Grow Your Own Magazine

Hazel at the Hill · #1 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 06:30 PM

So, having tried my hand at a Wilko wine kit, I'm now ready to have a bash at my own parsnip wine.

I'm starting a thread so that I can record how it goes, and so that you can all chuck in your two penn'th.

A couple of observations before I start - one is that making wine from root veg still leaves the root veg usable (thank you, Brewer Again, I would not have thought of that) which means that I am not brewing wine to use up the European Parsnip Mountain, I am brewing wine as well as having the European Parsnip Mountain.

The other is that when I went into the Brew shop to get peptic enzyme (as called for by C J J Berry in his First Steps in Winemaking book), and the Brew man said that I should use amylase instead - peptic enzyme is used to clear the pectin from fruit based wines, amylase is used to clear the starch from veg based wines.

Came home re-checked the book - the Brew man is right about the pectin/starch thing, so why does the 'recipe' clearly call for peptic enzyme and not amylase??

This tiny hurdle apart, I'm ready to go!

Seahorse · #2 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 07:21 PM

I'll be watching this with interest Hazel!

What are you planning to do with the parsnips afterwards?

scarey55 · #3 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazel at the Hill

Came home re-checked the book - the Brew man is right about the pectin/starch thing, so why does the 'recipe' clearly call for peptic enzyme and not amylase??
This tiny hurdle apart, I'm ready to go!

Oops, praps that's why my parsnip wine wasn't that great - I would've followed the CJ Berry recipe and used peptic enzyme

Looking forward to "watching" the great Sutton Coldfield experiment

shirlthegirl43 · #4 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 07:36 PM

Go Hazel!!!

Now, I wonder why I had to buy amylase for my banana wine? Maybe dear Mr Berry got muddled with his parsnips and bananas?

Snadger · #5 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 07:41 PM

Seem to remember using ground up eggshells to clear mine!

very organic!

Just out of interest I harvested a parsnip today out of my 6" pipe experiment. Pipe was 4 foot long and the roots came out of the bottom and into the soil!

After a struggle I managed to get the parsnip out and one of the allotment regulars spotted me carrying it home with some other veggies for the Sunday dinner. He told me it would have won most of the local shows and that my single parsnip should feed a family of five!

seasprout · #6 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 07:44 PM

Shall be watching this thread.. i too have parsnip heap.

Seahorse · #7 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snadger

Seem to remember using ground up eggshells to clear mine!

very organic!

Just out of interest I harvested a parsnip today out of my 6" pipe experiment. Pipe was 4 foot long and the roots came out of the bottom and into the soil!

After a struggle I managed to get the parsnip out and one of the allotment regulars spotted me carrying it home with some other veggies for the Sunday dinner. He told me it would have won most of the local shows and that my single parsnip should feed a family of five!

Just curious Snadger, how much of the length was useable? I've seen several pics of 'prize winning' parsnips where all but the top bit looked like a long piece of string! Suspect you've done better than that if yours will feed five!!!

Hazel at the Hill · #8 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 08:04 PM

Ok - first take your parsnips....

I'm doing half quantities (makes it all a bit more manageable!) so I need 3 1/2 lbs parsnips, which is 3 big beauties like the ones below.

It says 'scrub then scrape the parsnips...' BOY! is that a tedius job!!

So now some spark is going to tell me that I could have peeled them...?

'Then slice and boil the parsnips in the water till tender...' Well, they're still in chunks, but I guess that's ok, and here they are in the maslin pan (only one I've got which is big enough!) and they're on the hob now.

Hazel at the Hill · #9 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 08:06 PM

Hmm - where's my second piccy...?

Hazel at the Hill · #10 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seahorse

What are you planning to do with the parsnips afterwards?

Well, I was thinking of either making soup, or just mashing and freezing them. Suspect they will be 'put on one side' until tomorrow - have seen enough of parsnips today...!

scarey55 · #11 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 08:18 PM

Never mind the parsnips (which I may say look splendido) I am soooo coveting the maslin pan

scarey55 · #12 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 08:20 PM

Roast them in butter and make roast parsnip soup - delish!

Hazel at the Hill · #13 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 09:02 PM

Parsnips cooked as per, and the next instruction is to drain the parsnips. Well, here's another sticking point...

CJJ Berry bangs on about cooking the parsnips until tender - but defo not letting the parsnip go mushy, or the wine may not clear. Then you strain the parsnips though a coarse cloth, left to drain on their own, 'not hurrying the process in any way'. He makes quite a big deal about this.

Ok, CJJ, if you've cooked the parsnip till-tender-but-not-mushy, why don't you just either (a) fish out the parsnip with a slotted spoon or (b) strain through a seive/colander??

Parsnips are now duly draining (erm - sitting in the sieve

)...

shirlthegirl43 · #14 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazel at the Hill

Ok, CJJ, if you've cooked the parsnip till-tender-but-not-mushy, why don't you just either (a) fish out the parsnip with a slotted spoon or (b) strain through a seive/colander??

Parsnips are now duly draining (erm - sitting in the sieve

)...

Maybe his wife wouldn't let him borrow it?

Can I bag a seat at the tasting please Hazel?

Hazel at the Hill · #15 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirlthegirl43

Can I bag a seat at the tasting please Hazel?

'Course you can, hon!

wellie · #16 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 09:48 PM

I'm guessing 'Not hurrying it in any way' is a bit like making a Jelly Preserve, and not 'squeezing'..... hence you end up with a clearer/cleaner-looking wine, like wot you do with a non-squeezed jellybag making a clear, rather than a cloudy jelly.

Really enjoying this thread Hazel! and joining the queue with Shirl for the tasting!

Hazel at the Hill · #17 (**permalink**) 19-01-2008, 10:00 PM

Well, I've let the parsnips drip though the sieve, and now I have a big bowl of parsnips to 'do something' with, and a bucket with 4.3 litres of parsnip juice.

I now have to calculate how much sugar to put in ('3lb sugar to each gallon') then boil it up for 3/4 hour, which I will be doing tomorrow, wot with going to the Slug and Lettuce now.....

Thank you for your help, peeps - next installment tomorrow...

And Wellie, I didn't think that you would be anywhere else but looking over my shoulder, so you'll be ready with your tasting glass when the time comes...?