Last Blog of 2013

So on December 29th 2013, we visited our Allotment, to find the un-protected Cabbages have been eaten by Pigeons or Pheasants, a pane of glass had fallen out of the Greenhouse door and smashed, not surprising really, the glazing clips had rusted thin and not up to the job, I can blame the damage on the strong winds most of us have experienced over the last few weeks, luckily no flooding here though.

Oh well, I have been sampling the wines I have made from this years fruit and I can say the Beetroot Wine has come out favourite, doesn't taste of Beetroot, sweet, lovely colour and very nice. 

The others I made are also rather good, Rhubarb, Blackcurrant, Rhubarb/Raspberry, Beetroot/Rhubarb & Rhubarb/Pear.

Here is the Beetroot recipe so you can have a go:

Ingredients

3lb Uncooked Beetroot

12 pints Water

3lb Granulated Sugar

6 Cloves

3 Unpeeled Oranges (washed & sliced)

Teaspoon of Wine Yeast

All equipment must be clean, best to sterilise with baby bottle cleaner or boiled water, preferably both, rinse well with clean cold water. Even the Muslin/Jelly Bag must be clean best to soak in Boiling water. 
Use a Brown Demi-john or wrap a clear one with a black bin liner, restricting the light will keep your wine purple/red, if not it will go brown.

Method

Wash Beetroot well (do not peel). Cut into thin slices and put in a large pan, add water and bring to the boil, simmer for 40mins until Beetroot is tender.

Strain* off liquid into a 12 pint bowl (discard the Beetroot) put liquid back into the pan and add Sugar, Cloves and sliced Orange, heat gently for 15mins. Strain* the liquid back into bowl and leave to cool, best temp between 20-30 degrees then add yeast and cover with a cloth for 3 days, stir daily.

After 3 days, syphon into a Demijohn (topping up with cooled boiled water) and leave to ferment, using an air-lock check daily until bubble rate stops, rack the wine into a fresh Demijohn to clear the sediment, do this twice over the next 3-4 weeks, then bottle.

(* strain through Muslin cloth or a Jelly Bag, this way you will get a clearer wine)

Leave for 6 months, but drink within 2 years.

Good Luck and thanks for reading my Blog, see you in 2014. Ian