Simple Homemade Wine Making Instructions

Making wine is a little bit science and a little bit art, and like anything worthwhile, learning to make good wine takes time and practice. These wine making instructions will give you a good overview of the process, you will then need to give it a try. The more you practice the better you will become, and the best part is that you get to drink your "mistakes".

Home winemaking is a fun, exciting hobby for people that are creative and enjoy making things, or who love social drinking, or want to give away their wine as gifts to family and friends. Here are some simple homemade wine making instructions:

Wine

  • Use your own fresh grapes from your backyard. You can also make wine from any number of fruits. Also, many farms will allow buyers to pick their own fruit which is another good source. You can purchase fruit concentrate from your local winemaking shop as a last resort.  
  • You will need to purchase your wine making equipment and have it ready to go. Carboys, fermentation locks, plastic funnels, trial jars, siphon tubes, wine bottles with corks to name a few. These are obtained at local winemaking stores or these days can be ordered online.
  • You will also need to purchase your necessary ingredients. Your recipe might require a specific ingredient, but in general, yeast, pectic enzyme, wine tannin, acid blend, and campden tablets will be required for winemaking.
  • You will need a good wine recipe. Again your local winemaking shop will have a complete supply and there are countless recipes on the internet. Start with a simple recipe and only increase the complexity after you gain experience. Additionally, use a recipe that others like and that has been well tested.  
  • Make wine in a room with a constant temperature of between 45 to 65 degrees, and humidity between 50% to 80%.
  • Ensure equipment is properly washed and sanitized prior to use. This not only kills germs but eliminates wild yeasts that can be detrimental to your wine making.
  • Read though your recipe and wine making instructions thoroughly, preferably several times, to get a good understanding of the process. Additionally, ensure you know how to use the equipment and have read those instructions as well.

Making homemade wine is a fun hobby to start on your own, or to enjoy with friends and family. After the initial cost of some equipment, the ongoing expenses are fairly small especially if you grow your own fruit. Start small and as your knowledge, confidence, and experience grows you can learn to make different wines to share with everyone.

Simple Homemade Wine Making Instructions

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Vintage Handkerchiefs - Decorating and Craft Uses

There are many modern-day uses for vintage handkerchiefs other than their original use as cloths to blow your nose! Basically, any way you use fabric, you can use a lady's handkerchief.

Some decorating and crafting ideas are found here. Just think outside the box and use your imagination! You can search the internet for instructions on how to make some of these items.

Vintage

Here are some creative ways to use vintage hankies:

  • Baby's handkerchief bonnet that can be used as a christening bonnet and then one day be used as a wedding handkerchief
  • Decoration on clothing - a pocket or collar on a vest, jacket, apron, or blouse
  • Sachets filled with lavender or other potpourri
  • Gift wrap or bag for a small gift
  • Gift wrap a hand-made soap
  • Bow on a gift package - gather the edges of a pretty hanky and tie with a ribbon - use instead of a gift bow
  • Fabric shade on a small lamp
  • Display a collection on a metal ornament tree
  • Display a special handkerchief under a piece of glass on a tabletop
  • Night light
  • Guest books for the new bride or for a new baby
  • Cocktail napkins
  • Dining napkins
  • Placemats
  • Basket liners - use colorful hankies in a basket for the bath or bedroom
  • Backing on a shadow box
  • Doily - use instead of a crocheted or tatted doily
  • Party favor around a candle
  • Handkerchief dolls
  • Handkerchief puppets
  • Angel ornaments
  • Christmas ornaments
  • Curtain valance - lay several at an angle over a rod or clip to a curtain rod - some like to clip with old wooden clothes pins
  • Sew them together and use as a fabric to make curtains, valances, shower curtains, tablecloths, table toppers, quilts, skirts, vests, dresses, or halter tops
  • Drape on a diagonal over the edge of a shelf
  • Tuck in a beaded bag for an elegant addition to your dresser
  • Small hat as part of a child's costume
  • Decoration on children's clothing - jacket, shirt, or pants
  • Padded picture frame
  • Small book cover
  • Bulletin board cover
  • Frame several together for a dramatic effect
  • Tuck several floral decorated handkerchiefs into a ball vase for an arrangement that's always in bloom
  • Pillow cover - use two hankies to cover the front and back of a pillow
  • Pillow overlay - just tack to the front of a solid-color throw pillow
  • Dream pillows filled with herbs

Vintage Handkerchiefs - Decorating and Craft Uses

I am an antique dealer and sell antiques and collectibles at the Attic Shoppe - http://www.atticshoppe.com I also make handmade greeting cards using antique postcards from the early 1900s and sell them at Victorian Cards - http://www.victorian-cards.com I hand knit scarves and sell old craft books and old sewing and quilting patterns at My Vintage Crafts. I enjoy using the Internet, making one-of-a-kind greetings cards using antique postcards, and decorating my home with antiques and collectibles.

Vintage Golf Clothes

Golf is a fun game. And when you're out on the course, you can make it even more fun with vintage golf clothes. Invest in a pair of duds worn on the links in decades past and you'll be sporting style right along with history. Find out where to find them and how to wear them below.

Vintage golf clothes are a great option almost any time you go golfing. Since the dress code rules have actually relaxed in recent decades, the vintage clothes you buy will be up to the code for almost all courses you play at. And if you're looking to dress it down, consider mixing and matching vintage pieces with clothing you already have.

