Rowanberry wine

[danpug]

Has anybody actually tried this? I searched through some of the older threads and have noted issues with them perhaps not being quite ripe right now but theres an abundance around here at the moment. Do they make worthwhile wine or is it not worth the bother? Thanks.

[fatbloke]

Has anybody actually tried this? I searched through some of the older threads and have noted issues with them perhaps not being quite ripe right now but theres an abundance around here at the moment. Do they make worthwhile wine or is it not worth the bother? Thanks.

yes, it's worth the effort, but it's usually better to mix some fruit i.e. apple and raspberry, or whatever.

That's mainly because raspberry can become a very dominant flavour, and that once all the sugars have been munched by the yeast, it can be quite strong and acidic, hence the suggestion of mixing them with something else.

Of course, you could just as easily make the wine just with the rasp's, stabilise it etc, then back sweeten it.... the only downside being that it does need quite a bit of back sweetening.

Hopefully that helps some ?????

regards

jtfb

[Cellar_Rat]

I have found two recipes (untried by me)

ONE
3.5 lbs ripe rowan berries
3.5 lbs Sugar (seems high)
I gallon boiling water
2 tsp citric acid
Peco
Tannin
Yeast and Nutrient

TWO
6 lbs ripe rowan berries
1/4 lbs Wheat
1 oz root ginger
1 tablespoon raisens (chopped)
4lb Sugar
I gallon boiling water
Peco
Tannin
Yeast and Nutrient


Method Same for both
Pour boiling water over berries. Allow to cool. Then add pectolytoc enz.
Stand for 6 days in a cool place.
Strain.
Add everything. Ferment as normal.

Source: Peggy Hutchinson 1976
Let us know how its goes ?

[danpug]

Thanks guys. I think you may have misread the title fatbloke!

[gordonmull]

I have ~4kg of ripe berries picked this evening. I am placing in the freezer for 48 hours to simulate some frost. I was then intending to follow the jack keller recipe, adjusted down to the british gallon, to ingredients on hand and to lessons previously learnt.

Original recipe:

5 lbs mountain ash berries
2-1/2 lbs finely granulated sugar
7-1/4 pts water
1 large lemon (zest and juice only)
1/2 sp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Montrachet wine yeast

My adaptaion is intended to be, per gallon:

4 lbs rowan berries
1kg finely granulated sugar
6 pts water
1 tsp citric
2tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
GV1

[Omniata]

Gordonmull,

Be careful, there are 2.2lbs to 1kg

I have considered this myself, although would perhaps be inclined to use strawberry with it for the sweetness element against the bitterness of the rowan berries...


Kind regards,

Jim.

[gordonmull]

I always remember it as 454g to 1lb. I'm making 2 gal so no worries there but thanks for the heads up all the same.

[Phaal]

Interested to know how those who have made this have got on. I started mine off last autumn, using berries from a tree in the front garden, and it us more or less ready to bottle now. When re-racking I have has to add more sugar to counter the bitterness. It is not too bad now - I don't want to got too far the other way and over sweeten it.

A good six months minimum in the bottle should help refine it.