Gooseberry Wine

[spritzer]

Well, today I went fruit picking with a friend.
She is a bit of a Jam/Jelly/Chutney maker....
And she wanted to pick some strawberries and gooseberries.....

We actually came back with a massive punnet of strawberries and gooseberries... and half a punnet of raspberries and redcurrants.. EACH

I have checked Berry's book.. so I am gonna follow that for the gooseberry recipe...
( Its my first time making wine from real fruit)..

The recipe in the book looks easy enough...the only thing that concerns me slightly is the straining bit...

Anyway... Will keep ya all posted on the gooseberry wine progress

[fatbloke]

Outstanding, I think I'm gonna have to visit the local PYO next weekend.

If you're following CJJ's recipe, don't forget Bob's suggestion about adding sugar incrementally, because I understand that lot's of then have a bit too much sugar.

CJJ's recipes should get you a good level of the fruit flavour, but if it's a bit high on the gravity then it might need a bit of meddling to make the ferment go smoothly.

Well done on getting the fruit though (I had the offer of a mountain of red and white currants last week during our visit to Lancashire but none of them was anywhere near ripe).

regards

JtFB

[lockwood1956]

Yes...

as with ALL recipes, (but particularly CJJ Berry's)amend so that you add sugar to a specific starting gravity, (I suggest 1.080) dont just use the amount specified in the recipe.

regards
Bob

[spritzer]

Ah... good point about the sugar...
The recipe calls for 1.25kg. But I will have to add less anyway, as I didn't quite have the 2.7kg of gooseberry's... I only had 2.5kg.
So will aim for 1.080

Thanks guys

[spritzer]

Here is a couple of pics of the pulpy gooseberries...
Only just realised that I can transfer pics from my phone to the PC... only had the phone for 16 months





Not tip top pictures... but better than nowt

[Duffbeer]

Top job, is that just gooseberry juice ? and how have you pulped it so well ?

[spritzer]

Top job, is that just gooseberry juice ? and how have you pulped it so well ?

It is the gooseberries all mashed up...
The were quite hard, but I let them sit in water over night, and then this morning I used my stick blender thingy to pulp them. Very quick

Will do as the book says and leave them 3 days and then strain...
Not sure what the best way is to strain though

All advice welcome

[Duffbeer]

Well at this point I would add a crushed campden tablet and leave 24 hrs, or it may go it's own way on wild yeasties.
I have just picked several pound of gooseberry's from my garden today and into the freezer they went, frozen fruit is so much easier to work with as it pulps itself and often needs no juicing as it will just strain it's own juice whilst thawing.

But as for the question asked, straining is best done through a sieve, or being smart put your fruit in a muslin bag and just lift out the pulp when finished.

[Rich]

This might seem a dumb question.. How do you know when the gooseberries are ripe to pick?

[spritzer]

Well at this point I would add a crushed campden tablet and leave 24 hrs, or it may go it's own way on wild yeasties.
I have just picked several pound of gooseberry's from my garden today and into the freezer they went, frozen fruit is so much easier to work with as it pulps itself and often needs no juicing as it will just strain it's own juice whilst thawing.

But as for the question asked, straining is best done through a sieve, or being smart put your fruit in a muslin bag and just lift out the pulp when finished.

Crushing the campden tablet now

I wondered about freezing them first... but I didn't have enough freezer space, so that was that dilema dealt with

Like the idea of putting the fruit into a muslin bag first. Might do that next time round.

What recipe do you follow ??

[spritzer]

This might seem a dumb question.. How do you know when the gooseberries are ripe to pick?

I think mine would have been a little riper in a week .... as some were a little hard.
But they did taste good in the crumble that we had tonight A little tart, but very tasty.

[Duffbeer]

This might seem a dumb question.. How do you know when the gooseberries are ripe to pick?

They will start to go a pink colour on the upper side, then pick them all even the green ones, as they are better before they ripen fully.

What recipe do you follow ??

I simply do a wine # 1 and add 2lb of gooseberry's.
Or if I have any left in the freezer when apple season is here I will make apple and gooseberry.

[spritzer]

They will start to go a pink colour on the upper side, then pick them all even the green ones, as they are better before they ripen fully.


I simply do a wine # 1 and add 2lb of gooseberry's.
Or if I have any left in the freezer when apple season is here I will make apple and gooseberry.

Hmmmmm... I wonder if I should add some grape juice/concentrate to my gooseberry must when its ready
I think I will see how much gooseberry liquid there is when its strained... and top it up with grape juice.
The lady in the HBS gave me a sachet of champagne yeast to use....

Any thoughts, anyone ??

[lockwood1956]

Well the champagne yeast will make sure it ferments to dry......but it may blow offf some of the aroma

but....


I would use lalvin 71B-1122 or D47 for better results

regards
Bob

[spritzer]

Well the champagne yeast will make sure it ferments to dry......but it may blow offf some of the aroma

but....


I would use lalvin 71B-1122 or D47 for better results

regards
Bob

Thanks Bob....


Next time I go to the HBS, which should be within the next 2 weeks, I will try one of the ones you recommend... then, on the way home, I will stop at the PYO place for more gooseberrys ..........

Definatley not addicted, am I ??