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August Newsletter

 

Our classes this month will be on Sunday, August 10th and as always, they are FREE. The wine class will be at 2pm and the beer class will be at 3pm. Please, call or come by to sign up for the classes, we would appreciate it so much. Thank You!

 

It’s almost Muscadine season again and if you would like a list of the local vineyards, we are happy to provide a copy of the list that I’ve prepared with the names, addresses and phone numbers. So, please come by or call and I’ll be happy to put it in the mail for you. The owners have ALL requested that you call and make an appointment, before visiting the vineyards. A couple of the vineyards will have muscadines ready about the 15th of August. Each vineyard has a U-PICK or WE-PICK policy and prices do vary. They would appreciate your cooperation, very much. Thanks!

 

We are now receiving more and more phone orders. We are happy to accommodate anyone at anytime. With the high gas prices, it is more practical for our long distance customers to phone in their orders. We charge only a small handling fee (boxes, envelopes, wrapping paper, plastic ziplock bags, etc.) and the shipping cost (UPS or US Mail). We ship your package by Priority mail (US MAIL), when you are ordering yeast due to the high heat which will spoil the yeast. If you need us to ship by UPS we will add an ice pack and we hope it gets to you safely. We asked that you PLEASE PAY PROMPTLY. THANK YOU!

 

I thought you might be interested in learning about some of the grape varietals in some of the more popular and well known wines.

                         

 There are over 5000 different wine grape varieties in the world; all fall into two major families-VITIS VINIFERA, which is prevalent in Europe, and VITIS LAMBRUSCA, which is native to Canada and eastern United States . It can be difficult at times to pronounce the name of a bottle of wine and even more difficult to understand how different countries use different names for the same type of wine, for example, Shiraz in Australia vs. Syrah in Europe and U. S. Some Countries like France use the name of the wine region that the wine is produced in, for example, Bordeaux , France , for the varietal name. Some wines don’t represent anything specifically, like the Meritage in California isn’t named for a grape, but derives its name simply from marketing.

 

Listed below are some of the wines, their regions and the grape varietal the wine is produced from, beginning with the red and then the white wines.  

 

AMARONE, a heavy bodied, rich, red wine made from valpolicelli grapes, dried partially into raisins, it is fully flavored usually with oaking, blackberry and licorice highlights. This grape is grown in Italy and is an expensive wine to enjoy. Most restaurants sell it only in a bottle, not by glass. The lowest prices we’ve found so far are from $ 60.00 a bottle to $ 95.00 a bottle. So enjoy and drink slowly.

 

BARBERA, another red wine grown in the region of Piedmont , Italy , is a light fresh, fruity wine that is just now starting to grow in quality and popularity. It produces a good, sometimes excellent wine with an acidity that cuts through pasta and cheese. Traditionally a blending grape, it is being taken seriously as a single varietal in California , Australia , and more recently Argentina .

 

BAROLO, this Italian red grape has a tar and roses scent and is made from the Nebbiolo grape. It is powerfully full-bodied, extremely long-lived and among the greatest reds in the world.

 

BORDEAUX , it is not a grape, but a French Bordeaux region blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc (<10%). This French red, blended wine have so many delightful flavors they are tough to classify. Look for a deep color with a hint of ripe black fruit, cassis, chocolate, smoke, and creamy vanilla oak.

    

BURGUNDY (red), this popular French red wine is made from the Pinot Noir grape, and a Burgundy usually has a cedar like smell, with black plum, cherry, earth, cocoa, rhubarb, pepper, black licorice, leather, and strong tannins. Aging partially in new, oak barrels adds increased flavor and body.

 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON, another profoundly popular wine, that can be found in restaurants and retail stores, is made from the primary grape that is used in Bordeaux and Meritage red wines and usually requires another grape (such as a Merlot) to round out its lean flavor. The classic flavors are of blackcurrants and cedar, but in other areas many include green peppers and mint.

 

CARMENERE, this is a unique red wine and is sometimes mistaken for a Merlot. Its primary grape is from Chile ’. It has a bouquet of dark plum and toasty oak, with a slightly earthy scent and a touch of caramel. Also known as, a GRAND VIDURE and is best known for its use in Medoc wines. Cuttings were taken to Chile in the mid-nineteenth century.

 

CATAWBA, a Native American red grape popularized by Thomas Jefferson and really formed the foundation of the United States wine industry until California wines came of age.

 

CONCORD , by itself has an extremely pronounced flavor and is the widest-cultivated variety in North America outside California (as in WELCH’S grape juice).  

 

GAMAY, this is the only grape in red Beaujolais wines in France . It is designed to be drunk while young and has flavors of strawberry, cherry, banana and chocolate but can evolve into a spice, mint, hazelnut, and walnut flavors with maturity.

 

LAMBRUSCO, an Italian variety famous for its production of a traditionally, red, semi-sweet, bubbly wine of the same name from the Emilia-Romagna area. It is very different in its native Italy where it is low in tannin, but dry, high in acidity and full of strawberry flavors. This wine goes great with salami and prosciutto.

 

MALBEC, a grape traditionally used in Bordeaux (and Meritage) blends to provide color and tannin. It is also grown in the Loire, Cahors , Argentina , and Mediterranean regions, and now growing in popularity in California as a single varietal wine, instead of as a blend.

 

MERLOT, this is an early ripening red grape, with soft flavors of plum, cherry and sometimes toffee. In some areas of France , it can take over as the main grape in the Bordeaux blend.

 

PETITE VERDOT, a red grape that has been used to good effect in Bordeaux because it is a late-ripener, bringing acidity to the overall balance of a wine. Not seen as a unique varietal, but can produce an interesting, long-lived and tannic wine when ripe.

 

PINOT NOIR, this particular red grape is used to produce a Burgundy wine. Difficult to make, it produces wines which are moderately fruity with noticeable red-berry (strawberry, cherry, raspberry) floral and spicy aromas. It is usually medium-bodied, dry, and light to moderately tannic. Without skins, they are used in Champagne .

 

PORT,( a.k.a. PORTO), is a fortified red wine from the remote vineyards in Portugal ’s Douro Valley . There are 48 grape varieties permitted in the production of Port, which explains the wide variations in taste. Look for a raisin, ripe chocolate flavor with hints of spice.

( Tinta Cao is known as one of the best Port grapes.)

 

SYRAH, the name, Petite Syrah in France is derived from Shiraz , the capital of Fars, in a province of Iran . In Hermitage, in the northern Rhone, the grape, a dark, ruby color, makes big, rich tannic wines with a good deal of fruit. It’s known as a Shiraz in Australia and both terms in California .

