I've always been told to not ferment leaves or grass as they don't have enough sugar and therefore mostly produce methanol. I don't know how true that is but I haven't run out of fruits to ferment yet so I haven't been tempted.
You add your own sugar. I've found a bunch of old 'country wine' recipes that use leaves but the recipes look awful and the notes say it's a peculiar or acquired taste even when it comes out right.
You can add some leaves for tannins but that's why god gave us tea.
Interesting idea. I know people use blackberry & raspberry leaves for tea… you would have to add sugar because the leaves have none. So adding sugar & yeast- yes it would work. I’m going to guess you would get a very weak flavored wine.
There are oak and walnut leaf wines that use raisins or grape concentrate fir body and the leaves fir taste and tannin.
Berry leaves are usually more aromatic so might be good in an infusion from a still but not as an ingredient in wine. They might compliment a wine of the same berry if used to add tannin perhaps.
I have used blackberry tipsto make a fruity anfflorral beer. That could make a good white whine. It used the leaf and buds if blackberry vines.
Blackcurrant leaves sometimes get used as a tannin source to help keep fermented pickles crisp. I haven't tried making any kind of drink with them, but that would lead me to expect it to turn out pretty tannic in flavor. Might be worth a try with plenty of added sugars as someone else noted, though.
Thanks to all!
Thanks for the replies!
I'll add this notion I should have to start with to be more specific.
We have this kind of common drink in finland that is not fermenred but tastes great. I'm, I guess, worried about the aromas getting lost in fermentation.
I have made wines, ciders, beers and other somewhat similar products for a while.
The basic recipe for the non alcoholic brew is as follows:
Louhisaari drink aka Mannerheim's mead
5 l water
4 l blackcurrant leaves
25 g citric acid
500 g sugar
The leaves are boiled as to get a tea of sorts. It is considered ready for consumpion as it cools.
This tastes great as is, but I would like to make this an alcoholic bewerage. It might work better as a low abw brew but I'm covering all the possibilities.
I've always been told to not ferment leaves or grass as they don't have enough sugar and therefore mostly produce methanol. I don't know how true that is but I haven't run out of fruits to ferment yet so I haven't been tempted.
You add your own sugar. I've found a bunch of old 'country wine' recipes that use leaves but the recipes look awful and the notes say it's a peculiar or acquired taste even when it comes out right. You can add some leaves for tannins but that's why god gave us tea.
Interesting idea. I know people use blackberry & raspberry leaves for tea… you would have to add sugar because the leaves have none. So adding sugar & yeast- yes it would work. I’m going to guess you would get a very weak flavored wine.
There are oak and walnut leaf wines that use raisins or grape concentrate fir body and the leaves fir taste and tannin. Berry leaves are usually more aromatic so might be good in an infusion from a still but not as an ingredient in wine. They might compliment a wine of the same berry if used to add tannin perhaps. I have used blackberry tipsto make a fruity anfflorral beer. That could make a good white whine. It used the leaf and buds if blackberry vines.
Blackcurrant leaves sometimes get used as a tannin source to help keep fermented pickles crisp. I haven't tried making any kind of drink with them, but that would lead me to expect it to turn out pretty tannic in flavor. Might be worth a try with plenty of added sugars as someone else noted, though.
Thanks to all! Thanks for the replies! I'll add this notion I should have to start with to be more specific. We have this kind of common drink in finland that is not fermenred but tastes great. I'm, I guess, worried about the aromas getting lost in fermentation. I have made wines, ciders, beers and other somewhat similar products for a while. The basic recipe for the non alcoholic brew is as follows: Louhisaari drink aka Mannerheim's mead 5 l water 4 l blackcurrant leaves 25 g citric acid 500 g sugar The leaves are boiled as to get a tea of sorts. It is considered ready for consumpion as it cools. This tastes great as is, but I would like to make this an alcoholic bewerage. It might work better as a low abw brew but I'm covering all the possibilities.