Anyone made gorse flower wine?

[Scottishnewbie]

caught the tail end of a River Cottage episode last night and HWF and pal were drinking gorse flower wine. Anyone any experience of making this? Any good?

And does anyone had a recipe please?

Many ta's

Laura

[Nicos]

Hmm..I saw that too!
Sounds like it's worth a go doesn't it???

[Jeanied]

I don't have a recipe - I'm sorry - but I have tasted some: I was once a steward to the wine judge at the local show and got to take a sip or two of the entries - such fun! The gorse flower wine won as far as I remember - a gorgeous buttery yellow wine.

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes...ecipe_p_1.html

[Scottishnewbie]

I don't have a recipe - I'm sorry - but I have tasted some: I was once a steward to the wine judge at the local show and got to take a sip or two of the entries - such fun! The gorse flower wine won as far as I remember - a gorgeous buttery yellow wine.

Gorseflower Wine Recipe | Food | Channel4.com

looks like I'll be heading up the hills in the next couple of days with my collecting bag then......!!!!

[diane.star]

I've not tried it but here is the link : River Cottage Community - Hugh's Gorseflower wine

Seems like this it for a large amount so you might want to divide the amounts.

[Flummery]

I have - it smells like Pina colada! Very nice. I used pineapple juice with the flowers.

[Mac]

yum yum and the gorse behind my house is just starting to flower! any ideas on how long you would leave it in the bottles before drinking - or is it and "instant" drinker?

[elsie-scot]

looks like I'll be heading up the hills in the next couple of days with my collecting bag then......!!!!

better get a thick jacket and trousers and some good gloves! Sounds worth a try

[Jeanied]

yum yum and the gorse behind my house is just starting to flower! any ideas on how long you would leave it in the bottles before drinking - or is it and "instant" drinker?

Flower wines are amongst the fastest maturing and not for keeping kinds. It depends on the recipe - adding grapes, sultanas or other fruit will extend the maturing time. At least that's what I understood but I'm not a real expert.
Just an enthusiastic amateur!

[Mac]

Thanks Jeanied, I'm not really looking for any extension to the time it takes from making to drinking! Just thought I'd try and sound like a grown up and not a raving alky!!

[Flummery]

They say 'When the gorse is in flower, kissing's in season!'
It's one of those wines you can make at most times of the year.

[hopless500]

I fancy that too!
Only thing is that he boils & then simmers the flowers, and I always thought this was a big no-no. Normally you would just pour boiling water over the flowers and then add your sugar and top up with cold water and the rest.
Maybe I'll try doing half his way where they're boiled to within an inch of their lives, and half the other way to see which is best.

[Two_Sheds]

The gorse is flowering here, so I might don some thick gloves and go picking.

Booze For Free has recipes for Gorse & Dandelion wine, Gorse Champagne, Gorse Cordial and Gorse Wine

A great read

[Polly Fouracre]

The best time for making gorse wine is in May. Choose a sunny day when the flowers are smelling like coconut and vanilla and are dry.
Most recipes advise boiling the flowers but I think that destroys the scent of them. Flowers don't attract wild yeasts as fruits do, so use warm water over them.

[HeatherL]

We made the gorse flower wine using the RC recipe a couple of years ago. It wasn't too bad, fairly dry but ours didnt come out as fizzy as the one on the tv. We preferred the elderflower bubbly that was also a RC recipe, that was extremely fizzy! Have made it every year since