Louisiana Beer Reviews: Chechvar (Budweiser Budvar)
5% alcohol. Introduced in 1895. Brewed in the Czech Republic.
January 27, 2012
Tags: beer review, Budweiser Budvar, Czech beer, Czechvar, Czechvar review, imported beer, People, ronaldtheriot Posted in: General 
11 Comments
Skeeter Pee – How to make Lemon Wine
This is how I made Skeeter Pee. Skeeter Pee is a lemon wine that is fermented with a "Slurry" from the first rackings of a batch of wine. I dont make wine so Im going to show you how Ive made my Skeeter Pee by making a small starter. For the whole recipe please visit www.skeeterpee.com Also check out the creator of this drink on youtube. www.youtube.com
January 26, 2012
Tags: alcohol, Beer, Brew, Drink, home, Homebrew, Homebrewing, Howto, lemon, lemonade, mike's hard lemonade, pee, skeeter, skeeterpee, stuff, tasty, Wine, yummy Posted in: General 24 Comments
Home Brew Wednesday #3
Home Brew Wednesday. A sad tail about my last kegging. Happy ending? Well have to see.
January 25, 2012
Tags: Brew, Drink, Entertainment, home, home brew, how to make beer, is my beer infected, keg, kegging, stories, Wednesday Posted in: General 29 Comments
Making homemade beer.
Making a harvest blend of homemade beer.
January 24, 2012
Tags: 76, Beer, beer at home., craigtube, home brew, Howto, scott, Wine, young Posted in: General One Comment
Samuel Smiths Imported Winter Welcome Beer Review from Samuel Smiths Brewery
Samuel Smiths Imported Winter Welcome Beer Review from Samuel Smiths Brewery Thumbs UP or Down: Up Overall Rating: 4.5 Blend: Imported Winter Ale ABV%: 6.2 IBU: 32 Brewery: Samuels Smiths Brewing Company How the brewery describes the beer: The History of Winter Welcome Throughout history, beer of somewhat higher alcohol and richness has been enjoyed for the winter holidays, when old friends get together to enjoy the season. Wassail, a festival to celebrate winter and the beer that goes with it, predates the Christian era. Winter Welcome is vintage-dated with a special label each year, and was first shipped to the US in 1990 – it was the first imported winter seasonal beer. Serve in a traditional Sam Smith tulip or nonik glass for the holidays. Taste Honey-amber colored, creamy head of small bubbles, floral aroma and delicious malt flavor with great finesse. Serving Suggestion Roast goose, smoked turkey with oyster dressing, rack of lamb, candied yams, Smithfield hams, fresh pears and apples, Christmas cake. Serve in crystal tumblers, or traditional Yorkshire tulip or nonik pint glasses. Accolades Four stars, ". . . layers of fruit, malt, spice, and earth tones that marry perfectly with great balance and style. A classic that nearly begs for smoked meats and young cheddar." – BevX.com, Dec. 2009 "This joyously rich, creamy, malty wonder is still the benchmark." – Christmas Beer, Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell, 2008 Silver Medal – World Beer Championships "Best beer Ive ever <b>…<b>
January 24, 2012
Tags: ABV, Barley, Beer, Beer Goggles, beer review, Blonde Ale, Brewery Tour, Colorado Beer, Golden Ale, Homebrew, Hops, Indian Pale Ale, IPA, Lager, Micro Beer, Micro Brew, microbeer, microbrewery, Mother Earth Brewing, New Belgium Brewery, newcastle, Nut Brown, Pale Ale, People, Plato Scale, Porter, Red Hook, Samuel Adams, Shiner Brewery, Specific Gravity, Stout, Summer Ale, Summer Saison, Terrapin Beer Company, Winter Brew, www.microbeerreviews.com Posted in: General No Comments
Mulled wine recipe – Waitrose
waitroselive.mymedia.co.uk – Olly Smith shows us how to make the ultimate mulled wine. Ingredients: 100ml orange juice 120g muscovado sugar ½ orange 4 cloves 1 vanilla pod, split in half 1 cinnamon stick 1 bay leaf 1 star anise 2cm fresh root ginger, peeled 1 bottle red wine (try Moncaro Rosso Piceno Superiore, Italy) 50ml Cointreau 50ml port Method: 1 Heat the orange juice with the sugar until dissolved. 2 Meanwhile, stud the ½ orange with the cloves and add to the pan with the vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and star anise. Slash the ginger a few times with a knife and add to the pan. 3 Pour the wine into the pan, then turn the heat to low and warm through for 8–9 minutes, making sure you dont let it boil. Add the Cointreau and port and strain into a jug. For more recipes from Waitrose visit the webiste at www.waitrose.com For the facts about alcohol, visit drinkaware.co.uk.
