Beetroot wine

[Jimmy]

Watched an article on Countryfile about beetroot wine producers in the UK.
Anyone dabbled ?
Does it taste OK ?
I have number of demijohns and a beer brewing bucket.
Was thinking of growing some beetroot this year.
Any recommended recipes?
Any special varieties?

Thanks
Jimmy

[Bren In Pots]

Jimmy I've found a couple of older threads both have recipes hope they help.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ine_39194.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...nse_88984.html

[burnie]

The stuff is a bit of an acquired taste, I used to love the stuff my Dad made as a kid(I think it was the first alcoholic drink I ever had, tiny glass with Sunday dinner when about 6 years old I think). I've never made any but if I remember right you use the older roots, my CJ Berry bible says make it in December.

[Owamya]

When you add just water to a wine based drink you get a flavoured alcoholic water or wash, I'd recommend substitute the water with Lidl's vitafit red grape juice and cut the sugar down as there's some in the juice. Most homebrew shops supply yeast and nutrient already mixed for a couple of quid. I brew'd an elderflower wine and the result was fantastic compared to just add water reciepies.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I've not made beetroot wine, but a general observation on 'root' wines would be to leave them to mature for ages. My parsnip wine stops tasting of parsnip and starts tasting like a chardonnay once it has been in the bottle for a couple of years.

Owamya's got a good point about using a couple of litres of grape juice per gallon to 'soften' the brew.

[the big lebowski]

i have got a recipie for some somwhere ,i`ll look it out for you and hazel is correct alot of wine gets better with age i have about 8 gallons of wine that tastes like cough syrup to start with but im waiting/hoping it will get better by the time i try it this summer ,cheers

[burnie]

Apart from the "dry sugar method" Rhubarb wine, I would say all wine should be kept for a year, I made Blackberry, Apple and Apple and Raisin last year, I will drink it when I'm making this years brews.

[Hazel at the Hill]

i have got a recipie for some somwhere ,i`ll look it out for you and hazel is correct alot of wine gets better with age i have about 8 gallons of wine that tastes like cough syrup to start with but im waiting/hoping it will get better by the time i try it this summer ,cheers

Knew you'd roll up to give us an expert's view!

Apart from the "dry sugar method" Rhubarb wine, I would say all wine should be kept for a year, I made Blackberry, Apple and Apple and Raisin last year, I will drink it when I'm making this years brews.

My rule of thumb is 3 months for teabag wine, 12 months for rhubarb/fruit wines, 2 yrs for root wines.

Rule of thumb goes out the window if I've been slack on production - e.g. the rhubarb and redcurrant I had last week should not have been downed until Aug.

[the big lebowski]

here`s a couple of recipies for you ,the 1st 2 are from c.j.j. berry

beetroot wine

1.8kg (4lb) young beetroot
1.2kg (2 1/2lb) sugar
yeast and nutrient
1 lemon
4-6 cloves
1/2 oz root ginger
4.5 ltrs water

beetroot and parsnip wine

1 kg frosted parsnips
1 kg old beetroot
1.2 kg sugar
grape tannin
pectic enzyme
2 lemons
2 oranges
yeast nutrient
yeast

also another from john wright (hugh fernly whatshisnames mate )

2 kg beetroot
1.2 kg sugar
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1/2 tsp amylase
pared zest and juice of 2 lemons
250ml tim of white grape comcentrate
1/2 tsp grape tannin
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 ripe banana (optional)
yeast

this last one is for parsnip , carrot or beetroot and he says parsnip is a great wine ,carrot is a good wine and beetroot is an "if you really have too " wine

"beetroot wine ,on the other hand ,does not seem to be much liked by anyone for the simple reason that it tastes like dirt "

cheers for the compliment hazel

hope this helps out any more questions then just ask ,cheers