Rowan Berry Wine

[fudgefudge]

anyone made it, how do you make it, what does it taste like

[woofgang]

you make it like making any other berry wine. I have never tried it, I make jelly with mine.

[Chipchopper]

I haven't tried it or made it because according to some rowan berries are poisonous. I would be cautious and find out more before attempting to making any.
I do however like to make liqueurs such as sloe gin, black berry whiskey and damson gin all from local hedgerows.

[rowanwitch]

Please dont, the birds need those berries... Taste would be bland too.

[woofgang]

rowan berries aren't poisonous, they make a nice sharp jelly to have with meat. I harvest the fruit from my garden but always leave a bit for the local wildlife. I can't imagine the wine being bland as the berries are so sharp....you'd need loads though. Lets be clear, I am talking about wine ie fermenting the juice and not liqueurs where you combine the fruit and sugar with ready made alcohol....if you did that with rowan berries, you'd still need loads but it might be nice.

[Palustris]

We found it a bit too acidic for us. If you can find a Sorbus aucuparia Edulis the berries are far more acceptable.

[Buenchico]

Worth a read, I think, Fudgefudge:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/jul/20/how-to-make-rowanberry-wine

[Chipchopper]

Just to clarify an often misunderstood fact regarding rowan berries.
In the raw state, they contain a toxin known as parasorbic acid but after 20 minutes of boiling this process removes the toxin and renders it harmless.
So the berries will be perfect for making jellies and wine.
Acording to my book (Wild Food) by Roger Phillips, the berries are best picked in October.
In my experience birds love them, there is several rowan trees planted in the car park of a care home that I used to visit and I would often see mistle thrushes devouring them with great gusto!, even red wings and fieldfares will come all the way from Scandinavia to feed on them, as winter visitors.