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Brewing update

Posted by Sam on 05 Sep 2010 | Categories: Food & Drink

  • Dandelion and Apricot Wine – ended up more Apricoty than a very Apricoty thing.  I only have one bottle out of 6 left.  It was pretty good for a first attempt at wine-making.
  • Mulberry Mead – just keeps getting better and better.  The Mulberry flavour has come out a lot, almost competing with the heather now.  Wonderfully drinkable considering how dry it is.
  • Sorb, Orange & Ginger Wine – bitter yet sweet, and hard to drink…a sipper.  Still balanced and pretty yum, despite the malty aftertaste dropping off a bit.  Smells like Pink Grapefruit.  Could do with a bit more roundedness, hopefully another 4-6 months aging should do it.
  • Elderberry and Mulberry Wine – FINALLY bordering on drinkable, although still tastes like a young red wine.  This one may need another year before it’s good; I wonder if this is because it was made from 100% juice?
  • Rowan and Spiced Plum Wine – The overly sweet pre-mulled christmas delight is still overly sweet, and still tastes like a mulled wine should.  I think the plum might be coming out a bit more, which is nice.  Should be really good when it starts to get properly cold – assuming we don’t have a horrible mild and wet winter like most years these days.
  • Rosehip, Blood Orange & Hibiscus Wine – I took forever to get this one going, for one reason and another.  It’s fully fermented now and somehow really rather drinkable; I thought this was meant to take 2 years?  Anyway it can wait at least a year; my patience scares me sometimes :)
  • Elderflower and Rhubarb Wine – Again, just finished and strangely drinkable.  Very weird, although this one should only be 6-8 months before it’s properly tasty.
  • Dandelion, Green Raisin & Ginger Wine – On the way to fermentation, I just need to get some bottles to free up a demijon and more sugar.

Brewing Update

Posted by Sam on 13 Dec 2009 | Categories: Food & Drink

Dandelion & Apricot Wine (May ’09) – Tasty stuff, although it has had just over 6 months to get there.  Well integrated flavours – lots of fruit, flowery notes, ending on a big apricot aftertaste, spices and caramel (I used some proper awesome sun-dried apricots, innit).

Elderberry & Mulberry Wine (Oct ’09) – Massive deep red/purple colour and soft berry flavour, like a Cabernet Sauvignon on berroids (lol).  Still rough, but softening fast – this will be one smooth bastard in a few months.

Sorb, Orange & Ginger Wine (Nov ’09) – The most ludicrous wine I have made so far.  It fermented out super-quickly, ending up massively alcoholic and yet somehow still sweet, with a massive bitterness from the Sorbs.  Now the bitterness is mellowing and a totally bizarre (and very tasty) big malty aftertaste has developed.  Amazingly drinkable only a month after fermentation.

Mulberry Mead (Nov ’09) – Still fermenting, but not far off finishing.  Strangely enough, it stopped a while ago, then restarted without any prompting.  Dry, massive heather honey aroma, already a complex fruity beast so I can’t wait to try this after a few months to see what develops.

Rowan & Spiced Plum Wine (Dec ’09) – Stalled at the first stage by the absence of plums.  Oh noes!  Will get some tomorrow – and some cinnamon sticks.  Next Xmas will be great if this stuff turns out well ;)

Rosehip Wine, Pumpkin Wine, Mint Wine/Mead, Blackberry Mead, Strawberry Tree Fruit Mead/Wine/Brandy – A glint in the brewer’s eye.