 

ZINFANDEL, this wine is regarded in California as a native grape, but may have its heritage as the Primativo grape of Italy . This style can be from very light, as in a blush or rose’ wines, to a massive tannic in the red wines, but the grape’s intrinsic berry-like character always comes through.

 

                                                      WHITE WINES

 

ASTI SPUMANTE, Italy ’s greatest sparkling wine and one of the most famous wines in the world, it is produced from grapes grown in 52 communes throughout the provinces of Asti , Cuneo and Alessandria . It usually has a fresh, grape flavor, tiny bubbles, and a light, rich fruitiness with hints of peaches.  

 

BURGANDY(white), French designation for a style using chardonnay grapes. It may be rustic with warm, buttery hints and massive smoky fruit, pear, mineral like characters. The best are produced from tiny French vineyards, which command high prices and can age a minimum eight years.

 

CHARDONNAY, once erroneously thought to be a member of the Pinot family, this classic variety is responsible for producing the greatest white Burgundies and is one of the three major grape types used in the production of Champagne . Also, known as, Muscadet, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Chardonnay. The base flavors are green apple, peach and melon before being influenced by oak and a higher alcohol level them most wines.  

 

GEWURZTRAMINER, the name literally means spice in German. It has a slight grapefruit, ground pepper, floral, and nutty taste. In the Alsace region of France , Gewurztraminer is drier than the German wines and usually medium-bodied. It’s also grown in Italy , California , Canada , and Australia . You might want to consider serving this beverage chilled. Late harvest Gewurztraminers are usually sweet (20%+ residual sugar) with tremendous fruit concentration and it’s like drinking your dessert.

 

MERITAGE (white), this wine is not a grape, but has a California style blend of Cabernet

 Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and Merlot; it has flavors of refined grapefruit, lemon-honey, vanilla, some levels of fig, spice, tropical fruit and smoke. It has qualities and similarities that often rival its French Bordeaux red wine cousin.

 

MERLOT BLANC, a variety cultivated on a surprisingly large scale on the right bank of the Gironde , yet said to be unrelated to the more famous black merlot variety.

 

 MUSCADELLE, part of the confusing-Musc-series, Muscadelle is one of the white grapes grown in Bordeaux , France . It is not related to the Muscat grape, but does have a grapey-tasting flavor. This grape is most well known for its use in the Tokay wine of Australia .

 

MUSCADINE, grown almost exclusively in the southeastern U.S. and in Mexico , the Muscadine is a large grape with a thick skin. It is very hearty, very aromatic, and very acidic, and it grows in regions that may be inhospitable to other grapes. The SCUPPERNONG is a type of Muscadine grape.

 

PINOT GRIS, this is a clone of the Pinot Noir; a cousin to the Pinot Blanc, and it is grown in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and along the west coast of the U.S.; it’s also know as Rulander or Grauer Burgunder. It can be used to create both fine whites and roses’.

 

RIESLING, one of the most fine German wines from the Moselle and Rhine areas and is made from a Riesling grape which may have floral, fruity (citrus, peach, apricot, pineapple) and honey aromas. It is light to medium-bodied. May be dry, though late harvest or botrytis Rieslings are sweet. The grape is called White Riesling or Johannisberg Riesling in California . It is also produced in the Alsace region of France . The grape’s susceptibility to botrytis also makes it one of the most notable producers of intensely sweet wines.

 

SANGIOVESE, this principal variety used in Chianti, it is grown in Italy ’s Tuscany region. In a pure varietal form it has floral, herbal and cherry aromas, but can lack fruit flavors.

 

SAUVIGNON BLANC, this grape is grown primarily in California and France . It has a grassy flavor and makes a crisp, light wine. The same grape is used in FUME’BLANC wine, which is its drier version.

 

ZINFANDEL (white), generically known as a Blush wine. This pink wine is freshly fruity, soft and slightly sweet, with aromas of red raspberries and peaches.

 

                                                            TERMS

 

METHUSELA - a 6-liter bottle of wine ( Burgundy and Champagne only) equivalent to eight standard bottles.

 

NEBUCHADNEZZAR – a 15 liter bottle of wine (usually Burgundy and Champagne only) equivalent to 20 standard bottles.

 

BOTRYTIS – a fungal infection that attacks and shrivels grapes, evaporating their water and concentrating the natural sugars. It is vital to the production of Sauternes and the finer German and Austrian sweet wines.

 

VARIETAL, a wine made from and named after one or more grape variety

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July Newsletter

 

ALL ABOUT YEAST

(Part I)

 

YEAST is defined as a growth form of EUKARYOTIC MICROORGANISMS classified in the FUNGI KINGDOM, with about 1,500 species currently described, (1) they dominate fungal diversity in the oceans; (2) most reproduced asexually by budding, although a few do by binary fission. Yeasts are unicellular, although some species with yeast forms may become multicellular through the formation of a string of connected budding cells known as PSEUDOHYPHAE, or FALSE HYPHAE as seen in most molds; (3) Yeast size can vary greatly depending on the species, typically measuring 3-4 um in diameter, although some yeasts can reach over 40um; (4) The yeast species SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE  is a model organism in modern cell biology research, and it is extremely important, as it is the most extremely researched EUKARYOTIC MICRO-ORGANISM; (5)Another species of yeast, CANDIDA ALBICANS, can cause infections in humans; (6) YEAST HAVE RECENTLY BEEN USED TO GENERATE ELECTRICIY IN MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS and PRODUCE ETHANOL FOR THE BIOFUEL INDUSTRY.

It is estimated that only 1% of all yeast species have been identified and the term “yeast” is synonymous with S. Cerevisiae , however, the phylogenetic diversity of yeasts is shown by their placement in both divisions of ASCOMYCOTA and BASIDIOMYCOTA. The budding yeast (true yeast) is classified in the order of SACCHAROMYCETALES.

 

Controlling yeast is the real art of winemaking and yeast cells either ambient or purposely introduced by a winemaker, metabolize the grapes and sugar and then excretes it as ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide, enhancing and changing, during the process of the grapes natural color, flavor, and aroma.  There are (3) distinct stages in winemaking: the grape, the juice or must, and the wine. In winemaking white grapes are pressed before fermentation, to separate the grape skins and seeds from the juice, while red grapes are crushed into a mixture of fresh grape juice, seeds and skin, called MUST.

 

 Commercial wine yeast has been specifically bred for brewing. There are two types of commercial wine yeast, SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE and NON-SACCHROMYCES like KLUYVEROMYCES THERMOTOLERANS & TORULASPORA DELBRUECKII, that are blended because of their ability to work together, so it’s not much of a risk to give them a try. It is NEVER a good idea to randomly mix yeast strains in the same batch of must or juice. Mixing yeast cells can cause the yeast to shut down or become sluggish during fermentation and produce stinky waste products like hydrogen sulfide, which will give off the rotten egg odor.

