Good quality cheap wine

[owl sees all]

I was in the wine business a few year back. I knew little about wine at the start but more when I retired. Now though - after living in Thailand for a number of years - I'm turning my attention to producing good quality wine. I have a number of recipes but two are as follows:

 

Get a big chunk of ginger. Peel it, and either dice it really small, or put it in the kitchen whirler. Add some decent quality water. Now I think a 300 gramme piece of ginger needs about one litre of water. Into the saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes keeping the lid on. Let the juice cool and pop it in the fridge for a few hours. Strain the juice. (A little tip here about the residue; spread it on toast with some honey. Really good for those dodgy joints). Right back with the juice. Measure it and mix with the same measure of Low Khow. You could decant it but I reckon just drink it. Take a decent swig; what a rasping ripper!!!!!

 

The second recipe is quicker. Just get a litre of fruit juice fron Tesco or Big C (I like mixed berries) and mix it with one litre of low khow. Stick it in the fridge and later serve with a slice of lime.

 

Low khow (also called sato or rice wine), I find a little coarse to my palet and I cannot drink it in any serious quantity; although the Thais love it.

 

Make up a few litres for special occasions; like Saturday evenings, and get the farangs and locals in. Great for ice-breaking and entertaining.

 

Costs: well low khow is just about 50 Bt a litre to start with. So I reckon about 100 Bt (either recipe) for  two litres. Not bad for good quality wine.
 

Edited December 7, 2017 by owl sees all

[janclaes47]

So you call this quality wine but Siam winery's product, which is actually just that and probably produced in a better environment, is called crap.

 

 

[owl sees all]

2 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

So you call this quality wine but Siam winery's product, which is actually just that and probably produced in a better environment, is called crap.

Actually jan, I didn't mention it and perhaps I should have,  I buy the low khow in bulk from Laos. Try one of my recipes; you will be impressed!

[White Christmas13]

[owl sees all]

1 minute ago, White Christmas13 said:

Well of course if you over do the drinking you cease to enjoy the wine and sickness awaits.

[White Christmas13]

6 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Well of course if you over do the drinking you cease to enjoy the wine and sickness awaits.

As far I remember I used to make my wine from grapes 

[owl sees all]

4 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

As far I remember I used to make my wine from grapes 

Well the first recipe is ginger wine and the second berries wine. Not have to be grapes.

Edited December 7, 2017 by owl sees all

[chickenslegs]

Both those recipes sound better than the usual Siam Wineries offerings.

 

I might try them with brandy, as I can never find low khow in Lotus or big C.

[owl sees all]

1 minute ago, chickenslegs said:

Both those recipes sound better than the usual Siam Wineries offerings.

 

I might try them with brandy, as I can never find low khow in Lotus or big C.

Thanks for that chickenlegs but using brandy would push the price up per litre considerably. I have brought back the single-malt whisky from Laos and experimented but I can't improve on it; no surprise there!! 

[sharktooth]

Is low khow cheaper than meths? 

[owl sees all]

4 minutes ago, sharktooth said:

Is low khow cheaper than meths? 

Don't know about meths but their is a drink here called 'white spirit'. Cheap and I'm informed that it will start a small petrol water pump.

Edited December 11, 2017 by owl sees all

[MaeJoMTB]

You could always try it with Red Cock Vodka from Tesco Lotus at 150bht/litre.\

Quite drinkable in cocktails.

[owl sees all]

8 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

You could always try it with Red Cock Vodka from Tesco Lotus at 150bht/litre.\

Quite drinkable in cocktails.

When I go across to Laos for my 90 day visa renewal, I usually bring back a 7 litre flagon of low khow. Just 350 Bt. If the wife comes with me she brings back 3 bottles (2.1 litres) of single malt whisky for just 100 Bt. Next trip 3 weeks time.

 

The low khow is a little strong for my taste; hence the wine making. 

 

My blends are very popular with the village people; epecially the ladies.

Edited December 11, 2017 by owl sees all

[sharktooth]

38 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

 

My blends are very popular with the village people; epecially the ladies.

Which one is the lady????

 

 

[vogie]

1 hour ago, sharktooth said:

Is low khow cheaper than meths? 

No, but it is a better paint stripper.

[owl sees all]

15 minutes ago, sharktooth said:

Which one is the lady????

Great pic! But seriously the ladies can't always take the neat low Khow but like the taste of the blended stuff. My wine is very popular.

