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you said you bottled some to take to BGG - how was the wine?

We didn't drink any!!

I took 2 types of mead, and opened one bottle to get rid of my cough (medicinal reasons...). Didn't even finish it!

Ishers at the picnic were more excited by the 2l of coke that i had!!

oh dear.. undrinkable.. or just needing something more thirst quenching?

Nope, the mead was gorgeous!!

It was the fact that you can't get any coca cola onsite, so after a couple of days, should you be a coke drinker, it gets a bit desperate!! It was also really warm that day (i even got a suntan) so people were wanting thirst quenching rather than alcoholic.

makes sense

glad you mead has worked out. mine ended up drier then i expected.. sort of medium.. when i was expecting sweet (damn wine yeast is just too good theise days.. ) - was yours sweet or dry?

and how about the lemon and ginger?

My mead is great so far, its still got til christmas to mature and so far its quite smooth and velvety.

I like dry mead though, i like it because it has more honey flavours, rather than just sweetness.

The lemon and ginger has only one bottle left! The rest has disappeared down various gullets!! It was very nice though, and its been getting more gingery as time has gone on. Might have to make some more when i'm allowed (mum's been trying to give the broom alcove back to the broom).

the local charity shop had 5 demijohns in.. quid each.. i have been slowly buying them - slowly as I have to walk home and usually am out cos i have been to butchers or bakers etc.. so have full hands already.. so have bought them one at a time..

now I have another glut of windfall apples. and too many empty demijohns.. apple wine next...

cider is bubbling away at speed

Sounds nice!
I saw some crabapples yesterday, so i'm thinking of some crabapple wine.

I also some some sloes that were ripe, and some damsons, so i feel sloe gin and damson wine coming up.

And, lots of plums - plum jam might be in the offing too!!

Oooh! We've got a fair number of crab apples (after all I said elsewhere as well, about having very little in the garden this year - ooops). Have you made crab apple wine before? Can you point me in the direction of a recipe?

Nope, i think there's a recipe in CJJ Berry's book for apple wine. I was just going to use that but substitute crab apples.

I can always add sugar if its too dry. I'll post the recipe when i get home...and find the book...

Thanks very much.

Found a crab apple wine recipe in an ancient Marguerite Patten book if anyone wants it. It's a long haul - 12 months before you can drink. Aaargh.

most wine is a long haul to make.

Please post it!

I've lost my copy of CJJ Berry's book, and the other books are somewhere.

When i find them, i'll dig out an apple wine recipe, i promise!!

Had a bottle of my homemade plum wine on the table at my sons birthday party yesterday - it didnt last very long and people were very complimentary about it. The elderberry & pear wasnt so appreciated altho my friend, a hardened wine drinker, said it was far more alcoholic that normal shop bought stuff!