May Wine

Photo © Rob Jones

Nature seems to have gone mad this Spring, such fabulous blossoms, no wonder the birds are singing their little hearts out in anticipation of the berries.  Bumper crop clearly on the way.

On my daily walks, I’ve been mapping the area for nature’s bounty.  I do have a tendency to stand in the lane looking into people’s gardens until I am chased away.

Luckily though here is an ebullient Hawthorne Tree almost right outside my study window, albeit in someone else’s garden – just.

So anyway, plenty of flowers to pick to make up some May (Hawthorne) Wine, although I feel that’s a bit of a misnomer, especially the way it works out when I make it.  I rank it alongside Elderflower Chapmpagne, Nettle Beer and Ginger Beer for favourites.

There are some who say you have to pick the flowers naked by moonlight, but it’s been a bit chilly recently.  And anyhow, you want to be able to see which flowers you are picking.

Ingredients

2 Gallons of Water
4.5 Litres of Hawthorne Blossoms
3 Kilos of Sugar
Lemons and Oranges – say 2 each – zest and juice
A packet of Yeast
A cup of Strong Tea

Method

Laboriously pick off the flowers leaving no large twigs or woody bits.  It takes ages and gives you neck ache, so binge watch someone on TV while you do it.  Give them a quick rinse.

Bring half the water to the boil in a large container.  Dissolve the sugar into it, and then tip in the flowers. 

Add the juice and zest of the oranges and lemons. 

And the other half of the water and give it a good stir.

Next day add the yeast and a cup of black tea (no tea leaves).

Give it a stir daily for the next few days.

About a week later, remove the flowers and transfer the wine into a demijohn with an airlock.

Siphon out the wine about a week later into strong bottles in case it gets a bit gassy and leave it for another week.

It can be quite strong so maybe mix it with some soda or fruit juice.

RJ