Tanglefoot for OESDOG
Ok, I found the recipe - for 1 gallon (I prefer to make 6 at a time but until you make a trial batch. . .?)
Cotes de Blanc yeast
3 big parsnips
1 can gooseberries 14 ounce can (or 16 oz)
1 large bunch fresh green grapes
1 big teaspoon elderflowers
4 teaspoons pectic enzyme
1 teaspoon acid blend
1/2 teaspoon super food
2 lbs of sugar (approx - or use a hydrometer to bring must up to about 24 brix)
1 Cambden tablet (or powder to 50 ppm - you would need a gram scale)
Cut parsnips into slices, and
simmer gently until
just fork tender. Strain (eat parsnips later with dinner). Smash grapes and add to
"cooled" parsnip juice. Add can of gooseberries, elderflowers and rest of ingredients, except sugar. If you use a hydrometer add sugar slowly until you reach 24 brix. If you don't have a hydrometer, you can add 2 lbs sugar (it may be a tad more alcoholic). If you Don't use Cambden, you can also add yeast now. If you use Cambden, delay addition of yeast for 24 hours.
Put in fermenting vessel and add an airlock, stick it in a dark place and wait.
If you prefer not to use Superfood - I would suggest using a different yeast. This particular yeast is a low foaming yeast, and has a lot of really nice organoleptic qualities at end of fermentation, but it requires nutrient to ferment out fully. Prise de Mousse would be ok.
Don't go overboard on the elderflowers - they could be omitted if you don't like them. I use the grapes for vinous quality.
When fermentation is complete, this wine will need to be racked (can be cloudy, which is why you shouldn't
"Boil" the parsnips, and why you need the pectic enzyme). The wine will taste rough for a while, but after about 6 months (maybe longer, we forgot about ours for almost 12 months), you will be rewarded will a delightful wine - indeed a proper Tanglefoot!
