What should I do with my grapes?

Posted by Chiarin@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 27 comments

So I have a single grapevine in my garden, and this year it's produced somewhere around 30 to 40 bunches of grapes (I haven't harvested them yet, so I don't know the exact number). They're white grapes, and they're surprisingly sweet, given that I'm in the Midlands. Once I've harvested them, what should I do with them? Last year I made grape jelly, but while it was okay, it was a little bland and uninspiring. I'd like to make wine, but I have absolutely no idea whether it's possible to do that with such a small quantity of grapes. I'd love to hear some suggestions of other things I could do that I just haven't thought of.

Reply to Post

27 Comments

[-]

MiddleAgeCool@reddit

I'd use this and buy some grapes to make up the difference.

[-]

FletchLives99@reddit

I once made wine with grapevine grapes. It was horrible so my brother and (aged about 14 and 9) built a still in the kitchen. We used a gas stove and the alcohol vapour exploded making a god-awful mess. At the end we were left with a test tube of grappa. It wasn't very nice either.

[-]

CrazyPlantLady01@reddit

Just check if there is a wine collective in your area. In Bucks/Ox there is a group where loads of people donate their grapes and then wine is made and everyone gets a bottle back. Excess is sold. BucksOx Wine collective I think it's called. Might be one semi local to you?

[-]

Chiarin@reddit (OP)

Unfortunately it doesn't bring anything up when I search for wine collective in Notts or Derbyshire, because that sounds like a wonderful idea. :(

[-]

gerrineer@reddit

Sterilised them smash em get juice ferment ( add sugar or honey and yeast) 8 months your laughing and dont have to go to derby or notts for a drink( my mate and I sed to get the kits from Wilkos it made 40 bottles of what I can describe as crack wine you were only allowed 3 glasses your head knew what you were doing but you're legs didn't listen)

[-]

Only__Link@reddit

You can make wine in pretty much any quantity, but if it's not a wine grape variety it's gonna come out pretty nasty! My dad has a red grape vine that is very much not a good variety for wine - this year he's made a lot of grape juice (can be frozen to store)

[-]

gerrineer@reddit

I'll make wine out most things it's the sugar that's needed !( not banana please not banana)

[-]

gerrineer@reddit

Wine and more wine it's bloody easy.

[-]

Jealous-Shallot-3071@reddit

See how many you can fit up your arse. Popular but dead TV and radio presenter Terry Wogan once claimed he got 19 up there on an episode of "This is your life" My mate Graham Hardcastle (not dead) tried it at school when we were 11 or 12. Without help, he got 2 up, with our help we were able to get 9 more up there

[-]

Automatic-Scale-7572@reddit

Paul Hardcastle said he got 19.

[-]

sunheadeddeity@reddit

Made him stutter though

[-]

ButteredNun@reddit

Did he say “thanks a bunch”?

[-]

thesockpuppetaccount@reddit

No he just let out a little wine

[-]

kinellm8@reddit

Bottoms up!

[-]

Time-Mode-9@reddit

We're making vinegar

[-]

Chiarin@reddit (OP)

That's definitely not something I'd have thought of! Thanks for the suggestion.

[-]

Time-Mode-9@reddit

Enjoy!

[-]

white_ran_2000@reddit

Grape jelly may be not that much, but the Greeks have a variety of desserts they call “spoon sweets” - it’s effectively a really thick syrupy fruit compote. Grapes make a banging one, amazing on top of yoghurt! Some recipes: https://mostly-greek.com/2022/09/09/greek-grape-spoon-sweet/ https://katerinaskouzina.com/desserts/odysseys-grape-teaspoon-sweets.html https://sweetchamomilla.com/recipes/grape-spoon-sweet/ https://www.thehellenicodyssey.com/greek-spoon-dessert/ https://akispetretzikis.com/en/recipe/4315/glyko-toy-koytalioy-stafyli

[-]

Chiarin@reddit (OP)

That sounds delicious, thank you!

[-]

cougieuk@reddit

I do know that the actor Steve Edge has some vines in his garden and a local winery will process them and make them into wine for a price. So he had his own wine supply. No idea how practical that is but sounds fun. He talked about it on a radio show somewhere.

[-]

jlb8@reddit

I like them frozen, sort of like a boiled sweet.

[-]

bnnyrabbit@reddit

according to [this](https://www.almostoffgrid.com/blogs/almost-off-grid/making-wine-from-garden-grapes?srsltid=AfmBOoqzdxxnlpmGOFmTxyN-X9r_mKRoCt2iB9LU8IWwqWwR50S86nBy), you'd need at least 5kg of grapes for 6 bottles of wine

[-]

Chiarin@reddit (OP)

That's a really good website, thanks for the link.

[-]

terryjuicelawson@reddit

Try freezing some. Not a solution for all of them, but you can eat them straight from the freezer and each one is like a little sweet bomb of juice, like a sorbet. I didn't believe it until I tried it. If I get a punnet that is looking on its way out, they go in to minimise waste. I've just got a handful for myself now.

[-]

ButteredNun@reddit

Become popular with your neighbours 🍇

[-]

Aggressive-Fun-4314@reddit

I started tossing them into the freezer and wow… instant healthy snack. Curious though anyone else have a go to grape hack?”

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - When repling to submission/post please **make genuine efforts to answer the question given**. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*