Wine and Fireside Entertaining

Wine, Food, and Fireplace:

How the Ancient Greeks Had the Right Idea

When it comes to entertaining, nothing beats good company paired with wine alongside a roasting fire. And apparently we weren’t the only ones who think that way. As Jacoba Budden pointed out in Moussaka, even the ancient Greeks with their “thinkers and some of the greatest philosophers ever known,” had in-home taverns capable of hosting hundreds of people for drink, festivities, and profits. I say, why argue with some of the world’s most brilliant thinkers.

With chilled winter season right around the corner, find out how you can create a festive cavernous experience in your own home.

The Menu:

When hosting your own bash, the center of any lively combination should be several bottles of wine alongside a casually but well-thought out platters. Conventionally, platters were limited to cheese, but chic wine connoisseurs know that mixing it up with breads, chocolates, and some delectable deserts works equally as well. With such a colorful sensation for the palate and the array of pairings to choose from, you and your guests will be marveled by how easy it can be to have a great time with such minimal effort.

In fact, in light of the recession many hosts and hostess have decided to forgo conventional dinner parties and instead opt for rich but simplified menu of wine served with a few pairings. Having come to be known as chic “Wine Parties”, guests usually delight in being able to have a more casual get together that isn’t meal-oriented. These new types of parties are not only friendly on the wallet, but are also far more time efficient – requiring less preparation and clean up, they can be thrown at the last minute while still being a hit with your guests. Guests also enjoy the opportunity to sample new types of wines.

Going beyond just the basics of wine, any great wine party host will take the time and considering to set the stage for his or her guests. After all, you a cold barren room is hardly going to foster an evening of warm and engaging conversation.

Equally as important as the wine and pairings you serve, is what type of setting you serve it in. With winter here and everyone huddling indoors, a fireplace creates the ideal ambience for a memorable evening

Hot Focal Points: Fireplaces Set the Stage for Great Evening

Whether or not you have a fireplace, you can still create the same effect with faux fireplace that doubles as an energy-efficient heater. A fireplace heater lets you fill your home with a mesmerizing, soft glow without the hassle of burning ash and buying wood.

Conventional fireplace are often limited to a large home that can accommodate the space and chimney necessary to install a traditional fireplace. With an electric fireplace heater, it’s possible to have a fireplace no matter what size or type of home you’re in.

Portable fireplace heaters are perfect if you live in a small home or apartment and prefer the stylish addition of a fireplace. Fireplace heaters make it possible for these types of spaces to still enjoy the warm glow of a fireplace – especially at your next wine party!

The look of an electric fireplace heater is surprisingly realistic, simulating the gentle smolder of a fire down to the glowing embers. With portable fireplace heaters, you can get the coveted architectural element of a fireplace, without the cost – plus its portability allows you to move it to whatever room you decide to hosts your guests in.

With the last touch of a fireplace, you can certainly recreate the philos of Grecian gatherings.

Wine, Food, and Fireplace is brought to you by Shireen Qudosi.

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How Eco-Friendly Monks Rekindled the Use of Spirits.

The following is a guest post by Shireen Qudosi of Heater-Home
They say people in glass homes shouldn't throw stones. Well, this is one glass home you're not likely to find a squabbling pair in.
In 1984, Buddhist monks in Thailand began gathering bottles to decorate their shelters. The interest not only attracted a lot of tourists but also resulted in a flood of donated bottles to help the monks realize their luminary vision. Since then, Thai monks in the Siasaket province just 370 miles northeast of Bangkok have used approximately 1.5 million glass bottles to create their temple.
While many eco-enthusiasts have incorporated recycled bottles into their décor, these creative and dedicated monks have taken it to a whole new level. Using a mixture of green Heineken bottles and brown Thai beer bottles, the monks find that the use of bottles as building materials is a practical solution, since the bottles don't lose their color and are easily cleaned; plus the thickness of beer bottles makes them durable enough to resist wear and tear. The monks have also cleverly put beer bottle caps to good use by creating stunning mosaics depicting Buddha.
Moving beyond simple sustainability and to spiritual sustainability, Thai monks have taken beer, normally associated with common culture, and have created a cultural goldmine out of beer byproducts. They've single-handedly redefined recyclability, and raised the bar in an eco-conscious world. If a handful of monks with limited resources can create this, what about the rest of us? The Beer Bottle Temple is a testament to eco-living that fuses practicality and spirituality to create a whole new forum for aesthetic design.
The bottles create a structure that holds up the number-one rule in architecture, which calls for an awareness of how the building uses light. The "Beer Bottle Temple," as it's now referred to, draws every last bit of light in and reflects it throughout, creating a warm glow unmatched by electrical lighting. Imagine how a stained-glass church looks -- now imagine the incandescence of an entire building arising out of glass, with reams of sunlight stretching from wall to wall.
While it's unlikely that the rest of us have a glass house, we can certainly learn from the design element, and perhaps pick up a little green lesson. It's true that many modern homes (especially pre-fab and modular homes) have a larger percentage of windows. Though increased window space is always a scenic plus, it's usually not conducive to a warm, toasty home -- a much needed transition during the approaching winter months.
The fact is, glass does nothing to insulate your home, and switching on the heater to high is not the best idea if you want to go Earth-friendly and not be out of house and home after paying your heating bill. Rather than shoveling buckets of change into the bottomless pit known as utility bills, try investing in a space heater and keep that heater in the area you use most -- like your bedroom, office or living room. This way you're channeling the heat right where you need it, so that no matter where you live, your home can still be your castle.
As for the monks, they're still busy building. They continue to collect and receive empty bottles that they're now using for additional temples and shelters. The Beer Bottle Temple brilliantly reflects what a little bit of ingenuity and a lot of patience can accomplish. It is a monument to spiritual sustainability that also defies the cultural associations we've branded on spirits.



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Is The IPA Myth, A Myth?

Written by DJ Spiess
Monday, 10 November 2008

Was the IPA invented or did George Hodgson shoot Liberty Vallence too?

I try to stamp out every beer myth I come across, so when Virgil G. another beer blogger pointed out I may be perpetuating a beer myth in my Thanksgiving, Pilgrims, and Beer Myths article I was surprised (and somewhat embarrassed). It would be pretty bad if I wrote an article about myths and perpetuated one of my own - especially in the same article. Damn.

The IPA legend

The IPA legend goes like this. Beer brewers were looking for a beer to take to India. The trip to India is hard on beer, since the beer is exposed to dramatically high temperatures including crossing the equator twice and a very long journey over time and distance. Time and high heat can be very harsh on beer.

Read more at: Fermentarium

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We Turn 3!!

Happy Birthday to Us!!! It's amazing to think that after three years, I would still be blogging about making wine and beer. I want to thank all of you that have visited or subscribed to the site over the past three years.

Now that we have turned 3, there will be some major changes with this blog. Weekly posts will now be done at Makinghomemadewineandbeer.com and I will be posting on the original blog (this one) on a monthly basis. If you are a subscriber, I encourage you to change your feed to: http://feedproxy.google.com/makinghomemadewineandbeer/VYrd or if you want posts delivered to your email, you can do that here.

Thanks, and see you soon at Makinghomemadewineandbeer.com

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Benefits of Red Wine

Photo by: kingriversza's

We have heard over the past few years that drinking a couple glasses of red wine each day is good for you. So, is wine good for you. Let's look at some evidence.

"Many studies investigated the benefits of red wine suggested that moderate amount of red wine (one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men) lowers the risk of heart attack for people in middle age by ~ 30 to 50 percent. It is also suggested that alcohol such as red wine may prevent additional heart attacks if you have already suffered from one. Other studies also indicated that red wine can raise HDL cholesterol (the Good cholesterol) and prevent LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) from forming. Red wine may help prevent blood clots and reduce the blood vessel damage caused by fat deposits. Indeed, studies showed that people from the Mediterranean region who regularly drank red wine have lower risks of heart disease." Source: Health Castle

"Research scientists in North Carolina have announced discovery of how a chemical found in red wine helps to fight cancer.

