First Rule of Tea Club

Now, I would normally save all T-Shirts for my T-Shirt blog, but, I made an exception for this shirt from funny T-Shirt site, CharGrilled. The shirt features a tweaked slogan from the cult hit, Fight Club. Apparently, the first rule of tea club is to never talk about tea club. The shirt is available now from CharGrilled T-Shirts for £14.95.

So what is your favorite tea club?

Wine 101: The Components of Wine

For many of you, wine might be a favorite drink. It might taste good, it might make you look sophisticated, it might be good for your heart, but … do you really know what you are ingesting? The simple answer is grapes. Sure, but there’s a lot more to it. In this first part of the Wine 101 series, I take a look at the components of wine.

Water

Surprisingly, wine is mostly water. Yes, water. But not tap water, instead, it’s water that comes naturally from the grapes used in the wine making process. For many people long ago, alcoholic beverages were a way of safely consuming non-contaminated and safe to drink water. Luckily today we can buy bottled water making wine no longer a necessity but more so something to be enjoyed.

Fruit

You might use grapes to make wine but the key in this wine component is to find noble grapes that evoke aromas of fruits other than grapes. The wine making process helps to break down the organic acids and alcohol which forms compounds that imitate the aroma of other fruits.

Alcohol

Wine typically consists of 10-15 percent ethyl alcohol. For you chemists, thats C₂H₅OH.

Sugar

No all sugars become fermented in the wine making process. Some sugars remain and these are known as residual sugars. The more residual sugars that remain the more than sweetness becomes apparent.

Tannin

Tannin is considered a sort of natural preservative and is the key component in allowing wines to improve with age. Tannin is extracted mainly from grape skins.

Glycerin

You wouldn’t want to drink watery wine now would you? Glycerin gives wine a bit of drinkable thickness if you will. The glycerin is a by-product of the fermentation process.

Oak

The oak here is in reference to oak barrel used in the fermenting process. The type of oak used has an effect on the final wine product. Taste can change depending on barrel aging, using new or old oak and even using oak from different parts of the globe. Oak adds character to the wine.

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is yet another by-productof the fermentation process. Although allowed to escape during the wine making process, some CO₂ remains in the end product which adds a bit of a fizz to the wine.

I hope you enjoyed this first part of the Wine 101 series! Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below. And if you know someone that loves wine but isn’t really sure what it’s made of then be sure to pass on a link to this article!

Photo courtesy of Flickr user 2create.

Metal Wine Cage

OK, so functionally, this wine cabinet might not be any better than other wine cabinets on the market, but (and this is a big but) it looks so damn cool. The padlock adds a nice touch, but again, it won’t prevent an eager thief from reaching in between the bars!

• Built of hand-welded and fabricated iron
• Features a rustic finish
• Approx. 40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 37-1/2″W x 34″D x 51-1/2″H

Buy the Metal Wine Cage from Restoration Hardware for $199.

6 Types of Starbucks People That Annoy Me

I regularly frequent Starbucks establishments (I know, I should support independent coffee shops but there is a lack of those in Hawaii) and as a scientist by trade I am very observant. I’ve compiled a list of 6 different types of people that I’ve observed at Starbucks that annoy me. If I’m not there writing then I’m there either reading a book or simply enjoying a cup of coffee. These 6 types (with the exception of #4, he made the list because he defies logic) make it very difficult to do those aforementioned things.

I’m sure there are more Starbucks Types. Which ones have you noticed and have been annoyed by? Comment below and let me know!

1. The one that steals electricity.

Apparently some Starbucks patrons think that buying a small cup of coffee provides them with unlimited access to free electricity. I’ve seen these types before and I always shake my head when I do. These are the people that use up every single electrical outlet within their vicinity to charge anything from their laptops to their cell phones to their portable vibrators. Okay, maybe not the vibrators. I kid you not when I say that I’ve actually seen people come to Starbucks prepared with extension cords and surge protectors! WTF! Surge protectors! Hint: Charge your batteries beforehand. If your laptop battery dies then that’s a signal that it’s time to go home.