January 23, 2012
Tags: baking, Cooking, delivery, dinner, flavour, Food, guide, how to cook, Howto, ideas, ingredients, instructions, lunch, organic, Recipe, supper, taste, tips, Waitrose, waitrose.com Posted in: General 2 Comments
Farm to Drink: Handcrafted Punches — Liquor.com
Learn to make delicious and fresh punches for your next party with these recipes and tips from master mixologist and Liquor.com advisor Charlotte Voisey. Get the full recipes at: liquor.com
January 22, 2012
Tags: Charlotte Voisey, Cocktail Recipes, fall cocktails, farmers market, Homemade alcoholic Punch, How to Mix Cocktail, Howto, Liquor.com Posted in: General One Comment
Home Brew Wednesday #4 – "Ozzy Socks"
Well, we taste the "dirty beer" and have a look at some brew mail from DanTheMan_1981.
January 21, 2012
Tags: Beer, Bottle, Brew, coopers, craigtube, Distilled Beverage, Drink, Drinks, easy home brewing, home, home brew wednesday, home brewing the easy way, how to make beer at home, People, rum, spirits, still, taste, test, whiskey Posted in: General 25 Comments
Hacker-Pschorr Weisse – Beer Revuew 60
Very nice imported beer!
January 20, 2012
Tags: Barley, Bayern, Beer, beers, best, class, collection, der, Drink, German, Germany, Hacker, Hacker-Pschorr, head, Himmel, Hops, Howto, in, jakeanddar, James, lacing, Lordsellers, lordsellers04, malted, Pschorr, review, Reviews, Sellers, smooth, taste, test, the, water, wein, Weisse, Wilder, world, Yeast Posted in: General 10 Comments
Holiday Cocktail Recipe: How to Make Pomegranate Champagne Punch, New Year’s Eve
This holiday cocktail recipe will show you how to make a pomegranate champagne punch, perfect for any holiday or New Years party. Subscribe: www.youtube.com Facebook: www.facebook.com Twitter: www.twitter.com Blog: wcfoodies.tumblr.com Marissa www.celebzaredum.tumblr.com Justin youtube.com youtube.com youtube.com
January 19, 2012
Tags: bubbly, canon, Champagne (wine), christmas, Cocktail, Cooking, Drink, dslr, Educational, festive, Food, Frederator, Happy, Happy New Year, Holiday, Holidays, Home Made, How to Make, How-to, Howto, Justin Johnson, Marissa Nystrom, merry, Merry Christmas, New Year, New Year's Eve, New Years, Next Chef, party, pomegranate, pretty, prosecco, Punch (drink), Rebecca Lando, Recipe, season, sparkling, wcfoodies, Wine, winter, Working Class Foodies, xmas, youtube Posted in: General 21 Comments
Homebrew Brewing With Woodfordes Wherry Bitter Real Ale Kit (Advice Welcome)
January 16, 2012
Tags: 40 Pints, Barley, Beer, Bitter, Brew, Brew Kit, Brewing, Drink, Drinks, Home Brewing, Home Made, Homebrew Kit, Homebrewing, Homemade, Hops, Malt, People, Real Ale, Wherry Bitter, Winemaking, Woodforde's, Woodfordes Wherry Bitter, Yeast Posted in: General 25 Comments
What is Mead and How do you Make it?