Vintage

How you wear vintage golf clothes depends a lot on your personality. Some people will choose to purchase vintage golf shoes and a hat only, while others go all out! Try finding the vintage knee length pants to wear with knee socks for a truly vintage look. And for the ladies, keep your eyes peeled for a great golf dress. This is a one of a kind item!

Vintage golf clothes make great gifts. The golfer in your life will truly appreciate a sweater that is filled with golf history. Additionally, where you can find them, vintage golf clothing used and worn by favorite golf legends will thrill your gift recipient. And since many vintage items are made so much better than the clothing of today, you can be sure that the gift will last and last.

Now that you're convinced that vintage golf clothes are something you need, where can you purchase them? The first place to look would be vintage clothing stores. The sales clerks at these stores can tell you where the sporting equipment is located. Or check on the internet. http://www.ebay.com has a wide variety of vintage golf items, as do other independent websites.

Vintage Golf Clothes

Womens golf clothing is essential to the overall atmosphere of the game. From sweaters to golf polo shirts [http://www.forehergolf.com/golf-shirts.html] to shorts, skirts and pants as well as golf shoes [http://www.forehergolf.com/golf-shoes-style-guide.html] and gloves, all apparel choices become important to secure the comfort one needs which golfing. Women&'s golf clothing is offered in a variety of styles at Fore Her Golf. Fore Her Golf is the leading supplier of stylish, yet functional, golf clothing, equipment and accessories specifically designed to fit a woman's unique needs. We carry name brand apparel, footwear, women's golf clubs [http://www.forehergolf.com/golf-club-fitting.html], balls and a wide selection of golf themed gifts perfect for the lady golfer on your list.

St Patricks Day Menu

St Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland and St Patricks Day is the 17th March. It's celebrated not just in Ireland but around the World.

Now, if you want an excuse for a party, but don't fancy champ and colcannon - and I don't blame you if you don't - then here's a themed St Patricks Day Menu that you might like to try.

Wines

The colours of the Irish flag are green, orange and white.

For starters, try a creamy basil tomato soup, garnish with a swirl of cream and chopped basil and there you have the beginning of your theme - green, orange and white.

For main course, I would favour a poached salmon with watercress sauce, served with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and new potatoes - that puts two orange, two green and two white items on your plate.

For dessert, try a mixed fruit salad - kiwi, mango, lychees, green grapes, orange segments and sliced pears - top it with whipped cream, chopped angelica and a shake of cinnamon or ginger - lots more green, orange and white.

Finish your St Patricks Day Menu with Irish Coffees - sweetened black coffee with a shot of Irish Whiskey and cream floating on top - delicious - and you might find you want more than one.

Continue your colour theme with a white tablecloth and green and orange candles and napkins.

White tableware would be nice - I always think food looks better served on white crockery.

Play some Irish music - if you don't like the traditional folk music, then maybe Thin Lizzy will do as Phil Lynot was proud of his Irish ancestry and there's normally 'Whisky in the Jar' on most compilation CDs :-) Or you might even go for The Nolan Sisters or Val Doonican - only joking.

Dave Allen was an Irish comedian and there are CDs available of his shows. He was very funny, one of my favourites and it would really entertain your guests if you could find a recording.

To drink, you can have Guinness - which is very good for you, so they claim - Irish Whiskey is freely available, but of course neither of these are suitable for serving with your poached salmon.

I've researched heavily for Irish wines - and they do exist, but you're unlikely to find any on general sale.

Ireland doesn't have the climate to support large commercial vineyards - those that exist are very small - 5 acres or less and all around Cork (well, if you're going to produce wine, you need cork).

One of the vineyards makes wines for its own restaurant and the others just supply local shops and restuarants.

The largest produces a mere 3000 bottles a year.

If you search though, you can find Irish people who have emigrated to wine producing countries and the vineyards will have Irish sounding names - the best I can do as a wine recommendation for a themed St Patricks Day Menu.

I like champagne with salmon - a nice, medium dry fizzy wine is great and it adds to the celebration to have champagne corks flying.

If you don't like fizz - then go for a medium dry white - Nierstein, Piesporter or similar.

St Patricks Day Menu

Liz Alderson is the webmaster of http://find-a-seafood-recipe.com which is a free fish and seafood recipe site giving advice on buying, preparing and cooking fish and seafood. She also has a herb website - http://the-herb-guide.com which has advice on growing and cooking herbs. You are free to use this article on your site, but this Resource Box the article must remain unaltered.

Learning Bartending With the Bartender Guide

Mixing drinks and coming up with new drink ideas can be an enjoyable hobby. Having a good bartender guide that will help give you new ideas and mixed drink recipes can be a very useful tool. Bartender guides are normally filled with numerous how-to guides and a variety of drink recipes that you can try and perfect at your leisure. You can be the life of your next house party when you mix up cocktails for your guests and show off your bartending talents.

There are many different bartending books available on the market. Some show how to mix a few cocktails and some that dive deep into how to mix many different varieties of exotic beverages. There are also a variety of guides available from individuals who have made up their own recipes and decided to market them.

Wines

Some may have drinks that you would have never thought of and others may contain variations on old favorites. The joy is in trying new things and possibly experimenting on your own cocktails. This can give you endless possibilities and allow for you to show off your bartending skills to your friends and family.

When you think of a bartender guide, you may only think of a list of mixed drink recipes that are popular today, but this is not the case. Other guides are available, some from specific bars themselves, which give information about what the bartender's precise duties are.

