As well as bottling marathon I tackled the poo pile on Sunday. Steve called for me early on Sunday morning. When we got over to the pile we first loaded up his car and then my trailer. The first trailer load had a lot of fresh stuff so we spread that over the long border at the Lottie. Steve only had time to shift one load. I soldiered on and did a further two trips. We have managed to move all but the one trailer load. We will finish this off next Sunday and no doubt we will have a little alcoholic tincture for them by way of a thank you. It is a neat relationship. They need to get rid of the horse muck and we can use it. The jobs made easier because I have left my trailer with them so they can fill it as they need. It seems to work quite well so far.
I usually make a wreath for the front door. On Sunday afternoon I went on one of my wanders to see what the Leicestershire hedgerows could yield. H cried off. She had been out with her teacher buddies on Saturday night and was counting the cost....very quietly. L was still out at friends for the sleep over. Off I went. There was still an hour and a half of daylight left but the temperature was dropping. I was well wrapped. An old chap I knew said that there was no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes! For added atmosphere, if more atmosphere was needed in the frosted forest under a watercolour sky, I was listening to a multi-national carol concert on Radio 3 via my ipod. I was not trying to be quiet yet I still walk up within fifty yards of a group of young deer. For a change I spotted them first and stopped behind a tree in the hedge line. They must have got wind of me as after a few minutes they walked off. I continued down the hedge line and jumped into the dry ditch at the end plantation. The herd had walked down the other side of the ditch line to the end of field. They were doing that funny cantering gait, all four legs at once, that is more than walk but less than a run. At a certain point the herd found a gap in the hedge, one at time hopped through it and were gone.
I made my way back to the car via the holly bushes, fir trees and ivy covered trees I had passed on the outward journey. I had a bagful of cuttings and a handful of holes from the spikes on the Holly. When I got home L had pitched up. H was had the kettle on and was making tea [Evening meal as well as the hot beverage]. I cut a two long Willow whips from the hedge at the end of my garden. In the garage to wrestled all the components into a creditable wreath. H had a red ribbon to hand. It took longer to tie a nice bow than make the wreath. The wreath is on the front door if you want to see it.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Bottling the Summer
The time came this weekend to finally bottle the wine that has been brewing since September. I though a would wash a few bottles, do a few labels and cork a few bottles. I did a quick sum in my head. I get five full 75cl bottles from each demi-john. I have seven demi-john that 45 bottles...more than a few. I like clear glass for the "white" wines and green or brown for "red". I had a rummage in the bottle pile to find 15 clear bottles. Upon cleaning I found a couple of bottles where I could not get the smeg out of the very bottom of the bottle. Another rummage and I came up with clear bottles that would clean up. I went through the same exercise for the green bottles.
I don't buy bottles. I come by them via parties, wine we have bought and recycled one from previous years. I also try to get similar bottles for each batch. I also try to have the batch all screw caps or all corked. I just like it that way.
Each demi-john H and I have a look at the colours carefully put on the stool which has been placed on the dining room table. The bottles, corks or caps, labels, Hydrometer and measuring tube and note pad are set about the table. Off comes the airlock and bung, in goes the syphon tube, a big suck and the juices start flowing. During the draw off I fill the measuring tube for the hydrometer. I fill the remaining bottles. The specific gravity [SG] is recorded in my little book. I write out the labels which are small tags on strings. I record the source, Apple for instance, the date it was bottles and the SG. I top up any bottle that are short from the wine in the measuring tube. What is left after top goes in a glass for H and me to taste. But before tasting the caps or corks are fitted.
H and I have a look at the colour, have the sniff then a taste. Our only criteria is "do we like it". H likes dry wines and I don't. I like sweeter wine and H doesn't. In shades of Jack Sprat and his wife the wine rack has something for everyone. The process finishes with the demi-johns, airlocks and syphon being cleaned, sterilised and put away for next year. The bottled wine is taken to the shed and loaded on to the waiting shelves. The Beetroot and Elderberry feels like it is going to need some time the mellow out so they are put in the top left of the shelving where they will be out of the way. The more palatable wines comes next. They make up the middle portion of the shelves. I still have 15 bottles from last year so they take space on the right hand side of the shelves, near the door.
The surprise wine is the Pea Pod Burgundy. It has smelt really suspect all the way along. However on bottling it has come of age. It is clear as a bell and tastes really nice. It might be nicer still in the summer, if I keep my hands off it! The jury is still out on the Elderberry and the Beetroot wine. It is better than it was. It might just might need time. The apple wine is nice an light. One batch to drier than the other and of course I prefer one and H the other. The Blackberry is fruity, as you would expect, but not too sweet. This year I halved the amount of sugar in the recipes which has led to drier wines. I will report back if they have lost the alcoholic punch of previous years.
Next year, more Pea Pod and anther batch of Dandelion.
I don't buy bottles. I come by them via parties, wine we have bought and recycled one from previous years. I also try to get similar bottles for each batch. I also try to have the batch all screw caps or all corked. I just like it that way.
