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LittleLeroy · 08-14-2009, 12:51 AM

Has anyone ever made a prickly pear wine? Or tried one? If you have made it will you share the recipe. Seams to me like it is the only fruit that I will be able to pick in Texas and thought it was worth a try. I think I will wear gloves

grapeman · 08-14-2009, 08:16 AM

This question surfaces just about every year. Here is a batch jobe05 made.
http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4135&KW=prickly&PN=1

LittleLeroy · 08-15-2009, 11:51 AM

Thanks appleman that was a great post that I did not see before. This really makes me want to try this. (it would be my first try at making my own fruit wine). Have you ever had this kind of wine? I do not have a steamer to get the juice out. Does boiling them in a little water work as well?

grapeman · 08-15-2009, 01:32 PM

You will need to ask Jobe that question or some of the other guys. There aren't any prickly pears growing this far north.

LittleLeroy · 09-10-2009, 11:11 PM

Well it has been a few weeks since i asked this question. I did go and pick about 100 pounds of prickly pears. I did take some picture and will post soon. (I know you will ask). I juiced about 65 pounds of them an got 3.5 gallons of juice. I tasted the juice and really did not care for it. It was not sweet and had a differant flavor

. I am guessing that when I add sugar (or honey) and some water it might taste like a juice to make wine. I decided to take the half gallon and make a one gallon batch. I just got my little one gallon carboy from George yesterday. And i will be using the recipe from this website. My question is this. The recipe calls for one campden tablet for the one gallon. Is campden the same as K meta? If so how much should I use in the one gallon? If not I guess i will be ordering campden tablets. Can anyone tell me what they use for a primary bucket for a one gallon batch? All i have is the 7.9 gallon.

Thank you for your help

Wade E · 09-10-2009, 11:20 PM

I dont make 1 gallon batches as its just as much work basically to make 1 gallon as it is 3 or 5 or 6 as long as the fruit is free. You can usually get 3 gallon containers at a donut or Ice cream shop for free or for a $1 or $2 and they are food grade. There are many fruits that dont taste good as fruits but very good as wine and even flowers.

LittleLeroy · 09-10-2009, 11:26 PM

could i use the big bucket to ferment in? or should it be small?

Wade E · 09-11-2009, 12:08 AM

You could use the big bucket to ferment in as the more air the merrier during fermentation and thats why most people dont even use tops on their fermenting buckets.

LittleLeroy · 09-11-2009, 11:04 AM

Thanks Wade. What about Campden VS K meta? is it the same? And how much K meta in the one gallon if it is the same?

LittleLeroy · 09-13-2009, 01:09 PM

Pictures of my prickly pears

This looks more red then it really is. It realy is a bright purple. I started a oe gallon batch last night.