Desiree's Beer & Wine Blog

Random thoughts from a female beer geek.
  • .: Welcome to my beer and wine blog. :.

    My goal for this blog is to open the eyes of beer and wine drinkers to the wonderful world of homebrewing and winemaking. I would also like introduce more women to this wonderful world of beer.
    I will be talking about homebrewing and winemaking along with reviews of craft beers and events related to beer and wine.
    Cheers!

  • July 2010
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    What is your wine style?

    Posted By Desiree Knott on July 16, 2010

    So, you are just starting to get into wine. How do you know what to try? How do you know what wines you may like?
    We get this everyday at our store.

    When a customer wants us to recommend a wine, we generally ask them what kind of wines they like. The typical answers are “I like sweet wine.” or “I like dry reds.” Well, that is a pretty broad statement. A Merlot is a dry red but so is a Cabernet. They are like night and day. It takes several more questions to help them figure out what they may be interested in.

    Well, I just found a quick little quiz on the Food & Wine website that can help you figure out what your wine style is:

    Which do you drink?

    2007 St. Francis Wild Oak Chardonnay ($25). Photo Courtesy of St.   Francis Winery.

    2007 St. Francis Wild Oak Chardonnay ($25). Photo Courtesy of St. Francis Winery.

    Whole Milk

    Go for richer, more full-bodied wines—California Chardonnay, for instance.
    slideshow Chardonnay Pairings

    Skim Milk
    You like lighter-style wines, such as Chablis.

    Which juice do you prefer?

    2008 Indaba Sauvignon Blanc ($10). Photo courtesy of Cape Classics.

    Grapefruit Juice
    You like things with high acidity—for whites, that means varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.

    slideshow Sauvignon Blanc Pairings

    Orange Juice
    You prefer sweeter, riper flavors, so stick to Chardonnay, say, or Viognier.

    Which would you rather have on a steak?

    2007 Perrin Nature Côtes du Rhône. Photo Courtesy of Perrin &    Fils.

    2007 Perrin Nature Côtes du Rhône. Photo Courtesy of Perrin & Fils.

    Cracked Black Pepper

    Try spicy Old World reds, like Syrah and other Rhône varieties.

    slideshow Old World Pairings

    Béarnaise Sauce
    You want a lush, smooth California Merlot.

    Which sounds more appealing?

    2006 St. Francis Sonoma County Old Vines Zinfandel ($22). Photo     courtesy of St. Francis Winery.

    2006 St. Francis Sonoma County Old Vines Zinfandel ($22). Photo courtesy of St. Francis Winery.

    Black Truffles
    You’re a fan of earthy, funky umami flavors. Drink Pinot Noir, especially from the Old World.

    slideshow Pinot Noir Pairings

    Blackberries
    You love fruit. New World reds are your thing: Australian Shiraz, California Zinfandel.

    More Wine Tips from Food & Wine:

    Find Your Wine Personality
    Fine Your Wine Personality
    Sommelier vs. Customer
    Sommelier vs. Customer
    15 Rules for Great Pairings
    15 Rules for Great Pairings


    Cheers,
    Desiree and PippinDesiree Knott
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.examiner.com/x-16115-Tulsa-Home-Brewing-Examiner
    http://www.facebook.com/highgravitybrew

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    Review of my All-grain Gluten Free Beer

    Posted By Desiree Knott on May 21, 2010

    Well, the results are finally in. Sorry it took so long. My first attempt at an all-grain gluten free beer has been tried and the verdict: Pretty darn good!

    The beer turned out to be a nice amber color and had a great hop character. The candy syrup added a pleasant caramel quality and the American hops balanced the beer nicely. I was attempting to make an American Amber Ale and I really feel it turned out great. If I were to give it to someone to drink and didn’t tell them it was gluten free, they wouldn’t know. As a BJCP judge, I would give it a score in the low 30’s, a respectable score. I’m very excited.

    I made a few mistakes in this first attempt. I over-sparged. We normally brew 10 gallon recipes and I made the mistake of eyeballing the volume in the kettle. This resulted in 7 gallons of wort to boil down instead of 6. To make up for it I added another pound of dark candy syrup to bring the gravity to what it should have been. I also should have precooked the rice. Even thought the rice was sprouted, it was too hard and I don’t think I got much out of the rice. So, I’m going to give it another try with the correct volume and precooking the rice. I will post my results for that one when I finally get it done.

