[iwilde]

I have a few plum trees that are loaded with fruit, all the fruit recipes I see say to use about 2kgs/g and add water to the gallon mark. My dumb question is, can I use 100% fruit to make my plum wine? I've already got several kgs off fruit in the freezer and would rather make less wine of a greater quality than go for quantity. Thanks

[SBWs]

Normally the more fruit you use the better the wine will be IF you adjust the acid before you start fermenting. Most fruit wine recipes use water to balance the acid. So if you don't follow a recipe then you need to test and adjust the acid yourself before fermenting. You can use Calcium Carbonate to lower the acid and acid blend to raise it.

That said, I make mostly fruit wines and I'm still not convinced 100% is the way to go but I'm slowly getting there. I started out using half steamed juice and half water last year and they were good wines. This year I'm up to two thirds steamed juice and one third water. They are better but not a large difference. I have made a few close to (very little water added) 100% steam juice batches and got to say I didn't see much difference between those and the 2/3 juice 1/3 water batches. They are still early so I don't have the best data to go by yet.

[Julie]

Some fruits need to have water added, such as elderberries and blackberries but as far as plum is conerned by all means use all fruit. Acids levels should not be an issue. Other fruits that I use all fruit are peaches, pears and apples and plums.

[Wade E]

When possible do all fruit! If its just a little high on acid the use a little water, if its way high try to get it down with Calcium carbonate as far as you are allowed and then dilute down the rest with water.

[WVMountaineerJack]

I thought we had you convinced to try a 100% elderberry?Steamed 100% is easy for elderberry, requires a little balancing with blackberry at 100%. The only fruit we have not had good luck making 100% with is black raspberry, to much fruit actually seems to drown out the flavor, 4 or 5 pounds is plenty for black raspberries. Crackedcork

Originally Posted by Julie

Some fruits need to have water added, such as elderberries and blackberries but as far as plum is conerned by all means use all fruit. Acids levels should not be an issue. Other fruits that I use all fruit are peaches, pears and apples and plums.

[Julie]

Originally Posted by CrackedCork

I thought we had you convinced to try a 100% elderberry?Steamed 100% is easy for elderberry, requires a little balancing with blackberry at 100%. The only fruit we have not had good luck making 100% with is black raspberry, to much fruit actually seems to drown out the flavor, 4 or 5 pounds is plenty for black raspberries. Crackedcork

LOL, you did but I'm now going to try Doug's think with tartaric acid instead.

[Turock]

Go with 100% fruit on your plum. Not saying you can't use a quart,or so, of water. Plum is such a delicate flavor and if you over-load it with water, you'll be very disappointed in the result. Freeze them first, so they release their juice. Get some pectic enzyme in on the first day to start fruit breakdown so that your PH reading will be more accurate. Adjust your PH ALWAYS when working with 100% fruit--as others said.

We have very acidic soil here and we're always able to adjust the PH the whole way with calcium carbonate.

You might want to double your dose of pectic enzyme to help with clearing. Pulpy fruit always does better if you use more pectic enzyme or substitute it with Lallzyme, or maybe even Lallzyme C Max.

All of our fruit wines are done with 100% fruit and they're awesome. Like CC said--the only one that 100% fruit isn't good on is the black rasp. We make it in the 100% style, but at bottling we cut it 50/50 with Niagara and that brings out the flavor of the black rasp.

Good luck--try the 100% method---plum is so good when you can actually taste the flavor!

[iwilde]

Thanks for the great information, 100% it is.