Gorse Flower Wine
We got this recipe from Roger Phillips “Wild Food”. We find with champagne yeast (see note below) the wine clears much faster than with general purpose wine yeast.
Ingredients
2 litres (3.5 pints) gorse flowers
1 kg (2.2lb) sugar
2 lemons (preferably unwaxed and organic)
2 oranges (preferably organic)
4 ½ litres (1 gallon) filtered water
Champagne yeast or any white wine General purpose yeast (see note)
Method
Pick fresh fully opened flowers. It is easiest to pick with your fingers, ideally on a calm and sunny day.
To start the yeast follow the instructions on the sachet.
Simmer the flowers in the water for 15 minutes then dissolve the sugar.
Cool slightly before you pour in a bucket and add the thinly peeled rind and the juice of the lemons and oranges. Allow to cool to a lukewarm temperature (about 35-37C) add the yeast, mix well and cover with a cloth.
After 3-4 days (give it a stir everyday), strain off the solids using a fine sieve and pour into a demi-john, fit an airlock and allow it to ferment at least for five month. Rack off into a fresh demi-john making it up to the full amount with boiled, but cooled down water. Leave for another month and then filter or alternatively leave until completely clear.
Then bottle in sterilized bottles.
If you find the wine to dry at bottling stage you can add more sugar.
It can take up to nine month to mature this wine.
Note We us if possible Lalvin Champagne Yeast EC-1118 -5g. This yeast is GMO and gluten-free. You can order this and other yeasts at www.homebrew.ie
