Birch sap wine... or any other really

[Stanleythecat]

Hi All

Have just stumble in to the world of winemaking. Brother in Law made a load for our wedding and we finally ran out at Christmas; we then remembered just how much a bottle is now... yoiks!

So we have a couple of kits, a red and a white and things are bubbling! But I'd like to do some hedgerow brews and looking forwards I can see that March is around the corner and the waiting game for the arrival of the birch sap!

Would anyone be able to point me in the right direction or share their fool proof (what with me being that fool!) experience with any 'country wine' recipes. Want to be ready for the new season!

Many thanks

Leo

 

[John Fenna]

I use "First steps in Wine Making" by C J J Berry - I think it is still in print - and "Wild food" by Roger Philips for many of my wine recipes.

 

[Stanleythecat]

Thanks John

I literally just got the C J J Berry book so looking forward seeing what it holds.

What's your all time favourite recipe?

Leo

 

[John Fenna]

Thanks John

I literally just got the C J J Berry book so looking forward seeing what it holds.

What's your all time favourite recipe?

Leo

Impossible to say - the ones I have tried are all good!
My Aunt, who gave me the book, used to win prizes in the WI with the Parsnip wine ... but I have not tried that one yet

 

[mountainy man]

Elderberry wine is imo the finest country wine you could make, followed by raspberry and then rhubarb. I have a good book called "Wild and free" (100 recipes & folklore of natures harvest) by Cyril & Kit O'Ceirin, The O'Brien press ltd., I'm not sure if its still in print but its excelent and has some unusual recipes.

 

[roger-uk]

Mint wine still or fizzy is lovely an dyou can grow the mint yourself

 

[Terr]

Elderberry wine is imo the finest country wine you could make...

Few truer words have been spoken. Elderberry wine is the bees knees.

 

[British Red]

Elderberry port and blackcurrant wine are both excellent (I have published pictorials on both). Elderflower champagne is good but a little trickier. Parsnip wine makes an excellent white as does dandelion. Happy to answer any questions

Red

 

[Stanleythecat]

Elderberry port and blackcurrant wine are both excellent (I have published pictorials on both). Elderflower champagne is good but a little trickier. Parsnip wine makes an excellent white as does dandelion. Happy to answer any questions

Red

Thanks Red

I've made elderflower champagne, it was lovely but has a short shelf life doesn't it? I really fancy having a go at some sparkling wines though... but i'm running before I can walk. What kit do you use? Are you a demijon man?

Sorry if I don't reply right away, we're having some computer issues at home and I'm having a few days off to look after the kids... more reason to brew alcohol!

Leo

 

[Stanleythecat]

Mint wine still or fizzy is lovely an dyou can grow the mint yourself

Sounds lovely, do you have a recipe at all?

Thanks

Leo

 

[Stanleythecat]

Elderberry wine is imo the finest country wine you could make, followed by raspberry and then rhubarb. I have a good book called "Wild and free" (100 recipes & folklore of natures harvest) by Cyril & Kit O'Ceirin, The O'Brien press ltd., I'm not sure if its still in print but its excelent and has some unusual recipes.

AH! Thanks for the heads up, i just had a quick look on amazon for this and at the publisher but to no success... I'll keep a look out though as it sounds great.

Leo

 

[British Red]

Thanks Red

I've made elderflower champagne, it was lovely but has a short shelf life doesn't it? I really fancy having a go at some sparkling wines though... but i'm running before I can walk. What kit do you use? Are you a demijon man?

Sorry if I don't reply right away, we're having some computer issues at home and I'm having a few days off to look after the kids... more reason to brew alcohol!

Leo

Demijohns are good for country wines - I do use 30 litre vessels too - but you need a LOT of ingredients. Glass demijohns are easy to clean

 

[lannyman8]

hey Leo, all things that you can eat can be turned into wine, its just a matter of getting fresh ingrediants and extracting as much flavour as possible from them...

i did a very nice oak leaf wine a few years back, very drinkable in the summer, a short shelf life of 1 year though, but you can drink it very soon after brewing...

my basic wine mix is :-

(per 4.5 litre, demi john)
sugar 800g - 1000g
yeast 1 - 2 tea spoons (i use allinson bread yeast, little yellow tin, its also for brewing wine and beer, it works well for me)
lemon 1 - 2 lemon juice (and zest if you like it more tangey)
liquid total - 4.5 litres, this is from the squashed/boiled fruit liquid topped up with boiled water. the more fruit juice the better the wine will taste IMO.

hope this helps.

chris.

 

[Stanleythecat]

hey Leo, all things that you can eat can be turned into wine, its just a matter of getting fresh ingrediants and extracting as much flavour as possible from them...

i did a very nice oak leaf wine a few years back, very drinkable in the summer, a short shelf life of 1 year though, but you can drink it very soon after brewing...

my basic wine mix is :-

(per 4.5 litre, demi john)
sugar 800g - 1000g
yeast 1 - 2 tea spoons (i use allinson bread yeast, little yellow tin, its also for brewing wine and beer, it works well for me)
lemon 1 - 2 lemon juice (and zest if you like it more tangey)
liquid total - 4.5 litres, this is from the squashed/boiled fruit liquid topped up with boiled water. the more fruit juice the better the wine will taste IMO.

hope this helps.

chris.

Thanks Chris, that's really useful. You got anything on the go at the moment?

 

[sparkplug]

Sounds lovely, do you have a recipe at all?

Thanks

Leo

I love this place!

I logged in because I help a friend each year with what we call a 'roadkill cookout' - it's essentially an opportunity to share and learn with a bunch of bikers some 'wild food' skills. We have rabbits, pheasants and squirrels etc and demonstrate how we prepare them, learn from others how they do it and give people a chance to have a go themselves. It's great fun. I do a lot with smoked foods (hot and cold) and we always like to have something new to try or to show to keep it interesting for the regulars.

While looking at some empty containers I was thinking that they would be perfect to put some wine / beer in for the event and was looking for something a little unusual to try. Mint wine is something I've never even heard of! I happen to grow mint already and would LOVE to have a recipe to try

So I'm seconding the motion for a recipe for this - I'm really intrigued!