Oh Great...

[Boatboy24]

Received an email from Harford Vineyard overnight. The Chilean juice will be available beginning Saturday, with pick ups available through next weekend (the 12th). That's great news. Unfortunately, the same email stated that the Chilean grapes will arrive in mid-may. I ordered juice and grapes and was planning to ferment them together. I don't think that will be possible now. One option I guess I have is to ferment my juice now, then do the grapes when they come in, and just blend when they're done. But it's a two hour drive each way and that's not something I want to do twice in a two week period.

Any thoughts? I can't freeze the juice - don't have a freezer big enough.

This is really a big disappointment. I wish I had known that the grapes and juice would not be arriving at the same time.

Another question: How can the juice be here before the grapes are ready?

 

[JohnT]

I believe it is a matter of customs.

I have never fermented from juice, but I believe juice comes in buckets and the juice has been sterilized. I believe this is why the juice can just breeze through customs and most likely does not need to sit in quaranteen like fresh fruit.

If the buckets of juice are sterile, couldnt you just leave them sealed in a cool place until the grapes arrive? Perhaps your seller has a cooler and could hang on to them for you?

 

[Boatboy24]

If the buckets of juice are sterile, couldnt you just leave them sealed in a cool place until the grapes arrive? Perhaps your seller has a cooler and could hang on to them for you?

Thanks John. That's what I'm hoping. I wrote to them this morning to explain my dilemna. We'll see what they say.

Right now, I could go pick up next Friday. Maybe I'll get lucky and the grapes could be there by then.

 

[Rocky]

BB24, could you not just call them and ask them to hold your juice order until the grapes come in and you will pick them up together? They may ask for a deposit but that would help your situation.

 

[Boatboy24]

You guys were both right. It pays to ask! Thanks!

Jim