UK Foraging - Gorse Wine Recipe

January 22, 2018

UK Foraging - Gorse Wine Recipe

Gorse can flower at almost any time of the year, so it's a really valuable source of pollen and nectar for insects that emerge on warm days in early Spring. On a warm day, some people smell the aroma of vanilla or toasted coconut when they're near gorse. The perfume is created by the sun's rays causing the volatile oils in the flower to evaporate, which the plant uses to attract pollinating insects. As anyone who lives in the country is aware, Gorse can be a very invasive plant and most land owners struggle to keep it under control. For this reason, it makes it a very environmentally friendly flower to collect for all kinds of foraged beverages!

INGREDIENTS

5 litres gorse flowers
4.5 litres water
1.3kg sugar
The zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 sachet wine yeast
Yeast nutrient (optional)
Campden tablets

METHOD

1 Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan.

2 Place the gorse flowers in the boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes.

3 Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved, then add the lemon zest, juice and yeast nutrient (if using). Pour into a clean fermenting tub, then cover and leave to cool.

4 Once it’s at room temperature, add the yeast according to the instructions on the sachet, then cover and leave for 7 days, stirring twice daily.

5 Transfer to a demijohn using a sterilised sieve and funnel – and a bit of squeezing! Top up with boiled water if you do not have enough liquid to fill the demijohn, then attach an airlock and leave in a warm place until the fermentation has ceased.

6 Rack off into a fresh demijohn, then add 1 crushed Campden tablet and leave for another couple of months, or until it is clear. Rack again if sediment forms at the base of the jar, adding 1 crushed campden tablet every time.

7 Once the wine is clear, it is time to stop the fermentation with Potassium sorbate, added in the amount of 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of wine. Once done you can sweeten to taste with sugar and siphon into sterilised wine bottles.

Leave the wine to age for as long as you can, trust me the wait is worth it.