 

Adding to much yeast can cause your wine to have a yeasty taste, but too little yeast can result in a sluggish or stuck fermentation. More yeast in the must won’t produce higher final alcohol content, because that’s determined by the initial sugar concentration of your juice, regardless of volume. However, if you start with a higher initial sugar adding more yeast may give you a higher sugar to alcohol conversion rate, causing a stronger, healthier fermentation and the yeast might ferment the sugar to dryness.  If you have a higher sugar must or juice to begin with, the yeast might be stressed by the sugar level and might die before fermentation is completed, leaving you with residual sugar and a lower alcohol level. Some of the conditions that might cause failure are: high initial sugar, cold temperatures, damaged fruit, moldy or infected fruit or juice.

 

Most yeast has an expiration date stamped on the sachet. Old, outdated yeast can be harmful and produce off odors and possibly stuck fermentation. If this happens, you can inoculate your must by sprinkling a yeast culture evenly over the top of the must and don’t stir it in or if you need to make a starter solution, by re-hydrating some yeast, the best way to activate your yeast is to pour the yeast into one cup of warm tap or spring water of 100-105 degree F.,(DO NOT use distilled water) with sugar, stir gently, cover and let sit for about 15 to 30 minutes. The yeast will foam and become viable. Pour into your primary and stir gently into the juice or must; although sugar is important to provide fuel there is an additive called, yeast nutrient that can be vitally important to the healthy growth of yeast, containing diammonium phosphate, trace minerals, vitamins, and in better formulations, yeast hulls, which are yeast skeletons, freeze dried, empty shells of yeast cells that have had the water and other liquid elements sucked out of then, which do add extra nutrients that are helpful to good fermentation.  

 

There are thousands of wild yeast blowing in the wind and living off of leaves, soil, vines, and grapes; on the other hand, there are 15 known types of cultured yeast, and one in particular is favored for winemaking; Saccharomyces is the genus that makes up most yeasts used in making bread, beer, and wine. Theoretically (1) yeast cell can become 8 in six hours, 64 in 12 hours, 512 in 18 hours and 4096 in 24 hours and when their population density reaches about 150,000,000 per milliliter of the juice or must, they settle down and maintain a relatively steady population; this continues until they deplete all available oxygen, use up all available nutrients, or the alcohol they produce becomes intolerably concentrated. The best known method of controlling yeast is to add an appropriate dose of potassium metabisulfite, or one crushed Campden tablet for each gallon of juice or must for a dry wine. If you are going to bottle sweet wine you would, also, add potassium sorbate to stop yeast production before sweetning your wine to your taste.

 

 Malolactic bacteria cultures are freeze-dried under vacuum at sub-zero temperature, but   active dry yeast is fluid-bed dried. This drying process is accomplished by extracting 70% moisture compressed yeast through a perforated plate into a spaghetti-like form, about the diameter of a 0.036 inch pencil lead, into a drier with a screen bottom that has a upward flow of air that keeps the particles of yeast suspended in a fluid-like bed. The incoming air is controlled for volume, temperature and relative humidity. The drying from the original 70% moisture down to 4-7% occurs in less than 30 minutes. The average temperature of the yeast particles in the fluid-bed is 86 degrees F. throughout the drying period. The yeast is immediately put under nitrogen and refrigerated until time for packaging.

 

The process of making wine is simple. For centuries, winemakers have been returning pressed-out skins, seeds, and pulp (pomace) of the wine grapes to their vineyards as fertilizer. The pomace is rich with yeast and making red wines are extremely rich in whatever strain dominated the primary fermentation.

 

We really have no idea when the first batch of wine was made or who the person was that discovered it, but undoubtedly, it was a happy accident when someone left a container of some sort filled with grapes or grape juice sitting out and wild yeast began to ferment and someone got drunk satisfying their thirst, also discovering the importance of it’s preserving effects. It was several thousand years before it was known that yeast was involved in the fermentation process. In 1680 Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch naturalist and inventor of the microscope, turned his attention to yeast cells and discovered that some kind of microscopic life existed, but he was unable to characterize the life or connect it to fermentation.  In 1785 the French chemist, Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, theorized that alcohol fermentation was a chemical process. Sugar had already been identified as the raw material of fermentation and he concluded that fermentation was caused by the sugar molecule being chemically split. In 1835 Charles Cagnaird (France) and Schwann (Germany) studied the deposits left in beer vats and noted that singled-celled creatures were multiplying before their eyes by budding and concluded that fermentation was the result of yeast growth rather than merely a chemical process as formerly believed. They were partially right. In 1846 the Swedish chemist Jons Berzelius used the word “Catalyst” to describe a process by which one substance accelerates a change in another substance without being changed in the process, therefore, noting that yeasts were actually catalysts whose mere presence in a sugary liquid caused it to ferment. Two years later Louis Pasteur presented his theory that the growth and reproduction of yeasts was the cause of fermentation, laying to rest the theory of spontaneous generation of alcohol and carbon dioxide through the catalytic presence of yeast. In 1878, Wilhelm Kuhne recognized that a catalyst was indeed at work in yeast causing fermentation. The catalyst was contained in the yeast and thus he established the word ENZYME, which is secreted by yeast cells that act upon sugar molecules and create the process known as fermentation. We now know that there are over two dozen enzymes involved in creating some 30 chemical reactions, and are the catalysts that transform sugar molecules into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.    

   

We have here at Mountain Home Brewing two brands of active dry yeast, RED STAR and LALVIN. The Red Star brewing yeast that we have available are Cotes Des Blanc, Montrachet, Pasteur Champagne , Pasteur Red and Premeir Curvee’ developed and grown from regions in France . Lalvin yeast, named after George Clayton Cone of Lallemand, produces a variety that include, 71B-1122, EC-1118, K1-V1116, ICV-D47& RC 212. Please call, email, or come by and we’ll be happy to provide you a list with the information about their usage and alcohol production and which yeast works best with frozen concentrated juice or fresh fruits.

 

Our classes will be on July 13, 2008 . Please come by or call to sign up for a class. The wine class will be at 2 PM and the beer class at 3 PM. We are offering these classes now only if people sign up for them. So, if you are interested, please let us know.

 

Don’t forget to check out our website: mountainhomebrewing.com. You’ll find recipes for making wine and for cooking. Our price list is also on there. Our daughter, Sharon, is trying to keep it updated.

