Sunday, 29 March 2020

Magnolia Petal Wine - First Bottle (3), 21st March 2020

Whilst 'Magnolia Petal Wine' sounds like it should be poisonous, it is in fact rather good. There is an unusual herby taste to it and it is quite different to any other wine that I have made. Behind that herb, you can taste the lemon. There is a sweetness to it - not at dessert wine level, but if you want something bone dry this is not the wine for you.

I opened the bottle in York, where we went to visit my parents despite government instructions not to. Mom is very clear that she will not be put into lockdown. However, I have come to the conclusion that I cannot continue to visit for the time being. I hate it and had a small weep as I left them today (Sunday). Probably their health will stay constant. Probably we will all come through this unscathed. Probably.


If you want to see how I made this wine, click here.
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3 comments:

  1. Dancingtree23 April 2021 at 11:59

    Thanks for reviving this recipe.

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    Replies
    1. Ben Hardy24 April 2021 at 22:43

      Thanks Dancingtree - though I feel rather more that I invented it, instead of reviving it!

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  2. Tom Bradley15 April 2024 at 19:57

    Hi Ben, I recently decided to make petal wine from Mum and Dad’s Magnolia in Kidderminster, I used an old Women’s Institute book with loads of flower wine recipes in it. There wasn’t a specifically magnolia one so I just copied one and modified it with my logic:

    Gathered a washing basket of petals.

    Turned a big pestle on the lathe and mashed the petals in a mixing bowl.

    Put the mashed petals into a big preserving pan and poured in hot water, left for a while, strained through muslin, added more petal mash, hot water, strained and repeated till I had 11 litres.

    Sterilised with 2 Camden tablets and left for 24 hours.

    Added sugar, the book told me to use 2kg of sugar per gallon of liquid! I thought that was a lot and cut it by about a quarter so I used 3kg in 11litres.

    Stirred the sugar in well and took a hydrometer reading which predicted 18%!

    Added yeast and siphoned into demijohns.

    It’s been almost a month now and they’re still bubbling enthusiastically and much darker colour to the picture of your demijohn.

    Have you made it again or got any tips about it? This is only my second attempt at any sort of brewing/ booze making/ fermenting type thing. Done cider before!😅

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