Equipment Crossover?

[Stevieboy]

Fiona...Fiona...is that you? Tell me it's you Fiona...

I know you know...

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I know you know...

I know you know I know...

 

[Stevieboy]

Yes Charles.........................I know....

 

[Tommo 2]

Have been making country wines now for more years than I care to remember, never had to degas any of them but then again I leave all my reds for one year plus , making sure to rack them off when necessary and then if they need a bit of back sweetening I leave them for a further six months for the sugar to blend properly then bottle and leave for a few more months before trying, and I kid you not I used to make country wine that used a blend of elderberrys, blackberries, damsons and grape concentrate that it was best served after three or four years and after fermenting in a bucket for five days you on the fruit you put all the fruit through straining bag then put said strained fruit into another fermentation bin add some grape concentrate and that would make a lovely red table wine I used to call it the brother , but the first runnings made an incredible port style wine that literally took years to mature, but my god what a wine never tasted a shop bought or anything else that came close. The amount of fruit it took for one gallon was a lot and I used to make four gallons a year every year, but sadly I got older and find I just can’t do the things I used to so just stick to blackberry wine and damson wine some strawberry all grown on my allotment but still never touch them for at least 18 months , people now days want it yesterday so make these wines kits that are reputabley ready in seven days , ********, country wines made properly take time but are worth every minute pity there’s not enough time in most people’s life nowadays but to my mind it’s a dying art which is such a shame, but I am sure there are still men and women out there that still do country wine the old way and power to them, and for all the wine kit folks ain’t having a pop at you at all, good on your for brewing your own but if you ever get the time one day have a go at and a country wine , it’s easier than you might think and you’ll enjoy the foraging and you will for sure enjoy the end result, after giving it time to full mature, rant over will get my coat

 

[johncrobinson]

Thats a long post Tommo,But basically i agree.
Country wine is delightful.But as i have got older i find the allure of WOWs more and more enticing.

 

[An Ankoù]

I'm no expert in wine making, but I do know Berry's books are hopelessly outdated as far as the amount of sugar in the recipes goes. And his book(s) on beer terrible.

Really? I started with Berry in the 70s and it's still the only Book I've ever felt the need to refer to for home grown or foraged ingredients. I don't make much wine, I've never made a "kit" and wine from tetrapacks of juice, sorbated after a few weeks has all the appeal of drinking White Lightning. Berry's recipes usually turn out dry and quite strong. There's no reason why ingredients or finished wine can't be blended and at the end of the day, his book is called "First Steps..." ie a springboard for further experimentation. Never tried his beer recipes though. I'd be interested to know what you mean by hopelessly outdated as far as the amount of sugar goes.
I haven't got an axe to grind, here, particularly, but I think you're doing the lad an injustice. You might as well knock Dave Line for only having the ingredients and methods of his era to hand.

Edit.
Just found a copy of Home Brewed Beers & Stouts in my archives. A quick flip through some of the recipes is very interesting. I'm going to give it a good read. I see the 1st edition was in 1963, Mine's the 5th edition, from when kits and ingredients were more available. I'd love to see a first edition.

 

[Stevieboy]

Tommo 2

50 gallons of country wine naturally degassed while that post was composed......

Agree with all you said BTW

 

[johncrobinson]

I have answered many posts on this forum about the amounts of sugar in some of Berry's recipes.
Two things come to mind.
(1) The general taste in those days was for far sweeter wines than we drink now.
(2) Some of the quantities given may have been misprints on the publishers part.

The books are good reading though.

 

[Stevieboy]

I have answered many posts on this forum about the amounts of sugar in some of Berry's recipes.
Two things come to mind.
(1) The general taste in those days was for far sweeter wines than we drink now.
(2) Some of the quantities given may have been misprints on the publishers part.

The books are good reading though.

I have 3 copies of "First Steps" - my Grandfather's, my Father's and mine - each one has handwritten notes in them for tasting, recipe adjustments etc..they are priceless to me.

 

[The Furnace Green Brewer]

I use Mr. Berry's book homemade beers etc, to 'brew' good beers using liquid malt extract and his first steps to make very drinkable elderberry wines, which take about a year to be drinkable.
cheers all

 

[Stevieboy]

I use Mr. Berry's book homemade beers etc, to 'brew' good beers using liquid malt extract and his first steps to make very drinkable elderberry wines, which take about a year to be drinkable.
cheers all

And I'll be doing a Raisin Sherry very soon for Christmas...always good.

 

[The Furnace Green Brewer]

I am making some elder berry wine using dried elder berries this weekend

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I have answered many posts on this forum about the amounts of sugar in some of Berry's recipes.
Two things come to mind.
(1) The general taste in those days was for far sweeter wines than we drink now.
(2) Some of the quantities given may have been misprints on the publishers part.

The books are good reading though.

Actually, I bow to your superior knowledge and I was perhaps a little hasty and should have been a little more detailed in my post.

From what I've read over the years, the sweetness seems to be the main gripe for those who have one. I *thought* I'd also read that the sugar we buy today is sweeter due to better refining methods, but on reflection think not, but do know that floating about somewhere on the internet is a version someone's updated with the levels of sweetness reigned in.

Also, I have made some good wines using at least one of his books as a starting point.

 

[johncrobinson]

Agreed BH I love reading the books and get some great ideas from them,I also like the fact a lot of the recipes are from noted contributors as well.

I think some of the errors may have crept in during "Metrication".

After all a non-winemaker printer/typesetter would not know if you needed 10lb or 10kg or even 10ton of sugar to the gallon.

Curiously though the errors only seem to affect the sugar,The fruit levels are always just about spot on.???