Each demi-john H and I have a look at the colours carefully put on the stool which has been placed on the dining room table. The bottles, corks or caps, labels, Hydrometer and measuring tube and note pad are set about the table. Off comes the airlock and bung, in goes the syphon tube, a big suck and the juices start flowing. During the draw off I fill the measuring tube for the hydrometer. I fill the remaining bottles. The specific gravity [SG] is recorded in my little book. I write out the labels which are small tags on strings. I record the source, Apple for instance, the date it was bottles and the SG. I top up any bottle that are short from the wine in the measuring tube. What is left after top goes in a glass for H and me to taste. But before tasting the caps or corks are fitted.
H and I have a look at the colour, have the sniff then a taste. Our only criteria is "do we like it". H likes dry wines and I don't. I like sweeter wine and H doesn't. In shades of Jack Sprat and his wife the wine rack has something for everyone. The process finishes with the demi-johns, airlocks and syphon being cleaned, sterilised and put away for next year. The bottled wine is taken to the shed and loaded on to the waiting shelves. The Beetroot and Elderberry feels like it is going to need some time the mellow out so they are put in the top left of the shelving where they will be out of the way. The more palatable wines comes next. They make up the middle portion of the shelves. I still have 15 bottles from last year so they take space on the right hand side of the shelves, near the door.
The surprise wine is the Pea Pod Burgundy. It has smelt really suspect all the way along. However on bottling it has come of age. It is clear as a bell and tastes really nice. It might be nicer still in the summer, if I keep my hands off it! The jury is still out on the Elderberry and the Beetroot wine. It is better than it was. It might just might need time. The apple wine is nice an light. One batch to drier than the other and of course I prefer one and H the other. The Blackberry is fruity, as you would expect, but not too sweet. This year I halved the amount of sugar in the recipes which has led to drier wines. I will report back if they have lost the alcoholic punch of previous years.
Next year, more Pea Pod and anther batch of Dandelion.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Ever the optimist!
H's buddies visiting, my parents visiting and foul weather have kept me away from the lottie for the past two weeks. I have taken waste from the house to the worms or the compost heap each weekend. Last weekend when I checked in on the worms they were almost swimming. I had to cut a hole in the bottom of the wormery to let out the water. I got about a gallon out. I bobbed the worm juice in to the adjacent water butt. This week has been very cold, several degrees of frost each night in fact. I hope the worms are up to the challenge.
The new arrangement with horse poo and trailer had its first test. The call came to say the trailer was full. I was busy over the weekend so popped over the collect the trailer on Monday tea time. It took about an hour and a bit to complete the round trip. Only one light bulb on the trailer needed changing so that was alright.
I found that a local carpet shop, near where I work, throws out the remnants at the back of the shop . A quick word and now I have free access to the offcuts. The offcuts will used to suppress the weeds on the lottie.
I went to see the Potato men on society business and came away having bought some new seed trays. In the weeks leading up to the winter solstice it away feels like the deepest, darkest part of the year and spring might never come. Since science tells us the world turns I don't think I will need to go to the trouble of a sacrifice [human or otherwise] to ensure the return of the sun. Ever the optimist I checked my seed collection again.
On the way back from Newall, through Church Gresley I spotted a banner for the Church Gresley and Weston on Trent Model Railway Engineers Society Christmas open day. I parked up and paid my two quid on the door and was let into a light and warm wonderland. A wonderland if you like massive "O", "OO" gauge train layouts. The society has been running since the early sixties. I spent over an hour browsing the sets. There were a few smaller sets in "N" gauge and a number a tram sets. The big "OO" gauge set had a couple of long trains running on the long up and down loops. A couple of chaps were running sidings and trams on the same layout. It was all very busy. The ladies of the Society had made truck fulls of mince pies, sandwiches and lashings of steaming tea. Tea at 40p and mug. What a bargain. The next open day is Easter weekend so make a note to go. It is a rare treat.
The new arrangement with horse poo and trailer had its first test. The call came to say the trailer was full. I was busy over the weekend so popped over the collect the trailer on Monday tea time. It took about an hour and a bit to complete the round trip. Only one light bulb on the trailer needed changing so that was alright.
I found that a local carpet shop, near where I work, throws out the remnants at the back of the shop . A quick word and now I have free access to the offcuts. The offcuts will used to suppress the weeds on the lottie.
I went to see the Potato men on society business and came away having bought some new seed trays. In the weeks leading up to the winter solstice it away feels like the deepest, darkest part of the year and spring might never come. Since science tells us the world turns I don't think I will need to go to the trouble of a sacrifice [human or otherwise] to ensure the return of the sun. Ever the optimist I checked my seed collection again.
On the way back from Newall, through Church Gresley I spotted a banner for the Church Gresley and Weston on Trent Model Railway Engineers Society Christmas open day. I parked up and paid my two quid on the door and was let into a light and warm wonderland. A wonderland if you like massive "O", "OO" gauge train layouts. The society has been running since the early sixties. I spent over an hour browsing the sets. There were a few smaller sets in "N" gauge and a number a tram sets. The big "OO" gauge set had a couple of long trains running on the long up and down loops. A couple of chaps were running sidings and trams on the same layout. It was all very busy. The ladies of the Society had made truck fulls of mince pies, sandwiches and lashings of steaming tea. Tea at 40p and mug. What a bargain. The next open day is Easter weekend so make a note to go. It is a rare treat.
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