Homemade Wine

[HUGH]

There must be hundreds of fruit-growers out there with a surplus crop every year. What better to use it for, especially if past it's "sell-by" date than fermentation. How about some hints and tips?
So far we've used apple, crab-apple, pear, blackberry, plum, damson and rosehip in the last few years, all home-grown. I expect there'll be some who go in for the whole distillation process as well.

[KC8TCQ]

There must be hundreds of fruit-growers out there with a surplus crop every year. What better to use it for, especially if past it's "sell-by" date than fermentation. How about some hints and tips?
So far we've used apple, crab-apple, pear, blackberry, plum, damson and rosehip in the last few years, all home-grown. I expect there'll be some who go in for the whole distillation process as well.

Stay away from tomato wine, it's nasty :shock:

Elderberry wine is awesome, so is strawberry, could try peach also.

[M0GLO]

The fruit goes good into ales as well.

[n4aud]

I have a huge raspberry thicket alongside my driveway and some years I'll crush and ferment some, though I didn't last year. I'd love to ferment some peaches too, but haven't tried it yet.

I never cared for fruit in ale, but I know lots of homebrewers that love it. I've put away all my homebrewing equipment for the time being, just don't have the time to devote to it.

[KG4CGC]

The fruit goes good into ales as well.
DAMN your fruity ale ways! Thou shallsht not fruit the ale!

Oh, that's another LORFD!

[kc7jty]

A friend o mine used to make wine from red grape juice. Juice specially packed in 5 gallon jugs just for making wine. He had a couple bottles go bad and let it turn to vinegar in the old basement. We are now enjoying this 15 year old wine vinegar that is divine. Very silky smooth and a bit sweet with a funky, perfume, earthy smell and taste. Oil (EV olive) & vinegar on the salad. :shhh

[HUGH]

A friend o mine used to make wine from red grape juice. Juice specially packed in 5 gallon jugs just for making wine. He had a couple bottles go bad and let it turn to vinegar in the old basement. We are now enjoying this 15 year old wine vinegar that is divine. Very silky smooth and a bit sweet with a funky, perfume, earthy smell and taste. Oil (EV olive) & vinegar on the salad. :shhh

Natural vinegar has some therapeutic properties but I'm b------d if I remember what they are.

[kc7jty]

Who are Hugh? Located across the pond I presume, I'm Bill. Currently in SE Pennsylvania, due to head outta here around the first of April for points west.

[n4aud]

I've made wine from red grape juice too. You have to use the frozen kind because it doesn't have preservatives in it that would kill the yeast. I've got 5 gallon "food grade" buckets with lids, and air locks that attach to the lids. I bought them to ferment beer but they work just as well with wine.

[HUGH]

A top tip: If your XYL drops a jar of jam or other preserves, use the whole lot, glass and all, to make wine. The glass etc. will be left behind after the first racking. What a good excuse for being clumsy in the kitchen!

[HUGH]

Who are Hugh? Located across the pond I presume, I'm Bill. Currently in SE Pennsylvania, due to head outta here around the first of April for points west.
Shropshire, Bill. One of the relatively unspoilt areas of the UK. I'm M0DSZ, didn't use that callsign here in order to escape from some of the ignorance on QRZ.

Where are you heading then?

[al2n]

http://www.blacktable.com/gillin030901.htm

:twisted: