Wine Mama (86) Fire Up The Still

Kirk Carter@ WGA Copyright 2014



WINE MAMA (86)



FIRE UP THE STILL





INT: COLUMBUS WINERY-DISTILLATION ROOM-12 NOON

AS PER BILL WARD'S REQUEST, BRIAN CASHMAN HAS SHOWN UP TO WITNESS THE FIRST BARREL OF HIS EARLY BATCH OF FERMENTED PORT WINE BEING UNCORKED AND INTRODUCED TO THE BIG RED COPPER TANK

BRIAN

"So, why are we even taking the chance again on this?"

BILL WARD

"Well Brian...like I was saying, if you were just going to ferment some grapes, you'd typically just leave it alone, but unless you want all this to just turn into bitter tasting Brandy product, you need to start placing it into the condenser before it sours."

BRIAN

"But, was there a different type of fermentation going on than what you usually do?"

BILL

"Oh yea, this is called Malactic fermenting, we remove the air, at least as much as we can, and the bubbles will be almost pure carbon dioxide when the conversion takes place...it speeds things up, cause you have to remember, these grapes were already starting to turn on us when we first started processing them!"

BRIAN

"Yea, I keep forgetting about all the fun we had with getting this over here...I still think it's a fucking miracle everybody didn't die or something!"

BILL

"Brian, this is a tuff business, full of greedy, nasty, winner takes all attitudes...they'd take your first born if they had to...now here's the first pot, it's pure copper...will process a fifty-five gallon barrel in about two hours on the first pass."

BRIAN

"The first, how many passes are there?"

BILL

"For what your looking for, three might work...but I was thinking four might do the trick, each pass makes it that much stronger."

BRIAN

"So, your looking at six hours, what's this thing called again?"

BILL

"Figure the cool down, measuring acidity and purity, measuring alcohol content with the Hydrometer, tranferring it back over to the condenser, restarting the preheater, then the main burners, it's a quality process...oh yea, it's called an Alambic Pot Still...very cool piece of equipment!"

BRIAN

"So, this is all kinda labor intense, huh?"

BILL

"Oh yea, because then it has to be transferred to fresh bottles and sealed up...but in this case, since you and Miss Cashman haven't given me any blanks, we'll just use my stock one's, but don't forget that's almost seventeen cases right there, and you can't leave the still unattended cause if the gases start coming out of that still for over-pressure or some kind of failure, if you don't correct it, this building will blow up bigger than a crack house!"

BRIAN

"So, let's spark this baby up...I'm ready for this!"

BILL HAND HIM A LONG FIREPLACE LIGHTER

BILL

"Here you go sir...you have the floor, the preheater is right there!"

BRIAN TURNS THE VALVE, HOLDING DOWN THE START, AS THE PREHEATER POPS OUT A LONE FLAME

BRIAN

"It's like starting a pilot on a water heater...very cool!"

BILL

"You did that well Brian, could I interest you in a night time position, it comes with excellent benefits?"

(Both Laughing)

(scene switch)

INT: WELLAN'S DRESS AND APPAREL-DOWNTOWN MODESTO-2 P.M.

SANDY CASHMAN SHOWS UP WITH HER RANGE ROVER LOADED DOWN WITH PURSES, BAGS, WALLETS, AND BELTS.

SHE HAS DECIDED TO JUST TAKE A CHANCE AND COLD CALL THE LOCAL VENDORS AND SEE IF SHE COULD GENERATE ANY INTEREST IN HER GATOR SKIN ACCESSORIES

SANDY ROLLS INTO FRONT DOOR WITH LITTLE DOLLY, EACH ARTICLE IS WRAPPED IN CLEAR PLASTIC WITH A STICKER STATING THAT THIS IS ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT GATOR SKIN, MADE AT BOB'S SPECIALITY LEATHER IN MODESTO, CALIFORNIA

SHE APPROACHES A CLERK

SANDY

"Excuse me, but is Miss Barbera Owens in the house?"

CLERK

"Sure, may I ask your name, what's this regarding?"

LOOKING DOWN, SEEING SANDY'S COLLECTION, THE CLERK PICKS UP PHONE AND CALLS BARBERA ON THE HOUSE INTERCOM, SOON AFTER BARBERA WALKS UP

BARBERA

"Yes, may I help you?"

SANDY

"Hello, I'm Sandy Cashman and I was wondering if you would be interested in carrying a variety of real Alligator bags, wallets, and belts, a very limited supply?"

BARBERA BENDS DOWN AND LOOKS AT THE ARTICLES, WITH SORT OF A STUNNED LOOK, MOUTH OPEN

BARBERA

"Where did you get these, they're beautiful?"

SANDY LAUGHING

"My husband owns the Gatortail Restaurant up the street, and we had received a shipment of whole Gators, so I thought I'd get a leather cobbler to put me a few designs together...they're very nice quality, will virtually last forever."

BARBERA

"These bags look like Louis Vutton, they're amazing...do you mind if I take one out?"

SANDY

"No, by all means, go on head!"

BARBERA STARTS FEELING THE NEWLY TANNED GATOR SKIN, THEN GIVING IT A VERY CLOSE SNIFF FOLLOWED BY A LOUD AUDIBLE SNORT

BARBERA

"Wow, how much you want, or were you looking for consignment, what kind of deal can we do here?"

SANDY

"That's up to you, I've priced them pretty modestly...I'm sure you want have any trouble selling these!

BARBERA

"And made in the U.S.A., too...oh Miss Cashman this is a treasure...come back to the office and bring your dolly.

(1 Hour Later)

SANDY AND BARBERA WALKING OUT TO WHERE SANDY'S RANGE ROVER IS PARKED, DOLLY EMPTY, BARBERA REPEATEDLY SHAKING SANDY'S HAND

SANDY

"Well, I sure appreciate your business Barbera, you've been so sweet, you let me know now when and your family want to come by the Gatortail, the door's always open for you, good day!"

AS SHE PULLS OUT OF THE PARKING LOT SANDY TALKS TO HERSELF

"I think from now on, we're getting Bob's Gator Emporium to start shipping whole Gators...Brian gonna trip on this shit!"

AS WE PAN DOWN TO THE TOP OF SANDY'S PURSE, YOU SEE A HAND WRITTEN CHECK WITH THE AMOUNT OF EIGHTEEN THOUSAND-FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS WRITTEN ON IT

CALLING BRIAN ON THE PHONE, GOES TO VOICEMAIL

SANDY

"Hey, big boy...this is your sweet thing...boy am I going to have a surprise for you tonight, Love you, bye!"

scene close