The study may help explain the controversial "French paradox," the apparent lower rates of heart disease and some cancers among the French, despite a typical national diet high in fat.

Compared to other nationalities in Europe, the French eat more beef, cheese, butter and other artery-clogging foods. But they also drink more wine, and researchers have speculated that certain compounds in grapes and grape products like wine offer some kind of protection from the negative effects of the high-fat diet.

The new research identified the workings of a key cancer-related substance: trans-Resveratrol, often called Res.

In addition to red grapes, Res is found in mulberries, raspberries, peanuts, muscadine grapes, including scuppernongs, and many other fruits and nuts, said the research scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.   Source: CNN

Ok, so far we have found evidence that red wine is good for the heart and may fight cancer. What are some of the other benefits?

* Reduced risk of death from nearly all causes

* Red wine, with or without alcohol, decreases the harmful effect of smoking on the endothelium - layer of cells that provide a friction-reducing lining in lymph vessels, blood vessels, and the heart.

* Heart disease

* Blood Clots - Red wine produces anticlotting, or antithrombotic, action.

* Atherosclerosis - Red wine may prevent the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis (hardening or "furring" of the arteries).

Hypertension - two glasses of red wine (250 ml), taken together with the meal, lower post-meal blood pressure in hypertensive persons.

* Kidney stones: Red wine intake reduces the risk of kidney stone formation.

* Alzheimer's disease: Moderate wine drinking correlates with a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found that resveratrol, a red wine polyphenol, produces neuroprotective effects.Source: C. Simmons of HealthAssist.net  Dumb Little Man

So what makes red wine so healthy?

All of a grape’s protective flavonoids are in the “must”, a chunky mixture of grape skins, pulp, seeds, and stems that is used to make wine and grape juice. When must is fermented to make wine, a lot of flavonoids are drawn into liquid. Since grape juice isn’t fermented, you get only flavonoids that are drawn into the juice during processing stages. The compounds that end up in the drink are still pretty strong...

Since flavonoids are what give juice its reach purple hue, if you’re looking for the grape juice with most flavonoids, pick the darkest variety. Source:  Foods That Heal

Pretty strong evidence that a couple of glasses of red wine a day are good for you.    Just another reason why I make my own.

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Wine Labels and More

It is not everyday that I take a paid endorsement for a website, today is an exception.   I was very impressed with all that Plazawine.com has to offer.  One of their offerings is personalized labels for your wine.  The label above is one of their stock labels that you might want to use for the upcoming holidays.  I know that I prefer to use another person's printer than mine. (Mostly because I hate using up all my ink).  You can also get bottles of wine with your own labels.  Here's a little blurb from their site.

Personalize this bottle of wine in just four simple steps!

Select the text for your personalized label. You can either:

Use one of our Label Text Suggestions, or

Create your own custom label text. If you want to create your own custom text, please enter it in the “Customer Notes” section of the checkout after you add the bottle of wine to the shipping cart

Select one of our professional Custom Label Designs. If you prefer, you can also submit your own custom label design by uploading a high-resolution image.

Complete the To and From fields below

Add the bottle of wine to your shopping cart and proceed to checkout.

Want to have your wine placed in a wooden gift box? Simply select the appropriate size from our selection of gift boxes, and add it to your cart.

Pretty simple process.  What I really like most is that they have a nice selection of organic wines and as their site says:

Organic Wine has become a preferred choice among PlazaWine.com’s clients. Organic simply means that no chemicals have been used in the growing of the grapes, allowing the natural flavors to rise to the surface.  In addition to an all-natural approach, Organic wines still deliver the distinctive flavors and characteristics you’ve come to expect from traditional fine wines.

Besides having organic wines they also have a wide selection of reds, whites, regionals and more. And, if you need new glassware or accessories, they have it too.

