Drink Your Own Garden E-Book

Judith Glover

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 157

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

Make your own wine, beer, cider, juice and cordial using everything imaginable from your garden – including flowers, fruits, vegetables and even weeds! Comprehensive guide on everything you need to start brewing at home, and what to use from your garden and when A delightful revised digital edition of a classic book, Drink Your Own Garden will appeal to anyone seeking a more self-sufficient lifestyle. This is a wonderfully imaginative guide to making the most of your delicious garden produce, from damson and marigold wines, through to honey mead and rhubarb cordial. With guidelines for each step of the way, including equipment and ingredients, a seasonal guide to what to grow when, and a list of potential problems and remedies. Over 140 recipes for berry and bush wines, flower wines, fruit wines, grain wines, herb wines, leaf and sap wines, vegetable wines, mead and beers, as well as non-alcoholic choices such as refreshing fruit juices, cordials and teas. Accompanied by vintage-style colour illustrations throughout, this handy and accessible guide will ensure that before long you will be making the most of the seasonal fruits and vegetables from your garden and enjoying a glass of delicious home brew.

Leseprobe

This edition first published in the United Kingdom in 2013 by Batsford 10 Southcombe Street London W14 0RA

First published in 1979 by Batsford Revised in 2013 by Ted Bruning

An imprint of Anova Books Company Ltd

Copyright © Batsford, 2013

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

First eBook publication 2013 ISBN: 9781849941181

Also available in hardback ISBN: 9781849940627

The hardback copy of this book can be ordered direct from the publisher at the website:www.anovabooks.com, or try your local bookshop.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Glossary

Equipment

Ingredients and Additives

Method

Summary of method

Faults and Remedies

Seasonal Calendar of Wines

Note on Measures

Recipes:

Berry and Bush Wines

Flower Wines

Fruit Wines

Grain Wines

Herb Wines

Leaf and Sap Wines

Vegetable Wines

Mead, Beers and Other Drinks

Further Reading and Picture Credits

Index I

Index II

INTRODUCTION

I opened my front door one winter morning and found lying outside it a cardboard box, heavy with what turned out to be parsnips. There was no mystery about the origin of this gift: a neighbour who has an allotment grows more than his family can consume, and kindly distributes the surplus to friends.

I’m very partial to baked parsnips, but not for three meals a day for a week, which is about what it would have taken to get through this offering. So it occurred to me to try making the excess parsnips into wine. I borrowed a library book about the process, bought the minimum of necessary equipment and materials, and had a go. It proved easier and less time-consuming than I’d imagined, except for the period afterwards when I wasted hours, hypnotised by what was going on in the fermenting jar and counting the seconds between the rhythmical bubbling of the air-lock.

In fact, it was an anti-climax when the visible working ceased and I had to leave the process to its less dramatic stages. So I bought another jar, and a couple of pounds of in-season carrots, and set another gallon of liquid into foaming activity. Within a month or so the spare room contained a whole line of jars of contents of differing hues, their air-locks sounding away at different rates.

In due course the contents were racked and later siphoned into bottles (with a certain sampling of the raw wine as part of the job), and laid down in the cellar to mature. And each emptied jar was washed and sterilised and almost immediately filled with some new wine-to-be. Without realising it, I had started a hobby.

I’ve never ceased to marvel since at the range of things which can be turned into wine, and at the unexpectedly pleasing colours and tastes they produce. There have been failures, of course, some of them obviously my fault, a few quite inexplicable to an amateur. But the hobby has given much interest and satisfaction, not to mention supplied me with a varied range of wines at minimal cost, and no tax to pay. I make more than it would be judicious to drink, so there is the added pleasure of giving bottles to friends (to sell any, even for charity, is illegal). I must admit to a sly satisfaction when serving one of my ‘country’ wines from a decanter and being asked by its drinkers where I bought such an excellent rosé. I always own up, but it says a lot for the attainable results of making wine from everyday materials.

And it’s that term – everyday materials – which gave me the idea and title for this book. When you come to consider it, you can literally drink your garden. If you like wine, and are prepared to go to the small effort and expense of making your own, that realisation will cause you henceforth to cast a new and thirsty look upon almost everything you grow. Fruits, berries, flowers, vegetables, leaves, even some weeds – all can be transformed into wines of delightful colour and interesting taste.