    I’m also ordering brown rice syrup from Briess to use for an extract version.  Once I get them both tested out I will offer them as kits.

    Here is the recipe from my first attempt:

    Gluten Free Quinoa-Rice-Oat Beer
    American Amber Ale
    Type: All Grain Date: 3/17/2010
    Batch Size: 6.00 gal Brewer: Desiree Knott
    Boil Size: 8.53 gal
    Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Dave & Desiree’s Brewing System
    Taste Rating(out of 50): 32.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00
    Ingredients
    Amount Item Type % or IBU
    5.00 lb Oats, Malted (1.0 SRM) Grain 38.46 %
    2.50 lb Quinoa – Sprouted (3.0 SRM) Grain 19.23 %
    2.50 lb Rice, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 19.23 %
    1.00 lb Buckwheat – Roasted (3.0 SRM) Grain 7.69 %
    1.00 oz Cascade [7.80 %] (60 min) Hops 22.8 IBU
    1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [7.50 %] (15 min) Hops 10.9 IBU
    0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (5 min) Hops 2.5 IBU
    1.00 lb Belgian Candi Syrup – Amber (80.0 SRM) Sugar 7.69 %
    1.00 lb Belgian Candi Syrup – Dark (80.0 SRM) Sugar 7.69 %
    Beer Profile
    Est Original Gravity: 1.059 SG
    Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
    Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.67 %
    Bitterness: 36.1 IBU
    Est Color: 15.3 SRM Color:

    Color
    Mash Profile
    Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body Total Grain Weight: 11.00 lb
    Sparge Water: 4.99 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
    Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
    Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

    Single Infusion, Medium Body

    Step Time Name Description Step Temp
    60 min Mash In Add 13.75 qt of water at 165.9 F 154.0 F
    10 min Mash Out Add 7.70 qt of water at 196.6 F 168.0 F

    Cheers,
    Desiree and PippinDesiree Knott
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.examiner.com/x-16115-Tulsa-Home-Brewing-Examiner
    http://www.facebook.com/highgravitybrew

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    FOAMers clean up in the first round of this year’s Homebrew Nationals!

    Posted By Desiree Knott on April 29, 2010

    AHA National Homebrew Competition

    Oklahoma and the Fellowship of Oklahoma Alemakers (FOAM) took nine medals in the first round of this year’s American Homebrewers Association National Competition. FOAM is part of the Old West Region and judging took place on April 23rd & 24th, 2010.  The AHA Nationals are judged in 2 rounds, the first of which is in 9 different regions and the medal winners from the 9 regions are entered into the final round which will be held at this year’s Homebrewers Conference to be held on June 17-19th in Minneapolis.

    Dave and I judged at this year’s first round for the Old West Region. I have to say I didn’t have a bad beer in all the entries that I judged.  The Old West Region had the most entries of all the regions with 748 registered entries.  It is comprised of three states, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado.  The competition was tough.  Judging took place on April 23rd and 24th. Winners were posted this morning, April 29th.

    Fellowship of  Oklahoma AlemakersHere are the winners from Oklahoma:

    Shawn Scott of McAlester, OK and a member of FOAM won second place for his Bohemian Pilsener. He also won third place for his German Weizenbock and third place for his Old Ale.

    Duane Evans of Owasso, OK and a member of FOAM took second place for his American Brown Ale.

    Peter Polczynski of Tulsa, OK and a member of FOAM took first place for his Baltic Porter.

    Jeff Pursley of Bixby, OK and a member of FOAM took second place for his Belgian Dubbel.

    Jeffrey Swearengin of Tulsa, OK and a member of FOAM took third place for his Semi-Sweet Mead. He also took second place for his Pyment Mead.

    John Karmazin of Claremore, OK and also a member of FOAM took third place for his Fruit Melomel.

    All the winners receive points towards the Homebrew Club of the Year.  Last year FOAM placed 9th in the country.  With this year’s medals FOAM is looking to move up in ranking.  Congratulations to all the Oklahoma winners and wish them luck in the final round.