Some guides list what should be done during opening and closing of the bar, a list to check off and give to the manager to reorder certain items when they need to be replenished or other business information about the tavern or pub. This is a specific type of guide and gives valuable information to the employees of the establishment so that they can learn to complete certain tasks correctly.

Whether you are happy with being an at-home bartender or you aspire to hit the hot night spots to show off your bartending skills, a bartender guide is a huge help. You can learn to make drinks that will delight your friends and will even give you a leg up if you do decide to attend a bartending school and make a go at being a bartender.

For those who like to dabble in bartending as a hobby, after adding a few more recipes to their drink list, they just might decide that this could be a new career in the making. If so, then you can take your skills to a whole new level and it might just be the beginning of a whole new future.

Learning Bartending With the Bartender Guide

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How to Keep Grapes Longer

Proper Grape Storage

Grapes are a great snack to keep around. They are healthy, tangy, and juicy enough to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping you fit as a fiddle. However, like all fresh fruits, storage is a bit of a problem with grapes.

Wine

Learning how to keep grapes longer is essential if you want to enjoy a fresh snack minus the yucky taste or moldy patches, so read on to learn a thing or two about storing these grapes:

Choose fresh, firm grapes. The first thing to keep in mind when learning how to keep grapes longer in storage is to choose grapes that are fresh and firm. Their skins must be smooth and intact, the grape bunches tightly packed together, the stems strong and healthy, and the absence of any soft or battered spots in the fruits themselves.

Another thing you should be particularly careful about is hidden molds in the middle of the grape clusters. These molds have the potential to grow into large patches, even in the cold extremes of a refrigerator; resulting in ruined, inedible clusters of grapes.

Make sure to select clusters that are free from molds if you plan to keep them in your fridge.

Avoid washing before storing. Another mistake people make when storing grapes is washing them before storing.

While this may clean them and get rid of dirt on them, the water will have a negative effect on the skins of the grapes; making them mushier and promoting bacterial growth in the process.

This bacterial growth will eventually lead to decay, and that is one thing you do not want to happen when you want to happen. So if you want to learn how to keep grapes longer, leave the washing for when you are just about to serve the grapes.

That will clean them nicely without risking rot or decay in the refrigerator.

Use plastic bags to store grapes in your refrigerator. Another common mistake people make in storing grapes is simply shoving them unprotected into the fridge.

While the frigid air inside will slow down the growth of bacteria and molds, it will also dry up any fresh fruit or vegetables that are left exposed inside it.

If you want to learn how to keep grapes longer in your fridge, you have to keep them inside a zip-lock plastic bag to preserve their freshness and prevent the cold air from drying out the skins. This will help keep them fresh and juicy for up to a week.

One last thing about grapes: they bruise easily. Be very gentle when handling and storing grapes if you do not want them to be all soft and squishy when you pull them out of the refrigerator a few days later.

Also be careful when shoving things inside your fridge, especially when the grapes have been inside for a few days now. The longer the grapes are stored the more sensitive and prone to bruising they are.

Remember to keep all these pointers in mind, and you will be able to learn how to keep grapes longer, fresher, juicier and even a bit crunchier for up to a week at a time.

How to Keep Grapes Longer

Eddy Lee is grape growing and wine making expert. For more great tips on how to keep grapes longer and make wine visit http://www.winemakinganswers.com

Air (French Band) - Brief Review

Air is a French band, whose music is most often associated with such electronic music genres as downtempo, ambient, and chill out. Founded in 1995, the duo consists of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel.

Forming the band

Vintage

Air grew out from Godin's solo project. While studying architecture, he was asked by a childhood friend to compose a piece for a compilation cd which was to be released by a smaller independent French label called Source. Fellow musicians of the band Funkadelic helped Godin to lay down the instrumental tracks, and "Modulor Mix" appeared on the "Source Lab" album in 1995. This tiny success led Godin to ask his friend Jean-Benoît Dunckel to join him. Dunckel, who studied mathematics at that time, was also a classically trained pianist. The band Air was formed.

The duo produced more singles for Source. Those were mostly instrumental downtempo compositions, with a color of nostalgia, which were recorded at home with vintage instruments. Although originally released on various compilation albums, those singles were later reissued on Air's debut EP "Premiers Symptômes" in 1997.

Air's first album

On that same year the duo began working on their own album in a studio. Godin and Dunckel even traveled to London to have their strings arranged and recorded by an English veteran David Whitaker. The album "Moon Safari", released at the beginning of 1998, became quickly a classic. It had a strong retro-feel of the 1970's, with cheerful and melodic tracks, having a mellow electronic mood.

From 1998 onwards

Thereafter the band Air became well-known both in England and US. They got an offer from Sofia Coppola, an American film producer, to write the music for her movie "The Virgin Suicides". The album, issued in 2000 and named after the film, became another success. It was somewhat cleaner and less ambient than their first album "Moon Safari".

In 2001 Air completed their third album "10,000 Hz Legend", which was more experimental and eclectic than previous two. It contained a wider spectrum of different rhythms, electronic blips, and vocals, resulting in a somewhat different sound than their earlier recordings. The album "Talkie Walkie", released in 2004, is filled with dreamy landscapes and fragile strings, which were arranged by the band's idol Michel Colombier.

