When we lived in the East we had a small garden and a big apple tree. This apple, a James Grieve, was very prolific and it got to the point where there was only so much apple pie and apple sauce that you could make and freeze so we had to find something else to do with it...the answer, of course, cider. The first year it was wonderful, clear and sparkling rather like a champagne, the second year it was also good, but a little darker and less refined. Also while we were back East Mark was keen on brewing his own beer in a small way and used to get kits now and again to brew his own.
Here in Devon we have a bit more room to mess about in and store stuff in, so now Mark is brewing his own beer, hops, grain and all from various recipes and starting to make up his own. Sadly we don't have a very prolific apple tree but we do have blackberries, elderberries, runner beans and so on so I have started to make my own wine. This is great fun and doesn't take up as much time as you would think. We have found a great brewing shop which also will deliver here and so can easily get any ingredients and equipment we need. I managed to get 12 wonderful demijohns off ebay which was wonderful as the glass ones are not cheap.
Currently brewing on the wine front we have; marrow (early indications show that this will make something like a good sauvignon blanc - my favorite); elderberry and runner bean which is a bit thin but with time could be quite good; apple, rather sweet but apparently again with time and maybe a bit more yeast could be good; blackberry which is destined to become red wine vinegar or loo cleaner (the blackberries last year were not very good); and just made last week a tinned peach wine which again looks like it could be good but it is early days. Next on the wine agenda are banana and tea. Will let you know how I get on and when the first 4 are bottled will try to post some pictures.
3 comments:
Hi Lotti
Do you perchance have a Wilkinsons store near you as they do the basics quite reasonably i.e. demijohns, wine kits, beer kits, pressurised beer containers, beer bottles wine bottles crown caps, corks, sterilising equipment etc. etc. My friend has some silver birch trees and I have asked if I can borrow some sap to have a go at birch sap wine - never made it yet but it is nice to try different things.
Hi, not sure if we have a wilkinsons, but we have lots of equipment now, its the ingredients for OH's brew that we order mostly. Will keep a look out though for one just incase we need anything else.
BW Lotti
Marrow WINE - I've only made Marrow RUM (which was ghastly and exploded in my airing cupboard, to boot!) Actually, I think the mice got at it and weakened it . . . I could cope with a Sauvignon Blanc . . .
Look out for crab apples where you are now - they make a fabulous wine, with quite a kick.
Post a Comment