    Cheers,
    Desiree and PippinDesiree Knott
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.examiner.com/x-16115-Tulsa-Home-Brewing-Examiner
    http://www.facebook.com/highgravitybrew

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    Pucker up Ladies!

    Posted By Desiree Knott on April 18, 2010

    Well Ladies (and Gents too), it’s been awhile since I talked about beer styles and challenged you to go out and try beers that you’ve never tried before.  When I was the presenter at the December Beer for Chicks meeting, I brought several homebrewed beers to share with the ladies.  One of these beers was supposed to be a pale ale but it had developed a distinct sour character from either wild yeast or bacteria.

    “Yuck, bacteria!” you say. Well believe it or not there is a style of beer that is purposely “spoiled”. They are referred to as sour beers.  Surprisingly, after I explained what a sour beer was and that this beer was now a sour beer, a large number of the ladies discovered they really liked the flavor.  The pale ale turned out to be the most popular homebrew of the evening. I’m betting that if you try a few of these special beers you will be a convert too.

    The Beer Judge Certification Program classifies Sour Ale into 6 sub categories.

    The first sour beer they describe is a Berliner Weisse.  This beer is a sharply sour low alcohol wheat beer that is popular in Berlin. It is often serve with syrups such as raspberry and woodruff and is very refreshing to drink.  They are difficult to find commercially in the US so if you have the opportunity to try one, please do.  It is one of my favorite beers.

    The second sour beer sub-category is the Flanders Red Ale.  This is a complex, sour, red wine-like Belgian-style ale. This is the indigenous beer of West Flanders, whose most famous brewery is the Rodenbach Brewery, which has been in business since 1820.   Flanders Reds are aged up to two years in oak barrels. The resident bacteria in the barrel is what gives this beer its sour character.  The Flanders red is more acetic and the fruity flavors are reminiscent of a red wine.  Oklahoma has now has a few Flanders Red on the shelves and several states carry a nice variety of this style of beer.  Commercial examples include Rodenbach Klassiek, Rodenbach Grand Cru, Bellegems Bruin, Duchesse de Bourgogne (available in Oklahoma and I LOVE this beer), New Belgium La Folie, Petrus Oud Bruin (available in Oklahoma), Southampton Flanders Red Ale, Verhaege Vichtenaar, Monk’s Cafe Flanders Red Ale, New Glarus Enigma, Panil Barriquée, and Mestreechs Aajt.

    Next is the Flanders Brown Ale or Oud Bruin, indigenous to East Flanders, typified by the products of the Liefman brewery (now owned by Riva), which has roots back to the 1600s. While Flanders red beers are aged in oak, the brown beers are warm aged in stainless steel. The Oud Bruin is less acetic and maltier than a Flanders Red, and the fruity flavors are more malt-oriented.  Commercial examples include Liefman’s Goudenband, Liefman’s Odnar, Liefman’s Oud Bruin, Ichtegem Old Brown, and Riva Vondel.  Unfortunately there aren’t any commercial examples in Oklahoma that I’m aware of.  If you know of any, please add a comment so I can go buy some!

    Straight (Unblended) Lambics are sub-category four and these beers are complex, sour/acidic, pale, wheat-based ale fermented by a variety of Belgian microbiota.  Lambics are spontaneously fermented sour ales whose origin is in the area around Brussels (the Senne Valley).  Straight Lambics are VERY sour and acidic and can take a bit to get used to.  There aren’t many commercial varieties on unblended Lambics as most breweries blend lambics from various batches.  The most readily available in the US is the Cantillon Grand Cru Bruocsella but it isn’t available in Oklahoma at this time.