A sizeable, multi-purpose garden can make you self-sufficient: you might even find yourself planting new things especially to be made into wine, and that in itself could add a dimension to your interest in gardening. If you have only the merest patch it will still yield something, and for further supplies you can drink other people’s gardens, or use the greengrocer as a sort of off-licence for materials.

Speaking of the greengrocer, I haven’t hesitated to include in the recipes I offer some things which not many domestic gardeners produce. And, taking the view that a farm is a sort of extended garden, I have put in some of the brews which call for the use of barley, wheat, hops, and so forth.

The ingredients I’ve included are indigenous to both the UK and USA, hence there’s an occasional doubling of names.

I am not a connoisseur or one of those experts who goes about judging home wine contests. I don’t belong to a society or club, nor do I enter my produce in competitions; although for anyone who wishes to do those things there is much additional interest, pleasure and companionship to be gained.

The deeper scientific explanations of the wine-making process, with their terminology and tables of figures, I leave to others.

No, I’m simply someone who one day opened her door upon some parsnips – and drank them.

GLOSSARY

Air-lock Also called a fermentation lock, fermentation trap, air-trap, or ‘bubbler’. A device used together with a bung to make the fermenting jar airtight.

Blending Mixing together different wines to correct over-sweetness, blandness, thinness, etc.

Body The wine’s fullness, or substance.

Bouquet The wine’s smell, or ‘nose’.

Camden tablet A handy form of sulphur dioxide for disinfecting and sterilising.

Clearing The process by which cloudy material sinks to the bottom of the fermenting jar, leaving the wine crystal clear.

Dry Describes a wine free from all sweetness.

Fermentation The process by which yeast converts a sugared liquid into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Fermenting jar Large glass vessel used for the secondary fermentation of wine.

Lees The sediment of dead yeast cells and other solids which collects at the bottom of the fermenting jar.

Maturing Storing wine in corked bottles to allow its body and bouquet to develop fully.

Must The pulp, the mixture of ingredients from which wine is made.

Racking Using a tube to siphon wine off the lees, to transfer it from one jar to another to help it clear.

Straining Passing the raw wine through finely meshed cloth to separate the liquid from solids suspended in it.

EQUIPMENT

Home wine-making is one of the least expensive hobbies. You don’t need to spend much on special equipment – in fact, apart from corks, air-locks and the like which can be bought very reasonably from any wine equipment supplier (listed in the telephone directory Yellow Pages – but if there isn’t one near you, search the internet: most homebrew specialists trade online these days), most of the things you’ll need are probably already in your kitchen. But please don’t use chipped or cracked utensils, and make sure that any plastic vessels you use are food-grade. Wine-making is really no different from preparing food, and needs just the same amount of care in hygiene – clean hands, clean tools, and clean work surfaces.

For 1 gallon (4.5 l) of wine you’ll need:

a boiling vessel a saucepan, or a preserving pan or fish-kettle, of at least 1½ gallon (6.75 l) capacity, to heat water and boil ingredients. It can be of stainless steel, good quality aluminium, sound enamel, even non-stick. Avoid using brass, iron or copper vessels, which will taint the wine.

a steeping vessel a large polythene bucket or other strong food-grade plastic container, to soak ingredients before fermentation.

a fermenting vessel a polythene bin or bucket, preferably with lid, is ideal for the primary, open fermentation. (You could use the same vessel for both steeping and fermenting.)

a fermenting jar 1 gallon (4.5 l) capacity, either glass or plastic. Demijohns with ‘ear’ handles are the easiest to manage and can be bought inexpensively from any wine equipment supplier. Dark glass is best for red wines, as it prevents them losing their colour.

kitchen scales for weighing ingredients.

a fruit press also called a wine press. The most expensive piece of equipment and only a necessity if you are making large quantities of wine, or if you are making cider. Soft fruits need to be lightly bruised to break the skins before pressing.

a mincer for dried fruit; also, if you don’t have a fruit press, for hard-to-squeeze fruits such as apples.