 

If you can’t get out or are unable to drive, just call us, we’ll ship your items to you for the cost of purchase and shipment fees, either by UPS or US mail. We accept Mastercard, Visa, check or money order.

 

If you should have any problems or questions about a brew you’re working on, don’t hesitate to call. Ray is always happy to help.

 

Our goal here at Mountain Home Brewing is to help you make the very best bottle of wine or beer that you can and to help you understand the best and safest way to make that bottle of beer or wine.

 

Have a GREAT month. Don’t hesitate to call us at 394-2240 or toll free: 866 607-0120, or Email us at mountainhomebrewing@yahoo.com.

 

BEV & RAY HARRIS

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June Newsletter

 

This month’s newsletter is about FERMENTATION FAILURE, how to recognize it and tips on how to prevent it.
 
  1. BE SANITARY, this is a very important aspect in making wine. You can use Potassium Metabisulfite, One Step Cleaner, or Bleach to clean your primary, carboy, and all your tools, to eliminate wild mold, bacteria, and other micro-organisms. This will produce a wine that will be healthy, fresh and great tasting for years while it’s being stored in your wine bottles.
  1. We recommend you start with a good, valid recipe, although, recipes that have been handed down for generations are often the preferred choice, you can also obtain recipes from books, magazines, etc., or if you’re able to use a computer there are several on-line sites that make available recipes for you to choose from; one website that we recommend is JACK KELLER.NET. You, also, might want to consider a wine kit. We offer a variety of wine kits from a sweet fruit base to a very red, dry wine.  A wine kit comes with complete directions and with all you need (except water) to mix and prepare your wines kits.
  1. A HYDROMETER is a very useful tool. When you begin your wine you can take a reading to check you potential alcohol content, this is called Original Gravity. When your wine is finished its fermentation you have a Specific Gravity that tells you your wine is finished fermenting.
  1. Control your fermentation temperature. The number one reason that fermentation stops in midstream or for a fermentation not to start at all is due to improper temperature. The recommended temperature for a strong fermentation is between 70 & 75 degrees.  If your temperature drops down to 65 degrees, the fermentation will be at best very, very, slow, but more than likely, not at all. If your fermentation temperature is at 80 degrees or higher, this will cause a very fast fermentation and the affect can cause the flavor of the wine to be inferior and possibly cause unwanted micro-organisms to multiply rapidly, spoiling your wine.
  1. Oxidation is a result when wine is exposed to too much air and keeping air exposure to a minimum is a vital step in wine making. Exposure to air can cause changes in the taste, smell, and color. A white wine can turn an amber color and a red wine can become a brown or orange in color and obtain a nutty or caramel scent, or off-flavors, such as raisins or cough syrup, due to oxidation; a major source is from splashing the wine and if you will fill your bottles from the bottom of your container this will greatly reduce the problem of air exposure when siphoning and bottling. During the primary fermentation process, air exposure is not an issue, but after secondary fermentation is completed some winemakers consider it an important step to add Potassium Metabisulfite or Campden tablets to a finished wine after each transfer, eliminating the air absorbed by the wine during the siphoning and bottling processes. The usual dosage is (1) Campden tablet or 1/8 tsp. Potassium Metabisulphite powder for each gallon of wine. Improper storage of your wine can cause a slow type of oxidation, destroying the flavor or body of your wine. If bulk aging, air contact should be kept to a minimum. Both light and heat speed up the effects of oxidation. Long term storage should be done in a cool, dark area and adding Potassium Metabisulfite or Campden tablets will help reduce oxidation before bulk aging or bottling.
  1. Adding to much sugar at the beginning of primary fermentation can cause a harmful effect on the yeast ability to produce alcohol. The higher sugar concentration starts to act as a preservative effecting the fermentation in a negative way. A good recipe will show you the amount of sugar to be used to determine your alcohol content. To control your primary fermentation, you might consider adding your sugar throughout the process instead of all at one time. Depending on the type of wine you’re making, some recipes call for additional sugar to be added in order to obtain a higher than average alcohol content, as in a Port.   Again, consider a hydrometer to help you determine how much sugar to use to produce the amount of alcohol you are must comfortable drinking.
  1. Fermentations can deviate in their rate of fermentation activity and all wine ends up dry after fermentation is completed, regardless how slow or fast the wine ferments. During primary fermentation, on an average the yeast will multiply itself to approximately 100 to 200 times the amount of yeast originally poured into the must.
  1. Contrary to popular opinion there is no way to stop fermentation dead in its tracks. Potassium Metabisulfite and Campden tablets are dissipating sulfites and can be used to stop fermentation but with very little success, on the other hand there is an additive, Potassium Sorbate, which will stop fermentation. You use this additive in your wine to allow the sweetening of the wine to your taste. When your wine has completely stopped fermenting and your hydrometer is registering a reading on the Specific Gravity Scale of .998 or less and it is ready for bottling. Potassium Sorbate doesn’t actually kill the yeast it only impairs the yeast’s ability to start growing and multiplying again. If you accidentally put your Potassium Sorbate in your wine before your wine has completed its fermentation, we hope you enjoy your grape juice. If your wine fermentation stalls, or stops in mid-stream you can re-start your fermentation by re-hydrating a packet of yeast (we recommend a packet of 1118 or Champagne yeast), using a glass of water with a temperature about 90 to 95 degrees for 15 minutes, covered with a paper towel, to prevents gnats or any other insects from getting into the sweet smelling yeast. 
  1.  An airlock is an excellent tool, it seals as the yeast ferments, preventing contamination, while it’s in both the carboy and the fermenter to prevent gnats (that carry the vinegar bacteria) and other insects from getting into your wine and to allow excess carbon dioxide gas to escape.    
 
 We hope these tips will help you and possibly explain some of the problems you may have had in the past. If you have any further questions about your brew, please call and talk to RAY. He’s always happy to share his knowledge with anyone.
 
We want to CONGRATULATE two of our customers, MRS. JESSIE MCEUEN AND Ms. RACHAEL REED, for winning first place in the 24th COWIE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR WINE COMPETITION for 2008. Their entry was a bottle of fresh raspberry wine in the berry category. We’re so very proud and happy for their success. GOOD LUCK in 2009!
 
 The Cowie Winery is located in Paris, Ar., and the competition is held every year on the last Saturday in April. It has 23 categories and the BEST IN SHOW receives a one ounce gold coin worth more than $ 1000.00 dollars. First place winners in each of the 23 classes received a one ounce silver coin, but after looking at all the winners listed in the Springdale , Ar., newspaper, THE MORNING NEWS, we don’t believe there were any losers out of over 300 entries. The Cowie International Wine Competition deadline for next year will be April 29, 2009 .
 
The CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PORT KITS ARE BACK! We are now taking request for our order to be submitted in August. If you think you would like to purchase one, please call us soon so we can get your name on the order list. The kits will be available about the first week in October. So you will have it ready to enjoy at Christmas. Thanks!
 
 Our classes this month will be held on June 8, 2008 . As always they are free and we hope anyone interested will attend. Please come by and sign up for the classes.
Our price brochure is now on our website along with a lot of other useful information. Please call or come by anytime. We’re open Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 4PM and Sat. 11-2 PM . We’re located at 1510 Hwy. 71 North, Mena, Ar. 71953; Our new toll free, 866-607-0120 or 479-394-2240.
 
Bev and Ray Harris

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May Newsletter

 
We’re happy to announce that we are now providing a TOLL FREE NUMBER: 866 607 0120, for all of our wonderful customers that live out of town and state. We now have on our website our price list and we want to encourage anyone that lives out of town or is unable to get into town to call us. We’ll be happy to ship items by UPS or US mail to you for the cost of shipping and packing materials.
 
Our wine and beer classes will be on Sunday, May 18, 2008 . As you all know, May 11, 2008 is Mother’s Day. My own mother will certainly expect me to be with her that Sunday. The wine class will be as usual 2 PM and the beer class at 3PM and as always they are FREE. Each class last about 45 minutes and are a lot of fun. We hope anyone interested will come. 
 
 May is an exciting month for wine making. The fresh fruits and vegetables that are available this month are blueberries (mid-May), wild dewberries (late May), strawberries (already on the shelf), watermelons (mid-May), Jalapenos, cilantros, panittilo, and onions.
This information was furnished by the produce manager at Walmart. Thank you, Charlene.
 
The history of beer making is thousands of years old.  Historians believe that Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures were the first to brew beer. Barley was a staple grain in Mediterranean cultures and was used for brewing as well as baking, also, they believed that brewing was discovered quite by accident, when barley may have been left out in the rain, causing the wet grain to germinate, upon drying the grain became sweeter, more nutritional, and less perishable, inadvertently making malted barley, therefore, alcohol and (naturally airborne) yeast was very misunderstood. Other cultures, such as Aztec and Incas, soon discovered different methods for making beer and rice; millet, honey, and corn soon became a new source for making homebrewed beer. Even Eskimos had developed a mild alcoholic fermented reindeer milk. As cities and towns grew, home brewing production diminished, especially in western cultures due to lack of good drinking water. Beer soon became one of the few liquids safe to drink and in great demand. In November 1978 a bill, passed by Congress repealed federal restrictions on the home brewing of beer. In 1979 President Carter signed the bill into Federal law.
 
 By FEDERAL LAW YOU HAVE TO BE TWENTY ONE YEARS OF AGE TO HOMEBREW BEER. IT IS ALSO VERY ILLEGAL TO SELL HOMEBREW.
 
This month I thought I’d clarify on the fermentation process of beer. The process of making beer (wort) is very simple. We sell here a large variety of the malt kits that already contain the hops and barley. Basically, you clean and sanitize your fermentation bucket and all your equipment. A major cause of failure when brewing is infection due to poor cleaning or sanitizing. We suggest that you avoid any forms of detergent or soap unless specifically made for brewing. Bleach is okay to use, but be sure that you thoroughly rinse your bucket and equipment clean of all sediment and smell of the chlorine bleach. The chlorine smell can affect the taste of your beer. A hydrometer is used to measure the specific gravity (SG) or density with respect to water. To calculate the alcohol content of your brew, measure the specific gravity of the wort before adding the yeast, so your beginning reading should be about 1.042 and then measure the final gravity upon completion of fermentation (FG). The typical hydrometer reading when your brew is finished fermenting is l.006 to 1.008.  If you are using a kit you dissolve the contents of the can and other fermentable sugars (4-5 cups) with 2 liters of boiling water, top off the fermenter with cold water to the 6 gallon mark and mix thoroughly with a plastic spoon and check the temperature for ideally 70 to 80 degrees.
 
The two types of fermentation are, opened (brewed in an open vessel covered with a clean cloth) and closed (a fitted lid plus airlock or cling wrap with a pin hole).  Both methods will ferment effectively providing the wort remains within the temperature range 64 to 90 F. You can make quality beer with open fermentation. However, preference is given to the closed fermentation method because the brew is protected in a sealed vessel and the timing for bottling off is not as critical.
 
One of the major causes of home brewing failure is poor temperature control. While the enclosed yeast will ferment effectively at 64F to 90F we recommend a brew temperature of 70F to 80F for optimum results. Some techniques for controlling temperature are: hot box (box with a low wattage light globe attached inside), heat pad, heat belt, immersion heater, place fermenter near a storage hot water system, insulate fermenter, place in disused fridge, drape wet towels over fermenter, etc.
 
In about 5 to 6 days check with a hydrometer that the brew has reached its (FG) final gravity to ensure the fermentation is complete. After all your bottles have been cleaned and sanitized, you can carbonate your beer three different ways. One, carbonation drops; two, ½ tsp. sugar for a 12 oz. bottle or 2/3 tsp. for 16 oz. bottles, or three, you can do bulk carbonation where you place ¾ cup sugar into the fermenter for a 6 gallon batch.
 
WARNING: GLASS BOTTLES MAY EXPLODE IF OVER PRIMED OR IF FERMENTATION IS INCOMPLETE.
 
Fill bottles, seal, and invert several times. Then store bottles upright at a temperature above 64 degrees for at least 7 days to allow carbonation to occur. Storing beyond 2 weeks and up to three months should improve flavor. The bubbles reduce in size and yeast deposit becomes more compact. In the bottom of the bottle you’ll find sediment. This will NOT hurt you. It’s only yeast.     
 
We, also, sell the grains, hops, and malts for all you experienced, professional brewers and we’re happy at anytime to provide for you a variety of beer recipes. Recipes can vary from the simple to the more complex, depending on how much time and attention you want to devote to the process. There are two locations you can go to for recipes, BEER TOOLS.COM and BEER RECIPATORS.COM. You’ll find over 6000 recipes to choose from. Good luck! We hope you find something you’ll enjoy making.
 
I want to remind everyone too, Ray will be working here at the shop from 10 am to 3 pm Monday thru Friday and Saturday, 11am to2 pm. I’m spending more and more time with my mom now in Shreveport , since my dad passed away in March. Please consider calling first if you’re coming in from out of town. We’re so sorry for any inconvenience we may cause you. If you need anything and I’m not here, please, don’t hesitate to call 234-0118 and I’ll find someone to come down and open up the shop, if it is at all possible. Thanks for your understanding. It is profoundly appreciated.
 
