I've been on lots of other forums too, to do with growing, preserving, crafts, wine and beer making, even dog grooming. It seems as if people don't really want to share their skills, or have no time to explain the basics to 'newbies'. Lots of discussion between experienced members, but it seems you must have some basic knowledge to be accepted, or to understand the jargon. NOT at all like this forum, who love to share, help and educate The biggest problem with this forum is that gardening can take a huge amount of time in it's simplest forms. Then you get on here, it takes up more hours of your time as it is so interesting, THEN it makes your gardening take longer still as you see all of these new ideas, plants you want, etc, so you get back on the forum for help or clarification, see something else etc etc etc!
Any form of gardening is addictive. This site and it's people make it doubly so! Down to earth is a saying that can be applied literally and figuratively. Long may it last, although it could be easy to run out of hours in a day!
If anyone wants the details of a Foody Forum with a 'Cellar' section where all sorts of alcofrolics are discussed and friendly help given - including the making of wines and beers - just let me know - I can guarantee they're a friendly bunch - you may even meet one or two people you already know on there Definitely not up our own btms
There's not a lot of winemaking being discussed on there at the moment as it's not the time of year, but you'd be very welcome indeed
I would normally put the site on here as it's a public forum, but given recent events, just send me a PM and I'll give you a link.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Tracey new and garden j, I'm not very knowledgeable about wine making, the last time I talked to a neighbour about it, he became rather superior and said,'Of course you haven't got to the stage where you can blend your own wines yet'. I have always found the easiest way when I have a glut of fruit, for example quinces is to just google wine recipes and choose the one that 'feels' right
I agree that not passing on info is mean. I can understand when it comes to paid work; I wouldn't give away paint processes that have taken me years to develop; but wine making is a hobby. I do have some interesting pickle recipes though; pickled garlic in balsamic is pretty amazing.
Bet that packs a punch artjak! I made wine one year - my advice would be not to bother with plum - we had a glut of Victoria plums, but it had a funny flavour - like a rough brandy. Blackberry was nice and light, apple was very drinkable, but a bit boring, but my favourite by far was elderberry - a natural with cheese and biscuits. I only did it once and was therefore, definitely a newbie, and it wasn't difficult, so don't let anyone put you off. I only stopped because it was so time consuming when I was working full time.
It sounds like you go about wine making in the same way as I do Artjak, which is probably why I was welcomed on the forum......Newbies not allowed in wine making
I haven't made wine for years. There was a time when 5 or 6 5 gallon drums were fermenting at once. I never tried plum though Bbee. Some of my best were gooseberry and oakleaf (not together), both of which had a secondary fermentation, and sugar beet some years (other years it refused to clear)
Oh gooseberry - wow! When I was a student (many moons ago) I waitressed in a posh restaurant in Manchester which had a wide selection of wines and beers, including some 'novelty' beverages, one of which was gooseberry champagne and it was gorgeous - nicer than the real thing. I would definitely make that, but by secondary fermentation, do you mean it was fizzy? It is harder to bottle then isn't it? and prone to explosions? But my goodness, if it were anything like I remember, probably worth the risk. I would also be tempted to try elderflower champagne as I love the cordial.... I still have a lot of my equipment in the shed.... hmmmm!
I don't understand how it works Bee, but you ferment it right out and bottle it. Then when you open the bottle there's a bit of a fizz. I never had any problems with it and it might be that the fizz doesn't happen til the cork comes out.
Someone more knowledgeable might explain it for us.
Are these the same jars Ivy? If so, I think they will be ok for preserving. Why don't you try something that de isn't matter if it spoils and see? They say they are air tight so should be ok
One and the same Tracey. I'm going to give them a try with some marmalade, bubbling away nicely at the moment. Fingers crossed. Thank you to all for the messages. This place is great isn't it ?
I used to make gooseberry wine and g. champagne. Definitely my favourite fruit for home made wine. Once you have made 'ordinary' gooseberry wine, you simply add a little extra sugar and yeast to the wine and bottle it. I used to keep old sparkling wine bottles for that as they have the extra strength required and you need to add wire ties to stop the corks popping. The bottle are then stored cork-down during the secondary fermentation so that the sediment collects next to the cork and is blown out when you open it. I've been teetotal for many years now but it is tempting to make some of that again for special occasions!
