lock down = no fun...

[PhilT2]

latest on a vaccine; we're almost there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-oQI2RoXPI

[PhilT2]

The graph of our economy looks like someone jumping off a cliff. The big problem is he hasn't hit the bottom yet. I'm hoping things will turn around quickly when the vaccine becomes available. The local university, uni of Qld, has a vaccine in the later stages of testing. I volunteered to be one of the first group to get the shot but got rejected. Too old I guess.

[Chazza]

Good to know that you are going well Peter; I have been thinking of you and all my friends and relatives in Melbourne,

cheers Charlie

[Peter Tommasini]

now that is bad! lol.

it does seem to be working peter, hopefully we will get a clear plan on sunday to start getting back to some normality.

are you affected by the water situation?

Yes but we have been boiling it before drinking it
Peter T.

[Peter Tommasini]

I had no idea either, although my suspicions were that it was something that originated from Italy. It's not wine...😀According to Wikipedia grappa is a grape based pomace brandy with between a 35-60% alcohol content! 70-120 proof! Am I right Peter? Italian/Australian Moonshine🤣

Perfectly correct ! .... love the stuff !
Peter T.

[Peter Tommasini]

Peter,
Good to hear your well and safe. Looking forward to future video's and pictures when things come right again.
What is home brewed grappa??? Beer?

David I am surprise that you do not know what grappa is ...grappa is a liqueur that most Italians ( North Italians that is ) make after making wine,by boiling and distilling the remains of the grapes, sort of moonshine as you American called
Peter T.

PS perfect with coffee

[Blue62]

Chris & Cliffy
I googled it and read up on it. Wikipedia was a very good source.

Peter, the old world moonshining master metal worker.
Now there's a title

[cliffrod]

Traditionally, grappa is made from the must or leftover solids of winemaking. It is another way to not waste anything.

Brandy is distilled from previously fermented fruit juice, which is typically cider, regular wine or something else. It's made from a drinkable product, even if the product is made to purposely be distilled into brandy.

For Grappa, the must or solids including fruit flesh, the pomace (seeds) and stems strained from the mash during the natural fermentation process of wine are fermented again (sometimes charged with additional water but to some that is sacrilege) is distilled to produce concentrated alcohol much like moonshine or any other distilled liquor. the risk with proper grappa is the presence of methanol that is a product of the fermentation of the woody solids (pomace and stems) along with the ethanol produces as the fruit solids ferment. When distilling gappa, properly discarding of the head and tail of the run are more critical because methanol is toxic- blindness, etc- and needs to be avoided. Since fruit juice is normally fermented without the woody solids present, this why brandy is a lot safer to make. Because of the methanol/discard concerns, the yield for grappa is not as high compared to the distillation of other products. The final proof is based upon how you mix it, because whatever alcohol is distilled is essentially pure alcohol.

The old Italian sculptors in VT would reminisce about having a little grappa at the end of the day in the stone studios where I trained, even though most of those old timers were very aged and not carving or drinking any more by the time I apprenticed. In the earlier 20th century, the Italian boarders in Barre sometimes made what they called "house grappa" in their rented room by distilling whatever cheap wine they had on hand. It was just a stronger drink and a substitute for what they couldn't get because they didn't have access to adequate quantities of grape must from a winemaker.

The main reason I have established a vineyard at my studio is to someday drink some of my own true grappa in my studio before I quit carving stone. Almost no one understands, but it's one more part of the traditional ways to keep alive for a little longer out of respect to my Masters. We've already made it to the wine stage. After he made wine last year, Elsmore brought me the must. Nearly 5 gallons of must (no water added) bubbled away on the counter like mad for a few days. Between not having time then or alI equipment for the rest of the process yet, it didn't become grappa. someday....

[Chris_Hamilton]

Peter
Damn now that I think about it your Italian so Grappa has to be a wine.
That is bad when your out of good drink.
Hang in there. LOL

I had no idea either, although my suspicions were that it was something that originated from Italy. It's not wine...😀According to Wikipedia grappa is a grape based pomace brandy with between a 35-60% alcohol content! 70-120 proof! Am I right Peter? Italian/Australian Moonshine🤣

[Blue62]

Peter
Damn now that I think about it your Italian so Grappa has to be a wine.
That is bad when your out of good drink.
Hang in there. LOL

[neilb]

did I mention that I have run out of home brewed grappa LOL

now that is bad! lol.

it does seem to be working peter, hopefully we will get a clear plan on sunday to start getting back to some normality.

are you affected by the water situation?

[Blue62]

Peter,
Good to hear your well and safe. Looking forward to future video's and pictures when things come right again.
What is home brewed grappa??? Beer?

[Peter Tommasini]

Right or wrong... the lock down is working ,3 weeks ago we had in Victoria between 650 /750 + corona virus infections x day, 4 weeks of lock down and wearing masks ,we are now down to 44 x day.

Ok...... I have been doing very little work for the last few month now , and I have been seeing only a few people in this time, BUT ! it's working and I am safe

as far as my shop situation well... no working, no filming , or classes no nothing .
Peter T.

PS did I mention that I have run out of home brewed grappa LOL

[neilb]

ON a lighter note- We do have a jar of our homemade wine left from last year from the stash that I had been saving for your possible stateside visit, Neil. Need to pick grapes now for this year's wine and need to drink the old wine sometime soon before it gets unhappy. When we do, I'll post pics as we do a toast to all of our faraway friends that we haven't met yet but will someday.

i do have an old friend from sheffield living in the states, he was in chico not far from the fires in paradise CA, his wife has family on vancover island and i believe he is there now according to his instabrag account lol. our lass has been to the states and doesn't have a desire to visit again but her brother does so it could be a guy's holiday lol

[neilb]

it is tempting robert i'll be honest not long left though now