Sherry

[primusbrew]

I have recently inherited a stack of old cook books that used to belong to my great grandmother. It is quite a collection with lots of weird and wonderful recipes from about 60 years ago, I think. Inside a few of them their are some hand written recipes. The one that I found most interesting was one that was titled Sherry. I thought that others on here might also find this note of interest. Here it is word for word:



Sherry

3lbs Sugar
4 pints of water (boiled and cooled)
2 packets of Sunmaid raisins
4 medium potatoes washed and cut
1/2 oz yeast spread on toast

Put all ingredients into large pan and stir well, cover and leave in a fairly cool place and stir daily for 21 days. Strain and bottle in the usual way.



I am thinking of having a go at making it. Not expecting it to taste fantastic, just think it would be fun to do. There are a couple of things that I am unsure of that others may be able to help me with. Firstly what role do the potatoes play? Will the yeast be able to ferment the starches? And secondly what does "yeast spread on toast" mean? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[vykuza]

Mate, looks like grandmas favourite rocket fuel. It will definitely be good for a laugh though! For the yeast on toast part, I think it's talking about what we call now "fresh yeast". In big clumps it kind of looks like butter or cheese, and could be spread. I think they mean actually spread it on toast; lots of these old recipes don't necessarily make much sense.

Here's a "fresh yeast" primer. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/techniques/using_fresh_yeast Oh, and it's bloody hard to get these days. Try a baker or health food store. It's got a shelf life of less than a week (on a good week).

Good luck, and let us know how it goes! :icon_cheers:

 

[primusbrew]

For the yeast on toast part, I think it's talking about what we call now "fresh yeast". In big clumps it kind of looks like butter or cheese, and could be spread. I think they mean actually spread it on toast; lots of these old recipes don't necessarily make much sense.

Hi Nick thanks for the reply. There is a supermarket near my place that sells fresh yeast in the deli section.

I have just done an internet search and found a couple of recipes for dandelion wine that say "when liquid has cooled to blood temperature, soften yeast, spread on toast, and float toast in crock". I assume that this is the same method that the sherry recipe alludes to. Very strange. Is anyone aware of why people used to do this instead of adding the yeast directly to the fermenter? It certainly is very interesting to see how previous generations of homebrewers did it.

 

[alkos]

Anything to do with oxygen supply during fermentation? It's a no-no for beer, but sherry-like stuff should benefit from oxidised flavours. At least Randy Mosher says so

 

[kocken42]

You way also want to look up what that recipe is actually making, because Sherry is a fortified wine. Maybe the beverage produced by the recipe was used as a replacement for Sherry's in recipes, or was simply just a good ol' rocket fuel.

As far as I know, potatoes are used in making vodka (i.e the potatoes are fermented and the beverage then distilled to make vodka).

So i'd suggest the recipe would make a pretty high% beverage IF the yeast ferment it entirely, as it's basically putting 1.5kgs of sugar into 2 litres of water.

I'm interested to see how it goes

Good luck!

 

[SuiCIDER]

Woah. My predictions are that this is going to BURN on the way down. It might be just me, but I'd shove it all in my bucket and bang on an airlock and then only oxidise/de-gas only for the first week, like a mead.

 

[Bribie G]

Not sure what the potatoes are for, the starches in potatoes cannot ferment unless they have been converted to sugars by some means, I wonder if some component in the bread or even raisins is 'daistatic' in some way and can break down some of the potato starch to fermentables? The Egyptians used to make beer out of soaked bread IIRC from a past life.

 

[barry2]

From
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.ns...s/marmitespread

"Marmite is a thick, brown paste with a strong, salty flavour.

It is the original yeast spread, made from yeast extract, salt, vegetable extract, and spices."

If Marmite is not available perhaps Vegemite would do.

Look forward to hearing how the brew goes.

 

[Bribie G]

From
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.ns...s/marmitespread

"Marmite is a thick, brown paste with a strong, salty flavour.

It is the original yeast spread, made from yeast extract, salt, vegetable extract, and spices."

If Marmite is not available perhaps Vegemite would do.

Look forward to hearing how the brew goes.

No. Vegemite / Marmite spread etc is made from brewery yeast residue that has been boiled and concentrated, and would be of no use for fermentation. Previous posters are referring to live fresh yeast as used by bakeries etc. Substitute a sachet of yeast from a LHBS if you can't get fresh yeast.

 

[benno1973]

Interesting recipe, let us know the results.

 

[Muggus]

I thought it would be a bit more simple?

Step 1: Make wine

Step 2: Fortify wine

Step 3: Put wine in barrel

Step 4: Forget about wine for 10 years and palm it off as something else....

