# Wines and liqueurs



## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

I am interested in buying red wines and or Port..... which ever is healthier and lasts longer. I want to buy at least one case but I don't have a clue what is good.At a good price.
I also want to buy a liqueur called Arak that is like an anisette type drink. When I was over seas I became awfully sick and I was given a shot of that and everything stopped and I felt better almost immediately. 
And if there are any other suggestions anyone might have.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

faithmarie, I don't know what part of NY you live in, but the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes area of NY and the Northern Tier of PA (that's where I am) is incredibly rich in wineries. Some really good wines, too! I'd suggest you go on a few of the many wine tours so you can taste a wide variety of wines to help you figure out what you like.. No point in buying a case of something you don't like. Of course, if you buy a case of wine that you DO like, it might not last very long.


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

LOL....... Yeah thats why I want a case. We are in Dutchess County. There are a few wineries here too. You know there are just so many wines to choose it makes me confused. I want it for health purposes anyway. I was wondering if Port wine is healthier than regular wine. And my Dad would always say only drink red wine and called white wine a bad name. He was in to wines.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I have never found a wine that I like.:dunno: So I can't help there ... (sorry) but I did find a lot of wine festivals in NY... so you could do a taste test.

New York Food Festivals, Food Shows, Wine Festivals, Food Events, Expos, etc.

As for liqueur ... never cared for it either.

Pass me a beer. .. :goodluck:in your search.


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

Thanks I will check it out. We don't drink. But I believe there are health benefits to wine and some spirits. Like I said the stuff I drank overseas healed me fast. I think it killed what ever bug or food poisoning I had. I would like to find organic wine also. 
I think wine would be a good bartering idem too.


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## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

You can get Arak online here:
WineChateau.com Arak Razzouk Liqueur [email protected]


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

One martini, two martini, three martini, floor!

I like red wine, the mrs likes white. Red wines like, Gamay's, Beaujolais, Cabernet sauvignon or merlot's will keep almost forever. Red ports are the same way, kept cool, out of direct sunlight, will get better over time as they age. French, Spanish, Italian or domestic, will be fine, try a glass and see how you like it, if it tastes good, then buy some and store them away.
White wines do not keep as long, better to drink sooner.


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

rhrobert I bought it all on that website you recommended the wine and the Arak. 
BunkerBob I bought the ones you recommended.
And it will be delivered right to the house. I love the computer! 
Thanks for your help everyone!


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## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

faithmarie said:


> rhrobert I bought it all on that website you recommended the wine and the Arak.
> BunkerBob I bought the ones you recommended.
> And it will be delivered right to the house. I love the computer!
> Thanks for your help everyone!


Although I don't drink often anymore, I do love a good anise drink. My wife orders her specialty wine from there, so I thought I'd check if they had Arak, and they did.
The only thing I drink regularly now is a daily shot of homemade elderberry tincture, made with everclear, which is also the only alcohol I stockpile, because it has so many uses.


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## HozayBuck (Jan 27, 2010)

I've found Mad Dog 20/20 goes with anything, plastic bag, paper sack, park bench, doorways... and always a good year...

I think I'll stick with Jim beam with some Bushmills for company, I do like a good scotch , funny thing is I seldom drink anymore but when I do I know what I like.. I really should try my hand at beer making again, but my last try ended in dismal failure..1968 !!...


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## Littlebit (Apr 20, 2010)

:beercheer:I love a cold beer, but once and awhile a glass of wine will do Ya. My great grand parents drank a class or two of red wine every night. They were not rich and bought mostly low end red wines. Still did the trick. Both lived into there 90's.


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

I do not drink often, but when I do I like 

Blackberry Merlot- sweet wine no bitter after taste

Homemade coffee liquer- cheaper than the name brand (Kahlua), great taste, you can't go wrong with coffee anything!!

when I am feeling "froggy" I will have a shot of ice cold Jager- that will cure just about anything!


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

rhrobert What is her specialty wine?? I make tinctures also but I use cheap vodka. Is everclear better????? I was told it doesn't matter what you use.
HoseyBuck I havent had ripple since I was in high school in the 70s. lol Same thing isn't it? 
Littlebit I can't get passed the smell of beer..... not even to cook with lol 
I believe you are right low end is just as good for you. My Dad said the same thing.... but he would call white wine cat.... and said it was worthless. lol
mdpepper Is the elderberry merlot made from only elderberries or more than one fruit? Where do you get it ??? 
We used to make the coffee kahlua in the 80s. I don't remember how anymore. I think we used vodka in it. I would like to make it again. What is jager and how does it help.


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

I'm on my way to work I will post my recipe for Kahlua when I get home.

