All it cost’s is 3lb’s of sugar

This wine is a lovely dark red wine a little sweet. Slightly sparkly.

I first made this wine about twelve years ago. We had gone for a walk. After dinner one sunny day, I, my husband and children went for a walk over the fields when we saw some blackberry bushes which were covered in lovely plump berries. We decided to pick some and got carried way. When we had finished we must have had about ten pounds of blackberries. I froze some in the freezer, bought some apples and made some pies. There was loads of fruit still left. It seemed a shame to just throw them away. A friend said why you don’t make some wine. I laughed I had never made wine in my life. and I had always been told it was hard to make good wine. I had been told that you needed loads of equipment t to make wine, I was saying this the next day to a friend’s mum, when she told me that many years ago she had made lovely blackberry wine she would see if she would find the recipe for me. And she did, I read the recipe and could not believe how easy it looked, no yeast was needed just the fruit, water and sugar. That I was sceptical was an understatement but as I had nothing to lose I tried the recipe. I took care to follow the directions. Which were absurdly simple? But I still didn’t believe that the fruit juice would become wine. I put the fruit juice in a very large jar. A demmey john is the best but I did not have one at the time. By the way jemmy johns are very cheap to buy or pick up at a second hand markets. I don’t think wine has ever been watched as much as I watched that jar. Six months later and it was ready. I know that I am biased but it was a truly lovely wine which was semi- sparkling. Since then I have made many different lovely wines that are so easy to make. I would like to share some of these recipes with you. So you too can enjoy fantastic homemade wine.

Ingredients

• 1 large saucepan, wok, or preserving pan
• 1 large plastic bowl or bucket
• Some old wine or drink bottles
• A wooden spoon or spiral
• A piece of muslin, or very fine netting
• A plastic funnel.
• Now for the wine
• To make blackberry wine
• The ingredients you will need are
• 3lb. Blackberries
• 3lb granulated sugar
• 1 gallon of boiling water

Method

1. Make sure the fruit is ripe. Gently wash fruit to remove any maggots which can get into the fruit.
2. Then place blackberries in the large bowl or bucket, and pour over one gallon of boiling water. Stir well, and then cover the bowl with a clean tea towel. Put into a room or cupboard and leave for ten days. After the ten days are up. Carefully remove the mould that has formed on top of the pulp. Then strain off the liquid through the muslin or fine net into a bowl, add 3lb or sugar and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean towel then leave for three days. But stir daily. Pour in demy john with a cork air lock, or large jar using corks which are loosely fitted this stops air getting into the jar. After about three months wine should be ready to bottle. Leave for another three months if you can before drinking.