Transforming the Mundane into the Sublime – Part Two – The Fermentation

**Warning** It is illegal for persons under the age of 21 to make/possess alcohol in the United States and laws are different in other countries so: This is being posted for informational purposes only. If it is illegal for you to make or possess alcohol wherever you are, don't do it! I will not be held responsible for your lack of judgment. **Warning**


OK...you've had ample time to purchase your equipment and ingredients. Now onto the meat of the subject.

First, you will need to wash your hands in warm soapy water and rinse them very well.

Second, you'll need to sanitize all of the equipment we will be using today which will be:
One Gallon Glass Jug and Cap
Stopper and Water Airlock
Plastic Funnel
Wooden or Plastic Spoon
1 Quart Measuring Cup (Glass Preferred)
2 Quart Mixing Bowl
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife

Third, you will need to mark your 1 gallon jug in ¼ of gallon increments. You can use a black sharpie to mark the levels, but be careful, it will wash off with soap and water.

Fourth, you will need to wash your hands in warm soapy water and rinse them very well. (are you starting to see a pattern yet?)

Fifth, gather your ingredients as your equipment air dries. You will need:
3 ½ lbs Clover Honey
1 Large or 2 Small Oranges
25 Raisins
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Whole Clove
Ground Nutmeg
Ground Allspice
1 package Fleishmann's Bread Yeast (regular, not rapid rise unless you like honey volcanoes and sticky ceilings!)
1 Gallon Spring Water (I use water from my well, but if you are on city water, I recommend you get the bottled spring water, it has less undesirable stuff in it)

Sixth, you will need to wash your hands in warm soapy water and rinse them very well. (yes, again)

Seventh, into the jug, place the raisins, cinnamon stick, clove, and a pinch each of nutmeg and all spice. Cut the oranges into 8 or 10 sections and force them into the jug.

Eighth, wipe any OJ off of the jug and yet again, wash your hands in warm soapy water and rinse them very well.

Ninth, heat up 1 quart of the spring water in your microwave (about 1 minute) and pour it into the 2 quart mixing bowl. Pour at least ½ of the honey into the mixing bowl and stir until it dissolves. Pour the honey water into the jug, using the plastic funnel. Repeat again with the second half of the honey and another quart of water. Add cool water until you have filled the jug to within 4 inches of the top, no closer or you will have a mess on your hands later. Put a cap on the jug and wait until it cools to room temperature.

Finally, now that the liquid has cooled, with the cap still on, shake the jug non-stop for about 30 seconds to aerate the contents. Remove the cap from the jug and replace it, then shake it again nonstop for about 30 seconds. Remove the cap from the jug. Tear open the yeast packet and dump the contents into the jug. Give the jug a gentle swirl. Put the stopper and airlock (make sure you fill the airlock to the like with either water or vodka) on the jug and put it into a warm dark place in your kitchen. I cover mine with a large manila shipping envelope to keep out the light and put it on top of my refrigerator. Check on it every few days and in about 2 weeks and if the major foaming has stopped, top off the jug to within 1 inch of the stopper with the remaining spring water.

Now comes the hard part, waiting for the fermentation to complete. While you are waiting for that to finish (about 2 months), gather up 5 empty wine bottles (standard 750 ml size, you will also need corks and a hand corker) or eight 500 ml grolsch style bottles (I like these better for this drink, just my preference though).  You will also need a racking cane (I linked to my favorite one for small jugs, they make a larger version for 3 and 6 gallon fermentors) and tubing (also available at Maryland Homebrew, just call them and ask what size you should use).

Also, don't forget to check on the mead a couple times a week as it ferments to make sure you still see bubbles escaping the airlock and to keep the airlock filled to the proper level with water or vodka.

Next installment of this topic, we will talk about the bottling of this delicious nectar. Until then, keep safe and warm, and above all, enjoy life as much as you can.

TroutAngler

Unexpected Change of Plans

Well, life threw me a curve last week through this week. The snow arrived early and I had to take my youngest son to the dentist to have two teeth pulled, so needless to say, no hike on that day. That was OK, I figured I'd just push the hike off until the weekend. No joy their either. My middle son came home last Wednesday with a fever and a cough, he was stuck out of school for two days, then we all caught it. By Saturday, my youngest son was in the throws of this horrible virus.

On Monday, my oldest son was out with it. Thank the gods that school was closed due to snow. School was two hours late on Tuesday and they all went, except for my youngest son, who was still having trouble getting rid of the fevers and now my daughter was showing signs of the nasty cough and runny nose as were my wife and I.

