Country Wines

[PeterGreenMan]

Is there anyone out there making country wines? I started because I didn’t know what to do with all the Gooseberries and Blackcurrants I inherited on my allotment. Since then, I have added Hawthorn and Damsons to my list. At about a bag of sugar per gallon please excuse my spellling.

[wafflycat]

I haven't made wine yet. But sloe vodka is much better than sloe gin..

*hic*

[PeterGreenMan]

Hi Wafflycat. Only made one Sloe Gin last year almost no sloes!

[Lez]

if you are are starting making country wines it's a great hobby especially during the long winter evenings. I recomend a book called 'first steps in wine making' by CJJ Berry. if it is still available a good book for beginners. as for the pound of sugar per gallon it depends on how sweet a tooth you have. a pound per gallon will probasbly be dry but no problem you can always add sugar but not take it out unless you blend with a dry wine. if you do sweeten beware of secondry ferment as fresh sugar will kick it off fermenting again. if using an air lock remember every bubble in the ferment has an equal amount of alchohol. good luck and enjoy the hobby

[PeterGreenMan]

Hi Lez.
You sound as if you know what you are talking about, been making wine long?

[ritchie]

Peter as an amateur wine maker. I make country wines all the time. You will fined lots of info at the home winemaking page aka Jack Keller and wine press.us .I,ve made Lemon balm, Parsley and Beets just to name a few. I hope this helps Rich

[PeterGreenMan]

Hi Ritchi
You ever made wine fron Bird Cherry flowers? I've got two trees near to me and they are in flower. Peter

[Lez]

Hello. Only just seen the question. I have been making wines for 25 years. Had my share of failures but mostly sucesses. One thing some seem to think a wine gets stronger with age they say things like its 20 years old and very strong. like us all wine ages and after twenty years (it doesnt last that long here) it is only as strong as the day it was brewed but matures. hence the expression a young wine i believe. Dont know the difference myself I just get it down and enjoy the flavour of the fruit used. Even now I sometimes have a failure and have no idea what I did wrong. Keep a diary of making so if you make a particulally nice wine you can hopefully repeat the process. good luck all

[ritchie]

i agree with lez keep a record and dont be upset at failures some of my favorites no one else liked.
peter i would use a rose petal recipie for your bird cherry flowers. rich

[ritchie]

peter do you think you might be willing to share your black currant recipie as my red currant is one of my favorite and this year i want to try black currant. rich

[PeterGreenMan]

I’m sorry Ritchie, I’m not going to be able to help you much. When I started I wrote everything down, then I mislabelled and got confused, then I trusted to memory and now I have no idea. This year I am determined to do it right and have made records concerning the Bird Cherry blossom! What I tend to do is to make four gallons at a time that is made from roughly one gallon of fruit. I only use the pouring on of boiling water method.

[PeterGreenMan]

REPORT...... Dont bother with Bird Cherry Blossom wine!!!!!!!!

[Canucksintheuk]

Hubby has just recently made some elderflower champagne - delicious! Has turned out quite dry - we were surprised at how pleasant it was. Looking forward to trying some more - as it was surprisingly easy!