They also have a brick and mortar location in Kansas City, Missouri.  Here is more info about their store.

About The Connoisseur

The Connoisseur is an upscale wine store located on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City Missouri.  We feature premium wines and champagnes with personalized messages printed on each label, packed in handsome wooden gift boxes. In addition to the wines under The Connoisseur label, an extensive collection of "top-of-the-line" brand wines are also offered.

 

Gifts are available in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, 12- and 24-bottle assortments, and in a broad price spectrum to fit any budget. The unique and creative product line is constantly being evaluated and updated to meet the consumer's needs.   

 

The Connoisseur's distinctive packaging of rustic wooden boxes, surrounding fine wines and champagnes, crystal stemware and gourmet food items, are made exclusively for The Connoisseur. In addition to the personalized label on the bottle, each gift has a label with the recipient's name and a personalized gift card echoing the sentiment on the bottle.

 

For over five years, The Connoisseur has enjoyed being the perfect answer to gift-giving needs for countless individuals as well as businesses and professional people. The uniqueness of the gifts has attracted customers from across The United States. The Connoisseur gift leaves a lasting impression, whether it is business or personal. Perfect for all seasons, all tastes and all occasions, it carries with it a message of warmth, good will and appreciation.

 

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.   The Connoisseur is locally owned and operated by the Monteleone family.

 

Store Hours: 

Mon - Sat 10am to 6pm

Sun 12pm to 5pm

Drop in to Plazawine.com and see everything that they have to offer.

This post was sponsored by: Plazawine.com

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Brew Pub Video

One can only wish that you could have a brewing set up like this.

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Earth Day, Elections, Tax Freedom Day Thoughts

With today being Earth Day and Election Day (here in Pennsylvania) and tomorrow being Tax Freedom Day, I just felt that it was time to sit down and evaluate how making your own wine and beer relates to all 3 days.

Earth Day - The biggest thing this Earth Day is the climate changes and our carbon footprint. Personally, I'm still not sure on the whole global warming/climate change thing but carbon footprinting is something that I can see. If possible, you should grow as many of the ingredients for your wines and beers. Hops and grapes are rather easy to grow and harvest and will cut down on use of fossil fuels (harvesting and transportation). Another benefit is that you can control the amount of chemicals that go on into your beer or wine.

Election Day - It is our duty as a good citizen to vote on election day. Today our problems are a lot more complex and laws making wine and beer and nowhere on the candidate's radar. But a little over 200 years ago, it was a major issue in Western Pennsylvania. The Whiskey Rebellion was all about taxes and taxes and government spending should be something everybody should be concerned about. Take a little time and find out more prior to casting your vote.

Tax Freedom Day - is the first day of the year in which a nation as a whole has theoretically earned enough income to fund its annual tax burden. It is annually calculated in the United States by the Tax Foundation—a Washington, D.C.-based tax research organization. Every dollar that is officially considered income by the U.S. government is counted, and every payment to the U.S. government that is officially considered a tax is counted. Taxes at all levels of government—local, state and federal—are included. Tomorrow, April 23 is tax freedom day, the day start keeping the money that we make. Personally, I think paying 30% of my income to the government is way too much money. I would prefer 15% or less. I am thankful though that I don't live in some other countries where 40 - 60% is the norm. Enjoy your tax free day by drinking some of your homemade wine or beer.

Ok, enough of my thoughts and rants. What do you think about these subjects?

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Maddalena Wines From The San Antonio Winery

Since 1917, The San Antonio Winery has added flair and flavor to celebrations of friends and families throughout Los Angeles and the West.

Today, it is the last of more than one hundred producing wineries that once lined the Los Angeles River Basin. It is a popular restaurant and legendary banquet location, a comprehensive tasting room, and an international wine shop with hundreds of domestic and imported labels.

The winery is an oasis of good living in the heart of the city.