On Wednesday, school was closed again due to snow and that is when my daughter, my wife, and myself hit the bad part of this infection. My daughter couldn't keep any food down (to this point, she has only had a mild fever, if any at all) which is not good for a 10 month old, so we made a doctors appointment for her. I took her to the doctor and of course, there is nothing they can do or prescribe for her has she is so young. Just giver her pedialite a little at a time until she can keep that down and then start slowly with formula again. Nice...and what a good use of my $15.00 co-pay. They couldn't have just told me that on the phone!? I do as the doctor says and by Wednesday evening, my daughter is finally keeping food down again and we put her to bed.

The next day she is feeling even better, eating her “puffs” and drinking formula. At about three in the afternoon, I lay her down for a nap because she is just tired an fussy. At eight that night, I go in to get her up because she did not wake up for dinner. She is burning up! My wife takes her temperature, and it it over 104 degrees Fahrenheit! We give her some acetaminophen and a bottle of cold pedialite to try and bring down the fever. After two hours, there is no change, do I take her out of her nightgown and let her lay on me in just her diaper. After another hour, her fever is gone and she is feeling better. Needless to say, with all of us still recovering from this bug, no hiking or picture taking this weekend either, not even with the warmer temps. Hopefully, I can reschedule this for another weekend in the near future.


Well, that's all for now. Keep safe and warm until next time, and above all, enjoy life and your health as much as you can.

Stepping Back in Time - A Day-Hike in Morgan Run NEA - Part One

I love going outside. It really doesn't matter the setting as long a nature is all around. I like hearing the sounds of life all around me...not the hustle and bustle of machinery. The activity doesn't matter too much either, I like hunting and fishing, hiking and camping, geocaching, most anything that gets me out amongst nature. I also love taking pictures of whatever I see while I am out. With that in mind, I plan to take two of my sons (my youngest son has a dentist appointment, he and I will go on another weekend) on a day-hike today (Monday) in the Morgan Run NEA (Natural Environmental Area), which is located in Carroll County, MD, just south of Westminster (the county capital). I have hiked there many times and I also fly fish on the stream (Morgan Run) that runs through the area. I just purchased a little Kodak digital camera for my oldest and my middle son will use the digital camera I pack along when I am out fishing or hunting, I of course, will be using my Canon Rebel Xti (I'd like the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, but who can realistically afford it?).

There are the remains of an old farm on the property that I have photographed twice before now, about a year before I got my fancy DSLR. This farm is one of the main targets during the hike. There is something about the crumbling buildings that call me back there. Looking at them brings out thoughts of a “simpler” time with less technology getting in the way. A time before the hustle and bustle of daily life got so “hustley” and “bustley”. One of the buildings is an old wooden barn, the boards still hold on to their red color, that has a dated stone of 1938. The world was at war with the Nazis when it was built. The other, larger building was another barn of sorts, it is cinder block and poured concrete though with two huge concrete silos connected on the back end of it. I haven't seen any date on this building, but it does have an old electrical/fuse box on it. With what is left of the insides, I can't tell what it was used for, but it has metal “rails” that look like they could have been used as stalls. Maybe is was an old milking barn. Who knows? If you do, please post a comment letting me know, I'd really appreciate it.

Anyway, I hope for us to hike back there tomorrow, so that we can get some decent pictures of the dilapidated structures and with luck some decent wildlife photos. The place is crawling with deer, foxes, squirrels and other critters as well as many birds prey. Parts of the NEA are also open to hunting when it is in season (tomorrow starts the last week of the deer bow hunting season), and although we aren't going to the area where hunting is allowed, we are going to wear hunters orange vests just to be safe (our family motto for is “Do whatever is necessary to be safe at all times”, especially when we are going out away from the civilized world, you know, state parks and cities.). I may even get my fishing license in the morning and sneak along a fishing rod, so we can try to hook up with a trout or two.

One of the things I like about this particular NEA is the variety of environments located in such small area. There is a good bit of forest and most of the rest is open lands where the state allows the grasses to grow to their normal height with horse/hiking trails mowed throughout the area so you can easily walk around. There is also a pond called Tadpole Pond that is very small, but has a nice atmosphere about it, I imagine it could be frozen over right now, that would make for some nice pictures). There are several tiny streams that eventually flow into Morgan Run herself and they each offer a staggering variety of differences that attract many different kinds of life during the spring and summer, in the winter however, they seem rather empty with most small creatures hibernating or staying in their dens during this cold weather.

