Putting a Cork In It

One of the things I like most about being a freelance writer is that my assignments put me in contact with cool people who are doing cool things.

Yesterday I met Andy and Dan, two men who've set up shop in St. Paul. Their business is called Vine Park Brewing Company.

When you go there, they help you make your own beer and wine. They supply all the equipment, know how and fermenting space. You supply the elbow grease.

When I called to set up my interview, they invited me over to check out the joint and join them in making of some wine. I agreed, figuring I'd just sort of observe and take notes.

Instead, they tied an apron around my waist and put me to work stuffing corks into freshly filled bottles of wine! When I finally looked up from all my corking, two hours had passed!

I wasn't complaining, however. Now I know exactly how a cork is squeezed into a bottle top, which is something I'd always sort of vaguely wondered about.

I even got to bring a few of those Kelly-corked bottles home. But I'm not supposed to drink them yet.

Even those this Zinfandel had already fermented away for six weeks on a back room shelf at Vine Park, it still needs another nine months or so to age.

I hope I corked those bottles tight! It won't be until June 2009 that I pop their tops.