Getting on a Brew

We have quite a number of gooseberry bushes. However until I appreciated the necessity of putting a net over them the birds had the lot. This year however we had a glut after they were well pollinated by my bees and were comprehensively netted.

However there is only so much you can do with them and large quantities end up being converted into champagne. So here you see the basic ingredients of a Loire style champagne and which is made of a combination of frozen gooseberries and commercial grape juice.

I have been brewing for forty years but I never became really proficient at it until I started to follow the principles set out by Professor Gerry Fowles in his book entitled "Winemaking in Style"

Sadly this book is long out of print but I have achieved some outstanding results by following his recipes and guidance.

With Champagne styles wines available in the shops at around £8.00 a bottle I have to say my products are very quaffable and cost about 40 pence a bottle.

It is no contest really.