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5lb Gooseberries
2 Elderflower heads, flowers snipped off the stalks.
1˝lb white granulated sugar
1tsp Citric acid
1tsp pectic enzyme (pectolaze)
1tsp yeast nutrient
1tsp wine yeast
Wash & top the fruit (no need to tail it). Place the gooseberries in the bucket, then roughly crush them. If they have been frozen and then thawed this is much easier.
Add the elderflowers and sugar, and pour in half a gallon (2.25l) of hot water. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
When cool (21c/70f) add the pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient, and wine yeast. Cover and set aside to ferment on the pulp for 5 days, stirring daily, then strain into a demi-john. Top up with more liquid as necessary, by washing the pulp through with cooled boiled water. Fit a bung and airlock and set aside to ferment out to completion. Place in a cool place to clear, then rack off the lees when clear. Leave to mature for 12 months.
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The gooseberries used will slightly change the finished wine - Very green gooseberries will give a dry Chablis type of wine, ripe culinary ones will give a slightly less dry finish, sweet dessert gooseberries will give a medium wine (and the red sorts will make a slightly pink one)
2 Elderflower heads, flowers snipped off the stalks.
1˝lb white granulated sugar
1tsp Citric acid
1tsp pectic enzyme (pectolaze)
1tsp yeast nutrient
1tsp wine yeast
Wash & top the fruit (no need to tail it). Place the gooseberries in the bucket, then roughly crush them. If they have been frozen and then thawed this is much easier.
Add the elderflowers and sugar, and pour in half a gallon (2.25l) of hot water. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
When cool (21c/70f) add the pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient, and wine yeast. Cover and set aside to ferment on the pulp for 5 days, stirring daily, then strain into a demi-john. Top up with more liquid as necessary, by washing the pulp through with cooled boiled water. Fit a bung and airlock and set aside to ferment out to completion. Place in a cool place to clear, then rack off the lees when clear. Leave to mature for 12 months.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The gooseberries used will slightly change the finished wine - Very green gooseberries will give a dry Chablis type of wine, ripe culinary ones will give a slightly less dry finish, sweet dessert gooseberries will give a medium wine (and the red sorts will make a slightly pink one)
The author of the recipe also thinks it's best with 'very green' gooseberries, but we thought it a bit too dry and prefered it with ripe ones.
it was very, very acidic!
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