Kit but no cash...

**shirlthegirl43** · 12-06-2008, 04:40 PM

I have posted a recipe for a very nice light red wine (serve cold as it drinks like a rose) made with t bags. I also make a rhubarb wine from tinned rhubarb. You can also make wine from bramble tips, pea pods, coffee, tea, nettles - just about anything really. You will need to buy a proper wine yeast (less than a quid from Wilkinsons) and a few other bits and bobs to get a decent brew. You can't go wrong with the Youngs brew buddy kits - 20 quid gets you a kit to brew 6 bottles, or fork out around 30 quid for all the kit and ingredients to make 30 bottles. A lot of kit can be picked up on your local freecycle too.

Oh, and it is elderflower time so you can pick those and make a nice low alcohol 'champagne' or a nice wine. Again you will need yeast for the wine. Just make sure if you are picking elderflowers that they don't smell of cat wee (apparently there are different kinds and the smelly ones don't brew well).

**Polly Fouracre** · 12-06-2008, 05:07 PM

Tea wine is lovely! Also coffee wine.You can make wine from almost anything as long as it isn't poisonous.
Nettle wine.(Pamela Michaels-All Good Things Around Us)

4 pints young nettle tops(regrowth)
! gallon water
2 lemons
bit of root ginger(or you can use ground) three and a half pounds sugar.

Rinse nettles,put in a large pan with half the water the thinly pared lemon rind and the ginger.bruised with a rolling pin.
Simmer for 45 mins. Strain onto sugar,add rest of water and lemon juice. Add yeast when cool and away you go.

I also have some recipes for fruit juices that make wine that is ready in months rather than years and you can use Tesco Value juice!
I will look them out for you.

**Chillimad** · 12-06-2008, 05:48 PM

Boots (The Chemist) used to do a lovely 3 week wine kit, was lovely and so cheap,, not sure if they still do it though

**shirlthegirl43** · 12-06-2008, 06:05 PM

Originally posted by Chillimad View Post

Boots (The Chemist) used to do a lovely 3 week wine kit, was lovely and so cheap,, not sure if they still do it though

The Young's kit is ready in a week. Well, I put 5 gallons of Chardonnay to brew last Friday and started drinking it last night

**Chillimad** · 12-06-2008, 06:07 PM

Originally posted by shirlthegirl43 View Post

The Young's kit is ready in a week. Well, I put 5 gallons of Chardonnay to brew last Friday and started drinking it last night

Hic Hic, fair play to you LOL

**shirlthegirl43** · 12-06-2008, 06:09 PM

LOL, supposed to take 7 days but I have found a few times that if the weather is warm when it is brewing it finished a bit quicker. A jolly pleasant tipple for around 85p per bottle.

**Chillimad** · 12-06-2008, 06:12 PM

Originally posted by shirlthegirl43 View Post

LOL, supposed to take 7 days but I have found a few times that if the weather is warm when it is brewing it finished a bit quicker. A jolly pleasant tipple for around 85p per bottle.

Where do you get the Youngs one from shirl ??, going to have to give it a go now

**shirlthegirl43** · 12-06-2008, 06:13 PM

Wilkinsons or ebay sell it. I can recommed the Chardonnay - I don't drink red so haven't tried the only other one they stock in our Wilkinsons

**Chillimad** · 12-06-2008, 06:16 PM

Originally posted by shirlthegirl43 View Post

Wilkinsons or ebay sell it. I can recommed the Chardonnay - I don't drink red so haven't tried the only other one they stock in our Wilkinsons

Great, will be popping in there tommorow then,, I wont be online next friday - sunday then

**Hilary B** · 12-06-2008, 07:21 PM

I'd go for the elderflower. You don't need many, but you will need some yeast nutrient (there are 'home made' versions but I can't remember the details).
The other option, not tried it myself but someone I worked with long ago swore by it, is 1litre box of 'fruitjuice' (whatever flavour you like, but apple, orange or pineapple were what he used) a handful of raisins chopped, 1 kilo sugar, yeast, water to fill demijohn. Nothing fancy in the method. Leave the raisins in until first racking. He reckoned to make a gallon per week of this one, as well as 'specials', and that way his family had a bottle of wine every day.......

**Two_Sheds** · 12-06-2008, 07:35 PM

I used to make wine out of Basic Fruit Juice (c.88p) - the recipe was from a library book. I'm sure if you explore your library's stock or Google you will come across a recipe.

It wasn't that drinkable, but fine when made into a Party Punch. Here's one to get you started: Homebrew wine and country wine including recipes

**hooraynana** · 12-06-2008, 07:47 PM

Hello - this all sounds brilliant
Is it easy to make your own wine ? - what do I need ?
I prefer red but truthfully will drink anything lol
how do you get started ?

**shirlthegirl43** · 12-06-2008, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by hooraynana View Post

Hello - this all sounds brilliant
Is it easy to make your own wine ? - what do I need ?
I prefer red but truthfully will drink anything lol
how do you get started ?

Find your local brew store or visit Wilkinsons. You can't go wrong with one of the Youngs Brew kits - twenty pounds buys you a starter kit which has everything (except sugar and bottles) for you to brew your first 6 bottles of wine. That gives you base to start from. Invest in a copy of CJJ Berry's 'First Steps in Winemaking'. This was a fairly old book and it is a good reference but uses very high levels of sugar. More modern winemaking methods would suggest you aim for a starting SG of 1.080 ish and ferment to .996 or thereabouts to get a nice dry wine - if your wine finishes a bit dry you can sweeten it to taste but if it finishes sweet, you are stuck with it. I started with the kit and now make all sorts of wines. The teabag wine recipe I posted earlier is inexpensive for a first try too but you will need to purchase basic equipment to make it. Again, all the things you need will be available in Wilkinsons, your local brewstore or on Freecycle.

**Polly Fouracre** · 12-06-2008, 09:17 PM

For all the above you will also need a good supply of paracetamol and bog roll!!!!

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