The fifth full-length album "Pocket Symphony", issued in 2007, has stronger influences of Japanese music, where Godin also plays Japanese floor harp called koto, and banjo-like instrument called shamisen. "Love 2", issued in 2009, was already produced in Air's personal recording studio named Atlas. In 2012 they released an album which was composed as a background music for the 1902 classic film called "Le Voyage Dans La Lune" (A Trip to the Moon).

Air's other works

The band Air has been actively involved in other projects as well. For example, the duo has composed and played the music of the album "5:55" by French actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg. In 2002 Air collaborated with the Italian writer Alessandro Baricco, for whom they wrote the music to accompany his narration texts during a live performance.

Air (French Band) - Brief Review

The author of this text is a musician. To download his music for free, click here.

What Are Campden Tablets?

Home winemakers will often come across an ingredient or additive called "Campden Tablets." What are they exactly, and when should you use them?

Originally developed in Campden, England at a laboratory that does food safety research, Campden Tablets are used for precise measurement of the preservative sodium metabisulfite. They have been used for decades in home winemaking activities to prevent oxidation of wine and inhibit bacterial growth. As well, they can be used to make a sanitizing solution for winemaking equipment.

Wines

Each tablet contains precisely 0.44 grams of sodium metabisulfite. Due to this precision, a home winemaker can with close accuracy determine the exact amount of sulfite being added to their wines or juices that are meant to be turned into wine. Generally, one tablet per gallon of wine is used when sulfite is called for. One tablet per gallon will provide about 50 parts per million of sulfur dioxide.

However, this tablet form of sulfite is not without its drawbacks:

1. In order to be useful, the tablet needs to be finely crushed before it is can be added to the wine. Without crushing, the sodium metabisulfite will not dissolve very well and therefore will not add much protection. It also should be dissolved in a small amount of warm water which is then added to the wine or juice.

2. Campden tablets contain sodium metabisulfite which can be a problem for those on a sodium restricted diet.

In home winemaking, this tablet form of sulfite is best used when making small batches of wine in one to three gallon sizes. Beyond that, the powder form of potassium metabisulphite is preferred. Although precision can only be obtained when using sensitive scales, measuring the powder in 1/4 teaspoon sizes is close enough for the results that are expected. As well, making sanitizing solutions with potassium metabisulfite is much easier than with Campden Tablets.

What Are Campden Tablets?

You are invited to learn more about how to make wine at Ian's website.

Why not also follow along with Ian's daily home winemaking activities

How to Sell Cookbooks - Old, Rare, Used, Vintage & Antique Betty Crocker, BH&G & Others

You may be one of those people who have collected cookbooks over the years that ended up, used or unused, gathering dust on bookshelves or in boxes piled up in the attic, garage or basement. Old, rare, classic, vintage, antique and collectible cookbooks can be a hidden source of instant cash. You can easily learn how to sell these old cookbooks.

And many people underestimate the value that these old, collectible cookbooks have, for example Betty Crocker Cookbooks and Better Homes & Gardens Cookbooks, and have never even thought about selling them. There are many other old, valuable cookbooks of course. But for the purpose of this article we'll start with these two well known cookbook publishers' cookbooks. They'll be easier to research.

Vintage

Do you have any old Better Homes and Gardens Cook Books? How about Betty Crocker Cook Books from the 1950s, 1960s, or popular editions from 1959, 1961 or older? Pie or plaid covers? Betty Crocker New Picture Cookbook or Betty Crocker Boys and Girls Cook Books or any others?

Maybe you do have some of these cookbooks now. Maybe you have some at mom's or grandma's house or even better at great-grandma's house. Perhaps you've seen them at garage sales. A lot of old cookbooks can be valuable -- worth a lot of money. Even those of lesser value may sell for ten times the original price.

Whether you have cook books with binders, hardcovers, plaid covers, or pie covers, you need to do a little research. You'll need to know the title, year of publication, edition (usually printed inside the book in front) and condition, before you can come up with the TRUE value.

You can start by gathering as much of these facts as possible. If any of your old books have been signed by the author or in some cases the illustrator, that'll bring up the price significantly. Then, first of all, go to Google and type in the exact title - for example, 'Betty Crocker Cookbook' and the year published, and see what comes up. Then try using the same phrase with cook book as two words. If you have a plaid or pie cover or other distinct cover, then try again adding 'plaid cover' or 'pie cover'. Do it again and type in the edition if known. You may find some others for sale or that have already sold. Then try again with your variations and add the words - excellent condition, fine condition or good condition.

Next go to eBay and go to the search feature and then 'completed listings'. Search by the category 'cookbooks' and the title of your cookbook and look for similar titles and editions. Only look at those that have sold, to get a feel for the price range. In terms of pricing, ignore the cookbooks that are still for sale. Many factors go into why they didn't sell. Finding sold copies in these cookbook listings will give you a general idea of the range they've sold in. The binding, year and condition are just some of the variable factors. You can do the same with your Better Homes & Gardens Cookbooks. Then try some of the other old, rare, vintage or antique cookbooks that you've collected.

The deciding factor for price in every case will be the condition of the cookbook. Condition is everything. Handle your cookbooks carefully. Collectors and buyers expect cookbooks to have an occasional spot on them. If they're fragile, handle them with white cotton gloves. Never put them in airtight bags or containers, because the moisture content in the pages will cause them to mildew. You can bag them but leave them open. In any case protect them.

