Bristol - Art on The Hill

Carrying on with my Bristol themed blog, here are some pictures from this week's 'Art on the Hill' event on Windmill Hill, Bedminster. The suspension bridge is visible in the background above. If you ever come to Bristol by train, then this is one of the hills covered in multi coloured houses that you might see. About 40 houses exhibit art each year one weekend on the hill. Here are some pics.



The upside down house complete with BBC2 Test Screen - riveting. I can see the table cloth is starting to fall off though, but everything else is stuck down firmly. There was even a laundry horse covered in underpants.



Unfortunately there was no time for a pint in the Windmill.

Blackberry Wine

Here are some pictures and instructions from my blackberry wine experiment. Now we have our own flat, I thought I'd get some brewing started. We also live by the river Avon which is lined with fruiting trees this time of year. I stuck to just blackberries and butchered a recipe partly from the internet (http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/blackbr2.asp) and partly from a book I was too tight to buy at the brewing shop Brewer's Droop in Bristol. The plastic bin was borrowed from the Maddawg.


I started with 2kg of blackberries and mashed them up in a gallon (4l) of water. I left this to absorb the blackberries and then sieved the mixture a few days later. Some pectic enzyme and some yeast added with 1kg of sugar and a slow unspectacular fermentation started.

initial pressing divided into foul blackberry compote and barrel full of blood like liquid.


some cleaned kit

After 2 weeks I though this has faltered enough to put in Demijohns. I bought these from a shop in Cornwall for a quid each - although they were full of kelp at the time of purchase. I realised that the mixture was still full of guff, as sieving had only removed the pips and large dregs. So, using a posh bag, made from fibrous material, that Lou had bought an expensive pair of shoes in, I started filtering the mixture. This worked well until the bottom of the barrel.



I put the better part into the first demijohn, and the nastier last part half filled the second one. So if you come round in a year's time and I give you some gritty tasting wine, then you'll know where you sit in the hierarchy of guests.