2. The one that brings the bible study group.

God, the last thing I need is a group of preachers while I try to caffeinate myself! Hint: Stay away, please!

3. The one that doesn’t buy anything.

These bastards are the worst. They come to Starbucks and leech the seats and tables from actual paying customers. They come armed with their massive beverage jugs and claim a seat without even making a purchase. Annoying! Hint: Buy something.

4. The one that’s off duty.

If I worked at a Starbucks, trust me, the last place that I would want to spend my free time would be at a, you guessed it, Starbucks! These types aren’t annoying like the rest on this list but somehow they defy human logic. Hint: Find a hobby that requires you to be at least fifty feet from a your place of employment.

5. The one that brings their kid(s).

It’s a coffee shop, leave you’re damn kids at home. Seriously. I’m here to enjoy my cup of coffee and not be annoyed by little kids running around screaming all the while throwing their Hot Wheels at each other. Minus ten points to parents that think a frappuccino is a suitable drink for a 5-year-old. Hint: go to the park!

6. The one that turns from study group to comedy troop.

This might be the most annoying of all Starbucks patrons. They come in large group of 5-7 with the intention of getting their study on. Problem is, after 5 minutes of focused studying, someone sparks up a conversation the lasts the duration of the study session, laughs and giggles included. They annoy the people who are simply there to enjoy a cuppa Joe or those who are actually trying to get work done. Hint: if you plan to study at Starbucks, come alone or as a pair at most.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user chrispmphillips.

Hijos De Villa Pistol Reposado Tequila

Imagine for a second taking your favorite shot of tequila from a shot glass. Now imagine someone actually shooting a shot of tequila into your mouth with a glass tequila pistol. That dream almost becomes a reality with Hijo De Villa Pistol Reposado Tequila. Although it’s bottle is shaped like a pistol, it doesn’t actually shoot the tequila like a pistol. You still need to pour it into a shot glass. It’s still is a nice conversation starter and collectible for any serious tequila collector.

Buy the Hijos De Villa Pistol Reposado Tequila from Napa Cabs for $28.95.

5 Places To Buy Tea Online

1. Adagio Teas. This online tea retailer has been around for about 10 years now and is a wonderful place to pick up some gourmet tea at affordable prices. They offer every type of tea that you could possibly think of and have a solid selection of Adagio branded teaware items, including a variety of infusers  – a necessity for anyone looking to brew some fresh loose leaf tea.

2. Mighty Leaf. I have been gifted some sample tea items from Mighty Leaf and I have to say that they do offer quality loose leaf teas. They offer tea pouches as well as loose leaf tea. They have a large selection of tea blends which makes their sampler a great choice to get a taste of their offerings. They also offer a Tea of the Month Club which starts at $71.95 (3 month club) to $144.95 (6 month club). And if you are looking to accessories then Mighty Leaf is a wonderful place to start. They have a large selection of self-branded teaware, including tea sets, mugs and teapots.

3. 52Teas. This unique site offers a different artisan tea blend every week, hence the name 52Teas! They only sell loose leaf tea so be sure to have an infuser ready if you do decide to buy from 52Teas. You can purchase teas based on their current stock of available blends or you can choose to sign up for one of their weekly plans. They have plans started from $47 (6 week plan) to $364 (52 week plan). They do sell accessories but that’s not one of their strong points with such a limited options.

4. Teavana Teas. If wellness is your thing and you’re in search for the closest thing to tea heaven then head on over to Teavana Teas. Their goal is to be a “heaven of tea” and provide fresh, high quality teas. You can peruse their online shop or stop by any one of the 95 Teavana locations throughout the United States and Mexico.

5. Upton Tea Imports. This Massachusetts based tea company offers an assortment of black, green and oolong teas. Upton Tea Imports offers over 420 varieties of loose leaf tea, including ones that cost $100+ per pound.