Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Homebrew => Topic started by: PlymouthMaid on August 20, 2009, 12:01

Title: Another question from me
Post by: PlymouthMaid on August 20, 2009, 12:01: Looking at recipes foe elderberry/balckberry wine, I notice that some have citric acid tablets whilst others use real lemons, some use teabags whilst others use tablets etc. Is it just a matter of preference for real over chemical or does it alter the taste or anything?
Title: Re: Another question from me
Post by: hank scorpio on August 20, 2009, 16:04: Hi,

I've just made some blackberry wine and it only called for Blackberries, Sugar, Yeast, Yeast nutient and Pectic Enzyme. I dont know why you would need any of the other ingredients you mentioned, i am a novice though so that might explain my ignorance.
Title: Re: Another question from me
Post by: poultrygeist on August 21, 2009, 09:03: Hi PlymouthMaid.

I'm planning the self-same brew and have found a recipe that sounds simple to me, plus I have all the ingredients. See thread just below
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=43588.0

I'm picking a few berries each day as they ripen and have almost enough i think. If you find a better or more interesting recipe, I'd love to hear about it.

Rob 8)
Title: Re: Another question from me
Post by: Zeb on August 21, 2009, 09:31: it all depends on which style of wine you are trying to achive.

Full bodied robust
Easy sipping
Sweet desert
etc
Title: Re: Another question from me
Post by: poultrygeist on August 21, 2009, 09:59: For me, I like something with a bit of body, and medium dry ish.

But I like the idea of using the bare minimum added to what I've foraged. Plenty of time in the future for tweeking. I'd like to try the raw and unadulterated first. :D

Rob 8)
Title: Re: Another question from me
Post by: SG6 on August 22, 2009, 12:24: Teabags will be for tannin, blackberries and ederberries will have loads of tannin in them. They have so much that you really should allow BB/EB wine to mature for 2 years not 1 so that the tannin content/taste is broken down. 3,4,5 years may be better. :D :D :D
Title: Re: Another question from me
Post by: poultrygeist on August 22, 2009, 12:54: Therein lies the difficulty :unsure: :D

I've read that it's a keeper and tastes vile before 12 months. If I can get enough, I might make a gallon of blackberry on its own. Might be able to risk it after 6 months then :D

Rob 8)
Title: Re:elderberry Another question from me
Post by: ciderman on August 22, 2009, 13:13: my recipe 4 elderberry wine 2lb berrys 1 camdon tab wine yeast . put berry in a bucket 2 pints off water boiled add tab leave 24 hour then mash add 5 more pints boiled water leave 2 cool then press into a bucket then into a demi add yeast leave 4 2 weeks then filter bottle put in a cold dark place 2 weeks then drink i do all my wine this way some will take abit longer 2 clear cherry always takes 8 weeks 2 clear it taste fab ok ciderman
Title: Re: Another question from me
Post by: Zeb on August 22, 2009, 15:00: If you use a steam juicer you and do a juice ferment instead of a pulp ferment there are less tannins and the wine is drinkable earlier
Title: Re: Another question from me
Post by: Jay Dubya on August 28, 2009, 20:32: Hi, they say that acid is the cornerstone of flavour, without it the wine is flabby. I use lemon juice at 2 tablespoons a gallon.