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Posts
I've been on lots of other forums too, to do with growing, preserving, crafts, wine and beer making, even dog grooming. It seems as if people don't really want to share their skills, or have no time to explain the basics to 'newbies'.
Lots of discussion between experienced members, but it seems you must have some basic knowledge to be accepted, or to understand the jargon. NOT at all like this forum, who love to share, help and educate
The biggest problem with this forum is that gardening can take a huge amount of time in it's simplest forms. Then you get on here, it takes up more hours of your time as it is so interesting, THEN it makes your gardening take longer still as you see all of these new ideas, plants you want, etc, so you get back on the forum for help or clarification, see something else etc etc etc!
Any form of gardening is addictive. This site and it's people make it doubly so! Down to earth is a saying that can be applied literally and figuratively. Long may it last, although it could be easy to run out of hours in a day!
If anyone wants the details of a Foody Forum with a 'Cellar' section where all sorts of alcofrolics are discussed and friendly help given - including the making of wines and beers - just let me know - I can guarantee they're a friendly bunch - you may even meet one or two people you already know on there
Definitely not up our own btms 
There's not a lot of winemaking being discussed on there at the moment as it's not the time of year, but you'd be very welcome indeed
I would normally put the site on here as it's a public forum, but given recent events, just send me a PM and I'll give you a link.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Tracey new and garden j, I'm not very knowledgeable about wine making, the last time I talked to a neighbour about it, he became rather superior and said,'Of course you haven't got to the stage where you can blend your own wines yet'. I have always found the easiest way when I have a glut of fruit, for example quinces is to just google wine recipes and choose the one that 'feels' right
I agree that not passing on info is mean
. I can understand when it comes to paid work; I wouldn't give away paint processes that have taken me years to develop; but wine making is a hobby
. I do have some interesting pickle recipes though; pickled garlic in balsamic is pretty amazing.
Bet that packs a punch artjak! I made wine one year - my advice would be not to bother with plum - we had a glut of Victoria plums, but it had a funny flavour - like a rough brandy. Blackberry was nice and light, apple was very drinkable, but a bit boring, but my favourite by far was elderberry - a natural with cheese and biscuits. I only did it once and was therefore, definitely a newbie, and it wasn't difficult, so don't let anyone put you off. I only stopped because it was so time consuming when I was working full time.
I haven't made wine for years. There was a time when 5 or 6 5 gallon drums were fermenting at once. I never tried plum though Bbee. Some of my best were gooseberry and oakleaf (not together), both of which had a secondary fermentation, and sugar beet some years (other years it refused to clear)
In the sticks near Peterborough
Oh gooseberry - wow! When I was a student (many moons ago) I waitressed in a posh restaurant in Manchester which had a wide selection of wines and beers, including some 'novelty' beverages, one of which was gooseberry champagne and it was gorgeous - nicer than the real thing. I would definitely make that, but by secondary fermentation, do you mean it was fizzy? It is harder to bottle then isn't it? and prone to explosions? But my goodness, if it were anything like I remember, probably worth the risk. I would also be tempted to try elderflower champagne as I love the cordial.... I still have a lot of my equipment in the shed.... hmmmm!
I don't understand how it works Bee, but you ferment it right out and bottle it. Then when you open the bottle there's a bit of a fizz. I never had any problems with it and it might be that the fizz doesn't happen til the cork comes out.
Someone more knowledgeable might explain it for us.
In the sticks near Peterborough
One and the same Tracey. I'm going to give them a try with some marmalade, bubbling away nicely at the moment. Fingers crossed. Thank you to all for the messages. This place is great isn't it ?
I used to make gooseberry wine and g. champagne. Definitely my favourite fruit for home made wine. Once you have made 'ordinary' gooseberry wine, you simply add a little extra sugar and yeast to the wine and bottle it. I used to keep old sparkling wine bottles for that as they have the extra strength required and you need to add wire ties to stop the corks popping. The bottle are then stored cork-down during the secondary fermentation so that the sediment collects next to the cork and is blown out when you open it. I've been teetotal for many years now but it is tempting to make some of that again for special occasions!