Back from Leave

swimmbadd · Post by **swimmbadd** » 03-22-2005 10:16 PM

Hi There.

Well, first of all let me thank Spike for giving me some leave time. I was being a butthead and deserved it. It was one of those days I reckon, I said some things I would have regretted later and did. Thank goodness Spike stepped in and saved my keister and removed the offending error. I had been spending WAY too much time here. You have NO idea. It was like an infatuation. Other than a few weeks last year, I’ve been here almost non stop since the beginning which is not good for anybody. Yes, I know times are changing, but to read all the negative sh*t I was reading here every day, again is no good for anybody. Well luckily I F’ed up and got some time away from here and as yall know at the time of my departure I was looking into stirling engines and a solar powered freezer. And as a result I’ve found a brand new hobby.
For at least a month I had been trying to build a stirling engine from garbage basically, actually from empty cans. That was based on a brilliant idea from a web site. It never worked. Later I found that the design while basically sound had one major flaw in it. They/he/she/IT had the compression hole in the wrong place. But any ways while I was working on it I needed a stainless steel cylinder for the hot side so A Google’en I did go, I searched High and low for just the right sized cylinder. I typed cylinder and pipe and buckets and tubes yet I could never find anything that would work. Then right there at the end of a search I landed in a very familiar place and found a new hobby and a really great group of people (girls allowed and included/ that’s a plus ) What I found was a website with step by step instructions on distilling your own liquor. And that’s what I’ve been working on ever since. Well,,, not really,,, for now it’s just wine and good grief man-Oman does it take a while to age or what?? Yes it does.
So I’m starting my first 20 gallons tomorrow. I’ve turned my kitchen into a clean room. I’ve been cleaning non stop in there since Sunday and really still have a way to go yet, I wasn’t expecting to get the yeast until Thursday but it came today and I’m very impatient to get started.
But then again there’s really no rush because the product will have to be aged for at least a year and for reds two years minimum(tannin needs to mellow)
I’m happy about this and have even designed a label that maybe Dale will help me with cuase I need transparent letters and none of my soft ware does that.
I have an unfinished basement I going to turn into a den/BAR/Happy Get away place

I’ve got it all planned out,,, There will be a party room and behind the bar area. I’m going with a copper theame the party area will have old rustic barn siding on the lower part of the walls while the upper part of the walls will have , , , , thinking, , ,, , , I’m thinking green with vertical copper strips where the wall paper seem will be. Over the bar will be,,, etc….
Haven’t really decided yet what colors to go with but I do know there will be lots of copper.
I’ve gone copper crazy, Shoot I’ve got copper fever

And when you have the money ebay is sooooooo good.

you can get copper foil, tape, sheet, pots, pans, wine coolers, stove hoods, sinks, vessels, clocks, cups, pitchers, muggs, table tops and DAMN I saw a copper claw foot bath tub that was a dream(one of a kind)the list is almost endless.
The first step starts tomorrow making some really good wine. And for a good wine it may take up to six months just to ferment the damn sh*t, depending on the temp and I plan to slow ferment by keeping it cool.
Then maybe later on I can make some really good brandy. That really is what it’s all about for me it’s the brandy.
I’ve gone hungry to be able to buy some supplies so you know I’m definitely dedicated to this
The copper pot will pitch it’s first batch of yeast Thursday.
Wish me luck
So,, Thanks for the new hobby Spike and while I am being sarcastic, I mean it in fun,, I really do.
So don’t get your nickers in a bunch

I’m kidding I really am! Check out the label dude!

Okay back to work

--Rick—

Post by **Linnea** » 03-23-2005 12:15 AM

Good luck with your winery! and welcome back.

Iris · Post by **Iris** » 03-23-2005 01:07 AM

Welcome back, Rick! Sounds like you're having a lot of fun.

