What’s Cosmic Brewing?

[cosmicfolklore]

For my whole life, I have been a teetotaler because of church, family that have had problems with drinking, kids in the house, and just really not liking the taste or feeling of alcohol.
But, being empty nesters now and a surplus of fruit each year, for a few years now, I’ve been experimenting with brewing and winemaking. So, I’ve been buying really nice wines and going to tastings at the local sommeliers, I’ve been building a palate and have also found that I just can’t have more than two glasses of wine in a day. My wife enjoys a little more than me, but... that’s another bow chicka wow wow...

So far, my peach wine has been the most successful, with people actually begging me to sell it. Mmmm... maybe. The start up fees for registration of a winery is actually dirt cheap. So plans are underway...

But, I’ve made muscadine, deep reds from traditional wine grapes that I’ve started, meads (honey wine), blueberry, blackberry, apple, apricot, and a whole host of ginger beers.

I run small one gallon batches for perfecting my recipes, and experimenting with honey varieties for meads. And 6 gallon batches of meads and wines when I get my recipes perfected. Here, I have a 6.5 gallon batch of apple wine, blueberry blossom mead, and orange blossom mead. One gallon batches of cherry melomel (Viking’s Blood), pineapple chardonnay, tupelo honey mead, and a few varieties of other honeys.

I’ve built a 96 bottle rack, but it’s still not enough, as I have 12 boxes of wine that I don’t have room for, so I have plans to fill this wall with racks.

And, when I started brewing ginger beer from the ginger I was growing, a pipe club buddy brought me a truck load of Grolsch bottles. I haven’t even begun to clean some of them. The rest are in the barn.

I took some classes at a wine and brew store near here, and I’ve been working (volunteering) at a local winery to learn how to make larger batches... but I was a little disappointed at how most commercial wines are made. I have developed strong opinions... “no, not you, Cosmic?” Yes, but I hope to one say bring real country wine to market, the real deal. So... that’s what I have been up to. Planning, plotting, and fermenting. Maybe in a couple of years I can start hitting farmers markets and mail outs.

But, till then, it’s a labor of love. If you are in the area, hit me up. Maybe we can share a beverage and some of my homegrown tobaccos.

 

[brooklynpiper]

Which of yours would you recommend pairing with a bowl of dark flake unscented

It's always a pleasure to see what you're up to!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Which of yours would you recommend pairing with a bowl of dark flake unscented

It's always a pleasure to see what you're up to!

My blackberry wine is the texture of a deep burgundy with chocolate and earthy notes, very dry, and just a hint of the essence of blackberry on the aftertaste. I think it would pair with Dark Flake very well.
Thanks Brooklyn!

 

[mikethompson]

Wow! Impressive stuff Cosmic. Very cool.

 

[olkofri]

?????????

 

[unadoptedlamp]

I think the next logical step is to book a flight to Argentina and tour some of the wine making regions there.

When covid is over, of course.

Don't forget your hat. You'll fit right in, I suspect.

Between drinking wine and eating the best steaks in the world every night, you might be able to pry some of the secrets out of them. Maybe a cultural exchange is in the cards if you bring your own hooch down.

The Mendoza region is obvious, but the more interesting is Valle de Uco. If you're not drunk on wine, the mountains will put you there.

Or the bill you get from one of the swanky hotels can make your head spin too. Either way, you'll feel it all.

Perhaps consider camping.

Well, that's what I would do, but I'm biased toward Argentinean wines. I think they're pretty much at the top of the heap, generally speaking. And they look cool doing it. Very beautiful people.

 

[lightmybriar]

Cosmic is getting cooler by the day?! What the heck?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think the next logical step is to book a flight to Argentina and tour some of the wine making regions there.

When covid is over, of course.

Don't forget your hat. You'll fit right in, I suspect.

Between drinking wine and eating the best steaks in the world every night, you might be able to pry some of the secrets out of them. Maybe a cultural exchange is in the cards if you bring your own hooch down.

The Mendoza region is obvious, but the more interesting is Valle de Uco. If you're not drunk on wine, the mountains will put you there.

Or the bill you get from one of the swanky hotels can make your head spin too. Either way, you'll feel it all.

Perhaps consider camping.

Well, that's what I would do, but I'm biased toward Argentinean wines. I think they're pretty much at the top of the heap, generally speaking. And they look cool doing it. Very beautiful people.

Ahhhh, that sounds wonderful. I do have a few Argentinian wines I like. Chile also. And yes camping would be the ticket. Mrs. Cosmic has been putting together our bucket list to start hitting.
... yep, she loves the idea. And, I’ll have to start sampling South American tobaccos, while down there.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Cosmic is getting cooler by the day?! What the heck?

I’ve never been cool in my life. I swing between nerd geek and grunt labor. Ha ha!

 

[unadoptedlamp]

Ahhhh, that sounds wonderful

It is.

The wine region is just spectacular in every way. Especially Valle de Uco, which is not quite as famous as Mendoza, but that's not going to be for long.

I've stayed in some of the "boutique" hotels, but it was in the off season at a hefty discount got by rolling in at 6-7pm without notice.

I recommend just winging it, as we do, especially if you're not there during the peak tourism swing. Much better deals and less people to bug you. Speaking Spanish helps... it may be be difficult to negotiate otherwise. There's lots of places to stay with a wide range of prices. We usually go the budget route or camp, because we're there for the wilderness more than anything and the back country is just so stunning that I don't like to be indoors if at all possible.

But... those very small, but very high class hotels are worth trying at least once if you can swing it. There's a certain kind of luxury that they excel at. I think it is unique in the world. Some very special ones well out of the way that you'll not soon forget.

