Archive for July, 2011
Recycle or Re-Purpose Used Wine Corks
The United States became the world’s largest wine consuming nation in 2010 beating out France. 330 million cases were shipped to or within America. That equates to an estimated retail value of $30 billion in sales. That’s great, right but what happens to all those used corks, we’re talking almost 4 billion bottles in 2010? Sure some of these may be screw tops or synthetic corks but I’m guessing the many of these bottles have real corks.
More and more people are concerned about polluting our environment, which is why we recycle. You may already be aware that there are a number of companies in the business of recycling corks, just Google cork recycle and you will get an extensive list but this is not your only choice. Some wineries will take them as well and that gives you another reason for going to a winery, like you really needed that. These are some of the many ways to recycle or re-purpose used corks for yourself.
Beer Glass Sets
Beer is one the world’s oldest and most widely enjoyed beverages. Throughout the years, both beer and it’s drinking vessels have evolved. A good beer glass will allow a brew to release and maintain colors, aromas and carbonation (head). Just pouring a beer into a glass, brings it to life, engages your senses and starts your mouth watering!
There are many styles of beer glasses from all over the world. These glasses compliment the beers of their respective regions. Here are a few of the most popular glasses and the brews that pair best with them.
Alcohol, Thou Art A Boon of Bacchus
The very word alcohol was originated from the Arabic term: al kuhl. The latter stuff, the brain child of Arabian alchemists, could be had by heating antimony sulfide and thereafter cooling and condensing the vapor into superfine powder. Initially, it served cosmetic purpose, especially for the beautification of woman’s eyes. Even beauty legend of all ages, Cleopatra too let this magic powder touch her eyelids to enhance beauty. Time changed, so changed the concept. There came a sea change in the sixteenth century when England adopted alcohol. Any fine powder produced in the way, the Arabian alchemists had done was now termed alcohol. Another close cousin of alcohol in the liquid form is wine.
Allusions from old and new testaments are rife with the usage of wine for medicinal purposes. Unlike the abstainers or heavy drinkers, moderate drinkers of alcoholic beverages, are least likely to suffer from major cancers, diabetes, enlarged prostate, arthritis, strokes and dementia. Apart from that moderate drinking of alcohol endows longevity. 100% pure Ethyl alcohol is called rectified spirit. Needless to say, in every nook and corner of Homeopathy, there is existence of alcohol. Out of the total alcoholic consumption, the small intestine absorbs 80% and leaves the 20% for the stomach. Alcohol abridges the gap in between body and mind. For it leaves an impact in both the domains after consumption. Medically speaking the upswing of blood alcohol concentration sustains at least for 20 minutes after a drink. Finally, when the alcohol is absorbed in the organs, mentioned earlier, it gets out of the body through kidneys, lungs and liver.
Rose Champagne and Rose Wine – Knowing the Difference
Rose Champagne reigns supreme among all the sparkling wines produced in the French region of Champagne, from where the concoction took its name. They are more expensive than the gold ones, implying that they are more complicated to produce and are rarer.
Winemakers in this area use either of the two ways of achieving that famous rosy hue. The historical method involves waiting for some of the base wine to sit in contact with the pinot noir skins until it has enough color to make the wine pink. The more modern method has winemakers adding a small amount of still pinot noir wine into each Champagne bottle prior to the second fermentation. Both methods are complicated and the task of creating the exact same colors all throughout the production is challenging. Its blend can be made with 80 percent pinot noir and 20 percent chardonnay or the other way around – 20 percent pinot noir and 80 percent chardonnay. Its color may turn out to be light pink or deep salmon with a coppery tint.