Wine And Beer

Have you ever thought about growing your own grapes but were just unsure how to get started? You will learn everything there is to know on how to develop a fruitful vine. It's all about your passion, and determination to succeed. To grow a healthy bearing vine requires a lot of patience and nurturing.People have the impression that you need a large acreage of land to grow grapes, however that is not the case. If you are not considering to make it an occupation, growing a vine in a small area of the garden can be very successful. The key is patience. Full sun is required and it may take as long as 3-4 years to begin bearing fruit. During that time you will gain knowledge on a lot of different factors needed to produce superior quality fruit.When planting vines it is important to choose the variety that best suits your purpose. Certain varieties are more suitable for drying, some are most suitable for eating fresh and particular varieties are used for making wine. You will need to do some research or ask you local nursery which varieties meet your needs.Certain root stocks thrive better in different soils. Any qualified nursery shall be able to help choose the right plant for you. It is best to buy grape vine plantings from certified nurseries who are experienced and know how to graft. If the vine is not grafted onto correct stock or the bud has been taken off a dud cutting; there is a chance that it will not bear the fruit it should. It may even become very vigorous creating too much shade for the canes to mature, therefore disadvantage next years crop. Some nurseries only consider quantity not quality when making their cuttings, so before you buy look around and ask a few questions.A very important key to growing tasty healthy grapes is the quality of the soil. Your soil needs to have the right amount of nutrients to ensure healthy happy vines. Soil can be tested and analyzed by a qualified agronomists to give you advice on how to go about adjusting required nutrient levels in your soil. The best nutrient for your soil is organic matter, a very easy thing to provide by applying cover crops or manure. The reason being, nutrients found in the soil are depleted during the grapes development and need to be replenished at post harvest.A rich luscious soil gives your vines healthy roots for optimal growth. Your vines will thrive to produce an abundant amount of fruit year after year. However, take into consideration that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, resulting in problems as much as what a deficiency of nutrients would create.Drainage is an important aspect for growing grapes. Vines do not thrive in constantly wet ground. Eventually the nutrients in the soil will become leached out and the roots will not be able to resist excessive amounts of moisture resulting the vines to die.Air circulation is another important factor of growing grapes. Good air flow allows less chance of the vine to contract diseases, which sometimes are very difficult to control. The vines need to be supported with the correct trellising to enable air to circulate. It is essential to acknowledge air circulation to ensure the canes and buds absorb the required amount of nutrients from sunlight for the crop next year.Vines need to be controlled from pests and diseases with the use of fungicides and pesticides. Vines are particularly prone to fungal diseases in wet humid climates known as downy and powdery mildew. If not controlled, it can become as severe as losing the entire crop. Wet climates are also a thriving condition for pests such as slugs and snails which can, ruin your entire crop. Other pests known as light brown apple moth, long tailed mealy bug or mites, can devastate crops and grapevines. If they are not managed correctly, it can become a catastrophe.The final thing you need to know about growing grapes is pruning. Pruning vines is essential just like most fruit plantings. Once vines are dormant prune the vine appropriately, clean off unwanted canes and roll the new canes onto the trellising wires.Whether you are planting grapes for home use or you are planning to make it your business, growing your own grapes is such an achievement. Each different variety has it's own individual way of growing and producing. However, the one thing out of your hands is controlling the weather. If your crop is prone to humidity, hit by heavy rain or hail the grapes can be disastrous.

