Archive for the ‘Glass’ Category
Champagne and Sparkling Wine
If you are at a party and someone serves you something alcoholic, bubbly, and in a tall champagne flute, it has got to be champagne, right? Wrong! While all champagne is sparkling wine, not all sparking wines are champagne. Champagne and sparkling wines are a common go-to for most celebratory occasions. What is the difference in champagne and sparking wine, and why is it so special?
Champagne is a type of sparking wine that is made exclusively in the Champagne region of France. It is hands down the most popular and famous of all of the sparking wines. Technically speaking, sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France is the only sparkling wine that can be called champagne. While champagne is wildly popular and quite delicious, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. all produce some top-notch sparkling wines that are quickly gaining in quality and popularity.
The sparkle in the sparkling wine comes from the trademark bubbles. The bubbles are created during a second fermentation process. The still (or non-bubbly) wine gets a little sugar and yeast added to it for this second fermentation process. The yeast and sugar get together and convert to carbon dioxide, i.e. bubbles, and alcohol. This conversion process creates a lot of little bubbles in a very small space, which increases the pressure to 80 psi in a standard bottle of sparkling wine. In order to keep the sparkling wine bubbly, the second fermentation usually has to take place in the actual bottle itself. It is always a good idea to take care when opening your favorite bottle of bubbly as the cork on sparkling wines is the only thing holding in all of that pressure, and it is sure to fly when you pop the top. The last thing you want at your next celebration is for someone to take a flying champagne cork to the eye.
Sparkling wines are categorized according to their sugar levels. The four categories are Extra Brut, Brut, Extra dry, and Demi-sec. These range (in order) from extra dry, dry, mildly dry, and sweet. Champagne and sparkling wines are also classified as vintage or non-vintage. Vintage means they came from a single year, while non-vintage sparkling wines are a blend of several different years of wine. Vintage sparkling wines are pricier, and non-vintage sparkling wines are what we typically see on our store shelves.
Champagne and sparkling wine are best served chilled and in a fluted glass. The tall slender champagne flute is designed to keep the bubbles in the drink for as long as possible. Champagne flutes are always stemmed glasses so the heat from your hands does not affect the serving temperature of the chilled sparkling wine.
Weather you enjoy a true champagne or any sparkling wine at your next celebration, make no mistake that a little bubbly will always bring out the festive feelings in any partygoer. Pop the top of your favorite sparkling wine and let the good times roll.
How to Etch Glass
- Personalized Gifts
- Personalized Beer Glasses
- Personalized Pint Glasses
- Personalized Shot Glasses
- Personalized Glass
Etching glass dates all the way back to the 18th century. “Etching refers to the technique of creating art on the surface of glass by applying acidic, caustic, or abrasive substances. Traditionally this was done after the glass was blown or cast” (Wikipedia). Glass etching has been used in art around the world; etched glass can also be found in most of our kitchen cabinets. It is a fairly simple process if you have the proper tools. Etching is something you can do at home, or you can have custom glass items professionally made. If you would like to try it yourself, here is what you will need to do.
In order to etch a piece of glass you will need some etching cream, a squeegee, foam brush, stencil, vinyl disposable gloves, a bucket, towel, safety glasses, soap, window cleaner, and paper towels. The first thing you will need to do is gather all of your supplies and get situated at a roomy work station. Etching cream is hazardous and should always be used with extreme caution and away from children and pets.
The first thing you need to do is thoroughly clean your glass with window cleaner. The glass must be completely dry and be free of lint. Now you are ready to apply your stencil. Stencils can only be used one time, so you will need as many stencils as pieces you want when you are done with your project. Carefully apply the stencil with the adhesive side to the glass and remove all air bubbles with a squeegee. Carefully peel off the backing from the stencil.
The next step is to apply the etching cream. It is imperative that you take extreme care when handling the etching cream as it is a very caustic substance. You must wear vinyl gloves and be very careful to make sure that the cream does not come into contact with anything other than the glass surface you are etching. Apply an even layer of etching cream to the exposed area of the stencil and wait the amount of time as prescribed by the manufacturer of the brand of etching cream you are using. When the allotted amount of time has passed very carefully wipe away the etching cream with paper towels. You should also wash any etching cream off of your gloves and properly dispose of all paper towels.
The final step is to clean-up. When you have wiped away all of the cream, you need to wash the glass with warm water and some dish soap to remove all traces of residue. Once the residue is washed away, it is safe to take off your gloves. You can now remove the stencil. It will likely come off in pieces, so be patient and make sure to remove all traces of the stencil. You can use a craft knife to help remove the stencil if necessary. Thoroughly wash the glass with window cleaner and paper towels, and enjoy your new crafty creation!