Very excited to be working on a new collaborative brewing venture with Jade Mellor of Wildpickings.
We are devising two workshops where in the first participants will collect and prepare ingredients for elderflower and maybe other early summer wines, learn about different methods and start some brewing. The second workshop a few months later will be a session of picking fruits, advice on preparing and brewing methods for them and the next stages of racking and of course tasting!
Workshops will be held in Cardigan and based in the Small World Theatre, on June 21st and August 24th.
Watch this space!
Winemaking in west Wales 
Sadly I’m too far away to go on one of these courses, but I hope they go well. Have you considered throwing nettle beer into the list as well, for those who’re more interested in beers than wines?
Thanks!
We may well be including some beer recipes and theory…picking elderflowers off stalks will offer us time to discuss all sorts of things!
Oh yes nettle beer what a great idea, have you tried making it Jacob? I haven’t, yet, but nows the time as their green tips are sprouting up already…
You know Ive never done Nettle beer..I dont make beers often though i did make that meadowsweet ale last year..Im up for trying! will June be too late for the nettles? Ive an empty bucket if you want to try sooner!
There’s always a good patch of nettles about! June will be perfect
Once the nettles have flowered they’re supposedly past their best, though I question that. I’m planning to try another batch later in the year (if my current one works out) with older nettles, to see exactly how seasonal they are.
One thing though – picking nettles for some reason takes ages. Took us about forty minutes to get enough for two gallons, twice as long as with dandelions.
Thanks for the tips..Let us know how your current batch turns out!