Comments on: The Cheekiest of Cheeky Vimtos http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/ Home Distillation Made Easy! Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:55:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Neil TRD http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-6059 Neil TRD Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:45:48 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-6059 Recipe with piccys and how to listed here http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=11225 amongst others Recipe with piccys and how to listed here

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=11225

amongst others

]]> By: Iain W http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-5096 Iain W Fri, 20 May 2011 13:34:30 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-5096 The best one I've found is Robinsons Apple & Strawberry cordial. Has pretty much no artificial anything in it, apart from some citric acid as an acidity regulator. Wasn't acidic enough, though, so I got the must going by smashing up a couple of tubs of 'organic' Lemon boiled sweets (also no additives, but tons of citric acid) I got for £1 per kilo wholesale. Boiled them up in some water until they dissolved into a thick, sticky syrup. Split that into four equal amounts in 4 demijohns, added four 250mL bottles of the Robinsons, plus 500mL of pure orange juice per demi. Then topped up to an inch from the neck with water. Alcotec Turbo 48 yeast (a decent spoonful in each demi). Only drawback is that it takes about 10 days to fully stop fermenting (though it's pretty cool in my brew-room, so it may go quicker in the warm) and a couple of weeks to clear without chemical help. We estimate it hits approximately 22% abv by the time the bubbles stop. Half pint glass of the stuff has approximately the same effect on me as 4 pints of lager, so I don't think we're too far off in that estimate. The best one I’ve found is Robinsons Apple & Strawberry cordial. Has pretty much no artificial anything in it, apart from some citric acid as an acidity regulator. Wasn’t acidic enough, though, so I got the must going by smashing up a couple of tubs of ‘organic’ Lemon boiled sweets (also no additives, but tons of citric acid) I got for £1 per kilo wholesale.

Boiled them up in some water until they dissolved into a thick, sticky syrup. Split that into four equal amounts in 4 demijohns, added four 250mL bottles of the Robinsons, plus 500mL of pure orange juice per demi. Then topped up to an inch from the neck with water. Alcotec Turbo 48 yeast (a decent spoonful in each demi).

Only drawback is that it takes about 10 days to fully stop fermenting (though it’s pretty cool in my brew-room, so it may go quicker in the warm) and a couple of weeks to clear without chemical help.

We estimate it hits approximately 22% abv by the time the bubbles stop. Half pint glass of the stuff has approximately the same effect on me as 4 pints of lager, so I don’t think we’re too far off in that estimate.

]]> By: Monkey http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-4365 Monkey Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:08:41 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-4365 Hi I also have started a gallon of vimto wine I followed a recipe online and I put 1tsp youngs yeast 2lt of cordial to 3 lt water it is bubbling like he'll will keep up to date Hi I also have started a gallon of vimto wine I followed a recipe online and I put 1tsp youngs yeast 2lt of cordial to 3 lt water it is bubbling like he’ll will keep up to date

]]> By: Bobby http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-2564 Bobby Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:45:33 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-2564 I am a Yank in the Middle East where I have been making wine for over 10 years. Once I too thought that Ribena blackcurrant would make an interesting wine and set about making it in a 7 litre jar. Sorbate is the main obstacle but I left the must alone and after about 3 weeks it began to bubble in spite of the sorbate - 3 weeks is a very long time for something to start that normally is in full fermentation after 4 or 5 days. In the end I had a blackcurrant wine which was already very acidic without adding acid. I did not try to distill but I think it might turn out ok. As a wine it is too acidic for my taste. Over the years though I have found Ribena to be a good but powerful flavouring agent for my red grape wine but in very small amounts. I make 50 litres of red wine at a time and to that I add only about 1/4 cup of Ribena at the very beginning so it all ferments together. I use red grape juice as a base and it too has sorbate but I believe Ribena has more than that found in regular juice. The grape juice always ferments just fine. I am a Yank in the Middle East where I have been making wine for over 10 years. Once I too thought that Ribena blackcurrant would make an interesting wine and set about making it in a 7 litre jar. Sorbate is the main obstacle but I left the must alone and after about 3 weeks it began to bubble in spite of the sorbate – 3 weeks is a very long time for something to start that normally is in full fermentation after 4 or 5 days. In the end I had a blackcurrant wine which was already very acidic without adding acid. I did not try to distill but I think it might turn out ok. As a wine it is too acidic for my taste. Over the years though I have found Ribena to be a good but powerful flavouring agent for my red grape wine but in very small amounts. I make 50 litres of red wine at a time and to that I add only about 1/4 cup of Ribena at the very beginning so it all ferments together. I use red grape juice as a base and it too has sorbate but I believe Ribena has more than that found in regular juice. The grape juice always ferments just fine.

]]> By: Jimmy http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-602 Jimmy Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:08:42 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-602 Thanks Chris, great links! As for my experiments, they didn't work - the fermentation got stuck so that it made a little alcohol but not nearly enough to make it worthwhile. I ended up throwing it through the still along with some other odds and sods and then carbon filtering it all to make a neutral spirit. I don't know if Ribena is different to Vimto, I will check the ingredients next time I am at the supermarket. I do intend to revisit this subject at some point. Thanks Chris, great links! As for my experiments, they didn’t work – the fermentation got stuck so that it made a little alcohol but not nearly enough to make it worthwhile. I ended up throwing it through the still along with some other odds and sods and then carbon filtering it all to make a neutral spirit. I don’t know if Ribena is different to Vimto, I will check the ingredients next time I am at the supermarket. I do intend to revisit this subject at some point.

]]> By: Chris http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-601 Chris Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:21:44 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-601 One final post - <a href="http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6223&view=previous&sid=ba6410c8fafef1f219afa3fe7362cd82" rel="nofollow">Another Ribena thead</a> - looks like the same recipe as the book, 3 table spoons of lemon juice, no boiling. One final post – Another Ribena thead – looks like the same recipe as the book, 3 table spoons of lemon juice, no boiling.

]]> By: Chris http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-600 Chris Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:15:25 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-600 Although <a href="http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&p=197793" rel="nofollow">these guys</a> claim that you need to boil the Ribena for 10 minutes to drive off the preservatives. I don't actually see these instructions in the above e-book! Although these guys claim that you need to boil the Ribena for 10 minutes to drive off the preservatives. I don’t actually see these instructions in the above e-book!

]]> By: Chris http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-599 Chris Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:48:34 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-599 I'm just trying to ferment some of Lidl's blackcurrant concentrate at the moment... I found a recipe for Ribena wine in the book <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/8235475/eBooks-Wine-and-Beer-Making?autodown=pdf" rel="nofollow">First Steps in Wine Making</a>. The key appears to be one-third of a teaspoon of citric acid to balance the pH level. Good luck. I’m just trying to ferment some of Lidl’s blackcurrant concentrate at the moment… I found a recipe for Ribena wine in the book First Steps in Wine Making. The key appears to be one-third of a teaspoon of citric acid to balance the pH level. Good luck.

]]> By: umpa http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-532 umpa Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:49:41 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-532 Its been two months...... is there an update ? Its been two months…… is there an update ?

]]> By: pi55ed http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/experiments/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/comment-page-1/#comment-318 pi55ed Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:26:51 +0000 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/2008/03/25/the-cheekiest-of-cheeky-vimtos/#comment-318 Would lightly boiling, or possibly freezing the cordial get rid of some of the chemicals out?? Would lightly boiling, or possibly freezing the cordial get rid of some of the chemicals out??

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