    The Gueuze is the most extreme of the sour flavored beers in my opinion. Their sour and acidic character are often accompanied with aromas that are described as barnyard, earthy, goaty, hay, horsey, and horse blanket. It is by far the sour beer that requires developing a “taste” for.  Gueuzes are blends of one, two and three year old lambics.  Gueuzes are highly effervescent while lambics are typically not carbonated.  Try this sour beer after you’ve tried the Flanders Red and Browns and have soaked in what the good characteristics of a sour beer are.  You may be surprised to find you like this stronger version of sour beer. Commercial examples include Boon Oude Gueuze, Boon Oude Gueuze Mariage Parfait, De Cam Gueuze, De Cam/Drei Fonteinen Millennium Gueuze, Drie Fonteinen Oud Gueuze, Cantillon Gueuze, Hanssens Oude Gueuze, Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René (available in Oklahoma), Girardin Gueuze (Black Label), Mort Subite (Unfiltered) Gueuze, and Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze.

    The last sub-style in the Sour Beers is the Fruit Lambic.  These are by far the most popular and well known of the sour beers.  I recommend starting with fruit lambics before trying the other styles.  I have a lot of friends whose girlfriends and wives won’t drink beer but they LOVE fruit lambics.  These sour beers are blended with fruit and are highly effervescent.  Think of them as the champagne of beer.  In fact, their tradition glass looks very much like a champagne glass.  The most famous in the US is the Lindemans fruit lambics which are offered in raspberry, black currant, apple and cherry, most of these are available in Oklahoma. Other commercial examples include Boon Framboise Marriage Parfait, Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait, Boon Oude Kriek, Cantillon Fou’ Foune (apricot), Cantillon Kriek, Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek, Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise, Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus, Cantillon St. Lamvinus (merlot grape), Cantillon Vigneronne (Muscat grape), De Cam Oude Kriek, Drie Fonteinen Kriek, Girardin Kriek, Hanssens Oude Kriek, Oud Beersel Kriek, and Mort Subite Kriek.

    So, give these unique styles of beer a try and let me know what you think!

    Cheers,

    Desiree Knott
    High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
    7164 S Memorial
    Tulsa, OK 74133
    (918) 461-2605
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    Black Noddy Lager is nummy.

    Posted By Desiree Knott on April 10, 2010

    I’m finally getting around to drinking my Buckbean Brewing Company’s Black Noddy Lager.  This is a great beer fashioned after the traditional German Schwarzbier.   It is a dark, rich, smooth malty beer that is well balanced with its noble hops.

    Black Noddy uses specially roasted malts and this gives the beer a light roastiness and dark black color but unlike traditional Schwarzbiers, Buckbean adds crystal and honey malts which adds additional complexity to the malt character of the beer.

    Buckbean Brewing is located in Reno, Nevada and if you happen to be in the area, I highly recommend that you give their beers a try.  Their Orange Blossom Ale is very good too.

    Cheers,

    Desiree Knott
    High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
    7164 S Memorial
    Tulsa, OK 74133
    (918) 461-2605
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    My first all-grain gluten-free beer.

    Posted By Desiree Knott on March 17, 2010

    I’m very excited. I’m brewing my first all-grain gluten-free beer today.  I’ve brewed a few extract versions with sorghum as the base extract with so-so results.  Sorghum has an aftertaste that I describe as metallic.  These gluten free attempts were ok, but I want a gluten-free beer that measures up to the craft beer and homebrews that my lifestyle has become accustomed to.

    Our best attempt so far, an extract brew we named S.O.B. Bitter

    Our last attempt was our best attempt so far. It was a min-mash. Dave used sorghum syrup, malted oats and roasted buckwheat.  He made an English bitter that we named S.O.B Bitter. It is very drinkable but don’t drink a real English bitter anytime close to drinking the gluten-free version or you’ll suddenly become very depressed and realize gluten-free beer sucks.

    The malted oat grain that Dave used in the S.O.B. Bitter is great because oats have a lot of husk material.  And by “a lot” I mean “A LOT”.  This allows me to use other malted grains that don’t have as much or no husk material.  I guess I could use rice hulls if I need to but this makes it easier.  I’m using two other malted grains that I found while shopping at Whole Foods, Quinoa and white rice.

    The Quinoa and rice are labeled as “sprouted” which basically means the grains have been germinated and then dried before the grains have fully sprouted. This essentially is the same definition as malting with the exception of kilning the grains.  For those not familiar with all-grain brewing, grains have to be malted in order to make beer. Unmalted grains don’t have the enzymes needed to convert the starches into sugar. Finding “malted” Quinoa and rice should add more complexity to the beer and I’m excited to try them.

