gooseberry wine recipe?

[bluebell]

Hi think I may be hooked just started out and loving it, just watching the bubbles and changes is great! Anyway thinking of trying a fruit wine having got a WOW and kit on the go, gooseberrys are in season and I have a recipe from CCJ but it looks like loads of gooseberrys for 1 gal? 6lb? do I need that much and if he is saying concentrate can I sub grape juice if so how much? Also as it is fresh fruit just how big does the initial vessel need to be? I have a 20 litre pan but I think it is aluminum is that a problem?

I know so many questions!

 

[Moley]

What's the recipe you're looking at? The only one I have is in CJJB's “First Steps” and that also asks for 6 lbs to the gallon but doesn't mention concentrate.

CJJB's recipe also ends with “indistinguishable from a good Hock”. :wha: Is there such a thing? :sick:

Grape Juice isn't a substitute for Grape Concentrate, although it can be a good substitute for water. Grape Juice Concentrate or GJC is pressed from mostly wine grapes. Some of the more inferior supermarket carton grape juices might be “from concentrate” but that's not the same thing, their concentrate is pressed from mostly dessert grape. You can often use chopped or minced raisins as a substitute for GJC.

Why do you need a pan? The recipe I've got is fruit + cold water into a plastic bucket.

Aluminium IS a problem, do not use it with any acidic fruits.

I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm but in my opinion gooseberries aren't great on their own, although a pound or two added to other fruits can be good.

 

[bluebell]

Thanks for that Moley- just the first fruit to come in to season so I will save them for crumbles and jams and wait for something better for the wine making no point waiting months in anticipation only to find it is awful! Well not if you can help it Anyway gooseberries are horrid to pick - hence my reluctance to pick 6lb!