X is for (e)Xploding Blueberries

This may be considered cheating just a tad, but I hope you think the story is worth it.


Several years ago, Hubby and I deceided that we needed a hobby. A friend of ours had been making wine for sometime, and we thought that might be a fun hobby, and give it a try.


For our first several attempts, we used wine kits. Everything we needed came in a box. It's about a four-step process. We were so nervous we wouldn't do it correctly, and end up with ruined wine, that it wasn't enjoyable. But, after awhile, we realized it would be pretty hard to mess it up, and we relaxed a little.


Soon, the kits were not challenging enough. We (e)xperimented with using different fruits, with some success. 


Then, we decided to try blueberries. We went through the process, and racked the wine into bottles. 


About six months later, we had some friends over, and wanted them to try our blueberry wine. As our friend opened the bottle, the cork shot out like a bullet.
"That thing almost shot my eye out!!" Wine was spewing everywhere. . . on the lights, the ceiling, the counter, and the floor!!


Maybe this little video doesn't fit, but I love it! "You'll shoot your eye out!"





We drank what was left in the bottle, and it tasted good. Not like wine, but more like blueberry champaign--all bubbly and fizzy. Obviously, it was racked before the fermentation process was complete.


So, knowing that our blueberry wine was on the (e)xplosive side, we decided to drink it sooner rather than later. We brought some up from the basement wine cellar, set the bottle on the counter, then we got distracted (that happens on a regular basis) and started watching a movie. Halfway through the movie, we heard a loud POP!!. Hubby and I looked at each other, dumbstruck. "What in the world was THAT??"  


I got up to investigate. The wine had (e)xploded. (We had forgotten all about it. That also happens on a regular basis, at least where I'm concerned.) Again, wine went everywhere--(e)xcept in our glasses!


You would think we would have learned....


And, the final time...we had brought up another bottle and put it on our lovely wine rack that our son made.


(Side note: (Pun not intended!) I sing in a community chorus, and store my music folder on the counter, so I won't lose it.)


My music folder was sitting happily in its proper place, filled to the brim with music.

I heard a POP, and saw fizzy, blue liquid pouring out, forming a puddle at the base of my folder! I moved quickly (which doesn't happen all that often), to rescue my music. I was imagining turning in my wine-soaked, ruined music, and having to (e)xplain why it was blue, and be (e)xpected to pay for new music.


In the end, the music was saved, and the damage is barely noticable.

Unfortunately, more wine has (e)xploded than we have been able to drink. But, we're not letting that stop us. It's a new year, and more blueberries are on the way!!!

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