Frequently Ask Questions Published: 1/3/12

Wine:

1. How many harvests do you get a year?

Leaving the quirks of some vineyards planted in the tropics to one side, the answer is just one, starting around September in the northern hemisphere and March in the southern hemisphere. The harvest of fruit is gathered and taken to the winery, and the whole cycle begins again with the vine dormant over winter and bursting back into life in spring.

2. How much wine does a vine produce?

It depends on many factors including the vine's age, the variety being grown, the growing conditions, the style of wine being made and, importantly, the quality of the wine. The volume of fruit harvested is determined by natural factors and by the hand of the winemaker: removing bunches during the growing season concentrates the remaining fruit, and is a common practice for quality wines. It takes just over a kilo of grapes to produce enough juice for one bottle of wine, but depending on the factors above one vine might produce enough fruit for just a single bottle of high quality wine, or enough for several bottles.

3. What are sulphites?

Sulphites are organic compounds that occur naturally in grapes and many other fruits and vegetables. But sulphur dioxide is also added to wine as an anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial agent to prevent the wine from going off. The levels are extremely low, but some winemakers are trying to avoid adding extra sulphur dioxide, though this does run the risk of wines spoiling more quickly.

4. What does the year on the label mean?

This is the year in which the grapes were grown, not the year the wine was released. Almost all quality table wines are the product of a single year, though blending of two or more vintages is common in some wines like Champagne and Sherry, and in some inexpensive wines. A very few top-end wines are multi-vintage too, like Vega Sicilia's Unico for example.

5. What is tannin?

Tannin is a compound extracted from grapes skins, pips and stems and is most noticeable in red wines where there is most skin contact during winemaking. Tannin is also contributed from new oak barrels. The way the wine is made can influence how much tannin and other phenolic compounds (like colour pigment for example) is extracted from the grapes and ends up in the wine. Tannin is a preservative that enables wine to age and which gives a wine structure and texture. With age tannins become more rounded and polished.

Beer:

Brewing-related Questions:

Q: How many calories are in a beer?

A: We could go all day on this one, but a couple examples include: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: 175 Sam Adams Lager: 160 Pilsner Uruqell: 160 Michelob: 155 Guinness: 153 Heineken: 150 Corona : 148.

WBB: This is a depressing question. Next.

Q: How much alcohol is in a beer?

A: Depends on the beer and the animal it’s named after (see below).

WBB: When a beer gets to the point that people describe it as being, “Kind of like a nice sherry or cognac,” there is too much alcohol. This is just my opinion, but if you get higher than about 12% ABV, it starts becoming something other than beer.

Q: How long does beer stay in your system?

A: On average, 6 – 10 hours.

WBB: I made my first batch of homebrew when I was 18. Beer has been in my system ever since.

Q. Which beer has the highest alcohol content?

A: The highest we could find was Tactical Nuclear Penguin (we’re not making that up either) by BrewDog Brewery in Scotland. Sip carefully.

WBB: The ABV arms race continues. Producing the world’s strongest beer seems to be in fashion this season.

Q: What is the best beer commercial?

A: As with all artistic expression, this one is up for debate, but we’re pretty big fans of the new Guinness commercial!

WBB: The old Rainier Beer commercials from the 70s and very early 80s. If you are not old enough, or were not living around here back in those days, then I’m sorry. If you remember, I’m sure you agree. Here’s a fine example.

Q: How many beers are in a keg?

A: “165 beers in the keg, 165 beers, take one down; pass it around, 165 beers in the keg!”

WBB: Uh, I was told there would be no math? (Okay,124 pints in a ½ barrel)

Q. When was beer invented?

A: Beer can trace its roots as far back as Mesopotamia – 5th millennium B.C. or older!

WBB: Cletus. It’s all about Cletus.

Q. Which country drinks the most beer?

A: We were thinking Texas, but it turns out that The Czech Republic consumes 156 liters of beer per capita, more than any other country, followed by Ireland and Germany.

WBB: On average, each person in the Czech Repulic drinks 156 liters of beer per year. That’s about 330 pints per year per person. On average, they drink nearly a pint a day. If you consider a few other factors in that equation –like children and other people who do not drink at all– that’s a pretty amazing number.

Contact Information

Email:

ggandb@onecommail.com

Ph:

920-682-8828

Fax:

920-682-8828

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