a measuring jug for measuring liquids; also for measuring ingredients such as flower blossoms which are difficult to weigh.

a colander for washing dust and insects from freshly gathered blossom.

a lemon squeezer for extracting the juice from citrus fruit.

a plastic funnel for straining and bottling purposes.

a wooden mallet for crushing ingredients; or you could use the blunt end of a rolling pin, or the flat base of a bottle.

a wooden spoon for stirring purposes. Do avoid using metal spoons.

a siphon hose a length of plastic or rubber tubing, about 4 ft (1.2 m) long, for siphoning the wine from one container to another. Large vessels often come with outlet taps, but the standard 4.5l demijohn doesn’t, and can only be emptied by siphoning.

a siphon stick a rigid tube with a filter at one end, essential to make sure you don’t disturb the lees while siphoning.

straining cloths closely meshed nylon or muslin, or several thicknesses of cheesecloth. Never use a metal strainer.

a bottle brush for cleaning inside fermenting jars and wine bottles.

wine bottles any colour or shape, so long as they are wine bottles. Never use bottles intended for soft drinks, spirits or sauce. You can buy new wine bottles from equipment suppliers; but any licensed restaurant or similar premises will have plenty of empties to give away for re-use, if you ask.

bottle corks the straight-sided type. Use new ones every time – old corks are a source of infection and often not air-tight. Plastic ‘corks’ or stoppers are easier to use, but not as efficient.

bored bungs for use during the secondary, closed fermentation. You can buy cork bungs, but rubber ones are re-usable and less porous.

air-locks or fermentation traps, for use with the bungs. There are several types to choose from, both glass and plastic.

corking tool a simple device for inserting corks neatly and cleanly into wine bottle necks.

bottle labels for identifying your wines. They can be as simple or elaborate as you like.

cellar book a log book for keeping a record of each wine – the date started, variety of yeast, first racking, bottling, etc.

Different types of air-lock, showing the correct levels of Camden solution in each

INGREDIENTS AND ADDITIVES

Main ingredient This is what gives the wine its individual colour, taste and smell, and the variety includes fruit, vegetables, flower blossom and herbs. They should not be used in quantities greater than 6 lbs per gallon of water (2.7 kg:4.5 l). Many of these ingredients can be re-used once they’ve played their part in the wine-making process: vegetables for stews and casseroles, fruit for jam and pie-fillings, tomatoes for chutney, dried fruit for curries.

Yeast This is the most vital ingredient in wine-making, its job being to convert sugar and oxygen into alcohol and carbon dioxide. There are several kinds of yeast available, and it’s most important to use the right one, which is wine yeast. Baking yeast is for bread-making, and if you try making wine with it you’ll end up with something that tastes strongly of baking yeast and little else. Brewing yeast is for making beer – use it for wine and the result will be cloudy and low in alcohol.

Wine yeast, developed by the commercial wine trade, is the only kind that will give you satisfactory results. It comes in powder, liquid or tablet form, and because it takes a little time to begin working, needs to be ‘started’ before adding to the must. This simply involves mixing a small amount of yeast with tepid water and a little sugar, covering and leaving in a warm place for a few hours. You’ll find instructions on the container.

Wine yeast comes in a variety of types. A general purpose one is the most widely used, and is satisfactory for the beginner or part-time wine-maker. If you decide to go deeper into the hobby and want to experiment with some of the other varieties, they include:

for dry white wines

Hock or Chablis type yeasts

for sweet white wines

Sauternes or Tokay type yeasts

for red wines

Pommard, Burgundy or Bordeaux type yeasts

for heavy red wines

Port type yeasts

There are also special cereal yeasts for making wine from cereal crops; and a mead yeast for making wine from honey.

Yeast is a living organism, and like any other life form it needs the right conditions in order to thrive and work at its best. These conditions are warmth, oxygen, sugar, and nourishment which includes vitamins and minerals.

Yeast nutrient This is essential for the well-being of the yeast and must always be added with it. The nutrient contains the necessary vitamins and minerals, and it comes together with simple instructions for use in powder, tablet or liquid form. Without it the yeast can’t do its job properly, and the wine suffers accordingly.

