Massachusetts group grape buy

[JarrodH]

Thanks for the pics. Its nice to see part of the whole procedure.

 

[Vermicous]

Thanks again to Paul. I had a great time and really appreciate taking part in this. While I had a good handle on the entire process, it quickly becomes apparent how much of a difference there is between knowing it and doing it.

 

[paulthenurse]

I'll admit that I was a bit intimidated as the day approached. Not that I didn't know what to do and in what order to do them but worried would I have all my sheet in one sock so that I could keep everyone gainfully employed, not forget something important and make sure everyone had fun? To that end I have to really take my hat off to Alice for taking care of lunch. I would have just kept on plowing until I was done, then I would have eaten the ankles off an archbishop. I married WAY over my head.

PTN

BTW, it's a red shirt, in fact it's a Red Sox shirt, it's just old and has been thru the wash a thousand times. Go back under your bridge, you troll.

 

[beergears]

. I married WAY over my head.

PTN

You had a diving wedding ceremony..?


"Do you blubluubllbb... take bllubblub"

OK, OK it's Friday morning (and dogone it, I got a honey do list a mile long, and grain sitting..)

 

[paulthenurse]

Well no, we didn't get married underwater but I DID ask her to marry me 100 feet underwater diving Bloody bay Wall in Little Cayman. Does that count?

PTN

Come to think of it, she never took her regulator out of her mouth, for all I know she never said yes.

 

[CrankyOldLibrarian]

Hey Paul,

Do you need a hand moving the wine to the basement to rack to the barrels? If so, let me know...

 

[paulthenurse]

I need to do it this afternoon. If you are around let me know

PTN

 

[paulthenurse]

OK so it seems that no-one from the co-op is going to be available when I will be around and available to do this today, so I'm postponing it till tomorrow early am. I've been up since 4:30 yesterday afternoon, and I have a date with my wife tonight that I'm not going to break. We all knew that we needed to do this today. It's been discussed here on the thread and on Saturday. I've been home from work since just before 8 am and I've had only one person say he could be here, but not until after 7pm. One person can't wrestle a couple of 35 gallon buckets by himself if he is concerned about keeping the contents of that bucket inside the bucket. We need to move the buckets over to my back cellar door so we can pump the wine into the barrels. So I'll take measures to keep everything good till tomorrow. But it needs to happen tomorrow, we're pushing the envelope here before we start to have off smells and flavors. We need to get the wine off the gross lees and away from O2. So someone give me a call about showing up here tomorrow morning. You all have my number.

PTN

Sorry about sounding bitchy but I'm a bit frustrated. I STILL haven't heard form a couple of guys who signed up and committed and then never sent in $ and they still haven't responded to my posts. Now I'm worried about keeping everyones wine from spoiling, and I'm tired and need some extra muscle and I'm turning into crankypants. Sorry, but thats how it is from my admittedly bitchy perspective.
P

 

[beergears]

Your timeframe tomorrow, please?

EDIT: Oh dear, this is my t59th post... who knew?

 

[CrankyOldLibrarian]

Yeah, give me a time and Kim & I can be there (she can lift while I sit around and do nothing).

We were planning on checking out some yard sales in JP, but we can do the same thing on our way to your house tomorrow so anytime in the morning works for us.

 

[JustMrWill]

I SHOULD be able to stop by tomorrow. Just name a time. I have plans but not anything that can't be juggled a little.

-Will

 

[paulthenurse]

OK, so like most tired little boys I'm feeling much better and not so crabby after my nap. This is something that will only take a few minutes to do, al we have to do is carry the two full barrels of wine over to the cellar door and inside, then the pump will do the rest. I'd like to be done early so we all have our day free. So anytime between now (7am) and 11:00 . And I only need one other person, so whoever can be here earliest wins the prize. If you guys call me we can talk and see who can be here earliest and easiest and save everyone else a trip. I'll have my phone with me all morning.
PTN

 

[paulthenurse]

Will wins the prize, an all expence paid trip to Stoughton. Everyone give Will a round of applause!

PTN

 

[paulthenurse]

OK, Will just left and we have just a hair under 50 gallons total. We filled the 30 gallon barrel, and the 15 gallon barrel and we have a 5 gallon carboy filled up to just under the neck. I'll let that carboy settle and then put it into one gallon bottles for topping up. Air is BAD for wine so smaller bottles work much better for using to keep the barrels filled.

