Rowan or Mountain Ash berries

[Durgan]

Has anybody tried processing rowan berries? There are many trees loaded with berries in my area and nobody utilizing for food. I would like to know more about them and if certain varieties should be avoided.

[MKG]

I've used them for winemaking - they add body but very little taste - and I know that you can (but never have) make a jelly from them. As far as I know (but don't take my word for it) a rowan is, apart from minor varietal differences, a rowan - I know of no varieties which should be avoided.

Mike

[Andy Hamilton]

I was rather unimpressed with the wine too. Rowan jelly is rather bitter, but that the point and you are suposed to have it with some game. Personally, I mix with some whitebeam fruit as the natural sugars sweeten up the and the juxtaposition with both is rather tasty.

[wabbit955]

make rowan jelly most years and yes it is bitter but goes well vension
make it with apples to set it

[gregorach]

I've used rowan berries to bitter an (unhopped) ale quite successfully...

[Luath]

It's the tannin on the rowans that can make them unpalatable; usually mixed with other fruits in eg hedgerow jellies, wines, etc. All varieties are safe to use; I forage wild ones, plus have two cultivars (and a wild one) in the garden, all useful. Always leave plenty for the birds though. I'm trying hedgerow brandy for the first time this year, so some will find their way into that.

[Silver Ether]

I have done rowan jelly in the past but can't remember what it ws like .. os as I have not done it since It suggests it couldn't have been very good also tried rowan vodka ... yak tasted like dirt ...