[vogie]

On 07/12/2017 at 8:49 PM, owl sees all said:

Actually jan, I didn't mention it and perhaps I should have,  I buy the low khow in bulk from Laos. Try one of my recipes; you will be impressed!

What do you reckon the ABV percentage would be?

[The manic]

You know, nothing about making wine. BTW it is illegal to make your own booze here. 

[owl sees all]

16 hours ago, vogie said:

What do you reckon the ABV percentage would be?

I reckon the alcohol content would be betweem 20 and 23 percent.

Edited December 11, 2017 by owl sees all

[owl sees all]

5 hours ago, The manic said:

You know, nothing about making wine. BTW it is illegal to make your own booze here. 

I know how to make some stonking good wine manic.

 

Have you any good recipies you could share with us?

Edited December 11, 2017 by owl sees all

[rott]

Just curious with everyone spelling it "low" are you pronouncing it as in low or how? Is that how it is labelled.

 

Previously I have always seen it spelt Lao or Laos and pronounced like that as it comes from Laos.

[Rhys]

Tales from the village...

[owl sees all]

12 hours ago, rott said:

Just curious with everyone spelling it "low" are you pronouncing it as in low or how? Is that how it is labelled.

 

Previously I have always seen it spelt Lao or Laos and pronounced like that as it comes from Laos.

 

Up here in the sticks everyone calls it low Khow. For a farang like me it sounds like How Cow (low Khow).

 

I'm off to Laos to stock up soon, so I reckon 'Lao cow' would foot the bill OK.

 

Thanks for the reply. Have you any recipies you could share with the TVForum wine appreciation crew?

[owl sees all]

On 12/12/2560 at 12:43 AM, The manic said:

BTW it is illegal to make your own booze here. 

What is BTW?

 

Traditional wine making starts with growing the fruit. I'm simply speeding things up. My wine is ready to drink within a couple of hours. Good quality, cheap low khow is not so easy to get (I'm lucky to have found a shop in Laos where it's sold in bulk). Then to buy some ginger (although I have started growing some) or nice juice from the supermarket.

 

Just a note on the ginger. I personally buy it. I am very fussy over it, 'cause after all we are making ginger wine.

 

I'm also experimenting with garlic. Garlic wine; sounds interesting!

 

I don't think you are correct about it being illegal manic. All the ingredients are at hand.

[Langsuan Man]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

What is BTW?

By the way

[owl sees all]

3 hours ago, Langsuan Man said:

By the way

Thanks for that LM.

 

Have you any wine recipies you could share? Unusual stuff; you know!! After all who would have thought carrot cake would taste as delicious as it does.

[marko kok prong]

Owl you know i like  you,but on this occasion i have to ask how much of this "wine' did you consume before you made this post ?

[chickenslegs]

On 12/12/2017 at 12:43 AM, The manic said:

You know, nothing about making wine. BTW it is illegal to make your own booze here. 

He's not making his own booze. He's adding non-fermented ingredients (fruit juice, ginger) to low khow.

Similar to adding tonic water to your gin.

 

[owl sees all]

8 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

Owl you know i like  you,but on this occasion i have to ask how much of this "wine' did you consume before you made this post ?

Thanks for that mkp. I drink, shall we say copious amounts, but then you can with my wine. The other aspect to making wine 'Owl style' is that the more you drink the better for the body it is. Ginger wine; good for joints and general aches and pains. Berry wine; good fror the 'water works'. Garlic wine; sets the body in harmony with itself. Lime wine; kills worms and nasties in the gut.

 

There seems to be some misunderstanding about the wine business. A lot of 'wine' is not wine at all. I was in the wine business for a few years and people are easily fooled. If you buy Lao wine, on the whole there is nothing but disappointment. In fact some of it is quite putrid.

 

Before they enter into a circle of ridicule posters should try it.

 

Anyway Marco, sorry about the soft rant, but these recipies are easy to make and cheap too.

[owl sees all]

8 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

He's not making his own booze. He's adding non-fermented ingredients (fruit juice, ginger) to low khow.

Similar to adding tonic water to your gin.

Very third person that is chickenlegs.

 

There seems to be some misunderstanding about the wine business. A lot of 'wine' is not what you think it is. I was in the wine business for a few years and people pretend they know a lot but really they know little. If you buy mine from Lao, on the whole you are purchasing rubbish. Some of it is quite putrid and undrinkable.

 

With respect cls. It's not like adding tonic water to gin. My nectar is wine in its own right. Perhaps more akin to blending whisky.

 

Owl's wine is good for the body and tastes great.