I need some body!

[P_H_I_L_L]

I'm enjoying (too much) my rose made with lidl blackcurrent (50% juice) cordial, Red grape and Raspberry syrup. It has quite a high alcohol content but it's way too easy to glug. I'd added an inch of vanilla pod left in until I racked it off, and that definitely makes an appearance but it's lacking in further complexity.

I'm wondering what other additives might add a bit of 'depth'

In my local B&Q they had some chopped up Jack Daniels barrels as a flavouring for BBQ (£6 a bag) I assume that no combustable chemicals would have been added otherwise it would negate the desired 'smoking' effect, would that be OK?

 

[simkin]

That tipple sounds lovely! I imagine sniffing the JD barrel wood would let you know if its had stuff added but sounds a great idea. Think JD barrels are cherry wood . . . ? Else oak chips maybe. Gonna play with vanilla in something myself soon. Cheap on ebay so I may stick in a few into something.

 

[Brewtrog]

Banana is always a classic answer to giving wine body, as overripe as you like, the blacker the better, skin on or off doesn't seem to matter too much. Just throw it in with everything else.

 

[P_H_I_L_L]

Banana is always a classic answer to giving wine body, as overripe as you like, the blacker the better, skin on or off doesn't seem to matter too much. Just throw it in with everything else.

Interesting. I'd also heard the really overipe banana acts as a fining agent. I'm going to try it thanks.

 

[P_H_I_L_L]

That tipple sounds lovely!

It is, by far the best I've done so far. I did it in a 15ltr water cooler bottle, two bottles of the blackcurrent, 4 litres of red grape and one bottle of Malina raspberry syrup. The raspberry can be very overpowering though, it's just about right in the 15lts

 

[weepete]

I wouldn't imagine anything has been added to the chips if the are for smoking, otherwise they may taint the flavour of the food. You don't want the chips to catch fire either, as you won't get as much smoke flavour.

 

[chrig]

Read the contents on the jd wood, I seem to recall "smoking agents" showing up in there. It certainly wasn't all bits of cut up barrels when I looked.

I like the sound of that recipie though.