An introduction to Mead, what it is and the process of making it in one gallon batches. It is a wine made from honey rather than grapes and it is pretty easy to make. Lots of mead making stuff on my website at : www.stormthecastle.com
January 16, 2012
Tags: honey wine, Howto, instructional, mead, mead making, tutorial, Wine Posted in: General 25 Comments
Louisiana Beer Reviews: Bad Elf
January 16, 2012
Tags: Bad Elf, Bad Elf review, beer review, English ale, imported beer, People Posted in: General 6 Comments
Farm to Drink: Infusions — Liquor.com
January 16, 2012
Tags: Cocktail Recipes, Flavored Liquor, Home Bartending, Home Liquor infusion, How to infuse spirits, Howto, Liquor.com, Tom Collins Recipe Posted in: General No Comments
Making Red Wine
Among the many types of wine available, red wine is among the best. There are many types of red wine available, although most are made using the same methods. This very exhilarating type of wine is made from black grapes, drawing their color from the skins of the grapes.
During the beginning stages of making red wine, the grapes that have been picked are put into a crusher. Here, the crusher will gently break the skins of the grapes. Depending on what type of wine is being made and the tannin that’s required, the stalks will either be used or discarded at this point. Next, the grapes are put into a fermentation vat with the skins. This can be a long process, taking several weeks to complete. If a higher temperature is used, more tannin and color will be extracted from the grapes.
When making soft wines, the whole grapes are fermented using sealed vats. The carbon dioxide that becomes trapped in the sealed vats ferment the grapes under pressure, which is normally a quick process, taking only a few days. Keep in mind, the color and tannin content of the wine is based on how long the fermenting process takes. If the fermenting process takes a long time, the wine will generally hold more flavor and color.
The remaining bulk of the grapes will go through a press, being crushed to create a tannic wine. Sometimes, this tannic wine is added with a free run wine in order to add a bit more structure to the wine blend. Both the press and vat wine are then mixed and transferred to either tanks or barrels for a second fermentation. The second fermentation will take the longest, although it brings out the quality and taste from the wine.
All types of fine red wine will spend a minimum of a year in the barrels. Some types of red wine will spend a lot more time in the barrels, possibly several years. Red wine is also fine tuned with egg whites, which will suspend the yeast and other solids found in the wine downwards, before the wine is racked, filtered, and eventually bottled. Once the wine has been bottled, it is then shipped off and sold. Some wine however, will be stored for a period of time in the bottle before it is offered for sale.
The time a wine spends in the bottle is very important, although not every wine needs to spend a lot of time in the bottle. The more complex and more expensive types of red wine will benefit the most from aging in the bottle, to preserve flavor and color. The simple types of red wine however, don’t need to spend much time at all in the bottle.
September 5, 2011
Tags: Making Red Wine Posted in: General No Comments
Wine Tasting
Attending wine tasting events can be a great experience and a lot of fun, although a lot of people choose not to attend out of fear – or not knowing what to do or what to expect. Even though there are no mysteries to wine tasting, there are some things that you should always remember.
During a wine tasting event, women are always served before the men. Some tastings will serve you bottled water between tastings, so you can clean your mouth out and be ready to taste the next wine that is served. When you take the wine, you should always handle the glass by the stem, to avoid heating it with your hands. There will also be crackers and other goodies on hand as well, to help you cleanse your mouth between wine tastings.
As you may already know, you can tell quite a bit about the wine by the color. When you attend a wine tasting for the first time, you’ll notice that the glasses are clear. This helps you to examine the wine better. There should also be white tablecloth on the table as well, to help you see the color the wine more clearly. You should never go by the name of the wine alone, as it can easily fool you.
You’ll also notice the more experienced wine tastes swirl their wine around in the glass before they taste it. Although it may look weird, slightly swirling the wine actually helps to bring out the flavor. Most wines have been aging in bottles for long periods of time, sometimes even years. When the wine is swirled around in the glass, the swirling will release the flavors in the wine and bring them out when the wine is tasted.