    From what I’ve read Quinoa has a nutty mild flavor. The oats add a flavor that is close to a malty character.  Rice should help create a crisp finish.  I’m also adding toasted buckwheat for added nuttiness and dark candi syrup to add color and caramel notes.  My goal is to create a beer that is close to an amber or brown American ale.

    This is the mash of our first all-grain gluten-free beer.

    Here is my recipe:
    5lbs Malted Oats
    3 lbs Sprouted Quinoa
    3 lbs Germinated Rice
    1lb Toasted Buckwheat
    1lb Dark Candi Syrup
    1oz Cascade Hops (60 minutes)
    1oz Amarillo Hops (15 minutes)
    0.5oz Amarillo Hops (5 minutes)
    0.5oz Amarillo Hops (Dry Hop)

    Lets cross our fingers and hope this beer tastes great!!!

    Cheers,

    Desiree Knott
    High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
    7164 S Memorial
    Tulsa, OK 74133
    (918) 461-2605
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    Further action needed for legalizing homebrewing in Oklahoma.

    Posted By Desiree Knott on February 16, 2010

    Fellow Oklahomans,

    We are making great strides in getting the ambiguous question on whether homebrewing in Oklahoma is legal.  HB2348 has passed the committee and will go to a vote soon on the floor but there is an issue that needs to be addressed.  The legislation going forward will require a license to homebrew.  We feel this is an infringement on our privacy.  After all, this is a product being made for personal consumption, not for resale.  Homebrewers should not be required to get a license to brew beer.

    Below is a message that was sent from fellow homebrewer, Randy Burleson,  to Rep. Colby Schwartz.  Please consider sending a similar message to Rep. Colby Schwartz and your representative as well.  Click here to locate your representative.

    Subject: Message to Rep. Colby Schwartz about HB2348

    Randy Burleson February 16 at 11:14am
    Rep. Schwartz, We at Oklahomans For Alcohol Law Reform applaud you for your efforts to make homebrewing legal!
    For those of us who have been homebrewing for years, it will be nice not to be considered a criminal in the eyes of the law.
    Thank you so much for your efforts!

    However, we also wish that you would change the requirement for a license. We believe that homebrewing is akin to baking goods at home for private consumption. It is not intended for sale or for mass public consumption but for sharing with family and friends. Should we be required to get a license to bake cakes in our own home? This seems ridiculous. Homebrew should be considered a homemade food item like any other homemade food item. A requirement for a license or a tax seems like an infringement and intrusion into our homes and private lives. Please help protect our constitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
    Please give consideration to our views. Again, thanks so much for your time and all your efforts in this cause. We really do appreciate you!

    Please join us in the movement to correct the outdated alcohol laws in Oklahoma.  Become a fan of our group, OKLAHOMANS FOR ALCOHOL LAW REFORM (OFALR) on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and check out the OFALR website.

    Cheers,

    Desiree Knott
    High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
    7164 S Memorial
    Tulsa, OK 74133
    (918) 461-2605
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    Toleration is more than tolerable, it is tasty.

    Posted By Desiree Knott on February 13, 2010

    In my quest to find a gluten free beer that tastes like a craft beer, many friends have come to my aide. My latest gluten free adventure is from Nick Stafford’s Hambleton Ales out of Melberby, North Yorkshire England and was given to me by Steve Stivers, fellow FOAM (Fellowship of Oklahoma Alemakers) member and friend.

    They call their gluten free beer Toleration.  Their website describes this beer as a tawny ale with aromas of Cascade, Liberty and Challenger hops and specially prepared dark sugars providing full bodied initial sweetness giving way to pronounced fruit and hop character with a strong citrus finish. It has a abv of 4.8%.

    When I poured the beer the head was off white and creamy.  The aroma was sweet and you get a hint of hops as well.  The color was great! It looked like an amber beer, something I’ve been trying to find in a gluten free beer.  The taste was surprisingly good. Toleration is brewed with Challenger, Liberty and Cascade hops with specially prepared sugars.  My guess is they caramelize the hell out of the sugars and it really lends a nice sweet caramel character that helps hide the fact that there isn’t any malt flavor.