Have a Great Month! We look forward to seeing you all this month.
 
BEV AND RAY HARRIS    

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April Newsletter
 
Our classes this month we’ll be on Sunday, April 13, 2008 . The wine class will be at 2 pm and the beer class will be at 3 pm .  We hope anyone interested in learning how to make a good wine or brew will attend; as always, the classes are FREE. Our ad will be in the April 9th issue of Polk County Pulse.
 
I thought I’d describe in a brief summary  the fermentation process of wine making and clarify some of the steps in that process. If you are following a recipe with good directions, understanding the fermentation process can help you be a better and more confident wine maker.
 
A wine fermentation occurs when yeast consumes sugar and converts it into approximately half alcohol and half CO2 gas (carbonation) by weight. If you have five gallons of juice with 10 pounds worth of sugar in it and you fermented all of that sugar with yeast, you would end up with 5 gallons of juice that has roughly 5 pounds of alcohol in it. The other five pounds of sugar would dissipate into the air as CO2 (carbonic) gas; therefore, the five gallon batch would be five pounds lighter than it was before the fermentation started. Depending upon the variable factors involved, yeast, nutrients, energizers, etc., the breakdown between alcohol verses gas ratio is minimal. The sugar that is naturally developed in grapes, fruits, etc., can also add to the process of fermentation, and in some cases you may not need to add any sugar at all and still get a reasonable alcohol percentage.  Most recipes give a S.G. (specific gravity) for starting fermentation and the completion of fermentation.
 
 The wine fermentation process has two distinct stages: primary (aerobic) and secondary (anaerobic).The Primary or aerobic fermentation usually last about four to seven days; you will notice considerable foaming during this time, and 70 percent of the fermentation process is at this point completed. At this time the fermentation bucket can be opened, to allow air as it plays an important roll in the production of yeast cells. A packet of yeast will multiply up to 100 to 200 times during the few days of primary/aerobic fermentation as a significant portion of the yeast’s energy is being devoted to reproducing itself, also, during the primary fermentation the majority of your alcohol content is produced.
 
The secondary or anaerobic fermentation is when the remaining 30 percent of fermentation activity occurs and will usually last anywhere from two to three weeks, depending on the additives still active in the fermentor. The secondary fermentation activity becomes slower and slower each day with less and less activity to yeast production and more towards the development of your alcohol content.
 
It is important to remember that temperature plays an important role in the fermentation process. If the room temperature is too cool it can cause yeast to go dormant and all you have is just juice. If the room is too warm the yeast will ferment very well, but you risk the chance of poor or weak flavored wine that could produce a form of bacteria in the wine. A good way to prevent this from happening is to use Sodium Bisulfite powder or Campden tablets. Most wine manufactures consider 72 degrees the best temperature for wine production, but if you can maintain a room temperature between 70 to 75 degrees, this is satisfactory.  If your yeast becomes dormant, it is a simple process to reactivate the yeast, simply by pouring a new packet of yeast into a container of warm water with sugar. After the yeast has activated, pour it into the fermentor.
 
When it is time to transfer your wine into another container, this is called “RACKING.” This process allows you to transfer your wine and leave behind any sediment that may be in the bottom of the primary fermentor. This should be done at the end of the primary fermentation or when the Specific Gravity reading on your hydrometer reaches approximately 1.030 or less, also after the secondary fermentation as well as right before bottling, because yeast is a silty substance and the wine needs time to clear before bottling. We sell a packet (SUPER-KLEER) here that helps to clarify and make your wine so clear you can read a newspaper thru it and it only takes a few days to make your wine crystal clear.
 
A HYDROMETER is an instrument for measuring the specific gravity (abbreviated as S.G.), relative to sugar content, of a liquid. The importance of a S.G. rests in it’s indication of proofing potential. The S.G. indicates how much dissolved sugar is present for conversion to alcohol by yeast, what the proof will be, and how much sugar to add to raise the finished proof to a specific level.  This tool will allow you to see the progress of your fermentation and if you take a S.G. reading of 0.998 or less then the wine has finished fermenting.
 
Most wines, after fermentation is completed, are dry wines. The yeast has eaten all the sugar and for diabetics this becomes safe for them to consume. If you want to sweeten your wine you will need an additive, Potassium Sobate, to kill off any remaining yeast cells. The reason for this is, if any live yeast cells remain the sugar you add to sweeten will reactivate the yeast and possibly restart fermentation again.  As for sweetening, that is up to you. I prefer a dessert wine, with a S.G. of 1.020, as most ladies do, but I’ve also found that others prefer a semi-sweet, S.G. of 1.010; of course, your dry will be 0.998 or less. So, it’s just up to your taste buds and what you prefer. Don’t hesitate to experiment, before you bottle. Pour some of your dry wine into beverage glasses and see what you like best. If you bottle dry wine and want to share a glass with someone that prefers a sweet wine, you can sweeten a dry wine with table or corn sugar, honey, or sugar substitute.
 
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call. Ray is here to assist anyone and answer any questions.  Our classes (they last about 45 minutes) each month are free, informative and fun. You don’t have purchase anything. Just come by and listen as Ray does Wine Making 101.
 
Good Luck!
 
 
We hope everyone has a wonderful month. The weather is starting to change and hopefully will get nicer everyday this month. To all our out-of-towners, don’t hesitate to call 479-394 2240, if you need anything. We’ll be happy to ship it to you. We now have on our Website our SALES BROCHURE at www.mountainhomebrewing.com, or email us at mountainhomebrewing@yahoo.com. We are happy to take your orders by phone with a MasterCard, Visa, or check, and, of course, cash.
 
I want to also mention in closing. My mom is now suffering a very serious heart condition. I will be going out of town more frequently during the coming months, as the doctors have told me she could die at any given time. So our store hours may change suddenly. Ray is usually here from 10am to 3pm. But if you are coming from out of town, please consider calling first as I’m not sure when I’ll be here from 3pm to 5pm in
the future. Thanks for your patience and understanding.
 
 
BEV & RAY HARRIS  

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FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

 
Our classes this month will be on February 10th, and as always they are FREE. The wine class will be at 2 PM and the beer class will be at 3 PM .  You will find our ad in the Polk County Pulse in the February 6th, newspaper. Our DVD’s on wine and beer making are still in the developing stage and still unavailable at this time for sale. We hope to have them completed by the end of this month. We had a very good turn out for our classes last month and we want to THANK everyone who took the time to join us.
 
