Birch Sap Questions

[Pandabean]

Im looking to tap the sap either this weekend or next depending if it is rising here and I have a few questions before I start.

First off is there much difference between the sap from a silver birch and a downy birch and is there an easy way to tell the difference with no leaves etc?

Some of the recipies for birch sap wine, I have seen add raisens to the mix. Is there a reason for them or is it just preference?

Again some of the recipies are saying to do a primary fermentation and then transfer to a secondary container in 5 days time. Can't I just leave it to ferment in a Demi-john for 6 months?

Also how long can birch sap keep fresh?

Cheers,
Andy

 

[Retired Member southey]

on the trees, silver will have droopy twigs and apperance, and the downy will look more upright ie not droopy, also have a look at the downy birches twigs with some kind of magnifier and you'll see the downy hairs that give it its name.

 

[John Fenna]

Birch sap can go off pretty quickly - a couple of days and I have seen mould developing.
I will use any birch sap and cannot tell the difference in the wine.
I like the raisin recipes which I have found sweeter/more sherry-like.

 

[lannyman8]

if the sap is kept cool and air tight it should be ok for some time due to the sugar content..... just my view, do you keep yours air tight John???????

chris...

 

[Pandabean]

Thanks folks. What about the fermentation for five days and then transfering to another DJ. Im still not sure why this is when compared with the mead I have to leave it for around 30days (depending on what you read)

 

[John Fenna]

if the sap is kept cool and air tight it should be ok for some time due to the sugar content..... just my view, do you keep yours air tight John???????

chris...

Not when I am out in the woods and colecting it over several days

 

[eel28]

Thanks folks. What about the fermentation for five days and then transfering to another DJ. Im still not sure why this is when compared with the mead I have to leave it for around 30days (depending on what you read)

Almost every 'hedgerow' wine recipies i have seen/used do require a primary fermentation in a bucket prior to syphoning into a demijohn. I think it has to do with allowing more airspace for the yeast to do its job - but I could be wrong, and there is bound to be a valid scientific reason for it anyway

as for the raisins, being dried grapes, they do add a bit of grapiness to wines and again are a very common ingredient to 'hedgrow' wines. If you can gather enough sap, it could be worth experimenting, by making two batches one with the raisins, and one without to see which you prefer.

 

[Sparrowhawk]

I've always wanted to do this but never had the guts!

 

[rancid badger]

I've always wanted to do this but never had the guts!

How do you mean , "never had the guts" Sparrowhawk?

There's very little to the actual collection you know

On the subject of storage; I've frozen it in March and then defrosted it, for dishing out at our (now defunct), Forest Festival in July!

Cheers

R.B.

 

[Sparrowhawk]

I mean I'm always worried that I'll bleed the tree dry or give it some fungal disease or that I'll spill the sap all over my nice clean Swanndri. I'm sure that's not something you're bothered by at all, ya Rancid Badger!

 

[AussieVic]

The reason for transferring to a secondary container is two fold:
- As the primary ferment slows down, lots of sediment will be cast off and will start to settle, by “racking” the wine at this point in time you remove the sediment (lees). Racking is the process by which you siphon the wine to the second container leaving the lees behind. Leaving wine sitting on its lees can produce off flavours, so it’s a good idea to rack as the ferment slows, and then a few weeks later once fermentation has completely stopped and another layer of less has settled out. After a few months, before bottling you may need to do a final racking to make sure the wine is completely clear.
-
- The second reason to rack is that during the initial ferment you need a container with lots of “head space” (this could be a bucket or large demijohn) because the ferment can be quite vigorous and foam up; if there is not enough room you will end up with a big mess. During this phase the CO2 produced will form a protective layer over the wine and prevent it from oxidizing. When you rack into the secondary container, this container should have only a small head space and you should fit an airlock. The slow ferment at this stage will fill the head space and protect the wine while the wine sits. So after a few weeks you should rack again move the wine to a container with an airlock and NO head space (well a tiny amount); one way to achieve this if you don’t have suitable sized containers is to top up with a little of something else eg cool boiled water or perhaps some clear apple juice ?

Raisins, sultanas and grape concentrates are common additions to Country Wines. Traditional thinking is that adding these gives the wine a better body, richness and all round a better finish. From my experience it very much depends on what material you are starting with. Since this is your first time making Birch wine I suggest that you add them as per the recipe because I think you will get a more pleasing result. Generally wines made from what I’d consider fairly “thin” (on the palate) materials will benefit enormously from the addition. Later on you could experiment by removing the raisin, but if you do this you may also need to compensate with some acid, tannin and sugar additions.

Ultimately to raisin or not to raisin does come down to taste and personal preferences, but for a beginner I recommend adding them.

 

[Pandabean]

Thanks all and thanks AussieVic. Very informative and helpful.

Would doing the primary ferment in a large (4 gal?) plastic barrel be ok if I am only making 1 gallon in a DJ? Trouble is I have a lid with a hole in it so no way of firmly closing it with an airlock. Although a bung may fit....might try tonight. But do I need to seal the bucket?

 

[eel28]

Thanks all and thanks AussieVic. Very informative and helpful.

Would doing the primary ferment in a large (4 gal?) plastic barrel be ok if I am only making 1 gallon in a DJ? Trouble is I have a lid with a hole in it so no way of firmly closing it with an airlock. Although a bung may fit....might try tonight. But do I need to seal the bucket?

When i have made wine or beer in the past, just loosly laying the lid on top, or even using a tea towel as a cover is all that is needed. Basically its there to stop any debris falling into it.

Once you transfer it to a demijohn it will need to be airtight, hence the use of an airlock.

 

[rancid badger]

I mean I'm always worried that I'll bleed the tree dry or give it some fungal disease or that I'll spill the sap all over my nice clean Swanndri. I'm sure that's not something you're bothered by at all, ya Rancid Badger!

Ah I see what you mean about the fungal disease etc, but the sap is not much more than a very weak solution, if you mixed a teaspoon of sugar in a gallon of water, you'd probably have a similar consistency, so it's not going to make a mess like conifer resin for example

As far as stopping the tree bleeding, just make sure your wooden plug is a good, tight fit and its clean when you knock it in.

Cheers

R.B.

 

[AussieVic]

As Nomad sais, there is no need to seal the primary fermenter, but some kind of covering is a good idea to keep out insects etc. so a lid with a bung sized hole is probably just the thing - (you can put a tea towel over the top just to deter anything crawling). This will allow all the gases to escape and stop anything getting in. Sometimes I use some cling wrap with a hole(s) in it or leave a corner uncovered if I don't have a suitable lid. For really big batches a light weight painters drop sheet is sometimes used (with big 500l fermenters which look a lot like a hot tub) !

But when the primary ferment has slowed and you rack it you should and use a 1 gal demijohn and try and fit a proper airlock. If you have extra, then use some 500ml or 1l bottles too (whatever size you need. And glass is best - its inert and easy to clean.