Advice for foraged fruit wine

[gitface]

Hi All

Me and a mate went out foraging for blackberries and elderberries today and while we got about 5lb of fruit pickings were slim, we noticed that some of the elderberries had flowers on the same stem as ripe fruit as well as a lot of red berries, plan is to see if we can get some more tomorrow.

While we were out we also picked up some sloes, rosehips and damsons, again plan to get some more damsons tomorrow with the aid of something to get the ones at the top.

I've looked in the recipes section but can't find any for sloes, we have about 3 3/4 lbs so was thinking of adding 2 litres of grape juice to make up to 2 gallons, sg it to 1.080 and let it ferment out. Any advice?

Would using red or white make much of a difference with this?

With the rosehips, we only have a few (just under a 1 lb) so was thinking of using them as a secondary ingredient but not sure what they would go with.

Any help would be appreciated.

Mark.............

[Sam Touley]

I know what you mean about the elderberries... been a funny year for fruit all round. As for sloes I think they may be great for adding to gin .. ( sloe gin) but wine? I am sure the more experienced folk can advise better.

[mcblades]

I agree with Sam. Get yourself some cheap gin and make up a few litres of sloe gin. I think the pucker level of any wine made out of sloes would be something to behold.

If you so make the sloe gin, I freeze the sloes first then bung them in with the gin and sugar to defrost. This means you don't have to spend hours pricking holes in them as the ice crystals do the job for you.

cheers

Mark

[Duffbeer]

Agree with both above regarding the sloes, though the damsons combined with rosehips will make a distinctive but pleasant rose.

[gitface]

Thanks for the advice.

Not a fan of gin so will have a think with the sloes, as for the damson and rosehip i'll prep and bung them in the freezer and a pick a few more over the next few weeks. With the rosehips do the seeds inside go in or is it just the flesh?

Mark...........

[Big Pete]

Hi Mark,
sloe gin tastes very different from standard blurrrr! gin.
Try the web for sloe gin recipes, at preset I have soaking, 3 sloe gin, 1 sloe vodka, and 1 sloe whiskey. The only issue is waiting for the stuff to mature, but if you can be patient, it tastes lovely a year from today
cheers
Pete