Jagermeister- not quite sure how to describe it, but I swear it works as well as Nyquil!!

I'll find a link for the blackberry merlot and post that when I get home, gotta run!!


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## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

It's a Wittmann Riesling from Germany, a white wine, but I don't know exactly what one, it's peachy. I don't care for wine, maybe I drank too much Mad Dog 20/20 when I was younger....is that even really a wine? 30 yrs ago, the ladies loved the TJ Swann and Boones Farm, or maybe I just thought they did.


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

LOL
Maybe we all drank too much of that stuff. I don't ever want to drink now. Only for medicinal purposes now. Thats how to know you are getting older.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

mdprepper said:


> I'm on my way to work I will post my recipe for Kahlua when I get home.
> 
> Jagermeister- not quite sure how to describe it, but I swear it works as well as Nyquil!!
> 
> I'll find a link for the blackberry merlot and post that when I get home, gotta run!!


I am a big fan of Jager as well. I keep a bottle in my desk at work, a bottle in my freezer at home and I try to keep 2 bottles ready at all times in my liquor-zone (where I have all my hard alcohol bottles). I didn't believe what I was told 8 years ago about it, but, I have to say that I am now the healthiest I have ever been by having one or two shots (sipped, not slammed) a day. I savor the flavor and do not use Jager to get slammed.


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

Okay NaeKid ....what were you told 8 yrs ago! and I am going to get it now!


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## TechAdmin (Oct 1, 2008)

NaeKid said:


> I am a big fan of Jager as well. I keep a bottle in my desk at work, a bottle in my freezer at home and I try to keep 2 bottles ready at all times in my liquor-zone (where I have all my hard alcohol bottles). I didn't believe what I was told 8 years ago about it, but, I have to say that I am now the healthiest I have ever been by having one or two shots (sipped, not slammed) a day. I savor the flavor and do not use Jager to get slammed.


I love Jager as an after dinner drink, but growing up in the middle of a Jager bomb craze was kind of scary. People would be so drunk they would just be throwing themselves around the party, while the redbull kept them up.

FOr those who didn't know what arak was...
Arak (drink) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

faithmarie said:


> Okay NaeKid ....what were you told 8 yrs ago! and I am going to get it now!


I was told that it was a mix of herbs that when infused would keep all kinds of bugs away and keep a person healthy that was already healthy, or, would help a person get better if they were already sick.

It was originally marketed as a cough-syrup and from what I was told, it is still availble in certain pharmacies in Europe (primarily Germany).


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

The blackberry merlot is a very inexpensive wine ($6.99 in my area). This is the one I prefer: Wild Vines | Our Wines

Coffee Liquer (makes a gallon)

1 cup hot water
3/4 cup instant coffee

Mix together to dissolve coffee crystals. Set aside.

4 cups water
5 cups granulated sugar

Make a "simple syrup" . Cook in a sauce pan until all of the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir the coffee solution in to the syrup. Once the syrup/coffee mixture cools enough to handle safely pour it in to a gallon container and allow it to cool completely.

After it cools add

1 tablespoon Vanilla
1 quart of Vodka

Stir or shake to mix and it is ready to serve.


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## kyfarmer (Feb 22, 2009)

Might be good to try, but now it's :beercheer::beercheer::beercheer: just can't seem to get enough ahead to put much back. Then again i can always make some.


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

Thanks mdpepper I am going to try making it tomorrow. I will use organic coffee and sugar and distilled water. 
I found a place that sells the blackberry merlot about 10 miles away. 
I tried to buy Everclear today and found it is illegal to sell it in NY except at West Point. 
I might be able to get it over the internet from NJ.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I use straight corn (malted and sour mashed) alcohol in all my tinctures. Well most of them, I love the flavor of Christian Brothers Brandy for my Skullcap tincture. Just something about the two of them works great together, for my tastes anyway. I do have to add some grain alcohol to bring the final tincture up to 50% alcohol for full extraction. I’ve never used Vodka so really can not compare flavor wise in the finished product. I believe that a neutral spirit will extract more of the herb flavor and not taint it. I just use the corn alcohol because it is much cheaper than buying from the store.

Speaking of tincturing, my St. John’s Wort is starting to blossom!


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

I have only ever used vodka because it was recommended. It is tasteless. I prefer glycerine. But vodka is easier. I asked once if I could use arak and they told me no. Sooo if you can use christian brothers brandy why not just any liqueur? That might make it taste more fun.?.?
And is it the higher the proof the better extraction? I am planing on making elderberry extract with my left over dried stash from last year.