Sugar Only grapes contain enough natural sugar to make a good, strong wine. All other fruits and vegetables and blossom need extra sugar. Granulated white sugar is the most widely used because it doesn’t affect the flavour or colour of the wine. Brown, or Demerara sugar can be used instead to give an insipid-looking wine an attractive golden colour, but it should never be used with delicately flavoured wines because its own flavour will submerge theirs.

Be careful to measure the exact amount of sugar for each recipe – too little results in a low alcohol content, too much produces a sickly sweet wine. The general rule is:

for a dry wine

2½ lbs (2 lbs US; 1.2 kg)

for a medium wine

3 lbs (2½ lbs US; 1.4 kg)

for a sweet wine

3½ lbs (3 lbs US; 1.6 kg)

It’s always best to make your wine a little on the dry side – if it turns out too dry for your taste it can always be sweetened, but an already over-sweet wine can’t be remedied except by blending. Sugar is generally added to the must in the form of syrup (ie. dissolved in hot water). This ensures that there are no undissolved sugar grains to affect the fermentation.

Pectin enzyme Pectin, or pectic acid, is found in stone fruits such as apricots, damsons and plums. It’s a great aid in making jam, but a great hindrance in making wine. The acid is released from fruits and some vegetables during the initial soaking process, and must be destroyed or the wine will be cloudy. For this purpose, a pectin-destroying enzyme is introduced at the start of the wine-making programme. Note that it should only be added to cool, unsweetened pulp, since heat kills it and sugar prevents it from working properly. Pectin enzyme can be bought from any wine equipment supplier and comes under various brand names, including pectolase, pectozyme and pectinol. The amount to be used may vary from brand to brand, so read the container label directions carefully.

Grape tannin Most fruits contain some tannin (tannic acid), but not in sufficient quantity for wine-making purposes. Tannin is an important ingredient for several reasons: it helps prevent the wine from deteriorating, it adds body to the wine, and it enhances the flavour. Very little is needed – no more than half a teaspoon per gallon (4.5 l). Because tea is high in tannic acid some people prefer to use half a pint (284 ml) of strong cold black tea instead of powdered tannin. But I’ve found it affects the flavour and colour of the wine to some extent.

Camden tablets Indispensable for wine-making, these are a convenient source of sulphur dioxide and are used for disinfection. They sterilise equipment, preventing mould from growing on the must and bacteria from flourishing in the bottled wine. They will also kill any wild yeasts present in pulp or juice.

Camden tablets are easy and economical to use – one to each gallon (4.5 l) of wine is generally sufficient. Note that they should be added, crushed, at the start of the wine-making programme, since they will inhibit the working of the yeast if introduced at the fermentation stage. The air-locks used during the secondary fermentation should contain a Camden solution to prevent bacteria as well as oxygen from entering the fermenting jar; and a crushed tablet added to each gallon (4.5 l) of wine just before bottling will keep it free from contamination and bitterness and will help to preserve the colour.

A sterilising solution made from one Camden tablet to 4 ozs (114 ml) of water can be stored and re-used several times.

Make sure you never run out of them – there is no satisfactory substitute available on the high street. And don’t be afraid to buy them in bulk – they have a shelf-life of 20 years!

Citric acid The less acid there is naturally present in the main ingredient, the more there is needed to be added. It helps the yeast to work, gives the wine ‘bite’ and helps to stabilise it, and prevents any medicinal flavours from creeping in. Citric acid is available in chemical form, but this tends to be expensive, and it’s much easier (and nicer) to add it in the form of citrus fruit juice – lemon, orange or grapefruit. The amount of juice depends on the individual wine, but a general rule is between ½ oz and ¾ oz per gallon (14–21 ml:4.5 l).

Raisins and sultanas Dried fruit such as raisins and sultanas (called white raisins in the USA) are used to give body to an otherwise ‘thin’ wine, and add to its vinosity. They are also natural sweeteners, and 1 lb (453 g) of dried fruit is equal to ½s lb (226 g) of sugar. Because raisins have a flavour of their own, they shouldn’t be used with blossom or other delicately flavoured wines or they will spoil the bouquet. For these, sultanas are best, being virtually flavourless. Dried fruit is prepared for use by chopping finely, or mincing.

Pearl barley