Results

​2012 - Batch 1






2012 - Batch 2





2012 - Batch 3


2014 - Batch 4









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2014 - Batch 5

















2014  - Batch 6








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2014 - Batches 7 & 8










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Tips!

First 6 batches use the CJJ Berries recipe. My first attempt was disgusting and vinegary probably because I rushed in, didn't sterilise everything and didn't follow the directions. Berries from Flitwick woods. I still have most of this batch under the stairs (in 2014!)

Sterilised everything this time as was very good, especially after a year. Tasted more like port than wine as was strong and sweat. Berries from Flitwick woods and Thames River tow path, under Muttley's supervision!

BB's as per batch 2 but not as nice, not sure why?

Mid July - BB's from Flitwick picked with Moon and Isla in the pram, used half packet (2.5 grams) of 'Garvin universal wine yeast' and a heaped teaspoon of yeast nutrient, both from Wilkinson's. Had lots of liquid left over (900ml) when decanting to demi-john. End August - racked into new demijohn. Racked again start of November (tasted worryingly fizzy!!!) - opps it's now Dec '15 and I've just  decanted into bottles, hydro shows medium dry, specific gravity is 10. Tastes very good: dry fruity and strong!

End July - BB's from Bedford river picked while paddling in Dad's canoe with Moon. Capsized as we got off, soaked Sunny's phone but saved the BB's! Started on the same say so not frozen. 1.75Kg's of BB turned into 1.75 ml after mashing. I brought this up to the 5.5 litre mark in the fermenting bucket with boiling water (3.75 litres of water rather than the usual 4.5 litres) as had too much liquid in batch 4. Added 2.5 grams of yeast... I was quite rough with this wine (shaking to dissolve the sugar) so hopefully I didn't damage the yeast)... I still had about 300ml too much liquid after putting in demi-john... End August - racked into new demijohn. Racked again start of November (tasted worryingly fizzy!!!)

End July - From the same harvest as batch 5 but this time the berries were frozen for a week before mashing. Brought the mixture up to 5.2 litres with boiling water on the fermenting bucket. End August - racked into new demijohn. Racked again start of November (tasted good, very sweet!!!) -  - opps it's now Dec '15 and I've just  decanted into bottles, hydro shows specific gravity of 50.. Tastes very good: like a nice smooth port!​

Berries picked at the end of July from the Thames near Churtsey with Sunny and Moon. Froze berries until I was ready to start at the end of August. Followed my new Victory recipe, from "The Art of wine-making". I used 1.5Kg's of very ripe berries. Tried to do two batch in one bucket but it almost filled it (7 litres of water I only have 1 bucket with an airlock so batch 6 has the lock, batch 7 doesn't. PA was 15.5 (SG95) after adding peptic enzyme. Racked again start of November (batch 7 tasted like real wine!!! I bit too dry for my taste, but see how it goes) PA was over the top of the scale, hydrometer tip only just showed above the wine (SG990???). Label on hydro states 'bottle' a bit lower down so will bottle all wine soon. - Batch 7: opps it's now Dec '15 and I've just  decanted into bottles, hydro is almost submerged tastes bad, watery and  slightly acidic! Almost non-drinkable - named 'Churtsy Paint Stripper'




- Sterilise everything!

** with mild bleach or sterilising power, not just boiling water**

- When bottling in a demijohn fill to the neck so the least amount of wine is exposed to the air, also usually get 5.5 bottles due to avoiding the liquid near the sediment, so need to get as much in as possible from the first mix.

- Use push in 'plastic cap' corks for ease