Daddy disappeared into the old cement block pump house next our house one morning. He had several items in a sack; Sugar, maybe some yeast, definitely some Blue Ribbon Malt Syrup. After a while he came out with a gallon of a yellowish-orange liquid. He called it "homebrew". Over strong objections from Mama, we boys were allowed a taste. Billy, the oldest, took a big gulp. He handed the glass to me and said, "That's good!" I took it from his hand and smelled it first. It smelled like sour water from the bottom of a fifty-five gallon drum on a hot summer day! I took a drink. Although I had never tasted sour water, it must have tasted like "homebrew"! Billy had lied to me!
On another occasion Daddy put some grapes in a gallon jug with some other ingredients. After several days, he strained the rotten fruit from the liquid. He called it "wine". It was tasting time. Billy went first. He took a big gulp. Suddenly his face turned red. He couldn't breathe! He grabbed his chest with one hand and the edge of the table with the other. Tears welled up in his eyes. Some tears escaped his right eye and fell onto his cheek. After a few minutes of coughing and gasping he finally spoke with a whispered, raspy voice. He handed me the glass and said, "That's good!"
WHAT?!!! Anything that caused such a violent reaction could, by no stretch of the imagination, be called "good"! Billy was lying - again! I said, "NO THANKS"!!!! I learned very early: Proverbs 20:1
"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
On another occasion Daddy put some grapes in a gallon jug with some other ingredients. After several days, he strained the rotten fruit from the liquid. He called it "wine". It was tasting time. Billy went first. He took a big gulp. Suddenly his face turned red. He couldn't breathe! He grabbed his chest with one hand and the edge of the table with the other. Tears welled up in his eyes. Some tears escaped his right eye and fell onto his cheek. After a few minutes of coughing and gasping he finally spoke with a whispered, raspy voice. He handed me the glass and said, "That's good!"
WHAT?!!! Anything that caused such a violent reaction could, by no stretch of the imagination, be called "good"! Billy was lying - again! I said, "NO THANKS"!!!! I learned very early: Proverbs 20:1
"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."