First time and even experienced home brewers can be plagued with problems with beer made with home brew beer kits. The beer quality made from these beer kits can be can be outstanding. However, its just as easy to brew beer that is merely average or even undrinkable. Often these middle of the road or terrible beers have off flavours produced from simple mistakes somewhere along the brewing process. Luckily, what off taste has been produced will help you trouble shoot where in the brewing process you went wrong so you can correct it for next time. Read through the list below to identify your taste or smell to help identify what went wrong. In some cases, you can still rescue your beer, If you can't, at least you won't make the same mistake next time.May we present: My beer tastes like... Clues as to what went wrong.Acetaldehyde - This flavor or aroma reminiscent of green apples or freshly cut pumpkin. In small amounts this can be a good thing in pale lager beers as it can add that "refreshing" taste. In moderate amounts however it can result in apple, emulsion paint, wine or sherry flavours. In large amounts it adds harshness and may make beer undrinkable.*Cause: Acetaldehydes are intermediate compounds in the production of alcohol (ethanol). The presence of this flavour then usually means the beer is too young and needed either more time to ferment or to condition. It may also be indicative of bacterial infection. It can be more evident when using either cane or corn sugar.*Solution: Ensure good sanitation procedures are followed to avoid infection. Let the beer ferment a week longer, or use a hydrometer to know when fermentation is finished. If your beer is bottled, let it condition another week or two.Alcohol - A sharp flavour that can taste harsh and detract from the overall beer depth and flavour. It is also sometimes described as having a hot mouth-taste. Some alcoholic taste is desired in strong beers but too much will make is taste like cheap tequila.*Cause: Fermentation temperature is too high, or not enough oxygen dissolved in the wort.*Solution: Research the temperature that is ideal for your yeast strain and keep your fermenter below the upper limit. Ensure good oxygenation of the wort by aerating thoroughly before pitching (adding) the yeast.Astringent - You will know this flavour as it makes your mouth pucker! Often described as the same as sucking on a tea bag (who does that?) or eating grape skins. It is not the same as bitterness.*Cause: oxidation of the wort, bacterial infection.*Solution: Good sanitation, prevent oxidation of the wort (don't add hot wort to your cold water)Cidery - Smells like, tastes like apple cider. Nuff said.*Cause: adding too much cane or corn sugar. Not letting the beer ferment or condition long enough (acetaldehyde flavour), encouraged by warm temperatures. Contamination.*Solution: Good sanitation. Depending on what style of beer you are brewing, eliminate or reduce sugar content. In heavier, darker beers, use more malt extract instead. Keep fermentation temperatures ideal.Diacetyl - A buttery or butterscotch flavour. Can be desired in pale ales but generally is not appreciated in lagers and can even taste rancid*Cause: Bacterial infection. Poor oxygenation of the wort. Poor yeast growth (weak yeast). Not letting the beer ferment long enough. Fermentation temperatures too high especially in the first stages*Solution: Good sanitation. Good aeration of the wort. Let the beer ferment another week or two or use a hydrometer to know when fermentation is finished. Condition the beer a week or two longer, ensure you don't condition in the fridge. For ales, keep the fermenter on the cooler side (63 degrees) for the first couple of weeks then bring temperature up to about 68 for the final stages. For lagers, try a diacetyl rest: once fermentation is complete, warm up the beer to the low sixties for 48 hours. Bottle then leave at room temperature for a couple of weeks, then cool condition.Dimethyl Sulfides (DMS)/ Cooked Cabbage Flavor*Cause: infection*Solution: Good sanitationEstery / Fruity - Primarily banana, but other flavours include pear, strawberry, raspberry, grapefruit. Sounds delicious to me, but in large concentrations it will taste very odd.*Cause: high fermentation temperatures, poor wort oxygenation.*Solution: lower fermentation temperatures, or what is idea for your yeast strain. Proper wort aeration.Medicinal/Phenols - Described as Band-Aid smells, medicine like or cloves. Chlorophenols can taste like that with a bleach undertone.*Cause: Infection, sanitation with chlorine bleach and inadequate rinsing.*Solution: Good sanitation and thorough rinsing with boiled water if using a chlorine or bleach based sanitizer.Metallic - A taste like pennies or blood, primary from iron.*Cause: High iron content of water, boiling very alkaline water in an aluminum pot, steel pots (not stainless steel)*Solution: use stainless steel equipment, avoid water containing high levels of iron.Moldy- Tastes and smells like mold.*Cause: contamination during fermentation especially when stored in a damp or musty area.*Solution: Store your fermenter in a dry, dark area.Oxidized/Wet Cardboard/Sherry-like flavours - Tastes like cardboard, paper, pineapple, decaying vegetables, bitterness and harshness.*Cause: oxidation of the wort*Solution: care when adding the wort to the fermentation water. Do not add hot wort to cold water. Aerate the water first, not after the wort is added.Skunky - Tastes and smells like it says! Generally not a problem in home brew kits.*Cause: reactions between light waves and isomerized hop ingredients. These wavelengths are screened out by brown colours.*Solution: Don't store your fermenter or bottled beer in direct sunlight. Use brown bottles.Soapy*Cause: incomplete rinsing of equipment after cleaning. Leaving the beer in the fermenter too long allows for breakdown of fatty acids which cause a soapy taste.*Solution: rinse equipment well after using soap. Don't leave the beer in the fermenter too long. Long is relative as we have heard of beer sitting in the fermenter for up to 6 months and it being ok. It will eventually happen.Solvent like - much like the same taste as esters or alcohols but much harsher, like nail polish, paint thinner.