    As I sit and write this, the head is still present, something I haven’t seen much of in a gluten free beer.  Dave took a sip and was wowed.  He then opened a bottle of real English ale and still felt the beer I was drinking was pretty good even though his was definitely a better beer.  Hey, we can’t have everything and this beer is a damn good beer for anyone who is gluten intolerant.

    I don’t know where Steve picked this up. I’m hoping it was here in Oklahoma but I’m thinking that would be too much to ask.

    This beer also gives my lots of ideas on brewing my own gluten free beer.  I will try them out soon and post my results.

    Cheers,

    Desiree Knott
    High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
    7164 S Memorial
    Tulsa, OK 74133
    (918) 461-2605
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    What are those packets anyway?

    Posted By Desiree Knott on January 30, 2010

    Wine kits are a very popular way to make wine.  I love them. Why? Well, wine kits have everything you need to make six gallons of wine.  All the ingredients, finings and stabilizers are included.  Hey, they even include the instructions at no extra charge. Another reason I love making wines from kits is because I do all-grain brewing for my beer.  I don’t need TWO hobbies that are time-consuming and require a lot of thought.

    Wine kits come in all shapes and sizes but in the end virtually all of them make 6 gallons, or 23 liters, of wine and they all come with a set of common ingredients and I’m going to explain what they are and their role in the winemaking process.

    So, let’s start with the most obvious, the grape juice.  All wine kits include grape juice.  Without it, we wouldn’t have wine.  The amount of juice varies depending on the kit, ranging from 7 to 23 liters of juice. Wine juice is flash pasteurized to keep it from spoiling and varying levels of concentration also help protect the juice. The smaller the bag of juice, the more concentrated it is, requiring more water to reconstitute it to the desired 6 gallons of finished wine. The larger bags of juice tend to have more total dissolved solids adding more complexity and body to the wine.  Regardless of which kit you are making, the juice is the most important factor in the final outcome of the wine.  For help in deciding what kits are best for your needs, please read my blog entry, Are wine kits created equal?.

    The next ingredient that is almost as important as the juice is the yeast.  Without yeast, grape juice is just that, expensive but great tasting grape juice.  The job of yeast is to metabolize the sugars in the juice into alcohol. I get lots of questions about the yeast that is included with the kit.  The most common being, “Should I get a better yeast than the one that is included with the kit?”  My answer is no.  Use the one that comes with the kit.  Think of wine kits manufacturers as a high tech winery.  They put a lot of work and research into their wines and go to great care to pick a yeast that best suites the wine you are making.  Why would they risk their product buy putting in a wine yeast that wasn’t the best one for the kit?  After all, they want you to love the end product and buy more.  So stick with the yeast they give you. It will work great.

    In addition to the juice and yeast, wine kits also include finings and stabilizers. Let’s talk about what these do to the wine.

    Bentonite is clay that is used as a fining agent to clear wine.  It has a negative electrostatic charge.  This attracting charge along with hydrogen bonding causes suspended particles in the wine to cling to it as it settles. Bentonite is a very effective fining agent that grabs onto yeast, tannins and protein particles drops them out of solution.  It also helps to reduce off-flavors and aides in the prevention of oxidation.  Bentonite is added in the first step of the winemaking process.

    Potassium Sorbate is referred to as a “wine stabilizer”.  It is added after fermentation is complete to create an environment that is inhospitable to wine, preventing it from re-fermenting. Potassium Sorbate is important for sweet wines. Yeast live on sugar. If you want to make a sweet wine, the easiest way to ensure that it will not continue to munch on the sugar is to add sorbate.  If your wine kit is a dry wine, you can leave the sorbate out of the wine as long as you verify fermentation is complete before bottling. I never add sorbate to my dry wines but I ALWAYS add it to my sweet kits.

    Potassium Metabisulfite is a granulated powder that releases sulfur dioxide when dissolved in liquids.  It is a very important part of the winemaking process as it is a bacterial inhibitor that protects the wine from spoilage, particularly from the Acetobacter bacteria that turns wine into vinegar. Potassium Metabisulfite also protects against oxidation of your wine which can affect the flavor and color.  If you are planning on aging your wine for an extended period of time, you should add additional sulfites to your wine.  Refer to the wine kits instructions for suggested doses.

