Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Homebrew => Topic started by: coco on July 26, 2011, 19:34

Title: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on July 26, 2011, 19:34
Hello

I have an abundance of blackcurrants which no one will eat ... was wondering if I could make a drinkable wine with them??

I have a few demi-johns and airlocks, but nothing else and I've not made any wine from scratch before, only from those tins that you can buy from the supermarkets.  I've looked at various recipes on the internet and they look quite complicated.

can anyone recommend an easy to follow recipe .. or I've just found a blackcurrant gin recipe here on the forum ... what do you think?

what do you reckon for a newbie???

thanks
xx
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: sunshineband on July 26, 2011, 19:35
Blackcurrant gin or blackcurrant vodka are both lovely  :D :D
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on July 26, 2011, 19:38
 :D might try that then for an easier (?) option

xx
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: sunshineband on July 26, 2011, 19:42
Virtually guaranteed success rate with these  :D :D

Blackcurrant wine (any fruit wine tbh) needs a fair bit of equipment, which , if you are going into winemaking is worth while but for a one off could be a bit of an expense imho  :unsure:
 

Each to their own with this though -- just thought I'd mention it  :)
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: GrannieAnnie on July 26, 2011, 21:00
Last year I was going to make some blackcurrant wine, but I read that the flavour can be too strong for some people, so I made blackcurrant and elderberry, and blackcurrant and apple, bit were very nice!   ::) ::)
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on July 29, 2011, 12:23
I've been brave and done both ... have a gallon of blackcurrant wine fermenting and used the rest to make blackcurrant gin.

Just a quick question, is it OK to have air in the gin bottles?? I have split it between two bottles and there is quite a large gap .. or it better to put it all in one bigger bottle so it fills it to the top??  not really sure if it'llmake a difference or not  ???

thanks
x
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: sunshineband on July 29, 2011, 18:47
Air in the spirit bottles is fine.

Gives more shalking room too  ;)
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on July 29, 2011, 19:15
 :D just have to wait patiently now then

thanks
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: SG6 on July 30, 2011, 11:47
For the blackcurrant wine I suggest adding some Pectolase if you haven't already done so.

Blackcurrants have a fair amount of Pectin in them and it can cause a cloudy/hazy final product.
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on July 30, 2011, 11:54
thank you SG6

I've followed a recipe I found on the internet .... added pectolase yesterday, and today added yeast and nutrients... hope that sounds about  right 'cos it will be the first time we've done any from scratch.

Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on August 04, 2011, 14:27
Hello

Well we've strain the juice and it is now in the demi-john bubbling away and smelling lovely  :D

Just a quick beginner question... we had a bit left over that wouldn't fit in the demi-john, the recipe we've followed said to keep this in a separate bottle for topping up later on after it has been siphoned and had the camden tablet added.  We strained this into an old lemonade bottle ... I've bunged up the top with a wet cloth because that's what I've read somewhere but I can't remember where I read it so I can't go back and check ... do you think this is right or should we just put the screw lid back on?

Thanks
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: sion01 on August 04, 2011, 15:39
Pitty I didn't read this earlier.I made a blackcurrant gin with brandy (so it's a blackcurrant brandy really ::)0 and it's the nicest brew i've ever made .Would thoroughly reccomend it.
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on August 04, 2011, 22:32
blackcurrant brandy sounds lovely ... I have plans for next years crop already   ;) just hope these turn out alright.

xx
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: sion01 on August 05, 2011, 15:12
I should coco
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on August 06, 2011, 19:43
Hello

I know I'm full of daft questions, but was wondering my demi-john of blackcurrant wine is bubbling through the airlock  lovely but there is only a very small topping of froth. (3-5mm)

The photos I've seen all have loads of froth, in fact some are over flowing through the air locks ... have I done something wrong, is not fermenting enough? should I be adding something extra?

thanks
xx
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: sunshineband on August 06, 2011, 20:07
Let it be and see how things develop --- better too little than too much  :D
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: coco on August 06, 2011, 20:36
OK thank you ... you're very patient   :tongue2:
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: sion01 on August 06, 2011, 22:19
a slower ferment can often lead to a better and sometimes stronger wine.Your'e yeast might be more of a long distance runner then a 100 meter sprinter.That's no problem 8)
Title: Re: blackcurrant wine??
Post by: mike1987 on August 07, 2011, 09:31
someyeasts are also low foaming now aswell this may be why