Recipe
Hawthorn Berries (Haws)
Method
Wash thoroughly and remove stalks then place berries in a large bowl.
Wash hands thoroughly as it all hands in time. Squeeze the berries with hands to turn into a conjealing mush of stone and flesh.
Now take a handful of the mush and squeeze so the stones are left in ones palm. Discard them and continue until all stones removed.
Place mush between two grease proof sheets and roll out until thin.
Place onto a baking tray and put in a warm dry place (i put mine on the overnight storage heater).
Leave for 2 to 3 days then remove baking paper and slice into bars.
Dry in the warm place until bars are hard.
Notes
Taken from a Ray Mears Episode. These are best made from late October to December when the fruit is ripe and fleshy.
Update
Tried to make this last week as fruit is ripening early this year but it seems not so with haw berries. Catching them early means the berries lack the ripeness, fleshy quality that time provides.
The result for me was that the stones where almost impossible to sieve out and it only left a rather sour mush behind that dried well but was less palatable.
Friday 30 September 2011
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Damson Wine
Recipe
4 lbs ripe wild damsons
2-1/2 lbs finely granulated sugar
1 cup red grape concentrate
1 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1/4 tsp tannin
1 crushed Campden tablet
water to one gallon (about 5-6 pints)
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 packet Bordeaux or Burgundy wine yeast
Method
(1) Put 1/2 gallon water on to boil. Meanwhile, wash, sort, destem, and destone the fruit.
Transfer fruit and any juice to nylon straining bag in primary graduated (marked) by pints to one gallon, add grape concentrate, boiling water, cover and allow to cool to lukewarm.
Add crushed Campden, recover and wait 12 hours.
(2) Crush fruit by hand by squeezing bag. Mix in half the sugar, stirring well to dissolve. Lift the bag of fruit and allow to drain about two minutes, then add water to bring liquid up to 7 pints. Return bag to liquid, measure and note S.G., and then add acid blend, tannin, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient.
Wait 12 Hours
(3)Add yeast.
(4)Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(5) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(6) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(7) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(8) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(9) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(10) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(11) Drip drain bag of pulp 2-3 hours, squeezing gently at end to coax additional juice from bag. Do not squeeze vigorously. Add drained juice to primary and use hydrometer chart to determine how much additional sugar to add to achieve S.G. of 1.095 (find previously measured S.G. on chart and determine how much sugar to add to that to achieve target S.G. of 1.095). Add sugar and stir well to dissolve.
Allow to settle overnight
(12) Rack into secondary and fit airlock without topping up.
Wait 7 days
(13) Top up.
Wait a month
(14) Rack, top up and refit airlock
Wait a month
(14) Rack, top up and refit airlock
Wait a month
(14) Rack, top up and refit airlock
Wait a month
(15) When wine clears, wait one additional month
(16) rack, top up, refit airlock, and set aside for bulk aging.
Check water level in airlock monthly.
Wait 6 months
(17) Stabilize, wait 10 days
(18) rack if needed, sweeten to taste and bottle.
Do not drink for one year.
Notes
Lifted from http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/damson.asp
Adapted recipe from W.H.T. Tayleur's The Penguin Book of Home Brewing & Wine-Making
Update
Waiting on stage (2)
4 lbs ripe wild damsons
2-1/2 lbs finely granulated sugar
1 cup red grape concentrate
1 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1/4 tsp tannin
1 crushed Campden tablet
water to one gallon (about 5-6 pints)
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 packet Bordeaux or Burgundy wine yeast
Method
(1) Put 1/2 gallon water on to boil. Meanwhile, wash, sort, destem, and destone the fruit.
Transfer fruit and any juice to nylon straining bag in primary graduated (marked) by pints to one gallon, add grape concentrate, boiling water, cover and allow to cool to lukewarm.
Add crushed Campden, recover and wait 12 hours.
(2) Crush fruit by hand by squeezing bag. Mix in half the sugar, stirring well to dissolve. Lift the bag of fruit and allow to drain about two minutes, then add water to bring liquid up to 7 pints. Return bag to liquid, measure and note S.G., and then add acid blend, tannin, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient.
Wait 12 Hours
(3)Add yeast.