So you need to decide on the condition of your cookbooks, find the price range of cookbooks that have sold on completed listings and then decide how to price your book. Be very wary of putting any old, rare, vintage or antique cookbooks on eBay for 99 cents or without a reserve price. You don't want someone walking off with your precious book for just pennies. The sold cookbooks on eBay completed listings have a distinct advantage. You know what people are actually paying for cookbooks and current price ranges.

As for books that list the value of cookbooks, I have them all. But I find them worthless because the values do not reflect what people actually pay for cookbooks or the current prices, whether it is Betty Crocker Cookbooks, Better Home & Gardens Cookbooks or any others. And the cookbook value books go rapidly out of date as time passes since publication.

Besides eBay there are a lot of other ways to sell your cookbooks on the Internet or outside of the Internet. There is too much to go into in this short article. There are many other trade secrets. One easy way -- there is a free cookbook listing service online, for old, rare, vintage or antique cookbooks where you can list your cookbooks for sale, yes free of charge. Collectors and buyers come to the site. You can continue to sell them using other methods and not wait for a buyer to make contact from the site. You can always have your listing removed from the site if it sells or you sell it another way.

You can buy and sell old cookbooks easily once you become familiar with one cookbook and you'll probably be able to find more of them at garage sales. With this basic knowledge of how to sell cookbooks, you've just become a mini-expert on selling cookbooks. So go to your cookbook shelves now and see what you already have and start from there. Once you're an expert on Betty Crocker Cookbooks and Better Homes and Gardens Cookbooks you can start researching other old, rare, classic, vintage, antique and collectible cookbooks.

How to Sell Cookbooks - Old, Rare, Used, Vintage & Antique Betty Crocker, BH&G & Others

Helen Hecker is the author of How to Make Money Selling Cookbooks Online ebook, runs a free, old cookbook, listing service at www.SellCookbooks.com Helps book publishers publish & market their cookbooks at www.TwinPeaksPress.com Runs www.HowToMakeBeautifulGiftBaskets.com

Where Do Grapes Come From?

I imagine that most people immediately think of the hot Mediterranean countries such as France, Spain and Italy will grow the vast majority of grapes. And we get a tiny proportion from maybe California and Australia. While that assumption is largely right plenty more countries also produce the grapes that end up in your shopping basket or go into your next bottle of wine.

From my own knowledge of years in the business as a grower and from some research here is the top ten grape producers worldwide:

Wines

1) Italy
2) France
3) USA
4) Spain
5) China
6) Turkey
7) Iran
8) Argentine
9) Chile
10) Australia

Now while this list is is only an approximation it can vary wildly according to the criteria used. For instance, a list can be based on amount of area given over to growing or the amount of produce grown each year. What I particularly wanted to illustrate is that many more countries than we take for granted have thriving vineyards. Who would have imagined places like China and Iran and not to mention Romania or Lebanon all growing vines and producing magnificent crops and wines.

My own country of England as history knows was conquered by the mighty Roman Empire and it was these same Roman's who introduced vine growing to this country. Admittedly the climate was warmer and more temperate around the first century and from the latter part of the sixteenth century temperatures began to decline.

Wine grape growing is however on the increase in England with over four hundred vineyards prospering at the present time. This news will I hope be a broad hint to you, I want you to realise that you can plant vines and grow your very own fruit right in your own garden almost anywhere. So why not give it a go? It is not only a fun and rewarding hobby but you can produce your own wine or you can sit back with a bunch of succulent grapes of your very own.

Where Do Grapes Come From?

Don't get disappointing results and waste all your time trying to learn how to grow grapes and make wine by trial and error. I,Ron Taylor have been an expert grower for over thirty years so why not get the benefit of my years of experience. Please visit my website where you can read articles, watch videos and grab a completely FREE 10 part email course.
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Non-Alcoholic Wine - Where Can You Find Them?

The first thing you MUST decide about buying nonalcoholic wine is why. Do you like the taste of wine? Do you want the health benefits? Do you want to fit in at your next party? That's going to drive how you solve this problem you've encountered.

Let's say that you like the taste of nonalcoholic wine. Well there are many vineyards that produce these non-alcoholic drinks, Sutter Home being the one with the best distribution. Well the taste is a direct product of the fermentation process, so fancy grape juice is not what you're looking for. There are several processes that take the alcohol out of wine - look for the cold pressed kind. The non-alcoholic wines that were heated to remove the alcohol also lost some of the nutrient value. (Stay Tuned for the list of vineyards. . .)

Wine

But let's say you really just want the health benefits of wine. That's an easy one because grape juice actually has the health benefits of wine. You can't get the health benefits of alcohol without the alcohol. Did you know that Welch's - the folks who make grape juice - were the first to make nonalcoholic wine? There was a ban on alcohol in the New Jersey town where Dr. Welch lived so he invented a way to pasteurize grape juice instead of fermenting it. His success grew from there. There just happens to be a couple vineyards that make gourmet juice and sell it in wine bottles - very cool.

So check out these wineries to buy your next nonalcoholic wine or 'gourmet' grape juice:

Ariel Vineyards
Sutter Home Fre Wines
RedLand Juice
Emmanuel Winery
Sweet Water Cellars

If you're just looking to look hip at your next party - without the alcohol - fill up the punch bowl with this, it not only tastes fantastic - but it looks pretty too:

4 parts lemonade
2 parts club soda
1 part pomegranate juice
crushed ice

Non-Alcoholic Wine - Where Can You Find Them?