The hike will be slow paced and relaxing, we won't be in any hurry as we will have four to five hours to walk around. It may also help us work off some of the “winter pounds” we have all put on. We are going to start out at about 9:30 or 10:00 in the morning. We will eat a picnic lunch sometime during the walk and just enjoy having nature all around us. If we get done in the main section with sometime left, I may even take them over to the handicapped access ramp on the other side of the NEA. The access ramp was built by the Patapsco Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, so people who are wheelchair bound could have easy access to fish on Morgan Run. The area on this side of the NEA has a nice hiking trail along the stream and there are some good places to take pictures of the little “waterfalls” that occur along the stream.

I just looked at the weather report on WeatherBug. They are now calling for a good chance (70%) of snow on Tuesday and Wednesday. I may have to be late for work on one of these days, so I can get some good pictures of the stream while it is snow covered! That would be fantastic!!!

Well, that's all for now. Keep safe and warm until next time, and above all, enjoy life as much as you can.

TroutAngler

Transforming the Mundane into the Sublime – Part One – The Basics

**Warning** It is illegal for persons under the age of 21 to make/possess alcohol in the United States and laws are different in other countries so: This is being posted for informational purposes only. If it is illegal for you to make or possess alcohol wherever you are, don't do it! I will not be held responsible for your lack of judgment. **Warning**


As promised, I'll outline how to make wine. I'll use the recipe I am currently making ( Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and Spice Mead) as I guide you through the process. I'm not going to get in depth and talk about things like peptic enzyme, acid blend, or anything more advanced than putting the ingredients together and waiting for the finished product, so if that is exactly what you are looking for, there are many good books available that will tell you more than you want to know, or you could head on over to the Winepress.US Forums and there are plenty of wonderful people there who can answer your questions.

Let's start with equipment. There is a lot of equipment out there for making wine. I suggest, that as a basic setup, you have at least the following:
Primary Fermenter (can be glass or plastic, your choice)
Secondary Fermenter (Preferably a Glass Carboy or Jug)
Plastic Funnel
Wooden or Plastic Spoon
Measuring Spoons
Two Water Airlocks
Rubber Stoppers (must be drilled to accept the Airlocks and fit the opening of your Primary and Secondary Fermenters)
No Rinse Food Grade Sanitizer
Hydrometer/Thermometer combo
Glass or Pyrex 2 Quart Measuring Cup (I use it as a mixing bowl)
Siphon and Tubing ( for transferring from primary to secondary)

You won't need all of this for the recipe we are working with now, but the above list is just the basics...and only for getting you through fermentation. There are a few other things you need for bottling and labeling and I will mention them when they are needed.

Now onto the meat of this ramble. The only equipment you will need for making Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and Spice Mead is:
Glass One Gallon Jug
Stopper and Water Airlock
Plastic Funnel
No Rinse Food Grade Sanitizer
Wooden or Plastic Spoon
1 Quart Measuring Cup (can be glass or plastic)
Glass or Pyrex 2 Quart Mixing Bowl

Additionally, you will want a sharp knife and a cutting board but, basically that's it. Nothing else is needed. The spoon, measuring cup and mixing bowl can easily be gotten from your local wallyworld. The other items will require a homebrew shop. If you don't have one near you, there are plenty that offer mail order on the web. My local hombrew shop is Maryland Hombrew and is located in Columbia, Maryland (for those of you local to the area. Nice shop and great people!). I should point out that I have no affiliation with the shop, they don't even know I have put this link up, they just have been good to me, so I see no reason not to mention them and throw a little business their way.

That was the hardware. Now for the software. Since we are making a mead (fermented honey) we will need honey, and lots of it. This is designed to come out as a sweet mead, meaning not all of the sugar will be fermented into alcohol(about 2% is left), leaving the wine with a sweet taste at the finish. If you don't like sweet wines, you probably won't like this, but I urge you to try it anyway as it is quite good!

For this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
3 ½ pounds of Honey (your choice of variety, but clover or orange blossom are really good)
1 Large or 2 Small Oranges
1 small Box of Sunmaid Raisins (Brand not so important, Golden or Dark, your choice, I use the dark red ones)
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 or 2 Whole Cloves
A very small Pinch each of Nutmeg and Allspice
1 package Fleishmann's Bread Yeast (regular, not rapid rise unless you like honey volcanoes and sticky ceilings!)
1 Gallon Spring Water (I use water from my well, but if you are on city water, I recommend you get the bottled spring water, it has less undesirable stuff in it)

Now, go forth and gather these items! In the next installment on this topic, whenever that comes, we will cover mixing the ingredients and getting it all set up for fermentation. Until then, keep safe and warm, and above all, enjoy life as much as you can.

