Re starting home brewing

[Snoop Puss]

The brambles are flowering like mad here. With all the water still about the place, I'm expecting a bumper crop of juicy berries. Most year's they're dry and pippy, but would like to make the most of them this year. But, what I like more than anything else about blackberries is blackberry liqueur (crème de mûre in French). But the recipes I've seen online don't look like what I was expecting: essentially, crush blackberries and add wine and vodka or gin. Does that sound right?

[Shortie]

I made bramble wine two years ago. You can definitely smell the blackberries, but I'm not so sure you can taste them. I think the general "wine" flavour overpowers them.
It's the same story with the elderflower wine (proper wine, not "champagne") I made. It smells of elderflowers, but you can't really taste them.

Aaahhh, that's a shame. I'm sure it's still lovely wine, but I'd want to taste the fruit as well as smell it

[burnie]

I used to make an excellent rhubarb wine, but it sets off the arthritis, so it's off the menu now.

[ameno]

Haha, how could I forget the rhubarb schnapps - I don't remember if I made any - I remeber I experimented with some flavouring of vodka.

OOohh Bramble wine sounds lovely... can you actually taste the fruit in the end result though?

I made bramble wine two years ago. You can definitely smell the blackberries, but I'm not so sure you can taste them. I think the general "wine" flavour overpowers them.
It's the same story with the elderflower wine (proper wine, not "champagne") I made. It smells of elderflowers, but you can't really taste them.

[Shortie]

Haha, how could I forget the rhubarb schnapps - I don't remember if I made any - I remeber I experimented with some flavouring of vodka.

OOohh Bramble wine sounds lovely... can you actually taste the fruit in the end result though?

[burnie]

Bramble wine
4lbs of berries(ripe0
A bag(kilo) of sugar
1 lemon
1 camden tablet
1 tea spoon pectin enzyme
1 gallon of water
yeast
yeast nutrient
wash berries, crush them and place in a fermenting vessel(I have a bucket with a lid and a hole for an air lock) cover with 6 pints of boiling water. When cool and the camden tablet(crushed), pectin enzyme and leave for 24 hours(you could use a large bowl covered with a tea towel.
Boil 2 pints of water and dissolve the sugar in it, cool to blood heat(no I don't know either) add to the blackberries along with yeast, nutrient and the lemon, cover and let it ferment for 3 days, stirring daily.
Strain the liquid into a demi john and fit an air lock and ferment out. Finally siphon the clear liquid into dark bottles and keep for around 6 months before drinking.

[Nicos]

Remember the famous Rhubarb Schnapps????

https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...apps#post32508

[Shortie]

Ooohh, I'd be interested to hear the mixes etc. Mr Shortie and I very rarely drink so it's not something I'd take time to do, but am interested to hear how it works and favours etc

[burnie]

I haven't made any wine or cider for ages, so I intend to do something about it, all the gear will have to be sterilised first then wine making begins, I guess with so much cheap booze about I have just got out of the habit of making my own. Carrot Whisky is one I've not tried before and it looks like there will be a good crop of Blackberries this year too.