We now have brand name snack foods stocked in our pantry, some of the snacks you’ll find are, BBQ chips-6oz. bag, $ 1.20; Pringles potato chips-6oz. can, $1.00; Keebler crackers-1 lb. box, $ 3.90; Ritz crackers-10oz.-box, $ 3.75; Tostitos corn chips-1 lb. bag, $ 2.25; Pretzels-8oz. bag, $ .75 cents; Chocolate chip cookies-7.5 oz. bag,$ .95; and  Planters Peanuts-8 oz. jar, $ 2.20; assortment of Hickory Farm bar cheeses; and much more. Some come on by and check out our pantry and compare our LOW PRICES.   We’re sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised and you’ll find something to compliment your wine, beer, or cola.
 
We’ve received a lot of praise and compliments on our new expansion, from everyone who visited our shop in January. They were happy to see the growth in our business as well as the extended supply in our merchandise and we want to THANK everyone. We appreciate your positive and encouraging support.
 
Since fresh fruits are unavailable this time of the year for wine making, you might want to consider making wine from fresh vegetables. We have a recipe book with recipes for beets, carrots, corn (corn whiskey), onion, potato, rhubarb, rice (Saki), turnips, etc. Our recipe book also offers information on other common wines and for making up your own recipes, but if you stored some fresh berries or fruit in the freezer here is a basic recipe to follow, for making up your own recipe and for those that are in doubt:
 
2-3 lbs.       Fruit or berries
7 pts.          Water
2-21/2 lbs.  Sugar, adjust to 1.090-1.100
½-3 tsp.      Acid Blend, adjust to .50-65% (tartaric)
½ tsp.          Pectic Enzyme
1 tsp.           Nutrient
1                 Campden tablet, crushed or (metabisulfite, powder)
1 pkg.         Yeast
 
METHOD:
Sometimes it is necessary to dilute the pure juice below the normal acid level, and then fruit acid blend (using acid tester) added back. This is done in order to balance the otherwise overpowering flavor of some fruit.  The hydrometer is then used in adding enough sugar to achieve correct alcohol production. The goal is wine that tastes good with food—a table wine. For these wines a hydrometer and acid tester are essential.
 
There are hundreds of other fruits and berries to be found in the wild and some of these plants have been cultivated for garden use and many of the wild plants that can be found in local nurseries are suitable for making wine. Many are better left for the animals of the wild, but if you posses an adventurous spirit, jump right in. If they are edible and have a good taste they can be made into acceptable wines. The basic recipe I just typed can be used to make your own basic recipe for wild or cultivated grown berries, fruits, or vegetables. Here are just but a few of the wild berries and fruits you can use to make wine: BARBERRY, BEAUTYBERRY, BILBERRY, BEARBERRY, BLACKHAWK, BOYSENBERRY, BUFFALOBERRY, CORALBERRY, CROWBERRY, FLOWER PETALS, GUAVA, HAWTHORN BERRY, HONEYSUCKLE, HUCKLEBERRY JUNEBERRY, JUNIPER BERRY, LINGOBERRY, LOGANBERRY, MULLBERRY, PARTRIDGE BERRY, QUINCE, SALAL BERRY, SALMON BERRY, WINTERBERRY, WINEBERRY, FIRETHORN. This information provided by the WINEMAKER’S RECIPE HANDBOOK.
 
If we can be of any assistance in helping you find a recipe, please don’t hesitate to call us at 479-394-2240. We’re happy to help you, anytime.  There is a website you can go to: Jack Keller.net, it has over 3000 recipes. You’ll even find recipes for tea, coffee, orange juice, mead, etc. It may take you a while to find what you’re looking for, but it’ll be worth it.  
 
We hope you all have a great month and we look forward to seeing you soon; if we can be of any assistance in helping you with your homebrew, please let us know by phone or email. I, also, wanted to remind you that if you are unable to make it by to see us and you need supplies, just contact us and we’ll be happy to mail your supplies to you. We accept Mastercard and Visa, personal checks, and cash.
 
BEV & RAY HARRIS
 
 E-mail: mountainhomebrewing@yahoo.com
Website:http://www.mounainhomebrewing.com 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 
We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year celebration. Ours was a wonderful holiday season with our families.
 
As we begin our new year, it is with profound hope, satisfaction, and anticipation with the expansion and growth in our business. We’ve extended our shop into suite D and we now have a wine shop and a separate beer shop. We’re now selling snack foods that compliment wine, beer, or cola. We, also, have a separate section for gift items. We’ve finally made room to get items on the shelf that was stored in our stock room.
 
We try to have our wine and beer classes the SECOND Sunday of each month unless something happens and we have to reschedule. This month our wine and beer classes will be on January, 13, the wine class will be at 2 PM and the beer class will be at 3 PM . We run our ads in the Polk County Pulse, usually the week before the classes.
 
 We’re also in the process of developing a DVD on how to make wine and another DVD on how to make a home made brew. I’ll update this information at a later date and let you know when they’ll be available for sale. We hope anyone who is interested in learning how to make a good quality, great tasting wine or beer will come to the classes this Sunday. They are both FREE and will last about an hour each. I promise I’ll have wine flavored treats to tease your taste buds.
 
We want all our valued customers and friends to know what a wonderful experience the year 2007 was for me and Ray. Our business grew with customers from seven states; many of our customers called in orders and we delivered from California to North Carolina and due to rising gasoline prices, more and more people, from Oklahoma and Northern and Eastern Arkansas are now placing call-in orders and we’ll continue to take specialty orders and make deliveries to our customers charging the cost of shipping and possibly handling, depending on the item/items purchased.  We’re happy to do this for you. Just call and let us know if it’s too cold or you just aren’t able to get by to see us and we’ll put what you need in the mail as soon as possible.
 
 
In March 2007 we celebrated our 1st anniversary with a contest drawing and it was a lot of fun. We had a good turn out for the drawing and we had plenty of wine flavored treats on hand for the occasion.
 
The berry and grape season in the spring of 2007 was very poor due to a late freeze, but all four vineyards in our area had good crops of muscadine grapes from all the rain and cool weather we had right into June.
 
We made our first trip to the Altus wine festival in July with our family and just had a terrific time. We recommend if you haven’t been to any of the Altus wine festivals yet, you should consider going in July 2008 or the fall festival. The wineries are great fun, and they are happy to share their wines at all the wine tasting booths. It’s an excellent experience to learn all about the different kinds of wine made in our local wineries. I should have more information about the 2008 festivals in late spring.
 
Our Christmas holiday drawing was a great event. Mitch and Dorothy Posel won the blackberry wine kit, Buddy Mitchell won the beer kit, Toby Parker won the cola kit, Max Jones won a gift certificate and Stacy Ward won a gift certificate.
 
