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This blog is a record of the wine that I make and drink. Each flavour made and each bottle drunk will appear here. You may come to the conclusion that, on the whole, I should be drinking less.

Friday 22 April 2011

Elderberry Wine - Bottle B4, 22nd April 2011

This wine has been brought to you by Moussaka and Knitting.

I was on cooking duties today, as I have been for the whole week, and had planned to do something entirely new. However, on looking through the many cook books, nothing jumped out saying "make me". So, I dug out Delia and made Moussaka, which I have not done for a couple of years, and therefore that almost counts. Elderberry wine goes well with it - the sweet, deep red complements the lamb and cinammon.

Elderberry wine goes less well with knitting. Sooz taught me the basics this afternoon and then needed a gin to recover. I am getting the hang of it, but have to concentrate extremely hard. There are meant to be twenty loops in each row, but within three or four rows of me knitting solo, there were twenty seven. I do not foresee this becoming a regular hobby.

4 comments:

  1. My first attempt at wine-making was Elderberry wine last year. I was really pleased with the result and everyone enjoyed drinking it so it must've been good. Thanks for the tip on the carrot wine by the way; what quantity of carrots did you use? I've got a wine recipe book that says 3.5lbs carrots and 2.5lbs of sugar - does that sound about right?

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  2. My first attempt at wine-making was also Elderberry. And from then on I was hooked - so beware. I now make around 150 bottles a year. For carrot wine, I think I used the recipe in Brian Leverett's 'Winemaking Month by Month' (which is now out of print). That requires 3 lbs carrots, 1 lb wheat (!) and 8 oz raisins, as well as 3 lbs sugar. If you want more of the recipe, let me know, though I don't remember it being a fantastic brew. Your quantities sound much better.

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  3. Mine came from a book by CJJ Berry, called '130 New Winemaking Recipes'; a Secret Santa gift last Christmas. Someone told me that the author is a well-known wine maker so I guess the recipe must be truly tried and tested. Will let you know when I start it.

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  4. CJJ Berry is my hero. He is the author of my most consulted book: First Steps in Wine Making. Definitely follow his recipe - though I have found he uses a little too much sugar in his elderberry wine recipe. 3 and a half pounds per gallon is about 8 ounces too much.

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