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cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

moggins wrote:
What's an easy one for a novice to start off with? I have all the equipment in the cellar but it's never been a great success in the past. I could never find the right spot to keep it but I think I have now.


Depends what you like. I'd say that one of the simplest things to make would be something based on fruit juice concentrate and something else sweet. For example, the wine I've put on this very evening contains:

1 bottle apple juice concentrate
2 lb honey
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Juice of 1 lemon
half a cup of strong black tea
Water to 2/3 gallon.

I warmed it to a slow simmer for fourty minutes, till the scum from the honey stopped rising. Skimmed that all off, and in a while I'll put it in a demi jon and add some activated champagne yeast. When I rack it I'll top up to a gallon.

Dead easy, and it'll make a sharp but full bodied mead (or, technically, a cyser as it's got apple juice in it).

Look about online and you'll find lots of 'cheaty' recipes like this. Or let us all know your tastes and I'm sure a suggested recipe will be forthcoming

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Home on the Hill wrote:
Any chance of a ginger vodka recipe - sounds great!


Mine is made by mixing a jar of candied ginger in syrup with half a bottle of vodka. I leave the ginger in for a month or so before drinking. The ginger is then rather 'special'.

moggins



Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thanks Cab, that sounds lovely. I'm going to climb into the hell hole that is my cellar and dig out all my wine making stuff. What I could do with is a decent elderberry recipe and the other half is seriously into reds. If I can tempt him with wine, I might get him to come out picking with me

nettie



Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'd really like to give wine making a go but don't really have the room

My mum gave me a divine bottle of Victoria Plum today which shouldn't be opened for at least a month yet but I couldn't help myself it's wonderful stuff

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

moggins wrote:
Thanks Cab, that sounds lovely. I'm going to climb into the hell hole that is my cellar and dig out all my wine making stuff. What I could do with is a decent elderberry recipe and the other half is seriously into reds. If I can tempt him with wine, I might get him to come out picking with me


Elderberry is easy, but there are so many variants that I don't know where to start. My favourite is made with 3lb elderberried, 1lb blackberries and 2-3lb of sugar (I start with 2lb, add another lb if it comes out as really dry really fast). As ever, add a teaspoon of yeast nutrient and some citric acid. You can make a great nedium red table wine with 4lb elderberries and 3lb of sugar. But anything you want to add for more body will also work; try dried bananas.

If you've got a decent nylon mesh bag amongst your wine making stuff it'll really help.

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

nettie wrote:

My mum gave me a divine bottle of Victoria Plum today which shouldn't be opened for at least a month yet but I couldn't help myself it's wonderful stuff


My plum wine came out like 16% alcohol grape juice last year. It's now only a distant (and somewhat hazy) memory

nettie



Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    


jema
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28098
Location: escaped from Swindon
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I had a couple of demijons given to me today Which should help me play with some of the little batchs

moggins



Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 10:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have a jelly bag that I use for making preserves. Would that work?

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

moggins wrote:
I have a jelly bag that I use for making preserves. Would that work?


If it's nylon, yes. It's just easier to put the fruit into a nylon bag, put that into a sterilised bucket and then pour the rest of the ingredients on top (hot). That means that when you come to rack it into the demijon you leave all the lumps of fruit behind.

moggins



Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester
PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yep, it's nylon and it's huge. It's one of those you can hang from an upside stool.

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 05 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

moggins wrote:
Yep, it's nylon and it's huge. It's one of those you can hang from an upside stool.


That's perfect then. It might stain permanently, but if its like my old jelly bag it's pretty stained anyway

moggins



Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 05 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Very successful trip into town this morning, to discover that Wilkinsons do everything I could possibly ever need for winemaking (bless em)

Also discovered a vodka shot kit

jema
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28098
Location: escaped from Swindon
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 05 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

moggins wrote:
Very successful trip into town this morning, to discover that Wilkinsons do everything I could possibly ever need for winemaking (bless em)

Also discovered a vodka shot kit


Wilkinons in Swindon have a single rack of winemaking stuff It always seems that other towns stores are better

moggins



Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 05 2:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

They have half a row of the stuff jema, barrels, demi-johns, down to yeast nutrient and even packs of bottles (they are joking surely).

Fantastic goodies to be had and even a beginners starter kit with everything you need to make 6 bottles of Cabernet Sauignon for £14.95.

Seems like I have a very good Wilko's

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