Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
|
dpack
|
super easy cheap and rapid fruit winebowl
sieve
jug
funnel
demijohn /airlock(or suitable flask/clingfilm)
siphon pipe
cling film
plate
dried multi purpose wine yeast
500gm sugar (per gallon in case you have a wheel barrow of fruit and a barrel)
2 to 3 kilos of fruit fresh or frozen (mixed is fine)this time i used freezer clearance which was half blackberry and the rest strawberry ,blackcurrant,elder,rasp
thaw fruit in bowl and prep the yeast in 200ml water tsp sugar
add yeast to fruit and cover with enough water to submerge fruit with the plate and seal with cling film
ferment 2 days in a warmish place (top of fridge )
sieve into jug and put into demijohn with the sugar and enough water to almost fill to top(leave an inch or so for frothing)
ferment at 22/24 until bubbling stops ,leave until settled about 2wks this time
carefully siphon into jug ,bottles etc
it will improve over a few weeks/months in sealed bottles but is fine to drink strait away
it wont be high alcohol(prob about 10/12%vol)but it is far superior to most £5 a bottle shop wines) and if the fruit is grown/foraged it is probably about 30p a bottle allowing for some hot water to wash the kit
sulphite free and organic
it might not be quite clear after 2 wks but that is not a hns issue and with some fruit the wine will not clear unless one adds pectinase and bentonite
it seems a rough way to brew but after close on 40 yrs of trying many things tis now the way i usually do it (unless im making super strong long life bramble "port")
if the fruit is a bit manky i would give it a wash in camden solution and rest it for 24 hrs before adding the yeast but if it is fit to eat the above method seems to work really well.
|
dpack
|
ps first half pint seems very nice  
|
chez
|
Thank you, dpack, I will give that a go. I have all the kit but just don't have the patience these days.
|
dpack
|
pps it makes excellent sangria which avoids the slight cloudyness(if any) even being visible 
|
chez
|
Remember that I'm in Somerset. Cloudiness in my alcoholic beverages is practically mandatory 
|
gardening-girl
|
Goes of to look in freezer for random fruit
|
BahamaMama
|
That looks lovely - will be giving it a go. We have a bumper crop of brambles down this way this year
|
Barefoot Andrew
|
Goes of to look in freezer for random fruit |
Good plan 
A.
|
dpack
|
a neat trick with this sort of wine can be to replace the sugar/water stage to top up the demijon by using very sweet juice .if there is a glut of melons or such use a juicer(a second pass on the pulp will get quite a bit more out) and cut the price to almost nowt.
i think the most important thing is to keep the yeast well fed and multiplying ie press the pulp stage just before it has fully fermented out and is still very active.
|
dpack
|
the latest batch is about half blackberry and apple on the pulp for 2 days then topped up with melon,plum and mango juice(all a bit over ripe for eating)and 1/2 lb sugar just to boost it a bit for the final fermentation.
i will let you know how it is in a couple of weeks 
|
dpack
|
note to self
to avoid mysteriously pausing a phone call due to "an incident in the kitchen" by making sure a very vigorous fermentation has a few inches of expansion room in the flask so as the floaty bubbly bits dont block the airlock leading to a minor POP and a bit of cleaning.
|
Barefoot Andrew
|
Oh dear hope you didn't loose much.
A.
|
Nick
|
note to self
to avoid mysteriously pausing a phone call due to "an incident in the kitchen" by making sure a very vigorous fermentation has a few inches of expansion room in the flask so as the floaty bubbly bits dont block the airlock leading to a minor POP and a bit of cleaning.
|