At wine tastings, you’ll need to look at the wine, smell it, then after swirling it around in the glass – taste it. Smells play an integral part of the process, as you’ll get a lot more from the wine by smelling it first. Wine has quite an intriguing aroma, which helps to bring out the taste that wine is so well known for. Once you have smelled the wine, you should allow a few moments to take in the smell and think about the wine that you are smelling.
Last but not least, you’ll want to know how to properly taste the wine. Your tongue has taste buds in the front and the back, which helps to detect flavors. Wine is full of flavors, and how you taste it will make the biggest impact. When you put the wine in your mouth, you should always swish it around in your mouth for a few seconds, and allow the flavors plenty of time to dance on your palate. Once your taste buds have started to discover the wine, you can think about what you are tasting. After swallowing the wine, the aftertaste that remains in your mouth should give you even more of an idea as to the type and flavor of the wine.
Before you attend a wine tasting, you should always learn as much as you can about the many different flavors and varieties of wine. This way, you’ll have a better understanding of what you should look for in both taste and flavor. Even though you may be new to wine tasting, you should never pass up an opportunity to go. You’ll get a great experience in the world of wine tasting and get to experience wines that you may have never heard of before.
September 5, 2011
Tags: Wine Tasting Posted in: General No Comments
Wine Collecting
Collecting wine can be a very fun and exciting hobby – especially when you try to find the wine. If you are looking to collect wine, you may end up spending a bit more money than you thought. Wine collecting is a great hobby, although it can be very expensive. If you are just starting out, the tips below may come in very handy to help you get started.
The first thing to do, is find a place to store your wine. You can store your wine at home, although you’ll need to have a location with the proper amount of space and cooling temperature (between 50 and 65 degrees F). You’ll also need to determine what brands and types of wine you are planning to collect. There are several options to choose from, including red and white wine. You’ll also need to find some places with good quality and refinery to buy your wine from.
You can always participate in tastings and trade shows as well. Here, you can meet other people who are into wine collecting, and get to know local traders. You should also strive to learn as much as you can about wine. You can learn a lot about wine on the Internet, or by reading magazines and newsletters dedicated to wine. By doing so, you can also learn more about storage, buying wine, and even cooling your wine.
To better prepare your wine for storage, you can try tasting different varieties. This way, you can identify which wines you need to age more. You’ll learn more about wine this way as well, such as how to distinguish tastes. You may also want to learn how to identify the flavor quality as well. As you may already know, there is a difference among rare vintage wines and wines that are instantly processed.
If you are just beginning to collect wine, you should avoid purchasing in bulk until you know for sure what types of wine you wish to collect. When you visit a wine trader, you should let him know that you are a collector. This way, he can inform you whether or not the wines you are collecting are available in his inventory. If you hope to collect wines from other areas, he may be able to give you contact information for finding the wines you are interested in.
Keep in mind that wine collecting isn’t all about fun – it’s also a great way to eventually start your own business. You can attend wine shows and tasting events to learn more about the different brands, and also find wines that will bring in higher profits. Once you have collected some rare bottles of wine – you can start selling and watch your profits soar.
September 5, 2011
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German Beer
Throughout Germany, beer is very popular with the culture. Germany contains well over 1,000 breweries, which is more than any other location in the world. All beer that is manufactured in Germany must follow the purity law, which lets manufacturers know what ingredients can and can’t be used. Basically, the only ingredients allowed to make beer in Germany are water, hops, and barley malt.
Due to the strict purity requirements, you can easily notice German beers by their overall level of quality. They have a distinct taste, with little to no aftertaste. Some styles of German ale include Koelsch, Weizen, and Altbier. Some types of German lagers include Bock, Pilsener, Dunkel, Helles, and Maerzen. Keep in mind that the taste, aroma, and color can vary, although all can be identified as being true German beers.
