Brewer Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Something you might not know. Champagne bottles accept bottle caps because they cap them that way during the secondary fermentation that creates the bubbles. They make great gift size bottles for home brew. Forgive me if you already knew this. Did not know that. I try not to bottle beer anymore, as it's a pain in the arse. Prefer to keg it for ease and I like the carbonation of draft beer better. That being said, it may not be a bad thing to have some champagne bottles of beer handy for road trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Did not know that. I try not to bottle beer anymore, as it's a pain in the arse. Prefer to keg it for ease and I like the carbonation of draft beer better. That being said, it may not be a bad thing to have some champagne bottles of beer handy for road trips. Keep in mind, it only works for sparkling wines made in the traditional manner. Those that carbonate in tank may not work. That said, there are plenty of Cavas that are pretty darned cheap that are made that way and work great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewer Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Keep in mind, it only works for sparkling wines made in the traditional manner. Those that carbonate in tank may not work. That said, there are plenty of Cavas that are pretty darned cheap that are made that way and work great. my homebrew carbonates via a secondary fermentation, even when I keg it. so, as long as you can cap the bottle, and have a method for opening it again to consume, it should work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildcat2334 Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 There's a great article in last months(?) Wine Spectator about Sake. It really opened my eyes. It really is incredible stuff- the quality unfiltered is nice. Gives you a wicked, different kind of buzz as a bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 my homebrew carbonates via a secondary fermentation, even when I keg it. so, as long as you can cap the bottle, and have a method for opening it again to consume, it should work. My point is, those that don't carbonate in bottle may not have the lip for the bottle cap to secure to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 my homebrew carbonates via a secondary fermentation, even when I keg it. so, as long as you can cap the bottle, and have a method for opening it again to consume, it should work. You really should consider getting a CO2 system. You have much better control over the level of carbonation. No surprises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewer Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 You really should consider getting a CO2 system. You have much better control over the level of carbonation. No surprises. I do have a CO2 system for dispensing beer. It's amazing what you can do with old refrigerators. however, I don't like the forced carbonation of CO2. I prefer the carbonation that you get when you use dried malt extract and let the yeast break it down for natural carbonation. Finer bubbles. I've never had a problem with the level of carbonation this way either. Naturally carbonate it and use the CO2 to dispense it and keep it stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewer Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 My point is, those that don't carbonate in bottle may not have the lip for the bottle cap to secure to. Gotcha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seattle LawDawg Posted May 16, 2007 Author Share Posted May 16, 2007 Well, I would have waited until next week to post this week's drinks but I'm headed out of town tomorrow and won't have internet access (and it'll be beer from here until the end of the week anyway) Monday: 2002 Seasmoke Pinot: I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. I still don't know. Seems almost bland. Tuesday: 2004 Sinean: Can't remember the vineyard but this really needed some time to open up.I think the vineyard was wyeast. Really developed into a well balanced wine although the finish could have stuck around. Good legs for a pinot though. 2005 St. Innocent: i'm sure I've mentioned this before: good QPR winemaker. Grab a bottle and drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Monday: Three random blends from Spain, Italy, and France that were all basically unremarkable but at least the french one (Cuvee de Pena Grenache blend) was cheap. Then my wife and I pounded a bottle of the Vi di Agulla summer tonic after a nice evening hike. Tueday: Lame Italian Chard, and a cool Argentine Malbec "Promio" $7 wholesale and it tastes like it should cost more. I'm trying the reserve later this week. Interesting assortment of Spanish wines. I have the notes at work but it started with this crisp and light Viura/Chard blend, a solid and very inexpensive Albarinio, a merlot and a blend from La Mancha (both quite nice), Conde de Valdimar Rioja Riserva (I actually prefer the Crianza), some bad-ass Grand Riserva from them that was freaking expensive but not really all that ($81 wholesale ). A very interesting late harvest Monestreil (mourvedre) and a super tasty Olo Rosso sherry. Today is the good stuff. I've got an 11 am meeting to taste some Italians and then am going to the Wilson Daniels event this afternoon. They rep a bunch of pretty nice high end juice from CA and France (including DRC!!! <<fingers crossed 'cause they always pull out a few cherries at these things>>) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Well, I would have waited until next week to post this week's drinks but I'm headed out of town tomorrow and won't have internet access (and it'll be beer from here until the end of the week anyway) Monday: 2002 Seasmoke Pinot: I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. I still don't know. Seems almost bland. Tuesday: 2004 Sinean: Can't remember the vineyard but this really needed some time to open up.I think the vineyard was wyeast. Really developed into a well balanced wine although the finish could have stuck around. Good legs for a pinot though. 