Friends of mine have a surfeit of gooseberries, and I jokingly told them to make some gooseberry gin, not that I had ever heard of it, only damson gin.
Yesterday they called round and gave me a 'kit' for my birthday. Gberries, Billingtons golden caster sugar and a litre of Bombay Sapphire. Plus instructions. I only drink G &Ts in warm weather, normally late afternoon when abroad, and wondered if the expensive gin is overkill and substitute a cheaper brand. Obviously I have to make it... Churlish otherwise!
Any thoughts please?
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Use cheap gin or better still vodka. The gooseberries will overpower any delicate flavours.
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Thanks CGN
In which case I might do both... I don't drink alcohol at home so have neither in stock...I'm returning to Turkey in the next few weeks so will buy some of both there in half litre bottles, then hopefully ready in time for Christmas, when I shall invite myself round to my friends for a meal and we can have a blind tasting.
Will freeze the gooseberries in the meantime
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Beware of "Foreign" Spirits, some are downright dangerous! - contain Glycol and other noxious gloops, some are o.k though, do you trust what you read on the label? Me would rather pay a bit extra and buy it here!
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I'd use vodka, and probably cut down on the amount of sugar. Got some sloe vodka I made, but sloes do contain a stimulant, so best not drunk too late as you'll not get to sleep!
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My late MiL, a sporting old thing, used to make elderflower wine.
It varied a bit from one brew to the next, but there was one lot that had everyone ripped as stoats, walking into trees, getting lost on the back lawn and so on. My little sister got a black eye from a tree she walked into.
I still miss the old girl, she was jolly good fun although she didn't suffer fools gladly. Needless to say I was often cast in the role of a fool (but that's mothers-in-law for you).
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Mon 25 Jul 16 at 16:38
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It varied a bit from one brew to the next, but there was one lot that had everyone ripped as stoats, walking into trees, getting lost on the back lawn and so on. My little sister got a black eye from a tree she walked into.
Yeasts vary in their tolerance to alcohol and for some reason, the recipes for country wines tend to include a lot of sugar. 4lb per gallon of liquid is the norm, and if you do that, one usually ends up with a very sweet wine. But if the yeast was tolerant, and champagne ones are the most tolerant widely available, instead of being 10-12% alcohol by volume, strengths of 16% are possible, maybe a bit more. 20% is possible with a specialist yeast. At that strength, 'walking into trees' vino is a given.
I used to be a home brewer and wine maker; still got the kit. A decent elderberry wine can be astonishingly good.
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I used to make wine and beer. Whilst the wine could be drinkable it didn't really compare to the real stuff and some of the stuff I have been offered was truly awful. Beetroot and Parsnip wine anyone?
The beer on the other hand was quite acceptable and the whole process is of course so much quicker.
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Not quicker than opening a bottle and pouring it though :-)
Of the beers on offer in Tesco's, King Goblin, Champion and Old Crafty Hen are nice. 4 for £6 which is more expensive that Lidl I know but they don't usually have the stronger beers at £1.25.
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I'm not adverse to a bottle of beer but I much prefer the draught stuff down the pub.
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Me too... £2.90 pint down my local. Buy 6 get 1 free... Over as many sessions as you like = £2.50 pint.
And the conversation is better
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Yesterday. Tesco. 4 cans of Bombardier Ale. 500 ml. 4.3% X 3 units (of 4) = 12 cans. £10.00.
'tis lovely I'll have you know.
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>>.I'm returning to Turkey in the next few weeks so will buy some of both there in half litre bottles,
Seriously?! That's a lot of effort to go to in order to save £2. Go to Lidl and buy a bottle of their gin. And then drink the Lidl gin and use the Bombay Sapphire for the gooseberries (what I would do.)
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Ho Ho... I shall pick up the vodka & gin at a local Aldi later this week
Other reasons for returning to Turkey
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Gooseberry gin - CGNorwich