Family matriarch, Maddalena Riboli, has inspired both a restaurant and a brand of high quality varietal wines from California’s Central Coast. Grapes are grown in renowned viticultural regions that include Monterey and Paso Robles. Maddalena Vineyard features balanced wines with ripe fruit flavors and an elegant finish. They include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat Canelli and White Zinfandel.

Living in Central Pennsylvania and having never visited LA, I don’t get a lot of chances to try this winery’s fine selection of wines but the nice people at San Antonio Winery sent my a couple samples to try.

Also, being a home winemaker my style of evaluations are completely different than those done by more “experienced” wine tasters. You won’t find that it has such and such a nose, or nice legs, etc. My rating scale is this: I’d spend my money on it, Maybe, Not worth it. Plain and simple, no numbers, no in-depth descriptions.

The two wines that I sampled are:

Maddalenna Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Maddalenna Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

The first one that I tried was the Sauvignon Blanc. Honestly, I am not a white wine drinker because white wines are usally too light for my palette. I would not purchase a white wine for my own consumption, but if I had to buy one this would me the one that I would buy. Biggest reason is that it did not have that “yucky” white wine taste.

Maddalenna Sauvignon Blanc 2006 - rating - I’d spend my money on it.

The second one, Cabernet Sauvignon, all I can say is WOW!!! I haven’t tasted a wine that good since Valentine’s Day 2002 when I took my late wife out to a very nice resturant. This is a definite spend your money on it if your a red wine drinker. Hey, winery guys, could you send a case of this for me sample.

Maddalenna Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - rating - A definite spend my money on it.

Overall, I was impressed with the quality of both wines. Seems like the family takes pride in making an excellent product. Too bad that it is a special order here in Pennsylvania because I could drink massive quantities of these wines while waiting for my wines to mature. Good job San Antonio.

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Easy Beer Labels

Normally I don't make labels for my beer (I mark the crown), but every so often I make batches of beer to give away. For those batches, I always like to make the bottles look attractive by putting on labels. I've always used Photoshop or Microsoft Publisher to make my labels and spent hours making them. I made the label above in less than minute at Beer Label Builder (sponsor of this post).

Not only did I find this as a real time saver but if your making several cases for that special occasion you can have professionally looking labels. Price wise, Beer Label Builder is very reasonable and they also have quite a few styles to chose from. You can also upload your own custom label and have them print them for you.

So, if your looking for some professional looking labels, give Beer Label Builder a try.

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Easy Wine Labels

If you happen to stop by my house, you would find that I generally store my wine in gallon jugs. I'm just too darn lazy or getting too old to mess around with filling wine bottles.

Christmas time is a different story. I love to give my better wines away as gifts to friends and family. My problem is that I generally spend hours making the perfect wine label to make my bottles look professional.

This year my problem is solved. At Wine Label Builder you can make a professional looking label in less than a minute.

Not only did I find this as a real time saver but if your making several cases for that special occasion you can have professionally looking labels. Even though Wine Label Builder paid for this review, I found their collection of labels to chose from quite extensive.

Price wise, Wine Label Builder is very reasonable. You can also upload your own custom label and have them print them for you.

So, if your looking for some professional looking labels, give Wine Label Builder a try.







Having too much fun making labels since it was so easy.

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Why Is Moonshing Against The Law ?

It's one of those cold winter's days and I'm sitting here waiting for a shipment of hops to arrive so that I can make a batch of beer. I was out of hops and had to order them online. (see why at Beer Recipes) So beer making has been put on hold. Instead, I went surfing and found this article and thought that I would share it with you.



You can make your own wine and beer, can't you?
By Michelle Tsai
Posted Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007, at 6:50 PM ET

Two Georgia men pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges of operating a moonshine still in the Chattahoochee National Forest. One of the bootleggers faces up to 35 years in prison for his crimes: making the brew, selling it, and not paying taxes on the proceeds. Back in college, the Explainer had friends who brewed their own beer, and that wasn't against the law. So why is moonshine still illegal?

Because the liquor is worth more to the government than beer or wine. Uncle Sam takes an excise tax of $2.14 for each 750-milliliter bottle of 80-proof spirits, compared with 21 cents for a bottle of wine (of 14 percent alcohol or less) and 5 cents for a can of beer. No one knows exactly how much money changes hands in the moonshine trade, but it's certainly enough for the missing taxes to make a difference: In 2000, an ATF investigation busted one Virginia store that sold enough raw materials to moonshiners to make 1.4 million gallons of liquor, worth an estimated $19.6 million in lost government revenue. In 2005, almost $5 billion of federal excise taxes on alcohol came from legally produced spirits.

You can read the entire article at Slate.com

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Absinthe

This article was sponsored by: Buy Absinthe Alcohol.com

I received an email about a few months ago describing a drink called “The Green Fairy.” Curious, I opened the email and it was about a liquor called Absinthe. Honestly, I have never heard about this drink and had no idea what it was. So, I thought that others may have not heard of this and thought I would share some info about it.

According to Wikipedia,

Absinthe is a distilled, highly alcoholic (usually 68 to 80 percent) anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called Grand Wormwood or Absinth Wormwood. Absinthe is typically green (either naturally or with added color) or clear and is often referred to as la Fée Verte (’The Green Fairy’). Although it is sometimes mistakenly called a liqueur, absinthe is not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor or spirit. Absinthe is uncommon among spirits in that it is bottled at a high proof but consumed diluted with water to the strength of wine.

Tastewise, absinthe has a licorce taste similar to ouzo and there is a certain way that it is traditionally prepared. According to various sources the following is the way to prepare your drink:

Absinthe is drunk as a cocktail and has a ritualist preparation before drinking. Proper preparation consists of placing a sugar cube on a special slotted Absinthe Spoon, and slowly dripping cold water over the sugar into the Absinthe Glass. The oils of the anise and fennel do not mix with the water, but come out in the high alcohol content in the absinthe to form a colloidal solution with the cold water, and creating a beautiful cloudy effect called “louche”. “Louche” comes from the French word meaning turbulent, troubled and cloudy. The fragrances in the oils are also released in the “louche” and add to the enjoyment of the Absinthe Drink.

Sounds great, so what is the catch? And, why can’t if ind it at the local liquor store? Well it seems that the use of wormwood and the thujone that is produced in the distilling process makes it illegal to make in the USA.

So, how do you get a bottle of absinthe and is it legal?

Commercial Break —-> Buy Absinthe

According to various sources:

The rules specifically state that it is illegal to sell or manufacture Absinthe Alcohol in the United States. Although it is not illegal to drink or posses Absinthe in the U.S. So from those statements here is the deduction:

1. It is illegal to sell thujone containing Absinthe Liquor in the US for human consumption.
2. It is illegal for someone outside the US to sell thujone containing Absinthe to someone inside the US.
3. It is not illegal to purchase thujone containing Absinthe for personal use in the US.
4. It is not illegal to purchase thujone containing Absinthe for personal use outside the United States.
5. Thujone containing Absinthe Alcohol can be seized by US customs (if it is for human consumption).

So, basicially you can purchase it outside of the USA and have it shipped here. The sponsor of this article has the following info on ordering absinthe for USA delivery:

Is it possible to buy absinthe in the USA?

Only online!!! It is illegal in the USA to buy, make or sell any kind of food or drink containing any level of Thujone. Modern Absinthe, or any spirit containing Thujone is therefore illegal in the USA. Mere possession isn’t. Several American makers offer a spirit similar to absinthe but without the wormwood. Unfortunately, the quality is poor and the taste is awful.The only option for American consumers is to order absinthe online and have it shipped as a gift and marked as “not for human consumption”. We at buy-absinthe-alcohol always place the marking“not for human consumption” on each bottle sent to the USA.

Sounds interesting and may be worth checking out.

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Tags: Absinthe, Alcohol

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Blogging For Beer

Well, not quite blogging for beer but more like other bloggers that have set goals for their blog. And, since everyone is setting goals, either for themselves or for where they work, I thought I would provide you with some material to get you started. If you are looking for some ideas for setting your goals, this list from Daily Blog Tips will give you a good head start. If you are looking to kill time at work, this list is a good one.

