Aug 16 2008
The Wine Maker’s Answer Book (Answer Book (Storey))
Home winemaking is an appealing hobby for a new generation of wine lovers lured by the promise of a great payoff — small batches of handmade wine. It’s the perfect opportunity to experiment with flavors, have fun playing with chemistry, and share a few tasty bottles with friends and family. But safely fermenting, bottling, and aging wine is a demanding process requiring special equipment, impeccable sanitation, an understanding of chemical reactions, and the patience to see the aging process through to the end. No matter how experienced the home winemaker, unforeseen questions develop with every batch of new wine.
When a winemaker has problems with leaky corks or finds an oily film on top of his fermenting wine, what’s the simplest, quickest way to get an answer? The Wine Maker’s Answer Book is a 24/7 helpline with advice on hundreds of winemaking dilemmas. From the basic curiosity of the novice (What equipment will I need to get started?) to the finer points of fermentation (What is the impact of malolactic fermentation on acidity?), every step of the process is covered in detail.
Author Alison Crowe uses a friendly question-and-answer format to explain the mysteries of turning grape juice into wine, whether the reader is beginning with fresh grapes or a home winemaking kit. To the straightforward requests for information, she offers detailed descriptions of procedures and equipment. For stickier real-life problems, she first carefully assesses the possible causes and then gives expert advice on fixing the trouble.
Covering the entire range of situations a winemaker is likely to face, this handy, at-a-glance reference will make every batch of wine taste better.
Customer Review: Nice QA book
This is a nice book that will answer questions for those interested in home winemaking as well small scale wineries.
Customer Review: In your face gobs of jammy knowledge
This book has the answers!
And not only that, it gives the answers in a concise, readable, erudite format that speaks to all levels of expertise. Professional vintners will benefit from having such a broad compendium of the science of wine, and neophyte oenophiles will rejoice in the practical and esoteric aspects of making and appreciating wine. Ms. Crowe is the calm voice of reason when discussing the excesses and intricacies of wine, and waxes lyrical about the culture and joy that can be found in the alchemy used to turn grape to ambrosia.
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