gorse wine

BILLy

Full Member
Apr 16, 2005
735
2
58
NORTH WALES
Hi
I am making some gorse wine at the week end, and have been foraging/picking the petals for the last two days, its a very long and bloody job,
I have done a few searches for recipes, and come accross a few good ones, all require a fair amount of petals as in at least 5 pints worth.
I was wondering if anyone has made any? and if its worth all the bleeding hands and effort to make?
Cheers
Bill
 
Jul 30, 2012
3,570
225
westmidlands
dear billy,

I havn't tried it, but it sounds alcoholic.

have you tried some sort of picking device, berry picker or something ? I don't fancy blood wine instead. Or have seen uncle ray use a basket whilst in siberia !

Pete
 

Elen Sentier

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Not since I was a kid, my aunt used to make it and got us kiddies to pcik for her in return for uncle taking us up onto the moors. I still remember my hands !!! And they were much smaller and neater then :). I do remember the wine was good though, well worth it. We children used to get given wine on high days and holidays - if anyone commented they said it was just country flower wine and so OK. Don't be fooled by that though :red::beerchug::hammock:
 

BILLy

Full Member
Apr 16, 2005
735
2
58
NORTH WALES
dear billy,

I havn't tried it, but it sounds alcoholic.

have you tried some sort of picking device, berry picker or something ? I don't fancy blood wine instead. Or have seen uncle ray use a basket whilst in siberia !

Pete

Hi,
I was thinking of making some kind of device to pick the petals, but havent thought up anything as yet, a berry picker would be picking the sharp neddle like prickles as well I think as there¬s not much room inbetween.
thinking more like long nosed tweezers
 

BILLy

Full Member
Apr 16, 2005
735
2
58
NORTH WALES
Not since I was a kid, my aunt used to make it and got us kiddies to pcik for her in return for uncle taking us up onto the moors. I still remember my hands !!! And they were much smaller and neater then :). I do remember the wine was good though, well worth it. We children used to get given wine on high days and holidays - if anyone commented they said it was just country flower wine and so OK. Don't be fooled by that though :red::beerchug::hammock:

Your Aunt was a clever woman!! WOW its slow and prickly work, but after making my first Gallon today with the added ingridants, the smell off it all together makes me want to pick some more this weekend.
If I dont I may regret it when I get to my last bottle.
What I have noticed is it looks best to pick around now (spring), the gorse bush flowers all year but I think you would get a 50/50 mix of dying off pettals to new pettals as the year goes by. Picking the pettals now, gets you more fresh buds and lots more sent, which will have a better out come for the wine me thinks.
Cheers
Bill
 
Jul 30, 2012
3,570
225
westmidlands
garden vacuum ?

Seperate petals at a later date after using a berry picker ?

sheet and a stick like cider ?

You should be able to seperate them in a bowl by tossing the mix .

Leather gloves ?
 

HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,165
159
W. Yorkshire
So you don't really know then :p. I'm sure Hugh thinks all that he makes tastes gooooooood. And much of it might, but... each person has differnet tastes so :p

For example, you like a alcohol and dairy blend.....baileys...dooleys............ i'd rather lick my own armpits after using cow manure as deodorant :p

erm.. it was Hugh fernly whatshisname that said that, I just said we should try it :p
 

Harvestman

Bushcrafter through and through
May 11, 2007
8,656
26
55
Pontypool, Wales, Uk
New forum rule: Domestic arguments should take place off-forum, or else we will be forced to take sides, and I'm sure Rachel is quite capable of winning the fight without our help.

:D
 

BILLy

Full Member
Apr 16, 2005
735
2
58
NORTH WALES
Some pics if the wine in its stage

The rind of two lemmons, two oranges, raisins
IMG_2427.jpg

sugar
IMG_2428.jpg
The gorse is steeping


IMG_2429.jpg

Bottled and fermenting vigorously
IMG_2436.jpg
 

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