Did you know that one of the loveliest wines that I have ever tasted was made with gorse flowers? Thanks to Bournemouth Winemaker's Circle, they let me in on the secret of this delicious homemade wine. This gorse wine was then sampled at the Town Hall on the occasion of the Amateur Wine-Makers' Second Annual Conference show.
It is difficult to believe that floral wines cannot be likened to any other homemade wine or store bought wine, simply because their flavors are unique. Flower wines are not only described as delicately aromatic, but they can't be found in any other wine. The popularity is only lessened by the chore of gathering the flowers. You could gather flowers enough for a gallon or two in an hour.
Care is important if you are wishing to get the best from the ingredients and you'll want to spend the time in the picking process. Use a basket for good air circulation to place your picked flowers in. The larger size is better because we don't want to crush or damage the flowers- especially the flower heads.
How you gather the flowers is also very important. Dandelions must be gathered on their closed state because when they are closed the petals may be pulled out all together merely by holding the head of the flower and pulling on the petals grouped together. Although only petals should be used in making flower wines, still many people make quite good dandelion wine by using the whole heads.
To achieve the best result in floral winemaking, an all-purpose wine yeast must be used. Also, do not use invert sugar because it can slightly change the aroma of the flower as well as the delicate color of the flower wines. Here is the long awaited recipe I mentioned tasting at the conference.
Delicious Gorse Wine:
Start off with gathering at least 5-6 pints of gorse flowers, 3 lb. sugar, a gal. of water, 1 oz. yeast.
1.Put the flowers in the fermenting vessel and pour on half a gallon of boiling water.
2.Cover and leave to soak for three days, stirring each day and covering again at once.
3.Next you'll boil half of the sugar in a quart of water for two minutes and cool the solution. When this is cool add it to the flower mixture. Add the yeast and ferment for three days.
4.Strain out the flowers and continue to ferment the liquor in the fermenting vessel for another seven days.
5.Then pour into a gallon jar, leaving as much of the deposit behind as you can.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Fermentation And Homemade Wine Making
Juice you prepare is turned into wine during fermentation, and you have nothing to do with this process. The only part of the process you are responsible for is mixing some liquids that result in a superb flavor. The yeast does all the work turning the mixture into homemade wine.
It was most often common for brew masters to make their wines using baker's yeast and white sugar. No, on the other hand, people choose specialty wine yeast and use invert sugar. The resultant product had has a beautiful bouquet and less of the taste of a loaf of bread.
One benefit of using wine yeast over a common baker's yeast is a resulting higher percentage of alcohol in the finished product. Baker's yeasts tend to make wines with around twelve to fourteen percent alcohol by volume whereas wine yeast are able to produce wines with up to eighteen percent alcohol by volume.
Yeast is obtainable in the form of a compressed cake, dried tablet, and pellet or in powder form as a liquid culture, and all are inactive at the time of purchase. So when making wines, fermentation is seen as a slight frothing during the early stages and this soon settles down to a gentle ferment that may last as long as six months. But if warmth is given, fermentation should be over and done within half that time. All the time fermentation is going on; that is, all the time the yeast continues to reproduce itself, thus the amount of alcohol in the wine increases.
It can't go on forever because when maximum alcohol tolerance is reached, the alcohol formed kills yeast. From the tiny amount of yeast you add at the starter, masses of new yeast are made and all this helps to make alcohol until the last surviving generation of the yeast is finally destroyed by the alcohol.. At this stage, fermentation stops and no more alcohol is made.
The key stage is warmth. If your wine is too cool to soon and you bottle it, the bottle can become warm and start fermentation once again. Before you know it you'll have corks popping and wine spraying everywhere- that's a waste of good wine. So, make sure you keep it warm.
It was most often common for brew masters to make their wines using baker's yeast and white sugar. No, on the other hand, people choose specialty wine yeast and use invert sugar. The resultant product had has a beautiful bouquet and less of the taste of a loaf of bread.
One benefit of using wine yeast over a common baker's yeast is a resulting higher percentage of alcohol in the finished product. Baker's yeasts tend to make wines with around twelve to fourteen percent alcohol by volume whereas wine yeast are able to produce wines with up to eighteen percent alcohol by volume.
Yeast is obtainable in the form of a compressed cake, dried tablet, and pellet or in powder form as a liquid culture, and all are inactive at the time of purchase. So when making wines, fermentation is seen as a slight frothing during the early stages and this soon settles down to a gentle ferment that may last as long as six months. But if warmth is given, fermentation should be over and done within half that time. All the time fermentation is going on; that is, all the time the yeast continues to reproduce itself, thus the amount of alcohol in the wine increases.
It can't go on forever because when maximum alcohol tolerance is reached, the alcohol formed kills yeast. From the tiny amount of yeast you add at the starter, masses of new yeast are made and all this helps to make alcohol until the last surviving generation of the yeast is finally destroyed by the alcohol.. At this stage, fermentation stops and no more alcohol is made.