I like your label design!

racehorse · Post by **racehorse** » 03-23-2005 01:09 AM

Welcome back, swimmbadd.

swimmbadd · Post by **swimmbadd** » 03-23-2005 01:10 AM

Thanks Linnea and while I was Thanking Spike I may should be thanking you, I don't know but you do and that's what counts. Thanks Who ever

And No my kitchen isn't that filthy but it did have thirty years of acumulated useless crap stored under the counter.
I've got more space than I know what to do with now.
WOOOO! HOOO!;)
I've live here since I was ten and sort of grew into owning my place here and my family myslf included were always a bunch of pack rats

..
So I basically had to go through all the shhh the SEPERATE the useful from the garbage. That was the main part but I'm still more or less steralizing the room.
I've got plenty of time so I'm taking it. I've been out of work since DEC. and by some miracle even though I've only worked a week since then I doing fairly well.
Surpized the hell of of me!!
Thank the Lord !!!!
Praise be to the Lord and very good friends.

swimmbadd · Post by **swimmbadd** » 03-23-2005 01:18 AM

Thanks yall!!
I was busy typin away when you posted. It's gettin late for me and I haven't ate tody so I gotta go now before I turn into a monster.

:p

fabzilla · Post by **fabzilla** » 03-23-2005 04:03 AM

Good to see you swimm, good luck with your "brand"

What do you need as far as labels go?

Are you thinking of decal type?

Or screen prints on the bottles?

I could help you with "labels" if need so.

fab

mudwoman · Post by **mudwoman** » 03-23-2005 04:27 AM

Hi Rick,

Good to see you again!

L
S

snowbird · Post by **snowbird** » 03-23-2005 09:43 AM

Good to see you're back, Rick. I did a little wine making myself, but only from a kit. I just don't have the patience to wait a year - and it seems so complicated.

I remember the time my father had some choke cherries that he wanted to make wine with. He set them into a large jar to ferment, but not having the proper implement (plug that lets the gas out), he only put the screw cap on the jar, but very loosely. One evening, there was this explosion that came out of the basement. When we ran down, there was glass and choke cherry mush in every nook and cranny of the basement that you could imagine. He never ventured into the wine-making business again.

'Course, these things don't happen when you have the proper equipment..... right??

snowbird

fabzilla · Post by **fabzilla** » 03-23-2005 02:51 PM

I'm getting thirsty reading this one!

I tried bottling some wine one time and found out the hard way holding a bottle in front of my other half wasn't such a good idea for personnel safety reasons!

And she had absolutely no sense of humor about it at all.

Knee still hurts!

Devastated · Post by **Devastated** » 03-24-2005 08:10 AM

Glad to see you, Rick! Stay away from yer product!;)

swimmbadd · Post by **swimmbadd** » 03-24-2005 08:15 AM

Tried to go online yesterday but something happened in the neighbor about two houses over that knocked out the phone lines, They were still working on it late last night to restore srevice.
Any ways, I plan to use a gold foil for the label which is why I need transparent letters with black being the only color used. Is there a software that does that?
Snow bird, my father and I tried this years ago as well but the results were not quite so explosive. It just simply rotted.
I got the juice preped yesterday and am waiting the add the yeast as you have to wait 12 hours after adding pectic enzyme and before that I had to wait 12 hours to the pectic enzyme after adding the campden tablets. The campden pretty much sterilizes the juice to kill out the wild yeasts, bacteria and mold.
Also got the yeast started at the same time I preped the juice only before adding the campden which would have killed it. I plan to toss the yeast in the juice around noon (24 hours since campden was added) After that the main ferment should be done in around a week, then it gets put into another container with an air lock and then etc...
It could take up to six months for it to finish and clear but there are short cuts

Here's a link to one of the best wine making sites on the net if you'd like to learn more. Any one care for a galss of green bean wine

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net

Cpt Spike Mike · Post by **Cpt Spike Mike** » 03-24-2005 04:49 PM

Rick, it's good to have you back. Just remember to think before you post, have some patience, and do pace yourself.

Now, as far as your product; if you're planning to actually market it (even locally) you'll have to check into local, state & federal laws. Are you producing actual brandy or a raisin wine? Brandy will probably fall into the whiskey category legally, whereas wine is more flexible.

Waverider · Post by **Waverider** » 03-24-2005 04:53 PM

Something tells me it will be for Swimmbadd's own personal cellar.

tiffany · Post by **tiffany** » 03-24-2005 05:12 PM

Hi Swimm, be careful you don't use it for personal consumption as there is no profit in that and a headache to boot.