Hazel's Celery Wine

[Flummery]

I heartily agree on the amount of sugar Janie. I'd never put more than 1.5lb in anything - but then I always add 1lb minced raisins or sultanas too and often other fruits for body. The only home made wine I've chucked was turnip. Even 5 years later it tasted of brassicas. It even spoilt gravy!

[Hazel at the Hill]

So, Day 2, and this sugar content thingy has really made me have to have a lie down in a dark room.

Right.

What CJJ seems to be saying is - take your liquor and measure the SG. Do a sum and add enough sugar to make to the SG you want. Top up with liquor to make a gallon.

Well I had a gallon already, so I guess that I should have done what Shirley said and taken some out (quite a bit - sugars quite bulky) then used this to top up to the gallon. In fact now I know how much liquor to measure to start (before adding the sugar) I may put some to one side then I can do this. All a bit tricky to the novice, I thought.

SO

In the next breath, CJJ says 'alternatively - if you have a gallon, measure the current SG, look at the table to see what SG you want, then do a sum involving 56g of sugar for each 5degree adjustment you want to make. You will have more that a gallon at the end of this tho'.

True. I had a gallon, measure the SG, did a sum to see how much sugar I had to add to increase the SG to where I wanted it and disolved that amount of sugar into. Checked the SG at the end to make sure, but of course I do have a bucket with a gallon and a bit in.

I'll have to keep an eye on the fermentation, I think!

[scarey55]

Oh gawd Haze, I'm nothing like as clever as you. I just bung it all in together and hope for the best. Come to think of it, I wonder if that's why I end up throwing some of mine away NO, not yours Wellie love which, I might add is looking scrummy.

[Hazel at the Hill]

*see Haze lie down in a dark room

[wellie]

You know, I was wondering when Wellie's Wine might bubble to the surface again! Ah! you are so lovely Clare....

Hazel sweetie. I have absolutely NO knowledge on this matter, and so, no advice to offer. As a Publican, I only ever had time to sell the stuff, never make it! BUT, with every step of the way, I am learning from you my darling.... so forge ahead as quickly as you can angel, we're all getting jolly thirsty just watching?!
Right here I am.... Right here.....! (see wellie blow on celery to cool it down.....)
XX

[Hazel at the Hill]

....bucket of fermenting celery wine now upstairs in a Moderately Warm Room.

(*See Haze and two cats lined up, fingies in ears, head first under bed. )

[Hazel at the Hill]

When I first started making my own wines, the recipes called for too much sugar and very heavy sweet results. I learnt to cut back on the amount of sugar until I had a result (nearly wrote "got") that I liked.

I heartily agree on the amount of sugar, Janie

I see what you're saying about 'syrupy' 70's wine, girls - but is it true that 'modern' blend's varieties of yeast 'work' better than those olde ones?

Clearly I'm a novice here, but as I understand it, yeast will work with the available food (sugar) until (a) the yeast starves as it runs out of food (sugar) or (b) the alcohol content is high enough to poison and kill the yeast.

So where in the Tank Top age of 70's Country wines, 3lb of sugar to a gallon was - by our palatte - revoltingly sickly, these days 3lb of sugar ferments out to a drier/stronger wine by way of more robust yeasts?

Just a thought?

[wellie]

Bottoms Up!
X

[Hazel at the Hill]

Oh no - I can't resist going upstairs for a peep.....shh...pusskas, Haze just sliding out from under the duvet for a mo.....where's my specs..........

have now disturbed snoozing mogs, and been up to look at gallon-and-a-bit of old-sock-coloured celery fermenting wine AND ..............

.......it's jus' looking a bit fizzy....

[wellie]

Hazel.... watched kettle never boils?! I'll check back tomorrow afternoon and see how it's going sweetie. Now get you and Les Moggies back under that duvet....!
X

[shirlthegirl43]

If your bucket is a bit full Hazel, bung it on a tray or in a bowl or something to catch any spillover. It might ferment gently and steadily or it might go off on one (like my rhubarb and strawberry did overnight - again).

I think you might have a point on the yeast types, but have read on the wine forum I am a member of that most people use less sugar than Berry quotes.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Just a follow up on the sugar thing - I added a small can of grape concentrate to the celery liquor before checking the SG, and in order to bring the whole lot to the SG I wanted I need to add 2 1/4 lb of sugar as opposed to the 3lb that CJJ suggests.

....and I've cracked the whole 'how much sugar' thingy too.

• Set aside enough liquor from the bucket to take the level down to about 4litres
• Measure SG
• Consult table to see how much sugar to add
• Warm a couple of pints of liquor in a pan and dissolve sugar
• Add sugary stuff to bucket
• Make up to 1 gallon with set aside

OR

• Take 1 gallon and measure SG
• Add 56g sugar per 5 degrees SG you want to raised the liquor by
• Worry that resulting more-than-a-gallon will go banananas whilst fermenting

And sorry if all that sounds tedious and complicated, but this is my 'aide memoire' thread and it makes sense to me!

[shirlthegirl43]

makes sense to me too Hazel. How's the 'fizzing' going?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Well it looks pretty vile at the mo - but it's not overflowed the bucket! I took your advice and put it on a tray just in case!

[Brewer-again]

Living with CCJ

Hi! Hazel, Shirl and friends. I have read through the whole thread as I have helped in this area before but it looks like you are there at the end of the thread.
I will try to find my previous post which relates to this discussion.

I don't wish to be adverserial but Flummery it depends on your definition of wine.

I realise that most continental wine is made from the 'vine' ( maybe the connection ??) but if you consider beer/lager as 4-7% alchohol, and wines as 10-14% then you get into dark country. What about Barley wines 8-10%.

If I make a wine from blackberries have I made a wine ?
If I make wine from gooseberries have I made a wine ?
Damsons, apples or pears, what have I made?

One thing I have made is a really nice drink which is about 10-14% alchohol.

I love country wines, I celebrate country wines. So carry on, some will not brew out as you want, but then save these to mix with others.

Many of the 'best' wineries mix different years produce to give a taste that is acceptable.

Have fun.