 

[moonshine]

+1 to muggus

Ok a number of points Vodka isn't made from potatoes (well no good vodka is anyhow) its made from unhoped beer that is then distilled (same as whiskey/whisky only the distillation treatment is different and vodka is often post distill filtered with charcoal)

Yeast extract is a common addition to moonshine recipes to add vit b for the yeast (+ other nutrients) not for the alive yeast cos there is none

my mate used to make potato wine so i'm assuming it has some sugars in it as well as a lot of starch (it tasted a bit like lemonchello and had a lot of added lemon juice and sugar added) although i'm not sure, again i've seen moonshine recipes where potato water (after boiling potatoes) and skins are added to a mash to convert some of the starch to sugar (although i've never tried them)

heaps of pom recipes use raisins as grapes don't grow to well there (although me cus seams to be doing alright with his grapes in London?)

tell us how this turns out?

 

[Fents]

Its the MOOOOOOONSHINE! what up fella....hope you have recoverd finally.

 

[Swinging Beef]

...stir daily for 21 days. Strain and bottle in the usual way.[/b]

Stir daily for 21 days... forget about sanitation!
And what is the usual way?

I say give it a whirl... and post a response so we know you are ok.

 

[moonshine]

yep fully recovered. and doing well. bout to start a trial at a whisky distillery, so looking forward to that (although i hope brewing 1.5kL of beer a day doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for my hobby).
Oh btw i looked through me keg stuff the other day and seem to be missing a back QD? I know its a bit late but one didn't turn up at yours fents (i think that was the last time i saw it) anyhow, how are you mate?

Another thing bout vodka its traditionally made from rye too.

 

[essjay]

Blast from the past, did you ever make this brew? Im positive that it isnt sherry, but it is quite similar to what iv got in my fermenter at the moment. My recipe is as follows:

2kg raw sugar
5tbs bakers yeast
2tbs vegimite/marmite
water from the potatoes that were boiled up for dinner

ingredients added in that order, and potato water added still boiling.
Top up to 10 litres, when at a reasonable temp, add another tbs bakers yeast.



What? pour hot water on top of yeast? But that will kill it! Well, thats the point, the live yeast then have some cheap nutrients to eat. That is also the point of the marmite, and the potato water. Tomato paste is another good one. As previously stated, helps add vitamin b also, as does the marmite.

It is quite possible the OP's granny brewed this up (can reach abv approaching 15% with this recipe and common bakers yeast) and then distilled it into something similar to sherry.

Can tell you that my recipe is not for producing beer anyway plenty of info on forums dedicated to such practices anyway.

But for interest, the potatoes are for yeast nutrient, i suspect the raisins play a similar role, and may impart some flavours to the drink if it were to be further processed...


"In the usual way" hmm was granny a secret moonshiner? Hahaha

 

[Tanga]

OMG that sounds revolting. Let me know how it turns out =p.

I'm thinking of making up some alcoholic water to put away until it's kind of smooth and then using to add to cordial a la Cruisers.



Not for me - I swear!

 

[Airgead]

OMG that sounds revolting. Let me know how it turns out =p.

I'm thinking of making up some alcoholic water to put away until it's kind of smooth and then using to add to cordial a la Cruisers.



Not for me - I swear!

Alcoholic waters like that probably won't age... the aging process involves tannins and other compounds binding together and either dropping out of solution or producing new flavour compounds. In something like an alcohol water made from straight sugar those compounds just aren't there. Most things like that are charcoal filtered to make them drinkable rather than aged.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Duff]

Blast from the past, did you ever make this brew? Im positive that it isnt sherry, but it is quite similar to what iv got in my fermenter at the moment. My recipe is as follows:

2kg raw sugar
5tbs bakers yeast
2tbs vegimite/marmite
water from the potatoes that were boiled up for dinner

ingredients added in that order, and potato water added still boiling.
Top up to 10 litres, when at a reasonable temp, add another tbs bakers yeast.



What? pour hot water on top of yeast? But that will kill it! Well, thats the point, the live yeast then have some cheap nutrients to eat. That is also the point of the marmite, and the potato water. Tomato paste is another good one. As previously stated, helps add vitamin b also, as does the marmite.

It is quite possible the OP's granny brewed this up (can reach abv approaching 15% with this recipe and common bakers yeast) and then distilled it into something similar to sherry.

Can tell you that my recipe is not for producing beer anyway plenty of info on forums dedicated to such practices anyway.

But for interest, the potatoes are for yeast nutrient, i suspect the raisins play a similar role, and may impart some flavours to the drink if it were to be further processed...


"In the usual way" hmm was granny a secret moonshiner? Hahaha

You're kidding, right?

:huh:

 

[Murray]

I love reading those crazy old rocket fuel recipes.