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I'd like to have a bash at a recipe in CJJ Berry's book.

It calls for malt extract, which I can't source at my usual wine-making supplier. Exactly what affect does malt extract have on the wine? Could I use something else -an ingredient I can buy at my local supermarket, perhaps? Can I get hold of some malt extract at my local health shop?

All suggestions gratefully received.

I got malt extract from the wholefood shop - was yummy in bread :)

I have a feeling that the chemist might sell it too but don't quote me.


Wine from tinned fruit - please let us know how it turns out

I made that recipe once. We used dark demijohns and it turned out a pretty rose' colour. Tasted good too. Can't remember what fruit we used. Stuff we found at the back of Ed's dad's cupboards that was all out of date. There was a tin of strawberries because I remember boggling that anyone would eat tinned strawberries. Probably some canned peaches too. There are always canned peaches.

I don't remember malt extract in the recipe. Malt extract has a dark, toffee-ish taste that would be an odd ingredient in wine. I know the recipe calls for pectolytic enzyme, though, otherwise you end up with a demijohn full of jelly.[/code]

I've double - checked the recipe and:

1/2 lb Malt Extract

definitely listed. This does indeed appear to contradict an earlier passage in the same book ...
I've got a dark demijohn, but I'm not going to be using that since I plan to use peaches, apricots and tangerines instead.

Never used it in any of my tinned fruit wines I've made, or the pec. enzyme stuff, turned out fine. Nice taste, easy to drink Worth a go.

Mystery solved: malt extract is a source of Vit B. It's additional fodder for yeast!

Aha. Thanks for letting us know that. But doesn't it make the wine taste like Soreen (not that Soreen wine would necessarily be a bad thing. . .)

Not sure. However, it will be greatly diluted. Plus if the yeast is munching on it as well, there may be little or any of it left to taste.
For my coffee wine, I added 1/2 teaspoon of marmite to the starter bottle and, on sampling a week later, there's no hint of marmite left. ( I also added a little epsom salts and used Young's Super Yeast (with diammonium phosphate added) -so much for expensive shop bought nutrients!)

Have just racked tinned peach wine (1st time) and it's a little thin, but tastes fab!