AlienMarky
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2018
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Thought I should probably do a proper post after my intro, so here goes...
This all started off because my parents have an apple tree at the end of their allotment that's been there for quite a long time ("Laxton's Superb" if anyone is interested!). They had frozen as much as possible from the 2017 crop but still had a lot of windfalls, so I took a few boxes worth and had a pop at making scrumpy; I'd already made enough chutney and apple jelly to fuel a small Eastern-European country by this point, so fancied a change. I made a 1G DJ's worth from 6kg apples pressed which I left to it's own devices and the resultant drink was very, very nice, considering I didn't add anything to it! Still have three bottles left I'm trying very hard not to drink to let it age a bit....
Still had a half box of apples left which wasn't quite enough for another whole demijohn of scrumpy, so tried an apple wine with this recipe;
Apple Wine
2.5kg apples, chopped
3tsp ground cinnamon
3 normal tea bags
1.5kg white sugar
Cooked all the above with 2l water, then let it cool overnight - OG was about 1.084. Strained into a DJ, topped up to 1 gal and then pitched yeast (Wilko gervin wine yeast). Racked it after a couple of weeks off of the lees and then stabilised, left a few more days and bottled at 0.992.
then my dad dropped off another three DJs... and some apples and blackberries.... Soo....!
Blackberry & Apple Wine
1.3kg blackberries
1kg apples
1.5kg sugar
“wilko” all-in-one yeast compound
Cooked fruit with about 1.5 ltr water for 30 mins, added sugar and waited for it to dissolve. Left overnight to cool and then chucked into my 25l FV, topping up to 1G, OG was 1.084. Strained into a DJ and pitched the same yeast as above. Currently been racked twice and is sat at 0.990, waiting to clear.
Then I went freezer-diving at the folks house and found some red gooseberries, so thought I'd give it a go!
Gooseberry wine:
1.4kg red gooseberries
1.2kg granulated white sugar
“wilko” all-in-one yeast compound
Chucked the fruit in a bag (used the one from my press) and mashed it up a bit with a potato masher in the FV. Boiled 2l water and dissolved the sugar in it, then poured it over the fruit. Topped it up to 1g and then left it overnight in case it was still a bit warm. Took the OG (1.084) and added the yeast. Left it for a week before removing the bag, then another five days before straining it to a DJ (my cat decided the lid was an awesome place to sleep and broke it a bit, so was worried that fruit flies might get in and ruin it which is why I didn't leave it longer). Currently sat gently bubbling away at 1.000, so expect it to finish fairly soon...
And that's where I'm at now! Currently hunting through the forum for new recipes; have 1/2kg ginger in our freezer so that might factor in....
This all started off because my parents have an apple tree at the end of their allotment that's been there for quite a long time ("Laxton's Superb" if anyone is interested!). They had frozen as much as possible from the 2017 crop but still had a lot of windfalls, so I took a few boxes worth and had a pop at making scrumpy; I'd already made enough chutney and apple jelly to fuel a small Eastern-European country by this point, so fancied a change. I made a 1G DJ's worth from 6kg apples pressed which I left to it's own devices and the resultant drink was very, very nice, considering I didn't add anything to it! Still have three bottles left I'm trying very hard not to drink to let it age a bit....
Still had a half box of apples left which wasn't quite enough for another whole demijohn of scrumpy, so tried an apple wine with this recipe;
Apple Wine
2.5kg apples, chopped
3tsp ground cinnamon
3 normal tea bags
1.5kg white sugar
Cooked all the above with 2l water, then let it cool overnight - OG was about 1.084. Strained into a DJ, topped up to 1 gal and then pitched yeast (Wilko gervin wine yeast). Racked it after a couple of weeks off of the lees and then stabilised, left a few more days and bottled at 0.992.
then my dad dropped off another three DJs... and some apples and blackberries.... Soo....!
Blackberry & Apple Wine
1.3kg blackberries
1kg apples
1.5kg sugar
“wilko” all-in-one yeast compound
Cooked fruit with about 1.5 ltr water for 30 mins, added sugar and waited for it to dissolve. Left overnight to cool and then chucked into my 25l FV, topping up to 1G, OG was 1.084. Strained into a DJ and pitched the same yeast as above. Currently been racked twice and is sat at 0.990, waiting to clear.
Then I went freezer-diving at the folks house and found some red gooseberries, so thought I'd give it a go!
Gooseberry wine:
1.4kg red gooseberries
1.2kg granulated white sugar
“wilko” all-in-one yeast compound
Chucked the fruit in a bag (used the one from my press) and mashed it up a bit with a potato masher in the FV. Boiled 2l water and dissolved the sugar in it, then poured it over the fruit. Topped it up to 1g and then left it overnight in case it was still a bit warm. Took the OG (1.084) and added the yeast. Left it for a week before removing the bag, then another five days before straining it to a DJ (my cat decided the lid was an awesome place to sleep and broke it a bit, so was worried that fruit flies might get in and ruin it which is why I didn't leave it longer). Currently sat gently bubbling away at 1.000, so expect it to finish fairly soon...
And that's where I'm at now! Currently hunting through the forum for new recipes; have 1/2kg ginger in our freezer so that might factor in....
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