1. Making Home-made Wine and Beer - 2008 Goals For This Blog
2. 2008 Plans for Sk8 Dad
3. Blog Gigs - Blogging Goals For 2008
4. My Life with IT - Blogging Goals for 2008
5. Butterfly Media - 2008 Blogging Goals
6. Scott Andrew Bird - Blog goals 2008
7. Objetivos do 1001 Gatos para 2008
8. 2008 Goals For Money and Blogs
9. Kris Cpec - Blogging Goals for 2008
10. Win A Revolution Theme
11. Non Profit Leadership, Innovation and Change - Goals for 2008
12. 2008 Blogging Goals and The Rewards They Earn
13. Blogging Notes - Blogging Goals for 2008
14. The University Blog - Blogging Goals for 2008
15. #Comments - Goals!
16. Agile Business Navigator - (Blogging) Goals for 2008
17. Goals For 2008: (Almost) Every Blogger Has Some
18. SeanPAune - Blogging Goals For 2008
19. Amanda - 2008 Blogging Goals
20. Why I Never Set Blogging Goals
21. The Genetic Genealogist - My 2008 Blogging Goals
22. TechLife - 2008 Blogging Goals
23. ooof - Blogging goals
24. zParacha - 2008 Blogging goals
25. Learn How 2 Earn - Blog Goals for 2008
26. 2008 Blogging Goals Win Premium Wordpress Themes
27. happy 2nd birthday, change therapy!
28. Not-So Techie Goals Set For 2008
29. Jake Bouma - Blogging goals for 2008
30. Paasikoe - 2008 Blogging Goals
31. Train The Trainer: 2008 Goals
32. Beyond Behaviors’ Blogging Goals for 2008
33. Fashion by Jenni - Blogging Goals for 2008
34. Ledger Pad - Plan For 2008!
35. A contest! A xontest!
36. Planet Apex - 8 Blogging Goals for 2008
37. A Writer’s Words - 2008 Blogging Goals? Plans, maybe …
38. Romance Tracker’s 2008 blogging goals
39. Global Warming Hub’s blogging goals for the new year
40. Setting Your Goals Makes You 200% More Productive
41. Online Tech Tips blogging goals for 2008
42. ConchoLakeAZ.com Blog Goals
43. Inspiration just doesn’t get any better than this
44. Blog About Your Blog - Blogging Goals for 2008
45. My 2008 blogging goals for Blog Contest Central
46. Blogging Goals - Christmas Letters To Santa Claus
47. Mixed Market Arts - Goals for 2008
48. Have you thought of your blogging goals for 2008?
49. Vincent Chow - Blogging Goals For 2008
50. Writing Nag’s 2008 Blogging Goals
51. ShawnW - My blogging goals for 2008
52. The Value of Being Incomplete: What Are Your Goals for 2008?
53. On Financial Success - Goals for the new year
54. Madhur Kapoor - Blogging Goals for 2008
55. Work n Play - 2008 Blogging Goals
56. What I Wish to Achieve with dailyApps in 2008
57. Gimme a Dream - My Blogging Goals for 2008
58. New Year’s Resolutions for TailgatingIdeas.com
59. It’s Write Now! - Blogging Resolutions For 2008!
60. Blogging: Learning The Lessons The Hard Way
61. Nazjam - My blogging goals for 2008
62. JobMob 2008 Blogging Goals
63. What will your blog look like in 2008?
64. My 2008 Goals For Newest on the Net
65. MisEntropy - What I want my blog to be…
66. The Visitor’s Book (2008)
67. An unplannd future
68. Good Bye 2007 - Blogging Goals for the New Year
69. Life in the Internet - Blogging Goals for 2008
70. Blogging Goals for 2008 - Learn from the Experience!
71. Techno Money - My Goals for 2008…What Are Yours?
72. 8 Goals For Inspiration Bit In 2008
73. Cyber Street Report - 2008 Blogging Goals
74. Mary Emma - Writing and Blogging Goals for 2008
75. Gauravonomics - My Three Blogging Goals for 2008
76. eBiz Parent - 2008 Blogging Goals
77. Alphablogs - 5 goals for 2008
78. Daily Blog Tips: 10 Goals for 2008

