http://www.clickabrew.com

April 2003

Welcome to our new Clickabrew News!
Over the past few months we have been working to bring you this new updated version of our popular newsletter. We hope that you will find it easier to read and generally more useful and entertaining.
You have asked us for more information on new products and advances in our industry and we will endeavor to do so. You also asked us to keep you updated on sales and new store items. You would like to see more tips and how-to articles. We hope that we can satisfy you in all these areas in upcoming issues. Please keep sending us your feedback. This is the only way that we can continue to make improvements.

Wine Kit Special of the Month
Every month we feature two Grand Cru wine kits at a fantastic price. This is a great way to try new varieties and to stock up your cellar with a cross-section of interesting wines. Grand Cru are our most popular and best-selling wine kits. Manufactured by RJ Spagnol's, one of the world's leading wine kit producers, you are guaranteed exceptional quality.

This month we are actually featuring three kits:

Pinot Noir - A rich red wine, hearty in nature, smooth in flavour. The soft texture and dark colour complement the flavours of berry fruit, with a subtle raspberry undertone.
Pinot Gris - Also known as Pinot Grigio. Dry with overtones of green melon leading to a crisp, clean finish. A bouquet of honey and herbs completes the experience.
Zinfandel Blush - With just a hint of rosé, this light Zinfandel is fruity, refreshing and easy drinking. Reminiscent of candied raspberries as it rolls across the tongue. Do not age.

Regular Price $59.95 CAD $41.97 USD     Sale Price $51.99 CAD ($36.39 USD)

Please visit Clickabrew to order online.

New Orchard Breezin' Flavours!
RJ Spagnols have added three new flavours to their popular Orchard Breezin' Mist wine kit collection.
Green Apple Gewürztraminer - This popular pale straw-coloured wine is intensely flavourful, reminiscent of a freshly cut green apple. The pleasant soft acidity and luscious, fruity aroma of this crisp refresher make it perfect for a hot summer day.

Strawberry Riesling - This light refreshing wine offers the delightfully sweet aroma of fresh- picked field strawberries blended with a rich melange of honey, tropical fruit and floral Riesling flavours. Try it chilled for added invigorating freshness!

Cranberry Chianti - The crisp taste of fresh cranberries is harmoniously blended with the fruity, velvety richness of Chianti in this sweet, plum-red wine. Its robust, yet elegant, sweet berry flavours make it the perfect poolside companion.

Special New Release Offer!
Until May 15 save 15% off all Orchard Breezin' Mist Wine Kits.

Shop for Orchard Breezin' Online.

Water Quality is Important

by Bill Reddy

Why is purified water better for winemaking? This is a question we have to answer quite often. Purified water goes through a process that removes all minerals and impurities and other foreign substances. This is either done by distillation or reverse osmosis. Water from most other sources is not pure and will have an effect on the taste of your finished wine. There is a common misconception that all bottled water is distilled. This is not true. Most bottled waters on the market are not purified but are either spring water or filtered tap water. Purified water goes through a special purifying process that rids it of virtually all impurities making it the ideal water for mixing all beverages since it is pure and does not impart any other flavours.

Purified water is water the way nature intended.. When nature makes water it starts out pure. As this water falls to the earth through our polluted atmosphere it picks up impurities and toxins. It then absorbs minerals and other man-made pollutants as it seeps through the soil. The roots of plants (e.g. grape vines) take up this water from the soil. The minerals from the water are absorbed by the plant and provide nutrients required for new growth. This same water, purified by nature, is the main ingredient found in the juice of a grape.

Commercial wine is made by crushing grapes and fermenting the juice. There is no water added in this process. Most home wine makers have to settle for making wine from kits which are most commonly made from grape concentrate. Grape concentrate is made by boiling grape juice under vacuum which reduces its water content by evaporation. The home winemaker then has to replace this evaporated water. By using distilled or reverse osmosis water you will be putting back what was removed by evaporation and nothing else, thereby giving you the closest thing to fresh juice.

One common misconception we often hear is that purified water is lacking essential minerals necessary for healthy fermentation. As you read above the process used to concentrate grape juice only removes water leaving all minerals and solids behind in the concentrate. If you add anything but pure water you are actually altering the character and flavour of the original grape juice.

I have been using purified water for the past ten years and have made hundreds of batches of wine. I have seen a marked difference in the quality of my wine and beer. If you haven't got access to purified water you should use a good quality bottled water with low mineral and salt content. If you can't use bottled water you should at least put your water through a charcoal filter. Remember most of your wine or beer is made up of water. Water makes a difference.