    All wine kits include a liquid fining agent.  Typically, the kit will include kieselsol/chitosan or isinglass.

    Kieselsol/Chitosan is a combination of two fining agents.  Chitosan is derived from the shells of shrimp and other crustaceans. It is a great flocculating agent in wines. It precipitates solids and is a very efficient clearing agent.  Kieselsol is a byproduct of the glass industry. The primary use of kieselsol is for clarification and as a replacement for tannin during gelatin fining of white wines.  Kieselsols are negatively charged and electrostatically bind to and adsorb positively charged proteins and initiate flocculation and settling. Used together they are fast and effective in clearing wine.

    If your kit doesn’t include kieselsol/chitosan, it will probably have isinglass.  Isinglass is obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish.  It is a form of collagen used mainly for the clarification of wine and beer. It works much the same way as kieselsol/chitosan and is thought of as a polishing fining agent for wines that are already fairly clear.

    So there you have it. The ingredients included in virtually all wine kits that are out there.  In a future entry I will talk about other ingredients that can come in wine kits such as grape skins and oak chips.

    Please feel free to comment with questions or feedback.

    Cheers,

    Desiree Knott
    High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
    7164 S Memorial
    Tulsa, OK 74133
    (918) 461-2605
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com

    Follow highgravitybrew on Twitter

    Ladies, time for a beer that warms the toes!

    Posted By Desiree Knott on January 29, 2010

    It’s cold outside so this week I’m want everyone to try a winter warmer!

    Winter warmers and holiday beers are a popular seasonal style available during the winter months.  Traditionally winter warmer beers are higher in alcohol content and richness to celebrate the season with friends and family. Belgian and American interpretations can be be spiced adding an even more festive charm.  English and German versions don’t use spices in their winter beers.  Click here to read the Beer Judge Certification Programs definition of a winter warmer.
    Here are a few commercial examples of winter warmers:

    Sam Smith’s Winter Welcome is described as a Honey-amber-colored, creamy head of small bubbles, floral aroma and delicious malt flavor with great finesse.  This is the quintessential English winter warmer and is available in most states.

    Anchor Brewing’s Christmas Beer is a big malty, spiced beer.  The interesting thing about Anchor’s Christmas beer is that the recipe changes every year with a different commemorative label. In homebrew circles it is somewhat of a collector’s item.  This beer always reminds me of the season with it selection of spices that entertain the taste buds.

    Avery’s Old Jubilation is an English Old Ale that is great for this time of year.  This beer contains no additional spicing and it is amazing what they can do with malted barley, hops, water & yeast.  It is incredibly malty with hints of toffee and hazelnuts.  This is a smooth beer that is a pleasure to drink.

    Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale is the winter beer for hop heads.  Not for the weak of heart, this beer is big on malt flavor and even bigger on hop bitterness, flavor and aroma.  If you haven’t developed a taste for hop bitterness this one will be like a slap in the face. Hop lovers, however, look forward to the release of this beer like it’s the coming of Santa Claus.

    Big Sky Brewing has their Powder Hound,  another winter warmer that is in the English tradition with no spices but a great malt character and British hops.

    Samuel Adams Winter Classic Mix Pack is a great way to experience 6 different beers from Sam Adams. The lineup can change from year to year but most years it includes a mix of Old Fezziwig Ale, Winter Lager, Holiday Porter and Cranberry Lambic.
    Virtually every craft brewery now has its version of a winter seasonal so check your local liquor stores and what is available in your area.  Some are intense, some are smooth and malty, and some are rich and spicy, all are very tasty!

    If you’re interested in brewing a winter warmer, check out my winter warmer article on examiner.com.
    Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a Sam Smith’s in the fridge that is calling my name!

    Desiree and Pippin

    Cheers,

    Desiree Knott
    High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
    7164 S Memorial
    Tulsa, OK 74133
    (918) 461-2605
    desiree@highgravitybrew.com
    http://www.highgravitybrew.com

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