Dan Morris - Owner, Author of http://www.benefits-of-resveratrol.com, a site that explores the healthy goodness in wine, and other nutrition based sites.

The Wine of Israel and Wine in Biblical Times

Israel is a nation possessing a rich past. The turning pages of history find it at the center of the Bible, while present day finds it at the center of conflict. A country known for many things, wine is not necessarily one of them. Going into a liquor store and requesting the finest bottle of Israeli wine isn't something many people do.

The reason for this is because wine, until recently, wasn't something Israel brought to the table, proudly placing a bottle between the rolls and potatoes. Instead, Israeli wine was filled with a reputation for being a type of drink someone should put a cork in. This, however, wasn't for lack of trying.

Wine

Wine production on Israeli lands began thousands of years ago, perhaps even prior to the Biblical era. However, the wines that were made during this time often tasted so bad that bottles shipped to Egypt were garnished with anything that would add flavor. Stopping just short of adding RediWhip, people tossed in everything from honey to berries, from pepper to salt. The bottles sent to Rome, though not lacking flavor, were so thick and so sweet that anyone who didn't have a sweet tooth, or a spoon, wasn't able to consume them.

The wine was of such poor quality that when Arab tribes took over Israel in the Moslem Conquest of 636, putting a stop to local wine production for 1,200 years, disappointment didn't exactly ferment.

In the late 1800's, wine production began again in Israel. Determined to let Israeli grapes have their day in the sun, a Jewish activist and philanthropist name Baron Edmond de Rothschild began helping Jews flee oppressors, eventually helping them adapt to their Palestine settlements. He then began to help them plant vineyards. Because of this, he is known as a founder of Israel's wine industry.

But, the kindness and intentions of even the most good-hearted of men wasn't enough to save Israeli wine from its past reputation. Because the lands of Israel and the climate were not ideal for vine growing, the wine produced was often of poor quality. Too coarse and too sweet to be consumed, Israeli wine was looked on unfavorably until just a few decades ago.

With the adoption of modern equipment, the import of good vine stock, the encouragement given to viticulturists, and the planting of vineyards in mountain ranges, near lakes, and in flat areas, Israel wine has recently become much more appreciated, for its taste and its variety. Replacing the sweet red wines with lighter, dryer red wines and producing more champagne, the wines of Israel have finally begun to climb up the vine in terms of greatness.

The wines presently produced in Israel are done so in one of five regions: Galilee, Shomron, Samson, Negev, and Judean Hills. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc are viewed as particularly good, although Israel also produces several Merlots and other common varieties.

Kosher Wine

While not all the wine produced in Israel is Kosher, a good portion of it is. This has led many wine drinkers to have the wrong impression about Israeli wine, an impression that is based on a misconception of what the word "Kosher" truly means.

Some people possess the assumption that when food and drinks are Kosher the taste of the product drastically changes, similar to the way making a hamburger "vegetarian" forever alters its flavor. However, when something is Kosher it simply means that it was made in a way that adheres to the dietary laws of Judaism.

There are two types of Kosher wine: Mevushal and non-Mevushal. For wine to be non-Mevushal, which is the basic form of Kosher, the preparation of it must follow a regime of specific rules. To begin, the equipment used to make wine must be Kosher, and only used for the production of Kosher products. As the wine goes from grape to bottle, it may only be handled, or opened, by Sabbath-observant Jews. During the wine's processing, only other Kosher products may be used: artificial preservatives and colors, and animal products may not be added.

Wines that are Mevushal are subject to an additional step on the Kosher agenda. Going through flash pasteurization, the wine becomes heated, making it unfit for idolatrous worship. This, in turn, removes some of the restrictions, keeping the wine Kosher no matter who handles it.

Jesus and Wine

The history of Israeli wine is unique in that it also involves the history of Christ. Whether or not Jesus advocated drinking wine, and whether or not the wine he drank was alcoholic, has become a cornerstone in many historical and religious debates. While some people insist that Jesus drank wine, others insist that he didn't, and, of course, a few Bill Clinton fans insist that he drank, but didn't inhale.

There are hardly any people arguing on the premise that Jesus consumed large amounts of wine. Instead, people argue whether or not the Bible condemns all use of alcohol or whether it condones its use in moderation. Depending on which side a person prefers to linger, innumerous references from the Bible can go in both directions. Some people assert that the "wine" referenced in the Bible was nothing more than nonalcoholic grape juice. But, those who take an opposing stance state that there are too many Biblical references warning against excessive use of "wine." If it was just grape juice, or a wine with virtually no alcohol content, there would be no need for precautions.

Though there are several examples of passages in the Bible that involve Jesus drinking wine, with the most famous one likely being The Last Supper, the Bible also includes innumerable references to wine in general, wine drinking that does not necessarily involve Christ.

There are approximately 256 references to wine written in the contents of the Good Book. From these references, readers learn that wine was made from grapes, figs, dates and pomegranates. It was often consumed as part of the every day diet, during times of celebrations, during weddings, as gifts and offerings, and as a symbol of blessing. In some passages, it was even used for medicinal purposes.

Wine Strength During this Era

Another question that often arises in regards to wine in the Bible and Christ's consumption is its alcoholic strength. If the wine was in fact wine and not grape juice, then it obviously had some sort of alcohol content. However, the wine of the Biblical era was much weaker than the wine we know today. While one reason for this was the addition of water, another reason was naturally fermented wine (wine that does not have additives) was the only wine available during this time. Because sugar and yeast were not yet added to wine, its alcohol content remained lower than modern day spirits.