The key stage is warmth. If your wine is too cool to soon and you bottle it, the bottle can become warm and start fermentation once again. Before you know it you'll have corks popping and wine spraying everywhere- that's a waste of good wine. So, make sure you keep it warm.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Homemade Wine from Grains And Fruits
Wines made from dried fruits and grains make excellent homemade wine. Of course, they need time to mature or reach their best years, though at one year old they become a very excellent wines. The mixtures of dried fruit and grains make for strong, but not too fully flavored wines are often likened to whiskeys and brandies.
Dried fruits you buy in the store contain a large amount of added preservatives to maintain flavor and color. Grains have a tendency to have been exposed to some amount of dust or other byproduct. It's best to therefore clean these items well before beginning your wine making. Boil a pot of water and immerse the grapes, dates, etc… into the water for a few seconds and then strain. Repeat this process with the wheat, or other grains.
However, there is a quick fix to this missing taste. Add a tablespoon of freshly made tea to your batch and the results will be great- it's a lot cheaper than many alternatives people pay for in stores.
The cost of dried herbs has come down significantly in price over the years and the quality has improved. The average batch of wine only takes about 2 packets or 4 ounces.
Fresh herbs can also be used for wine making, but larger amounts are necessary. You'll need to plan on gathering at least a pound to a pound and a half to reach the equivalent of two ounces of dried herbs. It is a possibility to also confuse some plants and seemingly harmless plants can sometimes be toxic for human consumptions, so choose your plants wisely.
Dried Fruit & Grain Wine
of raisins, 3 lbs. prunes, and 1 lb wheat thoroughly. Add them to two sliced oranges and 2 lemons in the fermentation jug.
2. Mix two pounds of sugar in 7 pints water and boil for two minutes. Pour over the ingredients while it is still boiling.
3. Let it cool and add 1 oz of yeast.
4. Cover as directed and ferment the mixture for 10 days. Crush it well each day and stir up the wheat and cover again at once.
6. Mix and boil one pound of sugar with two pints of water and when cool add it to the jug.
7. Fit a fermentation lock and leave until fermentation has ceased.
Dried fruits you buy in the store contain a large amount of added preservatives to maintain flavor and color. Grains have a tendency to have been exposed to some amount of dust or other byproduct. It's best to therefore clean these items well before beginning your wine making. Boil a pot of water and immerse the grapes, dates, etc… into the water for a few seconds and then strain. Repeat this process with the wheat, or other grains.
However, there is a quick fix to this missing taste. Add a tablespoon of freshly made tea to your batch and the results will be great- it's a lot cheaper than many alternatives people pay for in stores.
The cost of dried herbs has come down significantly in price over the years and the quality has improved. The average batch of wine only takes about 2 packets or 4 ounces.
Fresh herbs can also be used for wine making, but larger amounts are necessary. You'll need to plan on gathering at least a pound to a pound and a half to reach the equivalent of two ounces of dried herbs. It is a possibility to also confuse some plants and seemingly harmless plants can sometimes be toxic for human consumptions, so choose your plants wisely.
Dried Fruit & Grain Wine
of raisins, 3 lbs. prunes, and 1 lb wheat thoroughly. Add them to two sliced oranges and 2 lemons in the fermentation jug.
2. Mix two pounds of sugar in 7 pints water and boil for two minutes. Pour over the ingredients while it is still boiling.
3. Let it cool and add 1 oz of yeast.
4. Cover as directed and ferment the mixture for 10 days. Crush it well each day and stir up the wheat and cover again at once.
6. Mix and boil one pound of sugar with two pints of water and when cool add it to the jug.
7. Fit a fermentation lock and leave until fermentation has ceased.
Friday, March 26, 2010
The Clearing Method In A Homemade Wine Making That You Must Take Note Of
Winemaking directions usually say something like 'leave until fermentation has nearly stopped' -confusing terms to beginners. When fermentation stoppers are used, this stage is reached because the water will remain pushed to one side of the fermentation lock and a bubble just barely pushes through every two minutes.
When fermentation locks are not in use, but where clear-glass jars are being used, beginners in winemaking will be able to see the bubbles of gas rising. But when there is only the faintest trace of a line of bubbles round the perimeter of the homemade wine and where only a few bubbles are seen rising slowly to the surface winemakers may say, for all intents and purposes, that fermentation has nearly ceased - though it may go on for many more weeks.
Clarifying a wine is a big step to success. Wines clear themselves practically before fermentation has ceased. If a couple batches of wine appear to be slow to clear, you shouldn't worry, a week or two after fermentation has finally ceased clarifying will take place.
Therefore, when all fermentation has ceased, it is best to siphon the clear wine - if not yet crystal clear - into another jar leaving the deposit behind. (Siphoning is a method used to pour clear wine from one bottle to another without stirring up the deposit.) Then when the wine is finally crystal clear it should be siphoned into bottles. This racking, as winemakers usually call it, helps to get the slight cloudiness to settle out quickly.
When fermentation locks are not in use, but where clear-glass jars are being used, beginners in winemaking will be able to see the bubbles of gas rising. But when there is only the faintest trace of a line of bubbles round the perimeter of the homemade wine and where only a few bubbles are seen rising slowly to the surface winemakers may say, for all intents and purposes, that fermentation has nearly ceased - though it may go on for many more weeks.