The German beer Altbier is a very common dark ale, that is top fermented in the lower regions of Germany. The beer proposes a yellow color, with a taste that is rich in hops. Another ale, Rauchbier, is known to have a smoky flavor with a smoked color. These beers taste great, and happen to be very popular throughout the regions of Germany.
German lagers are also very popular, and happen to be popular in other areas of the world as well. Pilsener is one of the most popular and most familiar of all German beers, providing you with more hops and less malt. Pilsener can be found for sale all over the world, and happens to be very popular throughout North America as well. Several bars serve it as well, as it happens to be one of the most popular dark lagers out there.
Throughout Germany, there are several different companies, produce over 4,000 different brands of beers. Some of the more well known and larger companies of north Germany are Beck, St. Pauli, Warsteiner, and Krombach. In the southern region of Germany, there are more breweries, although most of them are smaller, as they are locally owned and operated. Southern Germany also contains the Benedictine Abbey, which is one of the oldest breweries in the world. This brewery started producing beer in 1040 – very impressive indeed!
Germany is also home to Oktoberfest, which is held every year in Munich. Oktoberfest starts in late September and carries on for two weeks, ending in early October. During Oktoberfest, beer drinkers from all over the world will travel to Germany and celebrate German beers. Each and every year, over 5 million people attend the event, making it one of the biggest beer celebrations in the world.
During Oktoberfest, local breweries in Munich are the only breweries allowed to serve beer in the bigger tents. There are six breweries in total, producing a variety of different beers. By attending this yearly event, you can learn more about German beer, sample the different varieties, and enjoy the rich bold flavors that make German beer so very popular.
Due to the success Oktoberfest gets each and every year, other cities around the world try and mimic this event. Even though they have success, their level of success isn’t near as much as the original Oktoberfest – Germany. German beers are very popular around the world, with Oktoberfest helping to prove that very claim. If you drink beer but have never experienced what beers from Germany have to offer, you really should give them a try. Once you do, you’ll quickly realize why German beers are so very popular – and why the taste simply can’t be duplicated with any other beer.
September 5, 2011
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Microbrewing
The first thing you’ll need to do when brewing is to sanitize everything that will come in contact
with your unfermented beer. It will take time for the sanitizer to do its job, so don’t rush
things.
Next, you’ll need to rinse everything to remove any remaining sanitizer. Any remaining sanitizer
can kill of your yeast if you don’t rinse things well. Add 3 1/2 gallons of water to your
fermenter then seal it with the fermenter’s lid or a rubber stopper. This should be done as
soon as you can before you begin to cook the wort.
Cooking
Add 2 gallons of cold water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Once the water has started to boil,
add your malt syrup or extract kit. Always watch your pot boil and never leave it. Stir it well,
until the extract has dissolved.
Boiling over can create a mess and cause you to loose precious ingredients. Malt doesn’t boil
like water, as it comes to a boil the liquid will expand and foam over the top. Stir constantly
and keep a close watch to avoid boiling over.
Add a few tablespoons of your boiling wort to 1 cup of cool water in a santized container,
making sure the temperature isn’t too high. Next, add your yeast packet and cover the
container with a saucer or lid.
Pitching yeast
After the wort has finished boiling, allow the mixture time to cool to 70 – 80 degrees then
pitch the yeast into your fermenter, which you already have filled to 2/3 of the desired
final level with cold water.
These are the basic steps for brewing your own microbrews. You’ll also have to siphon,
bottle, then pour your brew. The final steps aren’t that difficult, although they do
require a certain level of precision. If this is your first time brewing, you should
watch someone experienced first.
With microbrewing, there are many different methods, including fruit. Fruit is unlike
other types of microbrews, as the method introduces fruit into the equation and makes
for a very unique – yet interesting taste.
When brewing your own beers, you can use any method you prefer. Some are harder than
others, although a little bit of time is all you need to become a pro. Once you have been
brewing for a while, you’ll be able to brew even the most exotic of microbrews – all
it takes is time and dedication.
September 5, 2011
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Beer Ingredients
The main ingredients found in beer are water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. There are other ingredients
such as flavoring, sugar, and other ingredients that are commonly used. Starches are used as well, as
they convert in the mashing process to easily fermentable sugars that will help to increase the
alcohol content of beer while adding body and flavor.
Water
Seeing as how beer is mainly composed of water, the source of water and its characteristics have a very
important effect on the character of the beer. A lot of beer styles were influenced by the
characteristics of water in the region. Although the effect of minerals in brewing water is complex,
hard water is more suited to dark styles, while soft ware is more suited to light styles.
Malt
Among malts, barley is the most widely used due to its high amylase content, and a digestive enzyme
that facilitates the breakdown of starch into sugars. Depending on what can be cultivated locally,
other malts and unmalted grains can be used, such as wheat, rice, oats, and rye.
Malt is obtained by soaking grain in water, allowing it to germinate, then drying the germinated grain
in a kiln. By malting the grain, enzymes will eventually convert the starches in the grain into
fermentable sugars.
Hops
Since the seventeenth century, hops have been commonly used as a bittering agent in beer. Hops
help to contribute a bitterness that will balance the sweetness of the malts. They also contribute
aromas which range from citrus to herbal. Hops also provide an antibiotic effect that favors
the activity of brewer’s yeast over the less desirable microorganisms. The bitterness in beer
is normally measured on the International Bitterness Units scale.
Yeast
Yeast is a microorganism that’s responsible for fermentation. Specific strains of yeast are chosen
depending on the type of beer produced, as the two main strains are ale yeast and lager yeast,
with other variations available as well.
Yeast helps to metabolise the sugars that are extracted from the grains, and produces alcohol
and carbon dioxide as a result. Before the functions of yeast were understood, all fermentations were
done using wild or airborne yeasts.
Clarifying agent
A lot of brewers prefer to add one or more clarifying agents to beer that aren’t required
to be published as ingredients. Examples include Isinglas finings, which are obtained from swim
bladders of fish and Irish moss, which is a type of red alga.
Since these ingredients can be obtained from animals, those who are concerned with either the use or
consumption of animal products should obtain detailed information from the brewer.
September 5, 2011
Tags: Beer Ingredients Posted in: General No Comments
Microbrewery And America
The term microbrewery originally originated in the United Kingdom during the late 1970s. Though it was originally used to reflect on the size of the breweries, it gradually came to reflect a different attitude and approach to adaptability, flexibility, experimentation, and customer service.
The term eventually spread to the United States, where it was eventually used to indicate a brewery that produces no less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year. The term microbrewery is now falling out of touch in the United States, as the term craft brewer is preferred.
During the early twentieth century, prohibition drove a majority of the breweries into bankruptcy because they couldn’t rely on selling bogus wine as wineries of that era previously did. After going through several decades of consolidation of breweries, most commercial American beer produced by a few large companies, resulting in a mild tasting lager of which Budweiser is a great example.
Some beer drinks will consequently crave a variety and turn to homebrewing and eventually start doing it on a much larger scale. When they need inspiration they’ll turn to Britain, Germany, and Belgium where centuries old tradition of artisan beer and cask ale production have never died out.
The popularity behind these products was the fact that they trend was spread quickly, and hundreds of smaller breweries popped up, attached to a bar where the product could be enjoyed by all. As microbrews gained in popularity, some became more than just simple microbrews, as they catered to a broader range of beer.
Normally, American microbreweries will distribute through wholesalers in traditional three tier systems, then act as their own distributor and sell to retailers. Selling includes tap rooms, restaurants, or even off premise sales.
September 5, 2011
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Bourbon In The Making
It is a well-rounded argument that the Scottish has the market sewn up as far as making the best product on the planet; however there are a few studs in other stables worth a mention. Bourbon has long been associated with Kentucky and for good reason as it is the state where this craft was first developed.
