Henry viii's \"seven herb wine\"

30 Litres

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Fruit juice
Sugar
Yeast
Wormwood
Tarragon
Thyme
Rosemary
Hyssop
Lovage
Chervil

Directions

The juices are extracted from the fruit (by cooking, pressing or equivalent). Use a 30 l (8 ga) container. For every litre (? ga) of (boiling) juice add 1⅛ lb of sugar while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stop approx. 10" from the top. Fill a bag (10"*16") made out of cheese cloth with the herbs and a stone (washed, of course) and lower it to the bottom of the container. Be sure to close it well! When the liquid is lukewarm add two toasted pieces of bread with 50 g (1 ¾ oz) of yeast (baking-) on each side. Cover the container and leave for 6-7 months (do check on it - I have no exact indication of time other then "in May we bottle..."). This makes a clear, dry, vermouth'ish wine. When made on summer apples it's more like Noilly Prat when made on plums it's sweeter and more fruity. If you don't like the fruit flavour you can add a "lid" of dried rowan berries on top (or use another bag) during the fermentation period. This removes the fruity taste and makes it more winelike. You can experiment with different herbs and spices. The wine(s) are perfect for cocktails (served in tall glasses with ice and lemon topped with some blue borage flowers on top), used in a bowle with fruit and soft drinks or just icecold as it is.

Related recipes