Orchard Wine
(Apple, Plum and Blackberry)

This is so named as it was made from what was left in a local orchard after the best fruit had been picked.

Ingredients:

• 3lbs late plums (Marjorie Seedling plum)
• 3lbs Apples
• 1lb Blackberries - remove any stalks
• Juice of a Lemon
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1 tin of red grape juice concentrate
• 10 pints boiling water
• 2 crushed Camden tablets (to kill any wild yeasts)
• Sugar - amount as needed below
• All purpose wine yeast
• Yeast nutrient
• 1 teaspoon Pectolic enzyme (optional - I got away without using it but it might go cloudy on you. If it does you can always add the Pectolase later)

Method:

• Wash and cut the apples into rough slices - do not core or peel.
• Wash plums and blackberries and put into the fermenting bucket with the apples.
• Pour over the boiling water and stir.
• Add crushed Camden tablets.
• Leave covered with a lid for 4 days, stirring daily.
• Remove cinnamon stick, strain fruit through a jelly bag and measure the juice.
• To each gallon of juice add 2½lbs of sugar dissolved in a pint of hot water.
• Add the tin of grape concentrate, lemon juice and Pectolase (if used).
• Add the yeast activated with the yeast nutrient.
• Mix well and pour into demijohns allowing a good gap for the fermentation froth. Fit fermentation locks and stand in a warm place.
• Rack into clean demijohns as necessary.

Test at intervals for specific gravity - a top up of sugar may be desirable if you want a sweeter wine.
This quantity made 3 demijohns full - 18 bottles. It is a light fruity red, very drinkable on its own but great with a meal.

Made 17% alcohol with an all-purpose wine yeast.

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