TroutAngler

Potential Newcomers to the Garden

We have decided on the specific species of the plants we want to add to our yard. We have been looking at Stark Brothers Nursery as they have most of the varieties we want. It won't be too expensive, but usually, nothing worth having is cheap.

My wife picked out the blueberry plants she likes and I tend to agree with her on this one (don't tell her though) as they are cold hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit and grow well in containers. The "Northblue Blueberry" has recommended hardiness zones of 3 to 7 and the fruit ripens mid-season (whatever that means, I assume it ripens in July or August). These will go in two large planters on our deck.

For the strawberries, my wife wants the "Tribute Strawberry Everbearer". It was developed at the University of Maryland, so it should do quite nicely around here. Stark Bros. lists the hardiness as zones 5 to 8. The site also says the plants will bear "steadily form spring to fall with crops of plump, juicy, medium-large berries." I hope so because they are one of my kids favorite fruits! They will go in the new soon-to-be-built raised bed in my garden and be planted in one or two strawberry pots in the garden beds in front of the house. The plan is to fill half of the raised bed and plant the other half with runners.

There are two Varieties of raspberries in our future, the "Heritage Red", which bears fruit in both June and September and the "Anne Yellow Raspberry" which gives fruit in August and will give fruit the first year. The red raspberry is recommended in hardiness zones 4 to 8 and the yellow in hardiness zones 4 to 9. The blackberry varieties I selected are the "Chester Thornless Blackberry" (grows in hardiness zones 5 to 8 and fruit will ripen in July) and the "Triple Crown Thornless Blackberry" (grows in hardiness zones 5 to 9 and fruit will ripen in August). I would like to plant the raspberries and blackberries along the front fence line, but it all depends on how much space is needed between plants.

The "Meyeri Lemon Plant" is a dwarf meyer lemon tree that is hardy in zones 9 and 10, so I will have to grow it in a container and bring it indoors in late fall through sometime in May. Stark Brothers says it will get 8 to 10 feet tall if planted in the ground but will stay smaller when grown in a container and I certainly hope it does...I only have 8 ft ceilings!


I am 90% certain we will be getting all of the above plants. The next ones are the ones I would like, but we really have to check space before we can order them. They are also from Stark Brothers Nursery.

The first is the grapes. I selected Muscadine grapes, the two varieties have 18 or 19% sugar in the fruit. It will be as good for making wine as for eating. Now all I need to get is that crusher/de-stemer contraption! For the Muscadine grape, you need both a male and female vines to get fruit (according to what I have read) and luckily for me, Stark Bros. Happens to carry a male and a female variety. The male vine is the “Cowart Muscadine Grape”. It listed as being hardy in zones 7 to 9 and the graped will ripen in mid-September. The female is the “Scarlet Grape”. It is listed as being hardy for zones 7 to 9 and the fruit also ripens in mid-September.

Secondly are the other trees I am thinking about. I know I can't fit them all in my back yard, but I am looking at making a decision from the following varieties:
The “2-N-1 Asian Pear”, hardy in zones 4 to 8, grows both “New Century” (ripens in late August) and “Starking® Hardy Giant™” (ripens in mid-September). For Plums, the “Burbank™ Elephant Heart Plum Dwarf” (Zones 5 to 8, Ripens in September) and the “Starking® Delicious™ Plum Dwarf” (Zones 5 to 9, Ripens in early August). For Peaches, the “Blushingstar® Peach Dwarf” (Zones 4 to 8, Ripens in mid-August) and/or the “Crimson Rocket Columnar Peach Dwarf” (Zones 5 to 8, Ripens mid-August, grows up, not out). For Nectarines, the “Stark® Crimson Gold Nectarine Dwarf” (Zones 5 to 9, Ripens in July), and/or the “Stark® Crimson Snow™ Nectarine Dwarf” (Zones 5 to 8, Ripens in early August).


Well, that's all the fruits. Maybe next time I'll list the vegetable varieties we are thinking about. Hopefully, I will have the final measurements for the raised bed and maybe some pictures of where it will go. Until then, keep safe and warm, and above all, enjoy life as much as you can.