(4)Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(5) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(6) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(7) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(8) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(9) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(10) Sqeeze bag AM
Squeeze bag PM
(11) Drip drain bag of pulp 2-3 hours, squeezing gently at end to coax additional juice from bag. Do not squeeze vigorously. Add drained juice to primary and use hydrometer chart to determine how much additional sugar to add to achieve S.G. of 1.095 (find previously measured S.G. on chart and determine how much sugar to add to that to achieve target S.G. of 1.095). Add sugar and stir well to dissolve.
Allow to settle overnight
(12) Rack into secondary and fit airlock without topping up.
Wait 7 days
(13) Top up.
Wait a month
(14) Rack, top up and refit airlock
Wait a month
(14) Rack, top up and refit airlock
Wait a month
(14) Rack, top up and refit airlock
Wait a month
(15) When wine clears, wait one additional month
(16) rack, top up, refit airlock, and set aside for bulk aging.
Check water level in airlock monthly.
Wait 6 months
(17) Stabilize, wait 10 days
(18) rack if needed, sweeten to taste and bottle.
Do not drink for one year.
Notes
Lifted from http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/damson.asp
Adapted recipe from W.H.T. Tayleur's The Penguin Book of Home Brewing & Wine-Making
Update
Waiting on stage (2)
Monday 19 September 2011
Elderberry Wine
Recipe
10 lbs fresh, ripe elderberries
1-3/4 lbs finely granulated sugar
4-1/2 to 5 pints water
1 tsp acid blend
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp pectic enzyme
Montrachet wine yeast
Method
(1) Wash, destem and inspect the berries for ripeness and soundness. Put berries in a stainless steel or enameled pot with 3/4 pound of sugar and half the water. Slowly bring to boil while stirring occasionally and turn off heat. Cover and set aside to cool to room temperature. Strain berries over primary through a nylon straining bag and hang bag over primary to drip drain for two hours. Very gently press pulp to extract a little more juice, but do not overdo this. Stir in remaining sugar and dry ingredients (except yeast) and stir well to dissolve. Add enough water to bring to one gallon and add yeast. Cover primary and wait for active fermentation. Ferment 2 weeks
(2) Siphon off sediments into secondary. Top up and fit airlock. Ferment two months
(3) Rack, top up, and refit airlock.
(4) Rack, top up, and refit airlock.
(5) Rack, top up, and refit airlock.
(6) Stabilize, wait 10 days
(7) Rack, sweeten to taste, and bottle. Age one year before tasting.
Notes
Adapted from Julius H. Fessler's Guidelines to Practical Winemaking
Lifted from http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/elderber.asp
That's quite a few elderberries and it took me two trips and 4 carrier bags to accumulate
It didn't help that the berries started fermenting in the pot whilst i was on the second trip!
Update
Stage (1) Fermentation period started 19/09
Please note i seem completely unable to respond to comments atm which imo is ridiculous.
10 lbs fresh, ripe elderberries
1-3/4 lbs finely granulated sugar
4-1/2 to 5 pints water
1 tsp acid blend
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp pectic enzyme
Montrachet wine yeast
Method
(1) Wash, destem and inspect the berries for ripeness and soundness. Put berries in a stainless steel or enameled pot with 3/4 pound of sugar and half the water. Slowly bring to boil while stirring occasionally and turn off heat. Cover and set aside to cool to room temperature. Strain berries over primary through a nylon straining bag and hang bag over primary to drip drain for two hours. Very gently press pulp to extract a little more juice, but do not overdo this. Stir in remaining sugar and dry ingredients (except yeast) and stir well to dissolve. Add enough water to bring to one gallon and add yeast. Cover primary and wait for active fermentation. Ferment 2 weeks
(2) Siphon off sediments into secondary. Top up and fit airlock. Ferment two months
(3) Rack, top up, and refit airlock.
(4) Rack, top up, and refit airlock.
(5) Rack, top up, and refit airlock.
(6) Stabilize, wait 10 days
(7) Rack, sweeten to taste, and bottle. Age one year before tasting.
Notes
Adapted from Julius H. Fessler's Guidelines to Practical Winemaking
Lifted from http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/elderber.asp
That's quite a few elderberries and it took me two trips and 4 carrier bags to accumulate
It didn't help that the berries started fermenting in the pot whilst i was on the second trip!
Update
Stage (1) Fermentation period started 19/09
Please note i seem completely unable to respond to comments atm which imo is ridiculous.
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