Need a good first time cheap wine recipe

[samnorfolk]

Am lookin for a nice first time wine recipe that isn't too expensive to make. Ive so far done plenty of wow variants and have done a tinned peach wine. Am looking to make one with fruits of some sort an after some ideas please

 

[RobWalker]

Cheapest is to wait until the fruit comes out, hahah...elderflowers will be around in april.

I'm quite fond of raspberries. Why not check out your supermarket and see what they've got going cheap in the freezer section? Bags of mixed berries can be like 1kg for £1.50

 

[samnorfolk]

Ok thanks and how much do U need to make say a 20 lite batch

 

[samnorfolk]

Ok thanks and how much do U need to make say a 20 lite batch

 

[RobWalker]

I only do gallons and usually wows at that, so would be better to listen to somebody else I reakon :thumb: lol.

 

[Brewtrog]

Wows are cheap, plenty of recipes up already, just have a quick look around. The other way to do it is to buy a kit wine, they're anywhere from £20+ as far as I've seen.

 

[Kirk]

To a gallon, 4-5 litres, it is normally about 3 pounds of fruit.
So quite a lot for 20 litres ~12-15 lbs.

For cheap perhaps a few bags of the bugdet apples that the supermarkets sell.
Tesco today have pineapples at 80p, not sure how many for 20 litres, guess 7 or 8, as they were not that big.
Sainsburys have frozen mixed berrys in in their budget line as well.

Bit of the problem is 20 litres, as like many I make it in 1 or 2 gallon amounts.

 

[Captain_birdseye]

Anyone know how much sugar I'd need for a Demijohn of "frozen fruit - style" TC?

 

[GeorgeSalt]

Anyone know how much sugar I'd need for a Demijohn of "frozen fruit - style" TC?

Errr.. none..

The apple juice has enough sugar for a TC already, as well as any contribution from the frozen fruit.

 

[oldbloke]

Do parsnip wine, go on, you know you want to. I'm getting some on next week. Makes a lovely dry white.

 

[Brewtrog]

Do parsnip wine, go on, you know you want to. I'm getting some on next week.

A possible plus one to that (though I'm planning on it being a sherry.)

 

[oldbloke]

The first time I did parsnip it came out a bit like sherry, but that was coz I was a total newb and oxidised it.
I don't actually like sherry.
But we drank it anyway.
Second try was much better.
This year's hopefully will be better again

 

[samnorfolk]

Do parsnip wine, go on, you know you want to. I'm getting some on next week.

A possible plus one to that (though I'm planning on it being a sherry.)

Any chance of a recipe for the parsnip wine??

Also i only have a 23ltr fermenting bucket...if i choose to say do 2gal of elderberry wine will i risk oxidisation??

 

[oldbloke]

2011-11-26 Scrub 4lb parsnips, slice&boil until tender (30mins-ish);
Strain into another pan onto 3lb sugar, 2Tbsp citric, 1/2lb chopped raisins: simmer 45 mins;
Add crushed Campden tablet, into fermenting bin, water to 5litres, allow to cool,
add nutrient, at 21C add yeast (Gervin GV1) and pectolase
Stirred daily 10 days,
2011-12-06 Strained into demijohn
2011-01-24 Racked
2012-03-07 Bottled. Drinkable. A few rough edges but not bad.
2012-06-24 Very nice. Bit strong - less sugar next time!

Not sure I'd want to do more than a gallon of it, all that boiling of the veg at the start would take a big pan....

There is more risk with a brew that doesn't fill the FV, but you should be OK, once it gets going a blanket of CO2 covers it. I think I oxidised my parsnip when racking and or bottling (consequently I now use Campden more often than most people - paranoia)

 

[samnorfolk]

Excellent sounds good gonna give this one a try def. Thanks

 

[narmour]

Strain into another pan onto 3lb sugar, 2Tbsp citric, 1/2lb chopped raisins: simmer 45 mins;

when straining do you retain the vegetable or the water?

 

[Jonny69]

I did my first Parsnip wine with a similar recipe to above but with a mashed over-ripe banana added. The yeast from the banana kicked off the brew. Pretty sure I added the juice and zets of two lemons as well. It was very slow to ferment (approximately 2-3 months) and it took another 3 months to clear, but I'd say it's probably the best wine I've made. It came out sweet.

The best way to do this is hand around the veg section in the supermarket when they're reducing items and keep an eye out for parsnips. The ones in the bags keep for at least a month after their sell-by date, which should give you enough time to spot another couple of reduced bags.

 

[LeithR]

One other tip I can offer - it has worked well for me. Do you have a Fruit and Veg distribution company in your area. If you approach them and ask for any bruised fruit that they would normally throw away. I've done this very successfully and had batches of Banana, Orange Strawberry etc... from this source.

Also Rhubarb is just about to come into season. That makes an excellent wine. The spend Rhubarb if you use a dry juice extraction method (just lay the sugar over the chopped Rhubarb) can also be used to make some lovely Rhubarb Crumbles, especially if you add some Raisins.

Best of luck with your fosicking!!

 

[oldbloke]

Strain into another pan onto 3lb sugar, 2Tbsp citric, 1/2lb chopped raisins: simmer 45 mins;

when straining do you retain the vegetable or the water?

Water. In theory the sugars and flavours are out of the roots at that stage.

NB
In nature, a good frost converts some of the starch in parsnips (and other roots) to sugars. In the home, stick 'em in the freezer overnight.

 

[Kirstin]

NB
In nature, a good frost converts some of the starch in parsnips (and other roots) to sugars. In the home, stick 'em in the freezer overnight.

Thanks OldBloke - am seriously considering a parsnip wine next - will deffo take your advice and also check the chepo reduced items on supermarket shelf!! Last time I got parsnips reduced at 10p for 500g they were in my fridge 6 weeks past their sell by before they went off