TroutAngler

It's Bubblin' Away!

**Warning** It is illegal for persons under the age of 21 to make/possess alcohol in the United States and laws are different in other countries so: This is being posted for informational purposes only. If it is illegal for you to make or possess alcohol wherever you are, don't do it. I will not be held responsible for your lack of judgment. **Warning**


Well, my first batch of Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and Spice Mead for this year is fermenting nicely. I decided to use two clementines instead the Valencia orange I used last time. I wonder what the change in taste will be, if any. It should be ready between March 9th and March 30th. I know the time frame seems a bit large, but you never can tell when the nectar will clear.

It is so easy to make wine and mead. For the basics, you just need the fruit or honey, water, and yeast. So simple, but it can be difficult to make a good product because of all of the other factors involved. Sanitation being the key to making good wines and meads(Sanitation is really the key to all things you make and want to eat or drink!). If you introduce any unwanted bacteria or wild yeasts, the results can be disastrous.

I do not claim to be an expert at making these beverages, I am barely more than a novice really, but I think I can help outline the basic equipment and procedures needed to make these tasty beverages and I will in later musings when I feel the pull to further bend electrons to my will. I will also keep updating the status of this particular concoction as it moves along toward it's inevitable end, my stomach.


Well, that's all for now. Keep safe and warm until next time, and above all, enjoy life as much as you can.

TroutAngler

New Year - New Garden Plans

This year will bring many changes to my garden. First and foremost, we will be planting more fruit bearing perennials. We already have an apple and a cherry tree, which should start producing in about 3 years. To this, we are going to add:

1. A strawberry patch.
   
2. Two blueberry bushes.
3. Six raspberry plants.
4. Three to six blackberry plants.
5. A Meyer lemon that we will have to move indoors in fall and winter.

I was also thinking of adding a small grape arbor and maybe two dwarf peach, nectarine or plum trees. More specifics on the plant varieties later.

I will also be adding the first of about 8 raised beds to make the work a little less backbreaking. The current idea is to put strawberry plants into this bed as the entire family loves them. The bed will be approximately 4' wide and 10 to 14 feet long. It should hold from 40 to 56 plants.

To save space, I will try planting lettuce and radishes in window boxes on our deck railing. We are also going to expand our selection of fresh herbs by trying to grow mint, parsley, dill, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and chives in containers on our front porch and on our deck.

We are also going to get more into succession planting, so we can get more out of the space we already have. It will be more efficient and economical to plant new crops right after we harvest the old so we can get more veggies during the summer.

My wife plans on canning and freezing a lot of what we grow and intends to buy at least a case of mason jars and a roll of foodsaver freezer bags each payday. That should keep us ahead of the game when harvest time rolls around.


Well, that's all for now. Keep safe and warm until next time, and above all, enjoy life as much as you can.

TroutAngler

New Year...New Beginning...I Hope!

2009 Starts a new year with the same challenges. Finding enough money to take care of the family and enough time to spend with them so they remember who I am.

Just recently, I worked over 53 hours of overtime in a two week period. The money was nice, but I did not see my family for most of that pay period. This year, I will not be working so heavily. It has not been good for family morale or my health.

So, to make up for the loss of income, I have decided to increase my vegetable garden and start canning/freezing a lot of the fruits and veggies I grow and I am going to take a jump from amateur photographer to semi-pro by placing images for sale at photoshelter and shutterpoint. I hope this will make enough to not only offset the costs of the sites, but replace most if not all of the lost income from spending time with the family.

I hope to put new photos up every week or two so please feel free to take a look, purchase, and leave constructive comments. If you have a specific type of image in mind, feel free to contact me with the request and I will do what I can for you.


Well, that's all for now. Keep safe and warm until next time, and above all, enjoy life as much as you can.

TroutAngler

Oh yeah! I almost forgot. Congrats to Barack Obama on his inauguration as our newest president. I may not have voted for him and may not agree with all he stands for, but I do wish him all the best. Good Luck Mr. President!
I hope to put new photos up every week or two so please feel free to take a look, purchase, and leave constructive comments. If you have a specific type of image in mind, feel free to contact me with the request and I will do what I can for you.


Well, that's all for now. Keep safe and warm until next time, and above all, enjoy life as much as you can.

TroutAngler

Oh yeah! I almost forgot. Congrats to Barack Obama on his inauguration as our newest president. I may not have voted for him and may not agree with what he stands for, but I do wish him all the best. Good Luck Mr. President!