Technorati Tags: Blogs, Goals, 2008

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2008 Goals For This Blog

With the end of the year just around the corner, I want to share with you the goals that I have for this blog. My overall goal is to make 2008 a more informative year on making wine and beer. Also, I want to explore using more video on the site even though it doesn't show up well in RSS feeds. I will continue to post every Tuesday and Thursday as I have for the past 18 months along with a twice a month Friday post. The goals for 2008 are:

A series on different beer styles along with recipes

A series on different wine styles

More basic tips on making wine and beer

Improved navigation to find tips

Increase in video use for posts

Friday post for news articles, opinions and rants

Tweaking the blog design

These are the goals for 2008. I'm excited about trying to achieve them for this blog. Enjoy the holidays and I'll see you right after the new year.

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Blogging Vacation - Safety Dance

Don't you wish that you could be doing this instead of working? I sure do. So, in keeping with that spirit, I am taking the rest of the year off as far as posting on my blogs.

It's holiday time and time to make merry and enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas an the New Year.

So enjoy the time, and I'll be back right after Jan. 1

For Your Viewing Pleasure

And remember the true reason for the season

Spirit of Christmas Present: So! Is your heart still unmoved towards us, then?
Ebenezer: I'm too old and beyond hope! Go and redeem some younger, more promising creature, and leave me to keep Christmas in my own way!
Spirit of Christmas Present: Mortal! We Spirits of Christmas do not live only one day of our year. We live the whole three-hundred and sixty-five. So is it true of the Child born in Bethlehem. He does not live in men's hearts one day of the year, but in all days of the year. You have chosen not to seek Him in your heart. Therefore, you will come with me and seek Him in the hearts of men of good will

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Tech Tags: Vacation, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Safety Dance

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Patron Saint of Beer

I just thought that this is pretty cool. A Patron saint for beer makers.

Saint Arnold was born to a prominent Austrian family in the year 580. Even back in those days the Austrians were famous for their love of beer, and admired for their brewing prowess. Beer was a proud Austrian tradition that was not wasted on young Arnold.

As a young man, Arnold entered the priesthood and began moving his way up that earliest of all career ladders. At the age of 32, he was given the title Bishop, and in 612 was named "Arnold, Bishop of Metz." (Metz is in France.)

He is said to have spent his life warning peasants about the health hazards of drinking water. Water was not necessarily safe to drink during the dark ages, especially around towns and villages. Nasty stuff. Arnold always had the well-being of his followers close at heart.

Beer, on the other hand, was quite safe. Arnold frequently pointed this out to his congregation. He is credited with having once said, "From man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the world." It goes without saying that the people loved and revered Arnold.

In 627, Saint Arnold retired to a monastery near Remiremont, France, where he died and was buried in 640.

In 641, the citizens of Metz requested that Saint Arnold's body be exhumed and carried from the monastery to the town of Metz for reburial in their local church - The church where Arnold had so frequently preached the virtues of beer. Their request was granted.

It was a long and thirsty journey, especially since they were carrying a dead bishop. As the ceremonial procession passed through the town of Champignuelles, the tired processionals stopped for a rest and went into a tavern for a drink of their favorite beverage - Beer. Much to their dismay, they were informed that there was only one mug of beer left, and that they would have to share it. That mug never ran dry and the thirsty crowd was satisfied.

Every Saint needs a miracle. That's how the Church decides you are a Saint. The story of the miracle mug of beer spread and eventually Arnold was canonized by the Catholic Church for it.

Saint Arnold is recognized by the Catholic Church as the Patron Saint of Brewers.

Tech Tags: Beer, Saints, Church, Brewers

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