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## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

I was told the same thing growing up, vodka makes it a tincture, anything else makes it a flavored whatever.
Not sure why that is.
Lately I was told vodka or rum will be a tincture, but nothing else.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

True, other alcohol’s flavor the tincture but the important thing is to get the correct proof or percent. Not all tinctures are of the same alcohol to water ratio and some extract with glycerin, like you stated. I tried tincturing Lemon Mint with the brandy and I did not care for the mix, straight alcohol let the lemon flavor through more. For my Anise Hyssop I like just a splash of the brandy. Again it is not what alcohol, it is the strength of it for the specific herb to extract what you want from it. 

A good book for the basics is Making Plant Medicine by Richio Cheec or Richo Chech, something like that, I can look his actual name up tonight if you can’t search it. There are other books that cover all the constituents of different plants, how to best extract them and what they are used for.

I found not all herbs work the same for everyone. I started my garden with over 50 medicinal herbs and am down to…. 8 or 10 that work for me. Start with a lot and work your way down to what works for you. I’m no wizard or anything, just did a lot of reading and trial and error.


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

Stupid question....

What is the difference between Everclear and Moonshine?

Besides the fact that one is TAXED and the other is not .


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Commercial grain alcohol is a standard 190 proof, or 95% alcohol. Depending on the apparatus used, home made is at most 150 proof or 75% alcohol. Folks can bring it up to maybe 180 proof by multiple runs using a specialized apparatus and lots of skill.

Using a standard pot still you can get an alcohol with little flavor or alcohol with lots of flavor. Using a reflux still you get stronger alcohol but less flavor.

So the real difference is (besides the tax) is that home made is a lot more fun.


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

So, if I use Everclear or Moonshine as a base for tinctures, would I have to cut the dosage amount to minimize the amount of alcohol or do you add water to cut the alcohol?:dunno:

Hmmm... if I am going to be adding water to the tincture, I guess I may as well just use the Vodka???:scratch


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

The percentage of alcohol will depend on the herbs being tinctured, some need the straight grain, some need 40% and some need no alcohol to extract. To minimize your alcohol consumption you would use a different medium to tincture. You just might not get the full benefit from the extract.

And yes, to cut the proof you just use water. With the grain you can dilute it to make any percent solution you need. But you can not make a 75% solution starting with a 40% or 50% base.


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## Tribal Warlord Thug (Jan 27, 2009)

faithmarie said:


> I am interested in buying red wines and or Port..... which ever is healthier and lasts longer. I want to buy at least one case but I don't have a clue what is good.At a good price.
> I also want to buy a liqueur called Arak that is like an anisette type drink. When I was over seas I became awfully sick and I was given a shot of that and everything stopped and I felt better almost immediately.
> And if there are any other suggestions anyone might have.


the best and simplest way to store wine is to make your own and bottle it. red's do keep a lot longer than whites.....plus the reds have a health benifit that white dont. as far as keeping...reds become more complex and defined in their flavor as they age. whites usually turn to vinegar......as far as liqueur/alcohol to keep...i just buy even williams buy the case and put it away....bourbon whiskey has an indefinite shelf life, as do most alcohols like vodka, rum and gin......grain alcohol is always a wise item to keep in stock as it has so many benificial properties for using such as antiseptic, sterilant and even an anestetic.:2thumb:

look here to see the shelf life of some beverages you may want to keep

StillTasty.com | How Long to Keep / Best Way to Store Beverages


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

HA HA HA Make my own...... I haven't got enough to do????? 
Just kidding. I am a wine and alcohol illiterate.
Now I have been only buying organic wine so far except for the blackberry merlot mppepper recommended and a couple of bottles of manshewitz ? elderberry wine.
What would I need whiskey and bourbon for? 
And what other uses are there for everclear? Besides my tinctures.


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## Tribal Warlord Thug (Jan 27, 2009)

faithmarie said:


> HA HA HA Make my own...... I haven't got enough to do?????
> Just kidding. I am a wine and alcohol illiterate.
> Now I have been only buying organic wine so far except for the blackberry merlot mppepper recommended and a couple of bottles of manshewitz ? elderberry wine.
> What would I need whiskey and bourbon for?
> And what other uses are there for everclear? Besides my tinctures.


making homemade wine is rather easy and takes up hardly any of your time. the whiskey/bourbon are something that makes an excellent barter item as well as does other 'addiction items'. if you've ever had to sew up someone after the sliced themselves wide open cutting wood.....then everclear comes in damn handy.


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## faithmarie (Oct 18, 2008)

I don't know that I would want to barter with anyone who's gona be drinkin whisky I might have to shoot 'em.
I will look in to making wine but from what I remember my uncles seemed to be always messing with wine making and it always seemed like they were baby sitting it and talking about it all the time.
Who drinks everclear and why..... I mean is it something you would have after dinner or what? Besides medicinally.


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