The next thing that will happen is I will need to stir the barrels every few days to keep the yeast and the bacteria roused up. The bacteria feed on the yeast byproducts as well as the malic acid. Hoepfully we'll have completion within a month, but with this weather it's anyones guess. MLB want it over 75*F to do their thing. Global warming my arse.

PTN

 

[Melana]

Thanks go to Will for helping out. Sorry we couldn't be there for you Paul...

 

[JustMrWill]

No worries...at least Paul didn't make some comment about me sucking on his bung-hole. Don't ask.

-Will

 

[Melana]

Wow...........

 

[paulthenurse]

You don't need to make a comment when you have something worth a thousand words.

And there is one thing I feel like I need to clear up. I appreciate your sentiment, Melana and I fully understand what you are saying. I just want to clarify that people showing up to help aren't doing it to 'be there for' me. They are being there for themselves. This is everyones wine. It's at my house and I'm the caretaker but it's not mine. Some of it is but the vast majority of this wine is other peoples. That's what had me being a little pissy the other day. We had almost a thousand dollars worth of wine at a critical point in its development and there were things that needed to be done. Could I have done it myself? Pretty clearly I have in the past and I will again. But its 'your' wine and 'you' should be taking an active part in making it. I think I've been pretty clear about what would need to be done along the way, both on posts here and at the gatherings we've had.

OK I just wanted to get that out there. First as a way of explaining being cranky the other day and secondly so that my view on the 'group project' is out there. We're all in this together. If anyone has a problem with what I've said that please let me know.

So what's next? Not much for a while. I need to stir the barrels regularly for the next month or two, till the MLB finish. Than there is virtually nothing to do for the next 6 months to a year. I'll keep the airlocks topped up and after a few months I'll take 5 gallons out of the big barrel and put the carboy wine in there. That is something I can readily do myself. I'll barrel sample the wine from time to time to see whare it's at. I'll try to pre-plan that so anyone who wants to come by and barrel sample with me can do so. We're only talking about a glass or so at most coming out but it's nice to see the progression.


PTN

 

[Bulls Beers]

I'm in the Stoughton are on a regular basis. I have no problem being one of the barrel tasters. Maybe I can help taste a few of the other wines..Hint Hint....

 

[paulthenurse]

Gee, whatever could you be hinting at?

PTN

 

[Melana]

I follow your Logic Paul... I was just sorry we couldn't be around to help out more. Besides, we like seeing you and Alice!

 

[paulthenurse]

Well, we like having you guys over. I hope I didn't sound like a peevish dick about this. Actually, I know I did sound like a peevish dick, but I wanted to explain why I turned into Mr Crankypants. I just felt like it's better to have all the cards on the table.
PTN

 

[Melana]

I was more thanking Will for helping you with 'our' wine than anything else, since we couldn't make it over.

 

[CrankyOldLibrarian]

Thanks to Will & Paul for moving the trash cans full of delicious wine and filling up the barrels.

All I can say is those who said that they wanted to be a part of the group buy and haven't sent their money in or haven't been to Paul's house to do the work are missing out. The work was a blast (and drinking the wine that we were bottling made it even more fun). And, based on the taste while crushing, it looks like the malbec is going to be very tasty.

 

[JustMrWill]

Ok...been over two weeks without an update....

I know, I know...not much to say...but would be nice to hear "Yup...nobody broke in and stole it"

-Will

 

[paulthenurse]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!

I just went downstairs to switch the laundry and the barrels are GONE!!!!!!!!

The BASTIDS!!!!!!!


PTN

 

[Bulls Beers]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!

I just went downstairs to switch the laundry and the barrels are GONE!!!!!!!!

The BASTIDS!!!!!!!


PTN

That's not a problem...No problem at all..In return, I can take a case or two of that mediocre, barely drinkable,I'll probably give it all away to people that i don't like Bordeaux...Ok..If I have too..I don't want to, but if that's all you have..

 

[beergears]

I just went downstairs to switch the laundry and the barrels are GONE!!!!!!!!
The BASTIDS!!!!!!!

PTN

Ah... hmm, did they leave a a ransom note?

(I did not do it, couldn't be me, as I had to double-check the spelling of ransom...,)

 

[paulthenurse]

Don't try pulling that cute little French accent bull**** excuse.

"Oh, but it couldn't have been me, I was busy storming the Bastille this past weekend."

BS! I'm calling the FB f'ing I.

PTN

 

[paulthenurse]

I tried a small glass of the wine when I stirred last week. Very nice. Very nice indeed.

PTN