Clarifying a wine is a big step to success. Wines clear themselves practically before fermentation has ceased. If a couple batches of wine appear to be slow to clear, you shouldn't worry, a week or two after fermentation has finally ceased clarifying will take place.
Therefore, when all fermentation has ceased, it is best to siphon the clear wine - if not yet crystal clear - into another jar leaving the deposit behind. (Siphoning is a method used to pour clear wine from one bottle to another without stirring up the deposit.) Then when the wine is finally crystal clear it should be siphoned into bottles. This racking, as winemakers usually call it, helps to get the slight cloudiness to settle out quickly.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Making A Delicious Citrus Fruit Homemade Wine
If your previous attempts at wine making haven't been up to your expectations, then there is a reason for that. You haven't tried making citrus wines. Citrus wine is refreshing and unique and guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser during those warm summer months. It's also a bonus if you are able to buy fruits which are in season and able to cut costs in production.
Nothing is as refreshing as grapefruit wine, though it is quite sour because of the high acid content. To tone down the sour taste of the grapefruit, try adding raisins or dates in the fermentation step. The flavor will be less sour, yet still refreshing and more complex. However, because of the high sugar content of dried fruits, reduce your sugar to half the amount listed in the recipe.
If you decide to go with a tangerine homemade wine , you will need more than fifteen, but less than thirty will do. Clean and prepare all your tangerines ahead of time- this is the time consuming portion of tangerine wine making. Though you may be tempted to throw in a can of fruit to save some time, resist the urge. The taste of this all natural wine will reward your efforts.
Another great citrus wine is lemon wine. Lemon wine is a bit more unique because you rarely see lemon wine served independently but more often as an additive to punches or other drinks. One delicious use for lemon wine is as an additive to a pitcher of sangria. The sourness of the lemons cuts the sweetness of the sangria and gives it a refreshing aftertaste.
Before you get going with the prepping of the fruit, consider putting on some latex gloves. Not only is the fruit very juicy and sticky, but the acidic nature of citrus can dry out your skin. Enjoy the process of winemaking. This recipe is fairly simple and there's always room for creativity.
Recipe for Citrus Wine
1. Take 12 citrus fruits of your choice and peel and halve them. Boil a pot of water and submerge each half under the boiling water for a few seconds. Place all the boiled halves in a large clean bowl.
2. You are now ready to cut the halves into small pieces. Pour half a gallon of slightly cooled boiled water over all of the fruit pieces. Leave this mixture to soak for two days crushing the fruit every so often to remove the juice.
3. Add two pounds of sugar to a quart of water and boil for two minutes. When that has cooled add it to the juice bits. Lastly, add half an ounce of yeast and allow this to ferment this in a warm spot for five days.
4. The last step is to strain the mix through cheese cloth or another fine muslin cloth. Get rid of the remaining pulp and return the liquid to the fermenting vessel. Ferment for another ten more days. Pour the wine off the top leaving as much residue behind. Do this twice if necessary.
Nothing is as refreshing as grapefruit wine, though it is quite sour because of the high acid content. To tone down the sour taste of the grapefruit, try adding raisins or dates in the fermentation step. The flavor will be less sour, yet still refreshing and more complex. However, because of the high sugar content of dried fruits, reduce your sugar to half the amount listed in the recipe.
If you decide to go with a tangerine homemade wine , you will need more than fifteen, but less than thirty will do. Clean and prepare all your tangerines ahead of time- this is the time consuming portion of tangerine wine making. Though you may be tempted to throw in a can of fruit to save some time, resist the urge. The taste of this all natural wine will reward your efforts.
Another great citrus wine is lemon wine. Lemon wine is a bit more unique because you rarely see lemon wine served independently but more often as an additive to punches or other drinks. One delicious use for lemon wine is as an additive to a pitcher of sangria. The sourness of the lemons cuts the sweetness of the sangria and gives it a refreshing aftertaste.
Before you get going with the prepping of the fruit, consider putting on some latex gloves. Not only is the fruit very juicy and sticky, but the acidic nature of citrus can dry out your skin. Enjoy the process of winemaking. This recipe is fairly simple and there's always room for creativity.
Recipe for Citrus Wine
1. Take 12 citrus fruits of your choice and peel and halve them. Boil a pot of water and submerge each half under the boiling water for a few seconds. Place all the boiled halves in a large clean bowl.
2. You are now ready to cut the halves into small pieces. Pour half a gallon of slightly cooled boiled water over all of the fruit pieces. Leave this mixture to soak for two days crushing the fruit every so often to remove the juice.
3. Add two pounds of sugar to a quart of water and boil for two minutes. When that has cooled add it to the juice bits. Lastly, add half an ounce of yeast and allow this to ferment this in a warm spot for five days.
4. The last step is to strain the mix through cheese cloth or another fine muslin cloth. Get rid of the remaining pulp and return the liquid to the fermenting vessel. Ferment for another ten more days. Pour the wine off the top leaving as much residue behind. Do this twice if necessary.
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