Whether or not Jesus drank wine, and whether or not it was condoned or condemned, is based on a great deal of speculation. Like many items of debate, people often use passages in the Bible to move an argument in their direction, even when their chosen reference is laden with ambiguity. Some people may swear that he drank, while others may insist that he didn't. However, in truth, we will probably never know and, along these lines, we really shouldn't need to: when it comes down to it, a person's faith is based on much bigger things than their opinion of alcohol.

The Wine of Israel and Wine in Biblical Times

Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor at http://www.savoreachglass.com. With a vast knowledge of wine etiquette, she writes articles on everything from how to hold a glass of wine to how to hold your hair back after too many glasses. Ultimately, she writes her articles with the intention that readers will remember wine is fun and each glass of anything fun should always be savored.

Tsingtao Beer

Being a lady, I am ashamed to say I am a big beer drinker. Tsingtao beer has to be my favourite. It actually originates from China, but was founded by German settlers in 1903, so I don't know what you would call it. Is Tsingtao beer German or Chinese?

Research indicates that the beer should be the ethnicity of where it was produced, just like in human terms. So Tsingtao is indeed Chinese beer.

Wines

I enjoy a nice frosty pint, but Tsingtao beer is hard to come by on draft, much like corona, it is widely available in bottles. I first became hooked on Tsing tao beer during my semester in America, and while I was there, bottles seemed to be the safer option to drink from anyway, as drink drugging on a night out was a hot topic back then, and you could never be too safe!

Tsing tao beer is the biggest selling Chinese beer in the United States of America. As it was the most readily available, I started drinking it, and now I'm hooked.

Not that it's a bad thing. Tsing tao beer is actually a very refreshing drink; it's also the 11th largest beer brand in the world! At only 157 calories, you really can't go wrong.

While my friends order the cheapest beer on draft at the bar, I prefer to enjoy and savour my larger by asking for Tsingtao. It has a slightly malty flavour but retains its crispness nutty taste.

Tsingtao beer is the most popular drink out of China, when you think about this in terms of relativity that is quite amazing. China has a population of 1.26 billion people! If Tsingtao is the most popular drink in China, then imagine how much gets drunk!

Two-thirds of China is also mountains or desert land, which defiantly makes for thirsty times I'd say. I don't know if id want to live in china, it would be warm, and my favourite Tsingtao beer would be cheap, but guess I would lose my sense of identity among all the people and such a big place.

I think I may just stick to sampling the Chinese culture through their fabulous Tsingtao beer here in England.

Tsingtao Beer

The UK's favorite Chinese Beer - Tsingtao Beer

So You Want to Go Carp Fishing in France?

It's that time of year again! Carp angling enthusiasts are toiling in vein trying to search the net to find a premium resource of French Carp Lakes from which to choose a venue for their fast approaching carp fishing holiday. If you have ever attempted to find a French Carp fishing venue you will find, and many people will agree, that it is not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. France is such a huge country with so many commercial carp fisheries and public lakes on offer, it really does pose many big questions for any newcomer or experienced angler alike! What do we need to take? Where should we go? How far do we need to travel? Which venue is best for us? These are just a few of the simple queries that one has to broach should you want to go to France fishing for carp. Ignore these questions at your peril as many trips can be ruined due to inadequate or miss-placed organisation.

If the first paragraph has made you nervous, don't fret! Within this article we are going to assist you with a list of helpful processes so as to guide you to getting the best from your French carp fishing trip.

Wine

1) Firstly I think that Health and Safety is the best place to start our pre-trip planning! Having an accident and hurting yourself or falling ill in another country, albeit unlikely, is not going to be an easy obstacle to circumnavigate. Not being able to speak French fluently and trying to scale the different health system queries will cause much confusion so it is essential that you buy or renew any existing health insurance you might have. It is absolutely vital that you gain the correct insurance cover for your carp fishing trip to France, a quick phone call to your chosen insurance provider should indicate to you that you will need to gain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Every member of the family who is travelling will need their own card and, in the case of those from the UK, the card is valid for up to five years. To make matters easier, you can apply for an EHIC by phone or by post or through the post office in the UK.

2) With your health and safety organised I think we should now go to the exciting bit and start to search for a venue for your holiday! We should all go straight to the computer as this is where I will mainly direct my examples. Now, type in the search box "Find a French Carp Fishing Lake" and hit enter! Oh dear, looking at the search engine results is not a pretty picture is it? Page after page of French carp fishing venues appear before your eyes, your eyes scan the eclectic mix of venues and the voices in your head start to fire unlimited questions at your subconscious person "where on earth do I begin my search through this little lot"! So many venues and from so many different areas, offering a diverse choice of packages, facilities and prices! It's really not surprising that many anglers start to switch off and try to make matters easier for themselves by cutting their homework short and sticking to the well known venues or the venues they see on the first pages of their computer search or their weekly/monthly magazines. My advise in this situation is don't panic or switch off, just go and grab yourself a pen and paper and sit down with a cup of tea, a glass of wine or a cold beer and list everything you desire from your carp fishing trip to France. Your list of wishes may well be infinite but rest assured setting out a wish list will certainly aid your trawl through the vast quantities of French Carp Fisheries. Recorded on your list may be a good washing facility, shower or toilet or some may want a lake that has fish to 50lb! It doesn't matter what or how many stipulations you end up having on your list, every word written on that piece of paper is going to help you find the perfect French fishery match for you!

