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Seem to have some decent  'snips this year (pleasant change), so was thinking bout  'snip wine.
Trouble is, I have had conflicting info  whether  to use them now the frost has got 'em,  or leave them in and wait till spring.
Any  suggestions  ?

I don't have any concrete advice, but it is interesting since I was discussing parsnip wine earlier in the chat room, and I believe a recipe may be appearing on this board ... I would have thought once they have sweetened from the frosts them they would be better, but that is only a point of view. I will not be doing anything until after Christmas anyway.

Derekthefox :D

Here's what I did last Feb. :-

4/02/05 Started parsnip wine/sherry -from step by step homemade wine by Judith Irwin.
3lbs Parsnips
1/2pt grape concentrate (didn't have this so I used ~1/2lb raisins + 1/2lb sultanas)
2 1/2 lb suger (though I may adjust this) inc 1/2lb muscovado
Formula 67.
cup of tea.
1tsp+ of citric
Vit B1 tablet no?

1 day with Pectolze and campden then, due to sultanas/raisins, I will ferment on the pulp to start with. On pulp for 6 days then transferred to DJ, sultanas wrung out in muslin to extract juice.

I think I fed it more suger to make it more 'sherry' like, I racked it over the other day and it's a powerfull brew -still a bit hazy though so I may fine it. The book said to leave for at least a year.

Good thing about this is that you can still use the 'snips afterwards as all you do is boil them up and use the water.

Jeremy

Ah, I am interested in the presence of the moscavado sugar, this gives a real molasses taste then? I like dark treacle, so would imagine this must be an essential part of the flavour.Certainly worth trying ...

Derekthefox :D

C.J.J. Berry ( the Master as far as I'm concerned ) suggests making a light Parsnip wine in Novemeber and a medium one in December. Pull the 'snips after the first frost and boil them until tender, "but not mushy, or the wine may not clear later"    {:¬)#

There seems to be a distinct difference of approach here then, which leaves me confused.

To boil, or not to boil ... ?

Derekthefox :D

You have to boil to get the nutrients/sugars/flavour from the 'snips otherwise the yeast wouldn't be able to extact them to convert to alcohol. Too hard.   {:¬)#

I must admit I can't detect notes of treacle (or bubblegum, tar, ambergris or martian moondust :) ) I'd be tempted to double the quantity of muscovado -or use some treacle.

If you don't boil how are you going to get the flavour out? Perhaps grating and pulp fermenting?

Jeremy.

I make parsnip wine sometimes, and like most of the ones I do, it's pretty basic.
Take your parsnips. I take mine before the frosts. Peel and chop roughly into pieces about 2 x 3" approx. Enough to fill a bucket. Leave for a couple of hours in a warm place. They discolour. Boil the kettle a few times and add boiling water until the pieces are just covered. I never boil the parsnips or I've found it stays cloudy. Take your long handled masher or a stout piece of wood and knock them about a bit. Let it all cool to blood heat. Sprinkle dessertspoon yeast (I use standard dried bread yeast). Cover and leave for 4 days. strain off liquor into new bucket, stir in and dissolve 2 kg of white sugar. Put into 2 dj's and wait at least 6 weeks. During this time, if they seem to stop bubbling, (bearing in mind it usually is winter)I start them off again by standing in a sink of warm water and sprinkling a bit more yeast into the dj. After 6 weeks I taste. If not strong enough, and not sweet, I syphon it into bucket, stir in another 1/4-1/2 kg of sugar, bit more yeast, then put it back into dj and leave for another 3-4 weeks. If too sweet, I just start them off again  with yeast as above.

Thank you Jen, I am spoiled for choice now. No doubt I will come up with a recipe that is perhaps an blend of the two methods. More home chemistry to play with  :)

Derekthefox :D

I will post one of my recipes after I have picked myself up off the floor  ... I only think that I'm sitting at the keyboard typing this  *hic*

We will be inundated with parsnip wine recipes, the talk of the internet hahaha!

Derekthefox :D

I have just started off a gallon of parsnip wine, as follows ...

3lb parsnips, chopped finely, into a bucket, with 250g sultanas, and boiling water poured over. Give a good pounding and add 1kg of white sugar, dissolved in water to make a syrup. Add yeast when cool. Strain off after several days into a Demijohn, adding 500g of moscovado sugar. (Or molasses sugar). Complete fermentation as standard procedure. I think this might end up slightly sweet, due to the amount of sugar, but should be quite strong so the sugar won't taste out of place. Reports will be given on completion.

Derekthefox :D

 Derek -  beat me to it,  me and a 2-year-old with an exceptionaly snotty nose, will be away to the plot tomorrow for a mass snip harvest !

'We' strained the previous brew(redcurrant & raspberry) into a dj this afternoon (always make extra to allow for 'spillages'  ::)),  so me bucket is empty  waiting for the snips.
Do you think the amount of snips per gall increases the 'snippiness' ?CJBerry shows 7lb to make 1 gall.

Also, will the volume of snot  :o  per gall have any marked influence on taste ?!!

On the subject of CJ Berry, it is generally accepted now that his methods tend to produce heavy wines, which are not necessarily to current tastes, which often prefer lighter wines. I will be giving the parsnips a good bashing to extract as much flavour as possible ...

On the snot content, I am afraid I have not known experience ...

Derekthefox :D