2005 St. Innocent: i'm sure I've mentioned this before: good QPR winemaker. Grab a bottle and drink. I have a bottle of the Seasmoke. Guess I'll go ahead and drink it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Caution, very freaking long....Non wine geeks turn back now. Wine geeks, proceed at your own caution. Continuation of my previous post and the finish of a very good week for wine. Wednesday am Highlights: Vinica Sauv Blanc from Friuli- ~$20 When Italian SB is good, it’s really freaking good. Some of the same grapefruit qualities often found in Kiwi SB but not as over the top and a bit nervier. Lawson’s Dry Hills Pinot Rose- ~$10 Pretty much what I want in a rose. Great acid, bright, friendly fruit. Super clean and drinkable. Promio Malbec Reserve- ~$15 I’ve said it before, these wines really tend to over-deliver. This was absolutely no exception. The regular bottling which wholesales for about $7 is pretty damned tasty and this stuff just pushes it to the next step. Elke Mendicino Chardonnay- $18 Pretty much as much as you should expect from CA Chardonnay that isn’t super expensive. Typicity of flavor, good acid, nice weight. Wednesday afternoon Wilson Daniels Tasting I got held up in meetings and barely got there in time so I had to power taste. Delemotte and Salon Champagnes ~$27 to a whole freaking lot of money. Delemotte is Salon’s 2nd label and I’ve always thought they were a great value. The basic NV is on deal at $22 and is a great Champagne. They also had rose and 99 BdNoir which were amazing (the 99 in particular was almost too good considering the price jump to the…) 1996 Salon which, while clearly illustrating the law of diminishing returns would certainly been my choice if someone else was paying (and they were so I went back for seconds). Olivier LaFlaive Puligny Montrachet “Clavoillon” 2005 (some confusion as to the price) Powerful, balanced, opulent. Great freaking chardonnay. This is actually the wine I mentioned in the $50 wine thread but (oddly enough) my memory was a tad fuzzy. Also, it either wholesales for about $500 per 12 or 6 which goes without saying is a big difference. Krydenweiss Alsatian wines 2005 I’d actually only previously tasted the lower end offerings from this guy and was never very impressed. Honestly, this didn’t change in this tasting. However, his Grand Cru Rieslings and his late harvest stuff is amazingly good. All the power and aromatics one expects from the region with clean polish and balance so uncommon. Wiebelsberg at around $30 wholesale was the best for the money. Faiveley Chablis and Red Burgundies 2005 Honestly, the Chablis were very good but the reds were somewhat unimpressive. It’s supposed to be a great vintage and perhaps they were just wound tight, but I wasn’t getting it. Lots more but I left my tasting sheet at the after-party. I recall some pretty nice Barolos and some cool Tokay dessert wines. Thursday Had I planned on being this hung-over, I certainly wouldn’t have scheduled a tasting first thing Thursday. Fortunately, the wines were very nice. They were all from a primarily French importer called Vintage 59. Highlights: Domaine Cheze Condrieu Cuvee de Breze 2005 ~$50- 100% viognier from where it originates in the northern Rhone. Insanely concentrated, floral, and pretty but with a cleaner finish than new world Vio typically has. Lucien Muzard Santenay “Clos de Tavannes” 2004 ~$40 I’m a bigger fan of Giradin’s offerings from this village but I do like Santenay. For the money (I know, very relative but it is Burgundy) I think you get a lot of juice. Deal of the day was Chateau Haut La Peyeyre Bordeaux Superiore 2003 ~$12- Pretty much tastes like Bordeaux should. Certainly nervier than CA Cab or Merlot (or blends thereof) but enough ripeness and nuance. Domaine Cheze St. Joseph “Cuvee Ro-Ree) 2004 ~$30- I’ve never been a fan of St. Joseph. It always tasted like a thin wanna-be Cote Rotie and always preferred Croze Hermitage when I wanted Northern Rhone for less money. This, was not that, at all. Smelled like bacon and tasted like stewed blueberries. Two unmistakable things I find in Cote Rotie. Considering that you can’t get those for less than $60 these days, this was a relative bargain. One of my reps dropped off 5 bottles from the Vineyard Brands portfolio so I could write a menu around them for an upcoming wine dinner. How handy, my wife and I were going camping the next day… All 2005s by the way. Patient Cottat Sancerre VV ~$20- Super crisp, text book Sancerre. Nothing more to say but that it was verrry nice. Louis Michel Chablis 1er cru Montmains- ~$35 (I think)- What 1er cru Chablis should taste like. Racy citrus fruits with a richness (not from much oak, mind you) that really shows as the wine warms up. Boillot Montagny 1er Cru ~$22 or so- This wine tastes like it costs at least twice the price. Best value I’ve ever