A wine making calendar

[kirton]

I've just aquired a further 14 DJs expanding my collection to 19. So I now want to plan ahead and utilise them all throughout the year. I'm a big fan of using what nature provides when it's in season, so has anybody got any suggestions for a what wines to make and when.

Here's my ideas (updated with contributions) for a starter:

• January - Barley, beetroot, Ribena or blackcurrant juice, ginger, parsnip, rice & raisin, carrot, potato
  Febuary - Most of the above and any juice or dried fruit wine such as grapefruit or tea and dried prune
  March - Dandelion, Coltsfoot, birch-sap
  April - Dandelion, Oak leaf, Mead
  May - Rhubarb, lavender, nettle, Elderflower, Hawthorn blossom
  June - Elderflower, cherry, gooseberry, parsley, rose petal
  July - ?
  August - Plum
  September - Elderberry, blackberry, hedgerow, apple, pear, damson
  October - Hawthorn, rosehip
  November - Sloe
  December - ?

As you can see there's lots of gaps... suggestions anyone?

 

[Porkbeast]

Over the winter months you need to rely on dried juiced or preserved ingredients as nothing is really in season in the UK. Here are a few ideas.

Jan - Barley/beetroot/Ribena or blackcurrant juice/ginger/ parsnip/ rice and raisin/carrot/potato.

Feb - Most of the above and any juice or dried fruit wine such as grapefruit or tea and dried prune

March - as above but you might get some early Dandelion in or try a herb wine like Coltsfoot.

April - Dandelion/Oak leaf/Mead?

May - Elderflower/ Hawthorn blossom

June - Cherry/gooseberry/parsley/rose petal.

From here on in the choice is endless....

Porky

Snort!

 

[Moley]

Porky beat me to it with a pretty good list :thumb:

I would bring Plum forward to August, add Damson to September and Sloe to November.

 

[Duncs]

Early March is a good time for Birch Sap Wine

My recipe is
1 gallon of birch sap
1 lb o f sugar
1/2 tsp citric acid
1 tsp general purpose yeast

rack after 3 months, drink next spring.

 

[kirton]

Thanks all, some pretty good suggestions there and I've updated my original list with them. I like the sound of birch-sap wine, must put that one on the to-do list for spring, but how much sap could you collect from one tree without damaging it?

 

[evanvine]

but how much sap could you collect from one tree without damaging it?

Try this post

 

[Porkbeast]

Birch sap wine I hear is excellent and I would love to try it!
You have me thinking now...silver Birch is my fave. tree...
posting.php?mode=reply&f=40&t=11373#
Porky

Snort!

 

[screamlead]

Thanks all, some pretty good suggestions there and I've updated my original list with them. I like the sound of birch-sap wine, must put that one on the to-do list for spring, but how much sap could you collect from one tree without damaging it?

You can do the same with Walnut sap as well - thats if you can find one. I;m lucky next door neighbor has a tree!!

 

[sueelleker]

First Steps In Winemaking has a calendar of recipes.

 

[Duncs]

how much sap could you collect from one tree without damaging it?

No more than a gallon, less for smaller trees. I always go for the biggest birch tree I can find and never collect more than a dj full. You MUST fill in the hole you've drilled after you've collected the sap, with either cork or clay, you don't want to kill the tree.

 

[greencheapsk8]

Tree sap wine?!? Man some strange things go on in this forum.....

 

[Cussword]

Oak Leaf wine. Curtesy of CJJB

 

[cutnrun]

is there a link to oak leaf wine recipie? I can't find one using the search.

 

[Ken L]

I did Oak leaf when I was a kid. Nice, if a bit like a dy sherry.