Best fruits for winemaking?

[Snailfox]

I'm think of new fruits to add to my allotment plot and wondered if any homebrewers out there had much experience with wine/beer making, and what fruits are best used?

[Alison]

To be honest it depends on what you like. My wine is usually made out of whichever fruits and veggies we have a particular excess of. This year I have some blackberry and apple which is starting to clear nicely, last year's raspberry was nice although rather dry for me - take that as bone dry! The broad bean experiment was surprisingly OK but I wouldn't bother with marrow wine anymore, no real body / taste.

[Jeanied]

I like rhubarb wine, gooseberry wine and strawberry wine

[Kleftiwallah]

Elderberry and damson just has to be at the top of the list. Luckily there are scores of bushes already in the hedgerows. Allotmentwise, I'd go for currants.

Cheers, Tony

[alldigging]

Blackcurrant went down very well with some friends. The raspberry is quite good. The mint is yummy too. The dandelion was amazing though I suspect you'd not be popular growing them on your plot. (Although you do pick them before they seed)

[vegboi]

I love the idea of doing this roughly how many bushes or canines are required to make wine and is it easy to make wine?


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[alldigging]

Once you have the kit it's fairly easy> Carboots or relatives are a great way of getting stuff!

Loads of recipes.
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ipe_51533.html

[Kirk]

Making wine is fairly simple, depending on the depths to which you want to go.
A simplified start is 3 lb fruit. 2.5 lbs sugar, wine yeast and a gallon of water.
To be simpler drop a 1Kg bag of sugar in, bit less then 2.5lbs (2.2) but close.
Use a wine yeast not bread yeast, you are not making bread you are making a wine.

Depending on the fruit you can add tanin or acid, but a dark fruit tends to have tanin, especially the skins and any pips and in the UK quite a lot has enough acid already.

It can be as easy as you want or you can get more complicated. One thing worthwhile is to get a hydrometer and before the yeast goes in take a reading from the hydrometer.

[rustylady]

I love the idea of doing this roughly how many bushes or canines are required to make wine and is it easy to make wine?


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Don't think dogs or teeth make very good wine

[Snailfox]

Really pleased to hear that gooseberries make a good wine, as i just planted some! Along with the strawberries and plums (hopefully!-none this year), i should be able to rustle something good up.
I made mead this year, but it's been ageing, and I haven't had the courage to taste it yet, it smells lethal though..


bit of a follow up question... other than the elderberry/damson mix mentioned above.... what combination of fruit works well?

[Bigmallly]

Welcome to the vine Snailfox. I don't drink myself but have heard that a cheap bottle of A5da Gin & whatever fruit you can lay your hands on go well together.

[Snailfox]

ha! Thanks, I'll have to give that one a try...

I tried making limoncello with vodka a few years ago...it wasn't too bad, definitely not great though!
any advice for a newbie on here?

[Bigmallly]

Have you had a look through the "Juicy Gossip" threads?

Juicy Gossip

[Snailfox]

ah! fantastic, thanks for the heads up..

[Two_Sheds]

what fruits are best used?

Raspberry has been a favourite here, and elderberry is good for adding body to anything. Have a browse through the old posts in the homebrew forum

roughly how many bushes or canines are required to make wine

No canines at all, although one would keep the cats off the plot.



http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ase_59183.html

as an example: 1.8kg raspberries. I have about a dozen rasp plants now. If you don't have a good year, then just leave the fruits in the freezer until you have enough to make a brew

is it easy to make wine?

Like anything, it's easy when you know how. Start off with something basic & (almost) foolproof before you start using real fruits

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ine_18686.html