[sawnee]

I used to make beer and wine from the shop bought syrup kits a few years ago. Now Ive had  an allotment for a couple of years and we are really getting into this GYO and hedgerow bounties so logically the next step is wine/beer/cider etc.
What is the easiest squiffy type drink to make and what will I need?

[lobot]

There are some great recipies right here on this forum.

So far I've tried the ribena wine and turbo cider.  My wine is still fermenting so I'm not sure how it tastes, but the cider is lovely.  

I've been amazed at just how easy homebrewing can be.

[sawnee]

Cheers lobot I will be having a go at the Turbo cider I think  

[alibean]

Jerusalem artichokes are a doddle to grow (even the pigeons don't like them) and they make a nice wine (substitute for parsnips in any similar recipe).

Courgette wine was ok but a bit sweet...

Runner bean wine turned out good but took a long time to mature.

Pumpkin wine was rough as old boots but was v strong.

Potato & wheat a winner (long time to mature though)

Liver buggered - good luck!!!!

[sawnee]

Thanks alibean, what would you recomend for a complete newbee, something small scale to start with (a demi-john to start with)
Sorry to hear about the liver, hey ho, it happens to us all in the end

[wighty]

Is there a recipe for the Jerusulum (It's late on a Saturday night) wine as we have a 'field' of them and so could use some up. Never tried home brew but do like wine.

[DannyBoy230]

Hi there - how much roughly is the outset for all the equipment? Is it easy to obtain?  :blink:

I was thinking about attempting it this year but honestly have no idea how to go about it! 

[SG6]

Absolute minimum:
Bucket, 2 gallon - Wicks 99p
Wooden spoon - El cheapo type.
Demijohn - Wilkinsons £4:50 or something like that.
Plastic jug - Wilkinsons - 60p
Plastic funnel - Wilkinsons no idea on price ~ £1
Plastic sieve - Wilkinsons no idea on price ~ £1
Airlock and bung - Wilkinsons think about £2.50 but have a look.
Tea towel.

Personally I suspect that 2 buckets would be better, but 1 is OK.

I know that Wilkinsons do winemaking bits so that is why I have named them.

[alibean]

Sorry for tardiness in answering your request for the 'fartichoke' recipe - haven't been online for a while.

Have just made 6 gallons with this year's crop (and still a thrid of a row of the blooming things left...

To make 2 gallons:

8lb Jerusalem artichokes
2 and a half kilos of sugar
One 245ml tine of white wine concentrate (from Holland & Barrett or similar - if you come to the mainland Wighty there's one up Shirley High St that does brewing stuff)
6 teaspoons of citric acid
2 teaspoons pectolase
2 teaspoons of super wine yeast (or yeast & nutrient as on packet)

1. Scrub artichokes - sod peeling! and roughly chop up

2. Boil artichokes until soft in about 6 litres of water(ish) - just over 'al dente' otherwise the stuff'l never clear

3. Strain the resulting juice into another pan, add sugar, some water (so that total liquid is about 8 litres) and grape concentrate and boil the whole lot up for about 45 minutes.

4. When lukewarm add yeast, pectolase & citric acid, put in 2 demijohns up to shoulders, fit airlocks etc.

5.  When it calms down and the yukky stuff sinks to the bottom (about a week) then rack off to clean demijohns and ferment to clear, racking again if necessary.


Last year's 'vintage' (a moderate 4 gallons) went down very well after about eight months but to be honest could probably have benefited from a little longer in the maturing....!!!!

[lobot]

If there's a homebrew shop near you they might sell second-hand demijohns. I usually pay £1.70 for mine.

Airlocks and bungs are about 90p.

For everything else I agree that Wilkinsons is pretty good.

[SG6]

To be honest (what me?) I had little idea of the price of an airlock and bung. Decided that £2.50 should be enough and I wouldn't get complaints if they were cheaper.

Not sure if all Wilkinsons sell wine making bits but the one near does so I assume that most have the main bits in.

[sawnee]

Do you leave it in the demijohns or bottle it to mature?

[SG6]

Initial fermentation is in the bucket for about a week to ten days (COVERED).
Through sieve to get big bits out and transfer to demijohn with airlock.
Leave in demijohn to complete fermentation, settle out and clear.
When clear bottle the wine.
Leave to mature.

Can leave wine in the demijohn for a while after fermentation has finished but as there will be yeast residue at the bottom some taste of it may come across.
Not a great chance of it I find but you may prefer not to leave it for an excessive time.
Leaving it for some additional time may allow the wine to clear a little more.
Take your choice.

[Stripey_cat]

Also, if you find demijohns easier to store, you can always rack it into a clean demijohn once the fermentation finishes, stick a solid bung in (or an air-lock so long as you keep it topped up), and put it somewhere dark to mature.  I do that if I'm not 100% sure the fermentation is actually over, and keep it upright through the hottest part of the summer!  This is since I had a secondary fermentation blow out 4 corks overnight.

[sawnee]

Thanks Stripey-cat, thats my project for this summer  ,
Keeping it in demijohns would make life so much easier as they can stand in the garage or under the stairs to mature. Are they any hard and fast rules about how long to leave a wine or is it trial and error?
Off to Wilkinsons in the morning