Recent content by ctwtp

Been wanting to try ky hand at a port style wine and blackberry seems to be the obvious choice but 1. They are out of season 2. I'd rather use them to make more wine and blackberry whisky. A problem is the Amount need, hence plums cuss they are easier to buy in bulk at reduced prices. Was...

I've read up about making port style wines and how they uses alot of fruit and take maybe years to make only for you to fortify it with a brandy.....my idea to throw out there is, how about just crushing the blackberries and mixing it with a brandy diluting it to the strength of a port (16-20%)...

Both pics are of the same wine the first one i removed a little must just incase of explosive fermentation but it didn't so i racked it off some of the bigger lees and topped up, perfect.

Made over the weekend, strawberry and elderflower 'cheat' wine. 2 jars a of jam 1 bottle of elderflower cordial all mixed up and poured into a demijohn, no sugar added seen as s.g was 1.076. Smells amazing!! Just hope it ends up tasting nice

This is true, nothing worse than discovering the wine that you've took time to make lacks that little something and all over a single cup of tea

@blaster The tea adds tannins into the wine. It all adds to the body and 'mouth-feel', gives that little bit of dryness.

Its funny really, there's fruit and sugar in a concentrated form and it never occurred to me at all until i saw it in some of my grandads old notes. Gonna try and do a strawberry and elderflower wine using only jams and cordials, apparently its very quick to mature

Just what i was thinking, i hardly think they would end up being harmful but suppose it a case of *would they stop the yeast* i do read a lot in books that fruit juice with preservative is dissipated on pouring so maybe when you stir it up with water that does the same thing

Thats good to hear, what about shop brought jams? I would say so but I'm the only one that makes jams at home but thankfully i have enough to spare

Been reading that they can be quick to mature? Also saw that using a simple store brought pressed grape is good but can be a little uninteresting but by adding one or two different jams you could add more depth of flavour...any tried this?

Been reading through some old books (50/60s) and jam wines keep croping up, just wondering if people have had success with these? Plus keep reading a juice and jam combination are quick at maturing? Was thinking of putting this to practice with a blueberry wine seen as fresh are so expensive i...

Thanks people, gave me the pointers i needed. Have decided to go for just a straight medium enough people around here like that so of i don't I've got some ready made gifts! Must confess though that i hadn't even considered different types of grape, i was just gonna go for a 100% grape juice...

I'm attempting another pyment sortly but has any got suggestions on whether a dry/medium/sweet is best? Would love all input

I made a pyment (grape and honey) was young but was showing great promise, shame it got contaminanted but i deffo plan on more maybe just a straight one i suppose only problem would be you would have to always add more sugar to get the S.G

thanks everyone, I've decided to do a number of batches of the same melomel, say a raspberry and try out all your different methods then in few months I'll do a taste test to see which i prefer