Recent content by petes

I've done tamarillo and quince wines both ways (hot and cold) for very different and not unpleasing results. Generally use a slow cooker to break the fruit down. One of the quirks with quince is cold gives a white wine, put some heat in to produce a red.

Have a citrus based melomel started at 1094, finished at 1000. October 2008 to April 2010. Nothing wrong, no off tastes but not what I wanted. Tossed some frozen blueberries at it with a generic blueberry base, started at 1022, now down to 1002. Visually great, preliminary taste very...

Wa, you may be able to get the ingredients you need at Liquor****, your closest local takeaway.

Bill W, JAOM is an okay start in mead fermentation and darn good drop when it's all finished. Aware that there are scoffers but think that's primarily an elitist thing. Glad you enjoyed yours after your difficulties. Envy your quick time; maybe it's the yeast. Just can't get the same...

Boozehag - there's something there I can't quite reach; would likely get me banned if I recall..........! Thanks for your offer Allie and the link. Guessing the cordial is the same one I've seen and had ideas for..... Another to add to the 'to do' list. So many on wines the go and so...

WaWa, That's interesting - thanks I'll have to give it some thought. Presently using bananas in some cases to body up in pace of raisins, cheers petes

This is mainly directed to those 'down under'. Read with interest Wades/Allies/Lucs posts - and acknowledge this/these flowers/fruits create heaps of interest on this forum and others. I'm aware there is a cordial of elder available in specialty shops here. Any NZ posters able to advise...

p.s. I think your Iso might be cactus.

What the hell is banana gravy? Ain't come across that one b4.

Hey Luc, Sounds like you had a great day! Hope you have many more of them. Always enjoy your blog and posts on WMT; keep them coming. (Between you enjoying the fruits of your labour of course). Cheers, petes

Master numeric index. Whiteboard marker to number bottles. All you need to know's in index. Number wipes off bottle. Quick and easy.

Hi Allie, Gorse is on the hit list; has been flowering for some months but really coming into it's own now. Haven't tried the smell test this year yet - last was extremely wet and the perfume washed right out, so that plan was a canned. Have to pull finger as, after all, all I have to do...

Wow smurfe, that looks awesome. St Allie, loquats are a different animal. (But well worth doing just the same). One of my favourites for both wine and mead. :b

BobF, yeah it can be a bit addictive - I've 21 running presently, all different. BUT, I've also a hoard of empty fermenters that need to be put to work! Have plans for them though; and even with all that hoard I still found this week I needed another. Slight volume problem. Can't win them all.

JAOM is a good start point for those who haven't experienced mead. It can be immediately drinkable. (Mine never last anyway so I've gone up to 5 gallon batches). The published recipe flies in the face of convention a little but it works. Negatives for many are excessive pithiness and clove...