There is knowledge and there is aloofness, then there is denial and there is wishing not to know the truth, only desiring things be settled.
After a week of quietly seething, my spouse announced it was time to call his brother about an old voicemail. I could feel my shoulders tense up in anticipation, and before I knew it my heart was racing. I was relieved he closed his office door. I didn’t want to know what was being said, provided it didn’t create an irreparable rift between us.
I had no no desire to listen at the door, or subject myself to a recap. I wanted the moment to be over lest my beating heart explode within my ribcage. One phrase escaped unnoticed through the gap between door and hardwood floor, “This is the last I will say of it..”
Don’t ask. Don’t tell. Hopefully this isn’t a symptom of denial.
The conversation was brief and ended with an opening door and a request for an old phone book to look up an address. He text the address, presumably to his brother, and said “Let’s have some of your homemade wine.”
Uh? Homemade wine is a generous phrase. I’ve taken to calling it the science experiment. It’s like a fruity, slightly yeasty variation of moonshine. He thinks it is close to 40 proof, but I don’t believe he is right. I also don’t believe in driving down the mountain immediately after downing a glass.
He hasn’t been very interested in my science experiment. He knew it was quietly fermenting in the cabinet, with balloons in place to inhibit gas exchange. He knew I was starting with the most basic of materials, recycled wine bottles, baking yeast, canned concentrate, and a rubber band collected from a broccoli purchase.
I think he’s intrigued because I started at the most basic level. My expectations are low, but I hope to learn things that will make the next fermentation better. Simple, but learning by doing. That’s life, dozens of finite adjustments in hopes of finding something that works for you without infringing on the rights of others.
A few years ago, everyone in my husband’s office went in together on a winemaking project. I think the first batch was the most drinkable, and eventually they gave up. It was very strong.
OK, they actually used grapes.
That wine is an interesting color.
Mayhap you should send them a bottle of SOMETHING disguised as wine.
I remember when I was little we had a closet filled with home made root beer bottles “ripening” — and one by one they all popped their corks. I don’t remember whether we ever got to sample a single one….
we tried to brew beer once. Once was quite enough, thank you.
De, if the second batch works, I’ll try a batch this summer using real fruit. I’ve made adjustments, but I suspect my second batch will be strong too. I guess I could just skip ahead and make limoncello instead.
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meno, the color is weak for a grape juice base, but it the flavor has more character than say, Boone’s Farm….I can’t justify wasting postage on sending THEM anything.
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Daisy, I had a friend who brewed beer with similar results. He bottled it for consumption, but it was 90% foam, each 160z bottle yielded the equivalent of a single shot of beer.
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flutter, beer in a bag is terrible.
i was reading up on making dandilion wine and also rhubarb wine about a year ago. it sounded so complicated that i gave up. maybe i didn’t get to the basic stuff. and how does it taste?
maggie, it’s very strong and sweet. I racked mine before the fermentation was complete, so this batch is a little yeasty. Aside from that, It resembles a muscadine wine.