Vimto Wine


The wine making is going well; we've just bottled some white grape juice wine made using cheap Tesco grape juice which has turned out at a mighty 13% abv and have started off two more gallons today.  One is a Chardonnay kit from Wilkinsons that we've used before and which gave excellent results and the other is more of an experiment - say hello to Vimto wine.

I saw a recipe for Ribena wine here and fancied trying something similar so I've substituted Vimto for Ribena.  Apparantly it makes a strong wine and is a bit like sherry.  The yeast has frothed up and started bubbling already and I only put it in an hour ago.   

If you fancy joining me in experimental Vimto wine here's the recipe:

600ml Vimto cordial (use the regular one, not sugar free)
1kg caster sugar
1 sachet of wine yeast
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Water to top up to the neck of a one gallon demi john

Mix together the sugar, Vimto and enough water in a large saucepan to make it all less gloopy.  Boil for 10 minutes; this boils off the preservatives in the Vimto which would otherwise prevent fermentation.

Leave to cool until luke warm.  Pour about 500mls of the mixture into a jug and tip in the yeast and yeast nutrient.  Pour everything into the demi john, fill with water up to the neck and take a reading with a hydrometer so you can work out abv later on.  Fit the air lock and leave in a warm place.

That's what I've done so far.  From here on in I believe it's a case of leaving it to ferment for a couple of weeks then tasting it and checking the abv until you're happy with the sweetness and alcohol content, at which point you kill of the yeast.  Once I find out how it goes I'll finish off this recipe.  At this point the hydrometer reads 1.07 which might be too low as I've added a lot of water, but I'll find out given time.  I don't know how it will turn out but the whole thing's only cost around £2.50 to make a gallon so I won't be heartbroken if it goes wrong.  

Comments

  1. If you like making wine, a really good one is Pea Pod wine. You will find a recipe on the internet, but, basically, you buy pea pods, pod them, eat the peas but use the pods for wine. The taste is similar to Cinzano/Martini, very pleasant and nice with lemonade. I haven't made any for years, all my equipment has gone now - but I do remember enjoying this one and there is no waste!

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  2. I've been wondering about that since seeing Tom's pea pod Burdandy in 'The Good Life'! So it is actually possible to make? Sounds ideal - peas and wine all for one price. That's made it to the list along with the curious recipe for parsnip sherry that I saw in 'First Steps in Wine Making'.

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    1. Oh, yes, we had many enjoyable evenings with the old Pea Pod wine. But I never tried anything with parsnips. And I do have to issue a word of caution about picking blackberries, as it is true, the Devil p*ss*s on them after a certain date in October, you'll probably be able to 'google' that as well!

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  3. I have never ever heard of vimto wine before!! Let us know how it tastes!

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