Cooking Wine

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Welcome @IanG, and congrats on your new lifestyle choices :-) Everyone's different so just stick to what works for you.
You might find that to support the physical stuff, a bit of yoga or pilates helps too

 

[IanG]

Thanks so much. I had originally thought 30L bucket but now I am thinking 5L demijohn is the way to go, bit of a pain to clean but I am probably going to have to age for 6 months anyway. I had completely forgotten about wilkos!
@Janulka098 odd that all your beaverdale suggestions are out of stock so they must be good

I am limited by heating but I think I will go beaverdale 6 bottle when back in stock and do a selection and in the meantime get a couple bags of wine

 

[Janulka098]

Thanks so much. I had originally thought 30L bucket but now I am thinking 5L demijohn is the way to go, bit of a pain to clean but I am probably going to have to age for 6 months anyway. I had completely forgotten about wilkos!
@Janulka098 odd that all your beaverdale suggestions are out of stock so they must be good

I am limited by heating but I think I will go beaverdale 6 bottle when back in stock and do a selection and in the meantime get a couple bags of wine

When I started making wine I got starter kit from bigger jugs that consisted of all the necessary items and two 5l bucket including 6bottle kit :) - and then got few demijohns as well for the supermarket juice wines. The buckets are now used for primary fermentation of fruit in straining bag and then transferred to demijohns. Have to say - brewing is very addictive ....

 

[IanG]

6 demi in bath with no rinse. I am going to do pineapple as suggested because because (please link to best supermarket)
I think one merlot, one cab sauv, one chard, one pink, suggestions appreciated for 6 bottle kits

 

[Janulka098]

6 demi in bath with no rinse. I am going to do pineapple as suggested because because (please link to best supermarket)
I think one merlot, one cab sauv, one chard, one pink, suggestions appreciated for 6 bottle kits

Pineapple juice - cheapest is Aldi (59p) per litre of 100%juice. Or Lidl pineapple is good also (I have downloaded app for Lidl plus and it gives 5off 25 plus 25pecent of juice...) I would go with beaverdale kits - not much more than cheaper ones but much better- all juice and no extra sugar needed... done Solomon Grundy Zinfandel for pink and that was good (barefoot like) :) done few wilko kits but they taste a bit chemical and for £10 pounds you can get beaverdale for not much more and they have much better - done Chardonnay semillion, white burgundy, Nebbiolo to name few and bought their Grenache (rose) - not done that one yet. All them were great. Sorry seems I have hijacked the thread! Done the forum fave rose and that has been really good. 1l red grape juice, 1.5l apple juice (as chippy advised)

 

[Janulka098]

Oh just a note. Leave the pineapple for few weeks after bottling :) same with any supermarket juice wines - they are early drinkers but absolutely benefit with few weeks in bottle :)

 

[Hagrid]

Cooking with isn’t blasphemy. Beer and wine are for enjoying. If you enjoy the meal you’ve cooked them then you’re doing it right. I match the wine colour to the meat (and fish) colour. They tend to blend a bit better IMO.

Have you tried making your own stock? It’s surprisingly simple and there’s loads of recipes out there.

Mrs. Hagrid is veggie so I don’t often make meaty ones anymore but start with a nice meat chop (in the bone) and cook it off, scoff the meat with your favourite side dish. Then roast the bones until dark golden. Add to a stock pot with some water and boil it (don’t forget to deglaze the tray you baked it in) put it on the hob with some water/wine and boil until all the burn is off and add to your stock pot.

Next rough cut some veggies and chuck them (even the boys you normally chuck away) and boil until they’re soft. (Scoop them out into another pan with some water and blitz it to make a soup.) back to the stock. Add some different spices (mustard seed, black pepper etc. (Google is your friend. :) ) and boil until it’s volume has reduced (known as reducing)

Leave it to cool and pour into ice cube trays and freeze. When you cook with them you can just chuck them in what ever you’re making and go. You can also experiment with flavours.

You can do the same with a chicken/turkey carcass after a roast.

There loads of amazing and easy to follow recipes/lessons on YouTube. Or drop me a PM.