Lavender wine??

[Cligereen]

Hi Folks,

Has anybody ever tried making lavender wine? I will have a major glut of lavender later in the summer and would be keen to try it out. It sounds as though it should be good, on the other hand it may be absolutely foul. Just wondering if anybody's tried it or even heard of it.

Clig.

[ocailleagh]

Ooh...I bet it'll be lovely! Though lavender might interfere with the yeast now I think of it, its pretty antifungal and antibacterial at least. Maybe a liqueur of some kind might be a safer bet?

[Cligereen]

Now you've got me plotting and scheming. Lavender vodka has a very nice ring about it don't you think? I'll give that a go! I'm presuming it's the same principle as sloe gin?

I did a google search for lavender wine, I came up with two very similar recipes but both included using white grape concentrate. In the first place I don't know anywhere locally where I can buy that, and in second place, I'd prefer to try to make it with my own ingredients. I may need to be a bit inventive here

As an aside, does anybody live around the Matlock area and know of any decent home brew shop? I'll be in Matlock next month and I can stock up.

This is a brilliant forum, so many ideas for new forms of 'refreshment'. Stoney's nettle beer had me as 'refreshed' as a newt!

Clig.

[ocailleagh]

This is the closest I could find in my herbal books to a lavender liqueur, I'd substitute the flowers weight for weight.

Honeysuckle Liqueur.

6oz honeysuckle flowers
8oz sugar
1 cup spring water
1 pint vodka or other spirit of your choice.

Lightly bruise flowers and pack into a jar. Gently warm the vodka or other spirit on a very low heat. Pour the spirit into the flower jar and seal, and place in a warm place for 2 months. (I'd rather add the spirit, seal the jar and than place in a bowl of hot water, and keep it hot for a while by topping it up, just to be on the safe side with the alcohol)
Shake the jar a few times each day. After two months (you have a tincture, about half the usual strength, you could save some at this stage to use medicinally) put the sugar in a jug, add the water and dissolve the sugar into a syrup. Strain the alcohol while pressing down firmly on the flowers. Add syrup to alcohol, mix thoroughly and pour into a sterile bottle (adding some flowers as decoration if clear) . Seal and label.

(Edited for typos)

[marshlander]

I haven't made lavender wine but I make brownies, cupcakes, bread and iced cream using lavender flowers and culinary lavender oil (not aromatherapy oil).

The variety 'Provence' has a very low camphor level and a mild Lavender flavour. Other varieties of Lavender can be bitter and medicinal or too perfumed for cooking.

Lavender syrup (equal amounts sugar and water - I use american cups which equals 9 fl oz water and 9 or 10 ozs sugar - boil til sugar is disolved then steep lavender flowers and lemon zest for at least 20 mins. Strain, cool, keep in fridge up to 2 weeks) added to iced tea makes a lovely summer drink and a dash in a white wine spritzer is delish.

[ocailleagh]

I didn't realise they do culinary lavender oil! I once made a cheesecake using just the ordinary essential oil, it was lovely!

[marshlander]

I think the difference is the distillation method and poss' the varieties of Lavender used. Also whether pesticides have been used.

I've been checking out other culinary vareties and found grosso and munstead are also said to be suitable - there's sure to be more.

[Cligereen]

Blimey! I'll be going forever with lavender recipes now! I know it was used as a flavouring in the past, so I may resurect some of these suggestions.

Thanks for the suggestions and keep them coming coz I have loads of lavender to use up.



Clig.

[mrsflibble]

all this talk about lavendar recipes reinds me of my honeymoon in Provence. mmmmm lavendar creme brulee.

[MKG]

Sultanas can always be used as a substitute for white grape concentrate - use one pound instead of one pint. Chop 'em, boil 'em to sterilise, and stick the whole lot in the must. Strain off after a week or so into the fermentation.

[Devon Dumpling]

Lavender shortbread is very nice....or if you fancy doing something different with sloes, sloe vermouth is yummy!

[the.fee.fairy]

There is a recipe for Lavender wine somewhere.

I bought the lavender for it and never got round to making it.

Might have to give it a go now! I'm going to have to put some purple colouring in it though. lavender's not Lavender unless its purple!

[mrsflibble]

Lavender shortbread is very nice....or if you fancy doing something different with sloes, sloe vermouth is yummy!

Vermouth makes me wierd. no, seriously, wierder.

[MKG]

So it's fairly obvious that the woman whose present avatar is a mouse with an ear on its back standing in front of a sign saying "Eep" has been on the vermouth. Weird? Naaaaah!!!!

[mrsflibble]

I knitted him. he is called Claude.