I do want to report about a mishap that one of our customers, Patricia Hill, called in to tell us about. She was preparing a wine kit when she mistakenly poured in a ½ cup of one step cleaner diluted with water, (instead of water) into her juice. She called the manufacturer and told him about her mishap. He stated that the one step cleaner, diluted with water becomes hydrogen peroxide and that little of an amount was NOT harmful, to her or the wine juice, to her great relief.
 
We would appreciate it, if anyone else has had any mistakes or mishaps that they would like to share with us, please let us know, so we can pass it on to our customers. When we can learn from our mistakes and pass it on to others to prevent anyone else from making the same mistake, we’re always very grateful and we promise, we’ll keep your name our little secret if you don’t want others to know who you are. Just be sure to tell us. Please, don’t hesitate to call us at 479-394-2240 or email us at mountainhomebrewing @ yahoo.com.  
 
We want to extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude for the artistic design and painting of our new sign to Cindy Norris and to her husband, Mike, who has been so helpful and generous with his time for all the carpentry work he did in our shop
 
We want to THANK all our customers for making our business so a successful in 2007; we are looking forward to serving you all in 2008. If you have any free time, drop in for a visit; we’ll looking forward to seeing you soon.
      
BEV & RAY HARRIS
 

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HO! HO! HO!

                        MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!   

           Ray, Sharon & I want to wish everyone a JOYOUS SEASON!

 We hope you can find time to come by and enter our holiday drawing. You need not be present to win and no purchase is necessary. If you have family & friends that like making a homebrew, then come enter their names in our drawing. Our prizes will be gift certificates, a cola kit, a beer kit, and the grand prize is a BLACKBERRY WINE KIT.

  We will have OPEN HOUSE beginning December 14, when we have our holiday drawing at 4 PM and there will be cookies, brownies, fudge, etc., all made with wine, along with HOT chocolate, cider, coffee. So, stop by anytime from December 14 thru December 31, and TEASE YOUR TASTE BUDS.

 A new shipment of holiday gifts has just been put on display for you to checkout when you come by to TEASE YOUR TASTE BUDS. We hope you can find something for your special someone this Christmas.

 As the year draws to a close, we want to THANK all our wonderful customers for their continued support, from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, and California, because of you our business has continued to successfully grow. Ray, Sharon (our daughter), and I are profoundly grateful and we are looking forward with anticipation to serving you all in 2008.

 We have plans to expand next year and we’ll begin carrying some food items in January, as well as continuing to expand our gift items and wine & beer supplies. As always, we’re happy to place special orders upon request, at anytime.

 We hope everyone finished their wine and beer brews on time; we do have available an assortment of gift sacks to choose from, as well as wine bottle carriers.

 There will be NO wine or beer classes this month due to the holidays. We’ll begin our free classes again in January. Just look in the POLK COUNTY PULSE for our ad. We usually have our classes the second Sunday of the month. As always, we’re happy to give private classes anytime we can plan around Ray’s work schedule. Please don’t hesitate to call (479 394-2240) to ask, if you would like a free wine or beer class.   

We will be closed December 24 & 25 to be with our families in Shreveport, La. Our daughter is coming home from N. Carolina and meeting us at my mother’s home for the holiday. We hope to re-open on December 26.

 GOOD LUCK! WE HOPE SANTA BRINGS YOU EVERYTHING ON YOUR WISH LIST!

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NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

November is the month our holiday seasons begin. Thanksgiving, will soon be knocking on our door; we’ll all be enjoying turkey and dressing with the fresh vegetables, that a few of us we’re able to find time to put in the freezer. Since Thanksgiving is the holiday we Christians thank God, for our many blessings, Ray and I will be with my family in Shreveport, La. We are thankful my Dad has survived cancer, although, he is still suffering many constant complications as a result of the chemotherapy, surgery and the aftermath of the cancer. My dear mom suffers daily with painful disabilities and we are grateful they are still here to share this holiday season with us. Our daughter won’t make it home until Christmas, but we are thankful that she is healthy, living well, and working hard in North Carolina.

Ray, Sharon, & I want to wish everyone a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving and May God’s

Blessings grace you & yours thru-out this holiday season.

It may surprise many to know, that home brewing has flourished in US and Australia , since 1970. This sector is still in its infancy compared to many other more mature markets in both countries; with similar cultures and beer drinking habits.

A comparison of these markets is likely to yield very interesting results. You might be surprised to learn, also, that 1.8% in Australia homebrew, but only 0.3% of Americans homebrew, according to Ms. Diane E. Chido, MS Applied Intelligence, Erie , Pennsylvania , (dcsmanalytics@gmail.com).

To some, home brewing has become a labor of love. Once you make your first homebrew of wine, you’ll be amazed how much better your wine taste than what you can buy at a liquor store or a winery. The more you make, the better yours will taste. In this case, “Practice does make perfect.” When you make your first bucket of beer, you’ll find too, it taste better than any store bought you can purchase, because it doesn’t contain all the (approximately 51) additives & preservatives that you find in pre-packaged, store bought beer.

We are frequently asked how we can sale supplies and wine & beer kits legally in a dry county. The U.S. government allows you 200 gallons a year in homebrew beverage, according to Mr. Bennett with ABO Administration, Little Rock , Ar., (501-682-1105). We have so many customers who tell us that their doctor asked them to drink red wine, because of the medicinal benefits. Red wine is particularly good for men with prostrate or heart problems. Many medical professionals suggest that men who drink 4 to 7 glasses of red wine per week are only 52% percent as likely to be diagnosed with prostrate cancer as those who do not drink red wine, according to new research recently published in the Harvard Men’s Health Watch.

Red wine has the most benefit compared to white wines. Even low amounts seemed to help, and for every additional glass of red wine per week, the relative risk declined by 6% percent. The Harvard Men’s Health Watch notes that men & women who enjoy alcohol and can drink in moderation and responsibly may benefit from lower risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cardiac death. So, drink up and enjoy your red wine this holiday season, but be safe and drink wisely and enjoy your turkey and dressing.

I’ve also included in this month’s newsletter, an essay written by Mr. Donnie Pearce.

It’s informative with contrasting views on the benefits of wine and the controversial issues in religion. Donnie wrote this comprehensive essay for an instructor in a class he was taking at a college. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Could the benefits of wine outweigh church standards?

It appears the stigma of alcohol consumption among evangelicals is on the waning. Drunkenness, a vice condemned throughout the Bible, is still universally forbidden, however, the benefits of wine are quickly gaining ground in society (Enns, 2003). Hardly a day goes by that some advantage of wine, chiefly red wine, isn’t advertised to help prolong life. Sc