New member in Yorkshire!

Nubbin · Sep 30, 2021

Hi everyone
My name is Duncan and I found HomeBrew forum whilst looking for some wine recipe inspiration. We recently moved to a new house in East Yorkshire which by happy circumstance has a number of mature fruit trees including plum, apple, pear, and cherry. It seemed a shame to waste all this bounty, so I decided to have a go at wine making. I have recently realised that several large hedgerow trees which I thought were Blackthorn, are in fact Bullace trees. I had intended a foray into Sloe gin, but the fruits are like small plums, about the size of large cherries. so I'm going to convert them into Bullace gin, and Bullace wine.

My mother used to make wine, and I have dabbled as a student with home brew beer, but not done anything for 30 years or more. Now it's time to get brewing again! Any advice welcome!

Stevieboy · Sep 30, 2021

Welcome aboard. Sound like you've got the ideal back yard!

Applesnmore · Sep 30, 2021

Welcome. You certainly have a good collection of trees that will take you a long way.
If you want cherries you'll have to net them - used Wondermesh .co.uk is great for covering a whole tree. Previously used for covering fields of broccoli.
Ripe eating apples can be a pain to crush - in that some go apple sauce when pressed ripe. So get to know your apples if they do that pick slightly under ripe and crush.
Country wines benefit from aging.
Fruit Trees, even old ones benefit from pruning.
Prune at the right time plums/cherries when the month begins with A. Apples & pears prune in winter December - February.
Rhubarb wine is brilliant.

Have fun