I am interested in making country wines. I had a go at plum (only a
gallon) but it proved rather insipid. It tastes like wine, but not any
particular type of wine!

The problem is that it is very hard to get good fruit in the UK.

I would like to try to make a strawberry or raspberry wine and have
heard that frozen berries are very good for this sort of thing. However,
I can't find them anywhere and Google only comes up with wholesalers.

Does anyone know where I might look for frozen fruits in the London area?

Thanks in advance.

In message >, Sam Wigand
> writes
>I am interested in making country wines. I had a go at plum (only a
>gallon) but it proved rather insipid. It tastes like wine, but not any
>particular type of wine!
>

Veering away from your main question; plum (and damson/greengage/sloe)
wines often tend to be lacking in body; three things you can do to
remedy this.

Firstly, you can add more fruit to the gallon - i.e. 4 to 6 lbs, instead
of the 'standard' 3, secondly, do a combination of Prunus fruits, such
as 3lbs of greengages and 1½lbs of black plums (comes out a gorgeous
salmon-pink colour) - or thirdly, add something else to increase the
body of the wine, such as chopped raisins, pearl barley, bananas, or red
grape concentrate. The advantage of the third method over the first two,
especially with sloes or damsons, is that the wine doesn't then become
too acid or tannic. The extra body also allows you to ferment to a
higher alcohol content, and still have a balanced wine.

You might also find that gallon of slightly characterless plum wine to
be useful for blending with another wine which is too harsh, or acid.

cheers,
robin

>The problem is that it is very hard to get good fruit in the UK.
>
>I would like to try to make a strawberry or raspberry wine and have
>heard that frozen berries are very good for this sort of thing.
>However, I can't find them anywhere and Google only comes up with
>wholesalers.
>
>Does anyone know where I might look for frozen fruits in the London
>area?

--
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Thanks for the suggestions.

I may well put it by in an old earthenware jug that I have, for future
reference.

I'm also tempted to make a late addition of grape concentrate.




Robin Somes wrote:
> In message >, Sam Wigand
> > writes
>
>> I am interested in making country wines. I had a go at plum (only a
>> gallon) but it proved rather insipid. It tastes like wine, but not any
>> particular type of wine!
>>
>
> Veering away from your main question; plum (and damson/greengage/sloe)
> wines often tend to be lacking in body; three things you can do to
> remedy this.
>
> Firstly, you can add more fruit to the gallon - i.e. 4 to 6 lbs, instead
> of the 'standard' 3, secondly, do a combination of Prunus fruits, such
> as 3lbs of greengages and 1½lbs of black plums (comes out a gorgeous
> salmon-pink colour) - or thirdly, add something else to increase the
> body of the wine, such as chopped raisins, pearl barley, bananas, or red
> grape concentrate. The advantage of the third method over the first two,
> especially with sloes or damsons, is that the wine doesn't then become
> too acid or tannic. The extra body also allows you to ferment to a
> higher alcohol content, and still have a balanced wine.
>
> You might also find that gallon of slightly characterless plum wine to
> be useful for blending with another wine which is too harsh, or acid.
>
> cheers,
> robin
>
>> The problem is that it is very hard to get good fruit in the UK.
>>
>> I would like to try to make a strawberry or raspberry wine and have
>> heard that frozen berries are very good for this sort of thing.
>> However, I can't find them anywhere and Google only comes up with
>> wholesalers.
>>
>> Does anyone know where I might look for frozen fruits in the London area?
>
>

Try any "Aldi" store, they normally have strawberries and raspberries.
Tom Brown
"Sam Wigand" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the suggestions.
>
> I may well put it by in an old earthenware jug that I have, for future
> reference.
>
> I'm also tempted to make a late addition of grape concentrate.
>
>
>
>
> Robin Somes wrote:
>> In message >, Sam Wigand
>> > writes
>>
>>> I am interested in making country wines. I had a go at plum (only a
>>> gallon) but it proved rather insipid. It tastes like wine, but not any
>>> particular type of wine!
>>>
>>
>> Veering away from your main question; plum (and damson/greengage/sloe)
>> wines often tend to be lacking in body; three things you can do to
>> remedy this.
>>
>> Firstly, you can add more fruit to the gallon - i.e. 4 to 6 lbs, instead
>> of the 'standard' 3, secondly, do a combination of Prunus fruits, such
>> as 3lbs of greengages and 1½lbs of black plums (comes out a gorgeous
>> salmon-pink colour) - or thirdly, add something else to increase the
>> body of the wine, such as chopped raisins, pearl barley, bananas, or red
>> grape concentrate. The advantage of the third method over the first two,
>> especially with sloes or damsons, is that the wine doesn't then become
>> too acid or tannic. The extra body also allows you to ferment to a
>> higher alcohol content, and still have a balanced wine.
>>
>> You might also find that gallon of slightly characterless plum wine to
>> be useful for blending with another wine which is too harsh, or acid.
>>
>> cheers,
>> robin
>>
>>> The problem is that it is very hard to get good fruit in the UK.
>>>
>>> I would like to try to make a strawberry or raspberry wine and have
>>> heard that frozen berries are very good for this sort of thing.
>>> However, I can't find them anywhere and Google only comes up with
>>> wholesalers.
>>>
>>> Does anyone know where I might look for frozen fruits in the London
>>> area?
>>
>>