If you ever got serious about it and remember this, drop me a line. I'll give you a route to consider that I would never post on the internet. You'll want to rent a 4x4 truck, instead of the sedan I used, because some roads are little more than a dried up river bed, but it's a safe (from any sort of crime) adventure that is once in a lifetime special. One of the most spectacular places on earth, in my opinion.

I could ramble all day about it, but I'll keep the secrets private. Wine! You must go there to sample it in person if you can get the time. What a magical place, filled with friendly people and raw beauty. I think a guy like you would make a lot of friends there.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It is.

The wine region is just spectacular in every way. Especially Valle de Uco, which is not quite as famous as Mendoza, but that's not going to be for long.

I've stayed in some of the "boutique" hotels, but it was in the off season at a hefty discount got by rolling in at 6-7pm without notice.

I recommend just winging it, as we do, especially if you're not there during the peak tourism swing. Much better deals and less people to bug you. Speaking Spanish helps... it may be be difficult to negotiate otherwise. There's lots of places to stay with a wide range of prices. We usually go the budget route or camp, because we're there for the wilderness more than anything and the back country is just so stunning that I don't like to be indoors if at all possible.

But... those very small, but very high class hotels are worth trying at least once if you can swing it. There's a certain kind of luxury that they excel at. I think it is unique in the world. Some very special ones well out of the way that you'll not soon forget.

If you ever got serious about it and remember this, drop me a line. I'll give you a route to consider that I would never post on the internet. You'll want to rent a 4x4 truck, instead of the sedan I used, because some roads are little more than a dried up river bed, but it's a safe (from any sort of crime) adventure that is once in a lifetime special. One of the most spectacular places on earth, in my opinion.

I could ramble all day about it, but I'll keep the secrets private. Wine! You must go there to sample it in person if you can get the time. What a magical place, filled with friendly people and raw beauty. I think a guy like you would make a lot of friends there.

Sounds fantastic! I’d get me a bullwhip and a fedora, ha ha! Maybe meet up with you, and have you give us a tour? We’ll talk...

 

[tschiraldi]

Welcome to the club. My family has been making wine for centuries. I've been at it myself for about 20 years. I have really been wanting to try my hand at mead, but the cost of good honey!!!

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

If the Apocalypse his, I'm heading to cosmic's place. Tobacco and beverages galore. Nice set up.

 

[cshubhra]

?

 

[BROBS]

For my whole life, I have been a teetotaler because of church, family that have had problems with drinking, kids in the house, and just really not liking the taste or feeling of alcohol.
But, being empty nesters now and a surplus of fruit each year, for a few years now, I’ve been experimenting with brewing and winemaking. So, I’ve been buying really nice wines and going to tastings at the local sommeliers, I’ve been building a palate and have also found that I just can’t have more than two glasses of wine in a day. My wife enjoys a little more than me, but... that’s another bow chicka wow wow...

So far, my peach wine has been the most successful, with people actually begging me to sell it. Mmmm... maybe. The start up fees for registration of a winery is actually dirt cheap. So plans are underway...

But, I’ve made muscadine, deep reds from traditional wine grapes that I’ve started, meads (honey wine), blueberry, blackberry, apple, apricot, and a whole host of ginger beers.
View attachment 61664
I run small one gallon batches for perfecting my recipes, and experimenting with honey varieties for meads. And 6 gallon batches of meads and wines when I get my recipes perfected. Here, I have a 6.5 gallon batch of apple wine, blueberry blossom mead, and orange blossom mead. One gallon batches of cherry melomel (Viking’s Blood), pineapple chardonnay, tupelo honey mead, and a few varieties of other honeys.
View attachment 61668
I’ve built a 96 bottle rack, but it’s still not enough, as I have 12 boxes of wine that I don’t have room for, so I have plans to fill this wall with racks.
View attachment 61669
And, when I started brewing ginger beer from the ginger I was growing, a pipe club buddy brought me a truck load of Grolsch bottles. I haven’t even begun to clean some of them. The rest are in the barn.

I took some classes at a wine and brew store near here, and I’ve been working (volunteering) at a local winery to learn how to make larger batches... but I was a little disappointed at how most commercial wines are made. I have developed strong opinions... “no, not you, Cosmic?” Yes, but I hope to one say bring real country wine to market, the real deal. So... that’s what I have been up to. Planning, plotting, and fermenting. Maybe in a couple of years I can start hitting farmers markets and mail outs.

But, till then, it’s a labor of love. If you are in the area, hit me up. Maybe we can share a beverage and some of my homegrown tobaccos.

Cool man! My grandfather always made wine. Try dandelion it’s delicious

 

[BROBS]

If the Apocalypse his, I'm heading to cosmic's place. Tobacco and beverages galore. Nice set up.

Lol no kidding we can get hammered and pick his home grown tobaccos. You can just incinerate it into your memory unit with your laser eyes!

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Lol no kidding we can get hammered and pick his home grown tobaccos. You can just incinerate it into your memory unit with your laser eyes!

I would incinerate it in my pipe. Michael has generously gifted me several samples. The man can grow and prep very good tobacco.

 

[BROBS]

I would incinerate it in my pipe. Michael has generously gifted me several samples. The man can grow and prep very good tobacco.

I agree. I just meant because you’re a terminator and the smoke would do nothing to your mechanical insides

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Welcome to the club. My family has been making wine for centuries. I've been at it myself for about 20 years. I have really been wanting to try my hand at mead, but the cost of good honey!!!

That’s awesome!
Yeh... I was playing around with bees, but even that is expensive. You’d have to do it for decades to get a return.

 

[kg.legat0]

Man, this is really cool ...not only brewing but with your own homegrown fruit? Homegrown tobacco too?! I want to be like @cosmicfolklore when I grow up