Two_Sheds' Beetroot Wine

[Two_Sheds]

Inspired by Hazel's winemaking threads, and wanting to have a similar record for myself, I am chronicling my chronic attempt at making beetroot wine.

I am roughly following CJJ Berry's recipe, but swapped some sugar for sultanas

3lb young sweet beetroot, chopped
2lb sugar
1lb minced sultanas
6 cloves
juice of 1 lemon
1oz bruised fresh ginger
1 gallon water
red wine yeast
1 tsp nutrient

------------------

Boil washed, chopped, unpeeled beetroot in some of the water until tender but not mushy.
Strain onto the sugar, stir until dissolved. then add sultanas, lemon juice, spices & remaining water.
When it's all cool, add yeast & nutrient. Cover, then stir twice a day for 3 days.

[Two_Sheds]

Boy, did I make a mess of the kitchen ... juice all over the floor, then I walked in it and spread it all a bit further.

[Two_Sheds]

Some folks say don't waste the veg/fruit, use it in cooking. I thought I'd make soup, but the beetroot just tasted horrible after I got the juice out. This was the best use for it

[Two_Sheds]

Back to the recipe:
After 3 days, strain the liquor with a sieve or a mesh bag thingy (I had a sieve), into a dark demijohn.
Dark because light will spoil the delicate colour of the wine. If you only have clear DJs, wrap it in brown paper or something to exclude light.
Fit an airlock, of course.

[scarey55]

Looks good, might have a go at making some meeself. Will your parrot be needing any more beetroot??

[Two_Sheds]

After spilling more juice all over the floor, the cupboards, and myself, I found I only had half a demijohn of juice/liquor.

How did that happen?

Aha. When I put all the ingredients in the bucket, I topped up to the gallon mark with water. I didn't actually measure a gallon of water and add that to the bucket.

So, back to the book.
He says you must top up your DJ to the neck, to exclude as much air as possible.
I reckon I've got about 2 litres to add to get to that.
He also says to always top up with "syrup" of the same strength as your original recipe. That means I should add 4oz of sugar per pint.
What is pints in litres? About 4 I reckon. So 4 x 4 = 16oz of sugar, dissolved in 4 pints of boiled water.
I don't seem to have any pint jugs left in the cupboard though, so I make it up in a cafetiere (faint tang of coffee won't offend me when I drink the wine).

[Two_Sheds]

As I'm waiting for the sugary water to cool down enough to add to the DJ, it strikes me that I've already added enough sugar.
I just haven't added enough water.

Phew, that was a close one. You can always add more sugar, but you can't take it out !

[scarey55]

Noooooooo a litre isn't 4 pnts - step away from the syrup

[scarey55]

Sorry, I panicked there a bit
A litre is a little under 2 pints but as you're only adding water - it doesn't really matter (I think?)

[rustylady]

What is pints in litres?

I go by the old rhyme "A litre of water is a pint and three quarter". Near enough.

[Two_Sheds]

So ... I've added just plain boiled water, up to the neck. It's blupping away furiously

[scarey55]

Sounds good to me :-) Now... just another 3 months or so.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'm prolly asking this waaaaaaaay too late, but did you measure the SG at the start? (yep, I know the hydrometer isn't that obvious to read but compare the diagram in the book to what you see - or take a pic & put it up here if unsure)

I ask because in the event that you want to make this wine again, you want to know what you did this time...

I've given up measuring the sugar at the start (all fruit veg have different sugar levels so need different amounts of sugar - and CJJ is a bit generous with his measurements) - I use about 3lb fruit or veg, a bag of sugar and a gallon of water. Then I measure the SG and make it up to about 1090 - 1100 by using 4oz of sugar to up the SG by 10.

You've already clocked it that the sugar/juice of veg/water makes more than a gallon - and so if you try to cram it into a 1 gall DJ and it's a bit on the vigorous side it'll fizz up and out the airlock and bloody well everywhere - so I use 2 DJs just over half full each.

By the time you rack off sediment/pips/stray chunks of fruit etc/taken a bit out to taste you will be down to a nice round gallon which can be left in one DJ to gently clear to make 6 full bottles.

I had a senior moment and didn't sow any beetroot this year, or I would be making beetroot wine too.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm prolly asking this waaaaaaaay too late, but did you measure the SG at the start?

No ... I meant to, but forgot to sterilise it, and it was getting late and Mr S wanted his dinner, so I didn't.

I might do it today, if I can be bothered to get all sticky and messy again

[Two_Sheds]

I use ...a bag of sugar and a gallon of water. Then I measure the SG and make it up to about 1090 - 1100 by using 4oz of sugar to up the SG by 10.

I used a bag of sugar, and (now) a gallon of water. The SG is 1030.

Is that good/bad/indifferent?

(I really, really don't "get" the whole SG thing. I've read about it, read a different version, and another. I am just more confused than ever).