*Cause: They can occur with the combination of high fermentation temperatures with oxidation. Leached from cheap plastic PVC equipment, especially if exposed to high temperatures.*Solution: Control the fermentation temperature and avoid oxidation of the wort. Use only food grade plastics for brewing and ensure that these plastics can still be used at high temperatures (some will leach toxins at high temperatures).Sour - Tastes like vinegar, acid*Cause: Almost always an infection with bacteria or wild yeast. Can be inhabiting scratches in your brew keg or will drift in during brewing or fermentation.*Solution: Take care to not scratch your keg and clean thoroughly. Replace your keg if needed. Brew and ferment in a clean, dry area and ensure your keg is well capped. Only open the fermenter when absolutely necessary.Sulphur - like rotten eggs, a burning match or raw sewage*Cause: A natural by-product of fermentation. Infection. Yeast autolysis (death and breakdown).*Solution: If a normal by-product, the smell will go away as fermentation proceeds. Good sanitation. Don't leave the brew in the fermenter for a long time. Again, "long" is relative as we have heard of beer sitting in the fermenter for up to 6 months and it being ok. It will eventually happen.Sweet - overly sugary, cloying, sweet. Final gravity will be high and alcohol content will be low.*Cause: the yeast hasn't fermented all its sugar - stuck yeast (wont ferment), temperature too low for fermentation. Or it may be unbalanced sweetness; not enough bitterness to counter the sweet so sugary flavours predominate. This may happen with the addition of too much fruit flavour.*Solution: Research and keep fermenter at proper temperature for your style of yeast. Add less fruit (you can always add more next batch if your first batch is too subtle). Pitch more yeast.Thin - poor body, no complexity, boring beer.*Cause: The beer has been allowed to ferment too long, the alcohol content is high and final gravity is low. Beer hasn't carbonated long enough or is over-carbonated.*Solution: Do not allow beer to ferment too long, use a hydrometer to determine when to bottle it. Wait another week or 2 for carbonation to occur during conditioning.Yeasty - tastes or smells like yeast, bread.*Cause: Produced from the death and breakdown of yeast (leaving the beer in the fermented too long), or the presence of yeast (beer is too young and yeast hasn't had a chance to settle out).*Solution: Don't leave beer in the fermenter too long. Allow young beer to condition another week or two.By now, you are probably bored with how much we talk about sanitation, but it cannot be over emphasized. Almost any of the flavours above can be caused by contamination of the wort by bacteria or a wild yeast strain. If you have off flavours that cannot be explained by any of the troubleshooting tips above, then it's likely an infection. Have a think about your process and ensure absolutely everything that comes into contact with the beer is sanitized. Don't give up, and soon you too will create something amazing!

Dreaming of a backyard full of grape vines? Just imagining the juicy and tasteful grapes, growing in your backyard is truly appealing? The big question is though, how possible is it for a typical homeowner without any grape vine growing experience like you can start growing lovely vines in your own backyard? Well, the great news today is that you can now start with the process with so much information about grape growing in the online world.Remember though that since grape growing is considered as sensitive as growing an infant, no one says that the process is and will be easy. Then again, provided that you are guided with trustworthy and effective guide lines, there is nothing to worry about. Take note of these effective grape vine growing tips to end your doubts for growing a successful grape vine.First rule is to get to know the common grape varieties.When it comes to growing grapes at home, knowing a particular grape variety that will suit your climate and soil must be your first move. Grape varieties such as Riesling and Chardonnay, for instance, require long months of hot seasons rather than colder seasons. There are some breeds that set a different climate requirement. So to get the foundation right, make your first move by researching for the best grape variety possible in your area.Brainstorm over the vine's location.As far as location is concerned, grapevines are sensitive about this. That is why you have to choose certain locations with enough sunlight. Never consider a location that is under the shade of tall trees and other tall buildings. This setup will likely hinder sunlight and vines will become prone to diseases.Consider the soil minerals and type.Research the most loved type of soil that a particular grape variety loves to grow in. Remember, the best soil for vines are the type that are lightly moist and dry. This type of soil is vital, for they hold water particles needed for the grapes. Weeds are the number one nutrient competitors for your plant, so keep these away from them.Keep the vines growing in the right direction every day.Once you've done a great job during the first months, your vines will surely grow their branches long and wide. However, once this happens, ensure that you keep their branches in the right direction. Never let them crawl over your designated frame. Maintain them by pruning the vines regularly.Don't forget about the trellis.Do not build a weak one, but rather opt for a concrete type to keep the grape vine growing in the right direction. This is necessary if you have a soil that is soft. Hence, if you are growing grapes, especially hybrids, you do not want to prepare a shorter fence for them, because they grow a lot taller as compared to other grape varieties.Getting these effective grapevine growing tips in mind, will surely make you taste the sweetness of success in the end. Therefore, enjoy planting grapevines as much as you can and one day, you will have the sweetest grapes to eat and the most flavorful wine to drink.