Wine making

[andrewo]

There is no hard and fast rule, if you follow most recipes you will be safe, it really boils down to the sugar/yeast ratio or sugar/alcohol ratio. You can get kits to measure the quantity of alcohol, called hydrometers, simple gadgets. Further information here:
http://www.homewinemaking.co.uk/hydrometer.html

[brewer]

Hi! andrewo, thought we were sympatico wrong again. Looks like I may have already won the challenge as I am unsure where your last paragraph was going. I am not trying to blind anyone or kill them through a foolish suggestion. Just pointing out that you can brew almost anything and you can distill what you have brewed if you keep a control of the temperature of the vapour.
Many people consider beer too weak and liable to increase the waist size. Wine is supposed to be the best bet for the body and soul.
Spirits are considered to be too strong for the body to take without eventual damage. No need for the lecture either do it or don't.

[andrewo]

Dear Brewer,
No problem with your posting but as I have been looking into creating a micro brewery recently and all the licenses you need - I have discovered that the distillation of alcohol off an existing product is illegal (this was no way pointed at you but a follow from another brewing thread from earlier in the year). Apologies if you think it was aimed at you - I had no problem with your posting, you just brought up some interesting points I wanted to discuss further and make people aware that the production of alcohol is a minefield and even bigger minefield when you start to share your produce, even within family and friends.

[Jaxom]

Please be advised

Distilling alcohol by heat or by freezing is illegal in the UK. Grow your own Magazine and the Grapevine Forum in no way advocate carrying out this procedure.
However discussion of said processes is not illegal.

Under various provisions of British law, home wine and beer making involving the process of fermentation to create alcohol is fully legal in the UK. Selling the finished product to others is also covered by restrictions under British law.
Jaxom

[brewer]

options

Hi! Andrewo You may have noticed that I was one the posts that advised you to 'go for it' in setting up a micro brewery. I have researched the same thing. I went on a small business course x2 and have spoken to the government department, that wants the revenue. If you brew and sell, you will have to pay duty, but then so do your competition so do it. If your product is the best price and taste then it will out-sell your competition. Wow! You could try a wine with something full bodied, beet, potatoes, beans even runner bean or pea pods and top it with hops. Brilliant. Please let me know how it turns out or send me some hops???

[nick the grief]

Good sentiments Brewer. A local 'micro brewery' here has recently taken over an old club that went defunct. The use it as a factory outlet It's quite a novel concept, No music, No TV, No Pool tables they just sell Beer, Crisps & Cheese & onion Cobs. I think they used to be called Pubs did't they

The beers they sell are excellent and they are not all Rocket fuel either. Some of the "weaker" ones are superb at lunch time.

See It 's not just Tea I drink

[brewer]

% % % of alchohol

Hi! Nick, I would love to be able to run a micro brewery, maybe cider only or wine??. The weaker beers are called session beers, they allow you to enjoy the flavour but not ruin your evenings. 4% to 4.5%. Drink sensibly

[andrewo]

I have a winery and brewery near me, might go banging on their doors and ask for some work experience.

[MARISABE19]

Hi Guys

Does anybody know of a recipe for elderflower champagne! I remember making it once years ago, and it was very simple but very potent!

In fact we stored it in the outside shed which was under the bathroom and awoke one night to what we thought was gunfire! but after much trepidation discovered lots of bumps in the bathroom floor! All the corks had blown from the bottles of elderflower champagne and lodged themselves in the ceiling of the shed!!!

But I remember we definitely enjoyed the remaining bottles!

Thanks in anticipation

Marisabe

[andrewo]

I am convinced it can be made with either the flowers or the cordial, will look into it for you and get back - of course, you won't be able to call it champagne as that can only be produced in one region - you could call it flowerchams.

[nick the grief]

Elderflower Wine

I'll give you the Metric version

500mls Elderflowers (not pressed down) (or 1/2oz dried flowers)
1.5Kg Sugar
250gm Raisins (or 140ml white grape concentrate)
3 lemons
1 tsp Grape tannin
4.5lt water.

Gather the flowers on a sunny day when they are fully open & trim them from the stem with scissors untill you have 500mls (lightly pressed) of petals.

Bring water to the boil & pur over petals, add sugar, choped raisins & lemon juice. When cool 21c add yeast, grape tannin & nutrient.cover well & leave to ferment in a war placwe for 4- 5 days.

Strain into a jar, fit airlock & leave to ferment. When clear siphon off the deposit for the first time. Two months later rack again & bottle it.

This makes a dry wine.

To convert to Sparkling

When it has started to clear & while there is still some sugar present put somein a bottle plug with cotton wool & put somewhere warm. If after a week a slight yeasty deposit forms transfer all the rest to Champagne bottles & wire the corks down or use screw caps.

Store on there side in a cool place for 6 months & it should be sparkling & ready to drink.

If the deposit is heavy when trying ferment for a few more days until the deposit is small when tested.

Source. First Steps in Winemaking by C.J.J. Berry (page 166)