.com is the condensed version that gives you a taste of the full purchasable book.

wanted to clear that up...the online book is NOT complete.


Screw top bottles aren't as thick. You also have to use a crown capper to cap them.

go make friends with any bartender and ask if you can haul away their pop-top bottles.

I've bought bottles CHEAP from the local budweiser distributor too. like $2.40 per case of longnecks and they came in the old heavy duty cardboard case. dirty, and had to be delabeled, but well worth it.

 

[TheTooth]

www.howtobrew.com is the condensed version that gives you a taste of the full purchasable book.

wanted to clear that up...the online book is NOT complete.

Thanks for the clarification. I own the book (worth the purchase, IMO), so I was going on what I'd read from others about it being complete online. Sorry for the bad information.

 

[Hillbilly Bill]

Here is the link for the complete 1999 1st edition of John Palmer's How to Brew:

http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html