had in White Burgundy bar none. Rich, flattering, lingering finish. This is the kind of White burg that purists and CA Chard fans alike can dig. Pichot Vouvray ~$12- If you like it a touch sweet, this is for you. Great for summer and spicy fare. Ripe pear fruit with enough acid to carry it Weinbach Gewurtztraminer Cuvee Theo~$40 Intensely ripe nectarine, lavender, and honey flavors. Honestly, Gewurtz is not my thing, but I can get down with this stuff. FWIW, however, this one did not make the cut in terms of what to bring to the mountains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nogohawk Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Monday - Charity golf tournament and Yuengling Lagers Tuesday - Businessmen Club - Delmonico & Lobster w/ 2003 Chalone Syrah Wednesday - Bar Beef & Yuengling Lager (then on to see David "Freakin" Copperfield) Thursday - Bodegas Renacier Malbec 2006 Friday - Beefeater & tonics and Green Point Shiraz Saturday - Steaks on the grill with stepson & his date - Almaviva 1999 (best) & 2000 (very good), followed by L'Ecole No. 41 Apogee 2003 (don't remember too much about this one) Sunday - Harpoon IPA and yardwork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 (edited) Almaviva 1999 (best) I'm 100% confident I have an 00 and 02 of this in my collection. I was drinking way too much ( ) at a wine bar one night and the owner sold me on these. Edit: Yup, just checked my list and I have 1 2000 and 3 bottles of the 2002. I must have liked the 2002. Edited May 22, 2007 by twiley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Monday - Bombay Sapphire and tonic Tuesday - Bombay Sapphire Martini Wednesday - Patron Cafe Tequila Thursday - Patron Cafe Tequila Friday - Nothing - I had an early morning Sat Saturday - Patron Cafe Tequila Sunday - Van Gogh Espresso Vodka. This stuff is like crack in a bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Monday - Bombay Sapphire and tonic Tuesday - Bombay Sapphire Martini Wednesday - Patron Cafe Tequila Thursday - Patron Cafe Tequila Friday - Nothing - I had an early morning Sat Saturday - Patron Cafe Tequila Sunday - Van Gogh Espresso Vodka. This stuff is like crack in a bottle. Dude, have you tried Plymouth Gin? I used to be a Sapphire guy and this stuff completely won me over. Let marketing behind it so it's also a few buck cheaper. When I want to splurge, I go with Hendricks now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Dude, have you tried Plymouth Gin? I used to be a Sapphire guy and this stuff completely won me over. Let marketing behind it so it's also a few buck cheaper. When I want to splurge, I go with Hendricks now. I haven't heard of it before. I'll be on the lookout for it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nogohawk Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 I'm 100% confident I have an 00 and 02 of this in my collection. I was drinking way too much ( ) at a wine bar one night and the owner sold me on these. Edit: Yup, just checked my list and I have 1 2000 and 3 bottles of the 2002. I must have liked the 2002. I only had 1 of the 2000 - not as dense as the 99 (drank the other bottle back in 2006) - but still have 2 of 01 left (highly recommended by WS) - drank one bottle last summer (another excellent wine) - I'll keep my eye out for some 03. Just picked up a few bottles of Montes Alpha M 2004 last week (and have an 03 in the cellar) - probably pop one of those puppies in a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nogohawk Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 (edited) Dude, have you tried Plymouth Gin? I used to be a Sapphire guy and this stuff completely won me over. Let marketing behind it so it's also a few buck cheaper. When I want to splurge, I go with Hendricks now. I'll have to try it - has anyone had the Bluecoat Gin which is distilled in PA - got a good write up locally, but that's PA Edited May 22, 2007 by nogohawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Mountain Dew, Water, and a couple of fountain drink Cokes. :party: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seattle LawDawg Posted May 25, 2007 Author Share Posted May 25, 2007 DAMN Detlef! I'm in the wrong line of work. I've gotten to tag along on a few industry tastings but they're usually few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 DAMN Detlef! I'm in the wrong line of work. I've gotten to tag along on a few industry tastings but they're usually few and far between. Believe me, you're not. Knowing what I pay my lawyer, I'd rather have his paycheck even at the expense of missing out on the free juice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seattle LawDawg Posted May 25, 2007 Author Share Posted May 25, 2007 Believe me, you're not. Knowing what I pay my lawyer, I'd rather have his paycheck even at the expense of missing out on the free juice. My cellar just hit 1000 bottles: Where do you think my paycheck is going?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 My cellar just hit 1000 bottles: Where do you think my paycheck is going?? Sure, rub it in. My paychecks and dividends seem to all go to lil'twiley lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Missed this thread during its formative period, but I can sum most of my drinking here: beer, beer, beer. Beer. Beer, beer. Beer, beer. Shot of Jack Daniels. Beer. Beer, beer. Beer, beer, beer. Beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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