Here I have roughly outlined a typical example of what myself and my carp fishing buddies have placed on one of our lists, in no particular order of preference:

a) We would like a lake with fish to 50lb
b) Must have good washing facilities, don't want to be smelly!
c) Food package (as we don't want to cook ourselves, too much washing up!)
d) Travelling Distance/Time = No more than 4 hrs from Calais
e) Size of the Lake = minimum 10 acres as it needs to accommodate 6 anglers
f) Price for fishing = No more than £350 inclusive of food.
g) Does the lake have accommodation for non fishing guests?

These pointers, of course, are not going to be the same for every carp angler going to France, they extend a good example of the type of listing technique that will help place a guideline to help you gain the right lake choice. Once this list is completed it will easily discount the venues that aren't suitable for your fishing trip to France and with so many venues to choose from on your search engine results page, you should feel a lot more confident that your final choice of venue will be the right fishery for you. As you will see from the search engine results in front of you, there is still homework to be done, but it will be made a lot easier by you having placed simple boundaries on to your requirements list. Alternatively there are some excellent Fishery directories that can offer you a large selection of French Carp Lakes all on the one site thus easing the pain of trawling through the many individual websites available on the net.

Thank goodness you've found that perfect venue!

Now we should look at the travel arrangements to your choice of venue!

Travelling to your destination will most definitely utilise 1 if not more of these 4 main modes of transport. Most French Carp Fisheries are easily accessible by Plane, Train, Car and Ferry and, very often, you will end up using more than one of these modes per trip! We will now play devils advocate and break these transport arrangements down to supply you with our opinion of the pro's and cons of your choice of transport details.

We will start with travelling to your chosen French Carp Fishery by aeroplane! With so many airports dotted all around the UK and France it has now become very easy to access large areas of France and in turn many different lake venues. Catching a plane to France is a very fast and relaxing option to choose for the start of your fishing holiday. Many French fisheries are usually within a very easy 2 hour circumference from most UK airports so travelling to your destination will be a quick, slick affair and with most fishery owners willing to provide an airport pick up/drop off service your travelling needs are kept simple, quick and effective, ultimately giving you more time on the bank!

The cons for this mode of transport are that your luggage allowance is very limited thus restricting your option of taking all your own tackle with you! Don't fear! A lot of the fisheries that are located close to French airports can offer a great tackle loan facility that doesn't cost the earth and which very often includes the use of high spec, quality tackle.

By far the most utilised method of accessing a French Fishing Holiday is by a car or van. Whether it is a hire car, van or your own vehicle it is still very advantageous to use this type of transport. The advantages of taking a car/van to France is that France will then become your oyster! You can choose where you want to go and at what time! You can take all your own tackle in a car or van and it also gives you far better access to your chosen lakes surroundings. For example, access to shops, site seeing areas and supermarkets, is, in my opinion, a real necessity as there are usually so many different towns and attractions to visit should you wish to dilute your fishing holiday. Choice is definitely the most important factor with using your own vehicle which, to me, is very important when fishing in France.

When driving to France from the UK it is always essential to use a ferry to cross the Channel and, as you will soon see, there are many different ports to utilise in the UK. Some of the more popular Channel crossing ports used regularly by Carp anglers escaping to France for their Fishing holidays are, to name but a few, Southampton, Portsmouth, Dover, Ramsgate, Weymouth and Plymouth. These ports are all located along the South coast of England and service various different French Ports. When booking your carp fishing holiday to France it is especially important to choose a departing and destination port very carefully as this may save you a lot of time, money and driving hassle! For example, if you choose the Dover to Calais ferry and your Carp fishing holiday destination was located in Brittany you should weigh the financial and time options up in comparison to a ferry trip from Plymouth to Roscoff, Poole to Cherbourg or Portsmouth to Le Havre or Caen. I live close to the ferry port of Calais but have driven to Portsmouth before because, although slightly more expensive and a longer crossing than from Calais, it has eliminated a long, awkward drive on the French side. It is just a fine balancing game between the more expensive ferry crossing from the Dorset and Devon ports and the access and driving situation to your chosen French Carp Lake once you have landed in France.

Our last mode of transport is the train! Not the most popular choice of transport to use when going to France carp fishing but definitely worth a thought. The French train and services are very good throughout the country servicing many areas so if you fancy a light luggage trip to the South of France to fish one of the many large reservoirs (e.g. Salagou, Cassein) then a very quick way to access these lakes are via train. The only pitfalls of this method would be to have to travel relatively light with your tackle/luggage and the travelling from your destination to your chosen carp fishery/lake. BUT, as I have mentioned before, if you choose a commercial fishery in France for your carp fishing holiday, the owners are usually only to pleased to offer a pick up and drop off service for you and your tackle! The train is most certainly food for thought!

Well I have come to the end of this episode and I hope this is of some help to you all! Remember, a good trip starts in the planning, follow my guidelines and make your first, second or third carp fishing trip to France a really prosperous and enjoyable experience!

So You Want to Go Carp Fishing in France?

For the best choice of French carp lakes and French carp fishing holidays try us at http://www.find-a-lake.com/find-french-carp-fishing-lakes/. Finding French carp lakes will never be easier, just take a look at our numerous, quality French carp lakes located in our "French carp Lakes" section. We also have many fishing holiday venues which include some excellent "family fishing" venues both in France and the UK.