1835 British Winemaking Book, William Henry Roberts

[WVMountaineerJack]

You guys might want to post this pdf somewhere, I ran across and interesting winemaking book by William Henry Roberts on google books, The British wine-maker, and domestic brewer. Of course the elderberry section is freakin missing, but otherwise an interesting read. I dont know if the link will work, if not just go to google books and search his name. Crackedcork

http://books.google.com/books?id=F0QCAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=william+henry+roberts+wine#PPP6,M1

[Aristaeus]

Wonderful elderberry patch...we too have an abundance of wild elderberry. For my wife's Birthday we picked 33# of wild elderberry. We are preparing to make 100 gallons of chenin blanc, voignier, elderberry melomel.

Grand book, like an old family recipe, all were 1.15 - 1.2 SG with fruit and meads. Full body wine with high gravity, none better no matter what the continent.

[sparrow]

Blimey, what on earth do you do with 100 gallons - do you have a lot of friends, or are you planning to bathe in it??

[Aristaeus]

Evaporation....a few friends and relatives appear, then the mead disappears; Then every one disappears until the next batch is available. We are invited to all the fish fry and BBQ parties, weddings, anniversaries, etc, etc...our meads seem to disappear into thin air at each event.

[WVMountaineerJack]

Aristeaus, we are making an elderberry mead for the first time this year, I think its going to be good. How do you guys make yours? Crackedcork

[Aristaeus]

elderberry melomel

We are simmering our honey and water as we type. We cut the recipe down to 50 gallon or 190 litre. With 2 more 50 gallon batches yet to make before Christmas.

I follow a combination of Ken Schramm's, The Complete MeadMaker", and my Grandfather's. Good old German Wheylander, and Grandma's Creek Indian. This recipe is from the wine book, "Drink-ol-o-gy" for the grape blend Chenin blanc and Voignier. WineMaker Magazine June-July 2006, Vol. 9, No. 3 for the yeast. Hodge-Podge from several resources.

My three year old honey braggot, and spiced orange braggot just won my first CellarMaster award in LA. Two entries and two Bronze, in my first attempt. That is not to brag, it is decent mead, the recipe works.

[Aristaeus]

Grandfather's recipe is much like the Old British recipes. Got to go stir the pot and pour into carboy.

[Mamgiowl]

My three year old honey braggot, and spiced orange braggot just won my first CellarMaster award in LA. Two entries and two Bronze, in my first attempt. That is not to brag, it is decent mead, the recipe works.

Well done and congratulations!

[StockeyDAW]

We are simmering our honey and water as we type. We cut the recipe down to 50 gallon or 190 litre. With 2 more 50 gallon batches yet to make before Christmas.

I follow a combination of Ken Schramm's, The Complete MeadMaker", and my Grandfather's. Good old German Wheylander, and Grandma's Creek Indian. This recipe is from the wine book, "Drink-ol-o-gy" for the grape blend Chenin blanc and Voignier. WineMaker Magazine June-July 2006, Vol. 9, No. 3 for the yeast. Hodge-Podge from several resources.

My three year old honey braggot, and spiced orange braggot just won my first CellarMaster award in LA. Two entries and two Bronze, in my first attempt. That is not to brag, it is decent mead, the recipe works.

Aristaeus - Would it be possible if you could share a few of the your grandfathers and grandmothers mead making recipie secrets with us? I would really be interested in reading the way they went about making mead at that time - congratulations on you mead competition successes. Cheers DAW