Elijah Craig a Baptist minister in the late 18th century in Georgetown Kentucky unveiled to farmers and townsfolk alike the first Bourbon whiskey where the trend just took off. It is said that even the father of the great Abraham Lincoln got into the action.
European settlers brought this trade secret with them to North America and in turn shared it with their new neighbors. Giving way to a boom in production. 1791 was the time frame for the whiskey rebellion that took place in Pennsylvania where the government elected to impose tax on whiskey and whiskey sales.
This did not sit well with distillers so they made their way to the Kentucky Mountains to avoid the collectors of said tax. Eighty percent of all Bourbon today is distilled in the state of Kentucky. A royal family of French decent carried the name that now brandishes the bottles of this Kentucky gold. The name was introduced in 1758.
The attempt of American independence from British rule saw the French giving support so as the independence grew new land developments in America were named in French as tribute. In the year 1785, Kentucky was known as the Kentucky district of Virginia and not a separate state.
Through some of the river ports in Kentucky the whiskies were shipped down the Ohio River to New Orleans. Northeastern Bourbon county and Limestone county combined in 1789 to forge Mason county Virginia.
Although Bourbon is less restricted than Scotch, there are some regulations in place today. State regulation on Bourbon distilling requires the brew to be made from 51% corn; however barley wheat and rye may be used for blending purposes. It must be between 80-160% proof.
The soft texture and sweet taste come from the corn itself. After it is distilled in a continual still, it is then filled to casks made of oak for maturing for a much regulated minimum of no less than two years. These regulations make Bourbon what it is today, a very popular whiskey among all who drink.
September 5, 2011
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Wine Charms As A Gift Idea
If you are searching for a stylish gift for the wine enthusiast in your life, wine charms might be just the thing. Wine charms are perfect for holiday gatherings as they help everyone keep track of their wineglasses. The charms can also add a dash of color or glitz to the table and so add to the festive decor.
Wine charms are beads or markers that are attached to a ring that hooks around the stem of your wineglass. Let’s face it…it can be very difficult to figure out which glass is which if everyone is drinking the same wine! With a wine charm dangling from the stem, it’s very easy to identify your glass.
The charms are usually found in sets which are all variations of a theme. Charms have grown with popularity over the past few years and are widely available. They can be made of almost any material from simple beads to opulent gemstones. Your choices are only limited by your imagination and your budget.
Unique wine charm sets can be an excellent choice for a personal touch when choosing a wine gift for that special person in your life. They are available in a seashore theme set for the avid beachcomber, golf theme sets for the golfers, flower charms for the gardener…the list goes on an on. You can even find a set that is themed for Monopoly players. How fun to have your favorite playing piece as your wine identification!
Wine charms can be found in almost every theme by searching online. You will also often find sets in the housewares aisle of your favorite department stores, jewelry stores and sometimes even your local party stores. If you want something really special, you can find charms made of sterling silver or gold at a reasonable price.
For a unique wine gift, you can even make wine charms yourself. This is a fairly simple project even if you are not usually into crafting. All you will need to create your own special set is some hoop earring wires, 18 gauge wire and some jewelry pliers.
The hardest part of creating your own wine charms is choosing what to put on them. Any good craft store will have a huge selection of things you can use. There is an endless variety of beads in wood, glass and metal. There are also alphabet beads and shaped beads. Whether you use a single bead or several together, you will find something appropriate for anyone’s tastes.
To create the actual wine charm, you will use the pliers to bend the ends of the earring hoops so that there is a loop at one end. Figure out which beads you want to use for your charm and slip them onto the wire. When you have them all on the wire, you just need to use the pliers to form a small hook at the other end of the earring hoop. To use these charms, you just put the hoop around the stem of the wineglass and put the hook into the loop.
Whether you create a unique wine charm set or buy them, wine charms are a wonderful gift idea for anyone on your list. You can give a complete set by itself or add them to a gift basket. Whichever you choose, wine charms are a thoughtful wine gift for any occasion.
September 5, 2011
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