Whooooooo! Hooooooooooo! Winemaking Starts this week!

[redmerlin777]

Oh! Happy Day!
I got me first large bagful of parsnips,(For 49p) It's Pancake day so I will have all the lemon rinds. I got sugar on special offer at Lidls.

Me 25 Gall bucket is being sterilized as I type and so starts the 2009 Vintage Château Redmerlin...

Jan- Feb = Parsnip
March-April = Oak leaf
May-June = Hawthorne flower, Dandelion and Elderflower
July - August = Whatever's going in the garden like nettles, Gooseberry, Rhubarb etc
September - October = Elderberry, Blackberry & Apples
November - December = Late fruits, berries and Sloe Gin if there are enough sloes and I haven't drunk the gin :D

I am so pleased now I can buy wine making equipment on eBid.. at last we got a wine making seller :)...so it's all go here and gallons of very passable plonk all made for sometimes pence..I collect or grow in my VERY small garden so it is a very cheap hobby that saves me £££££s

[smiffy49er]

Red I wish I could send you my elderflowers and berries.

I have a massive tree in my garden and they just go to waste

[redmerlin777]

Red I wish I could send you my elderflowers and berries.

I have a massive tree in my garden and they just go to waste

Dead easy to make wine.....All you need is a bucket, some demijohns ( or one big barrel with a bung and airlock ) a tube to siphon, some mutton cloth for straining and as long as you sterilise everything as you go it really is simple. Buy a simple winemaking book and have a read.I use recycled wine bottles, corks cost little.
You can save pounds
I have been doing it all my life...well originally helping Grandma...her Elderberry wine is fermented with spices and oranges and is a warming ready spiced wine that is wonderful to drink at Christmas.

I give bottles of blackberry and apple as pressies at xmas...with the warning...Very drinkable so go easy it's very strong :D

[Fossy]

Dead easy to make wine.....All you need is a bucket, some demijohns ( or one big barrel with a bung and airlock ) a tube to siphon, some mutton cloth for straining and as long as you sterilise everything as you go it really is simple. Buy a simple winemaking book and have a read.I use recycled wine bottles, corks cost little.
You can save pounds
I have been doing it all my life...well originally helping Grandma...her Elderberry wine is fermented with spices and oranges and is a warming ready spiced wine that is wonderful to drink at Christmas.

I give bottles of blackberry and apple as pressies at xmas...with the warning...Very drinkable so go easy it's very strong :D

Please add me to your Christmas pressie list.

As an ex winemaker but not ex drinker I will gladly sample your wines and will fully appreciate the hard work, time and patience that goes behind the making of each bottle.

Hic.....

http://mhgdblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/winebottleglass.jpg

I take it we're talking Red wine here? Chateaux Merlin777?

[dalenaur]

Hi Red

Read your questions, hope you got reply.

How about sharing some of those recipes, I love the fresh country wines myself. I cant wait to get a fresh batch (or two) of hawthorn flower on the go, missed it last year!

I'm having to make do with pineapple!! (tough job!)

* 4 fresh ripe pineapples (normal size)
* 2 1/2 lb Granulated or brewing sugar
* Juice and zest of one ripe lemon or 1 tsp citric acid
* 1 tsp Yeast nutrient (only really needed if you want to ferment quick and dry!)
* 1 tsp Wine yeast

Get them when they're on offer and wait till they're just turning moldy on the bottoms, that's when they are at their sweetest.

Happy brewing!!

[cornishmaid1961]

I really think Sergeant Major Cornish should move in with you baby Red Merlin, for a few months, just to oversee the production and test for quality control !!! http://www.pic4ever.com/images/oregonian_winesmiley.gif

[smiffy49er]

I once made a lovely batch of pear wine
When it came to siphon into bottles

I forgot to stop sucking pmsl it was nice though

[inchworm]

We have an elderflower tree in our garden too, also a damson tree
my hubby has a beer making kit but has only used it 3 times
i wouldn't mind making my own wine tho if we got the right kit for that

has anyone tried pea-pod wine? I tried some years ago (my dad was given a bottle by a work collegue) it was yummy!!

I like parsnip wine too

[DanTheMan3]

Just send me a bottle of the finished product.:D

[BabsnRay]

Oh! Happy Day!
I got me first large bagful of parsnips,(For 49p) It's Pancake day so I will have all the lemon rinds. I got sugar on special offer at Lidls.

Me 25 Gall bucket is being sterilized as I type and so starts the 2009 Vintage Château Redmerlin...

Jan- Feb = Parsnip
March-April = Oak leaf
May-June = Hawthorne flower, Dandelion and Elderflower
July - August = Whatever's going in the garden like nettles, Gooseberry, Rhubarb etc
September - October = Elderberry, Blackberry & Apples
November - December = Late fruits, berries and Sloe Gin if there are enough sloes and I haven't drunk the gin :D

I am so pleased now I can buy wine making equipment on eBid.. at last we got a wine making seller :)...so it's all go here and gallons of very passable plonk all made for sometimes pence..I collect or grow in my VERY small garden so it is a very cheap hobby that saves me £££££s


My late Dad used to make wine by the gallon - and I used to be his taster. He did try a taste but as he was tea total he never actually drank any of it. He used to use it to barter and exchange wine for things he needed in the little village he lived in. He had bees and used to do the same with his honey too.

One of the best wines he made was parsley and barley, laced with a little banana to sweeten. I'm not sure if it was a proper receipe or one he adapted, but as I still have some of his receipes here, I'll see if I can find it. If I can I'll add it to the Bykimbos food group pics for you to use.

[meebo1]

Now I am thirsty! And all I have is tea:(

[summerdreams]

I will be growing two different kinds of grapes this year...interlaken and canadice...it will probably be another year or two before I can think about harvesting enough for wine. (Not even sure if those 2 types would make a decent wine even) lol Haven't thought about all the other options though, thank you for the ideas! We had a great crop year last year, and I can't wait to get started this year! :D Dandelions are one of our worst weeds, maybe time to get some better use out of them rather than dig them out and chuck them.

[meebo1]

Dandelion wine is very nice. You might make friends with your neighbours by collecting their dandelions:D:D

[summerdreams]

Dandelion wine is very nice. You might make friends with your neighbours by collecting their dandelions:D:D

Yeah ...the WHOLE neighborhood might appreciate that! lol :D

[Fossy]

I used to make a lot of Tea wine from the leftovers in the pot.... just like sherry. Lovely. The most I had on the go at one time was about 15 gallons.

Thats the trouble with home made wine.... 6 months to make - 6 days to drink.

[shezz]

Aint it funny:eek:

I cant stand the stuff

Yet i've got great connections within the wine industry :D