Elderberry Gin

Yes, I’m off again.  A hedge full of elderberries, busily being stripped by the birds, but this year I’m having my share too.  Elderberries, like Rowan, come with their own element of risk.  This time – cyanide poisoning.  Well, I like to live on the edge, but this time I’m taking some precautions.  The risk…

Limoncello

I’ve had this in mind for some time, but not got around to experimenting.  I did brew up a batch of Lemon Gin at the end of last year, and that’s busy maturing in the boot of the car, but won’t be ready before the end of 2012 so I was keen to try something…

Raspberry Gin

I’m sorry – this seems like a blatant rip-off of the Raspberry Gin recipe which is held is such high regard on The Cottage Smallholder site.  But hopefully you’ll forgive me, and see that imitation is really the sincerest form of flattery.  I mean, can you really improve on perfection?  Well, the only modification I’ve…

Rhubarb, Ginger & Orange Liqueur

I was so pleased with the success of my fruit liqueur experiment at the end of last year that I was keen to try out alternatives throughout the season.  First up this year was the Rhubarb harvest.  Perhaps not the first  candidate to sprint to mind, but I was quickly reminded by the success of…

Fruit Liqueurs – The Experiment

It was a chance visit to Demijohn for a few indulgent Christmas stocking fillers that got me thinking, "How hard can it be to make your own fruit liqueurs?"  After all, I’d conquered the Ginger Beer, made various other brews in the past, it really shouldn’t be too difficult should it? After downing a  bottle…

Ginger Beer

As with years past, the pressures of work, priorities in the garden and the need to improve my golf handicap have taken me away from my recipes in the summer months.  However, the Bank Holiday weekend is upon us and as there are no more Olympics to watch on the TV, I’m feeling in an…