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arcticsid · 02-09-2010, 08:45 AM

Excellent Dead!!!!

You are now a Mad Wine Scientist!! LOL.

So, what in the world did you create?

Tell us, we want to know.

What are you going to call it? Be sure you keep notes on everything you added, starting SG, etc. This will be helpful to duplicate it, troubleshoot it, etc.

Good Luck, keep us posted.

Troy

Julie · 02-09-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadhead

alright i took your advice and poured my half gallon into a 4 gallon i was starting with blueberries rasberries and blackberries. i just finished it will that work?

I used this recipe once and replaced the orange with lemon and added raspberries and blackberries, no spices. It came out very sweet. Actually too sweet for me. I keep it for family members who like think sugar on a spoon it great.

Julie

deadhead · 02-09-2010, 05:13 PM

well i started a half gallon batch by halving the jaom recipe. i had added a few fresh rasberries just to see what would happen. then i was told that is pointless at the same time i read that i was working on a 4 gallon batch with 6 ounces blackberries, 6 ounces blueberries and 6 ounces rasberries so i just poured the half gallon i had started an hour or so before into the 4 gallon when it was time to add the yeast. i hate doing things by the book and it might be my downfall in the future hehe

but so far the recipe is as follows:

9lbs wild honey (raw)
3 oranges
6 ounces rasberries
6 ounces blackberries
6 ounces blueberries
4 cinnamon sticks
3/4 teaspoon all spice
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cloves
3 1/2 teaspoons fleischmans bread yeast

all in a 5 gallon jug. any comments??? it would be greatly appreciated

arcticsid · 02-09-2010, 06:29 PM

Oh Boy!

First of all do you have a hydrometer? If not, get one! It is the magic wand. Heres why...

I have no idea how much sugar 9# of honey is equal too, so there is no way to know what the starting specific gravity is, or the potential alcohol.

Secondly. Most berry wine calls for like 8# or more of berries per gallon.

So at this point you are going to end up with a very weak wine with no alcohol.

But don't despair. You can make something happen still at this point.

First you need more juice or fruit. And you definitely need more sugar or honey. Quite a bit more.

For juice, I would add undiluted frozen concentrate. How many? Hard to tell without knowing what the SG is. I have made lots of concentrate wine and it's pretty much(for 4 gallons) 12 cans of juice, water to make 4 gallons, and 8# sugar, give or take, to make a wine of about 12%.

For fruit, I have no idea what you have available, but you are going to need a lot more, no matter what you choose.

So either way, the additions you will have to make to save this will not fit in a 5 gallon vessel. You will need to split it.

If you were to continue on the mead path, I don't know how much more honey you would need. I'll let one of the others more familiar with mead to chime in on that one. Nor do I know what to suggest as an addition to give it a little more body. And nor do I know if the addition of honey/fruit will fit either.

You may or may not need to pitch fresh yeast.

What kind of temperature are you keeping this at? Is everything been sterilized? Did you add any additives, sulfites, pectin enzyme, yeast nutrient?

Tell us more. Thats all I can suggest for now. I am sure some others will be around to add to this.

Hang in there.

Troy

Malkore · 02-09-2010, 06:45 PM

Just so you know, those quantities of fruit (6 ounces each) is VERY low.

when making a fruit mead (melomel) you typically start at a pound of fruit per gallon, give or take. 2 or 3 lbs will give you a lot of fruit flavor.

6 ounces won't give much flavor, some aroma...but mostly color.

arcticsid · 02-09-2010, 06:55 PM

Even a pound per gallon is very low!! Really low!!!!

deadhead · 02-09-2010, 07:01 PM

so as a mead is it doing alrite or do i need to add more yeast or sugar/honey my calculations were a lil wrong and it is 4 gallons all together 9 pounds of honey the fruit and seasonings. i sterilized it all and have a space heater keeping the closet at about 78 to 82 degrees F fluctuating back and forth. WHAT DO I DO IM FREAKIN OUT AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

arcticsid · 02-09-2010, 07:11 PM

I THINK, only think, the honey might be enough, I just peeked at an apple mead Wade has posted and it uses 12# for 6 gallons, but he used apple juice so their is sugar in the juice as well as the honey.

Your temp sounds okay.

You will want to add something in there for flavor, thats why I suggested undiluted frozen juice, but I still think you should start looking for another container, I really think you will need to divide this into two.

Stand by, I want to give others a chance to toss their ideas at you. We can help you on this, but I don't want to do it alone. The rest of the troops will be around before long.

So for right now, look for another fermenting bucket and start considering what you can add for flavor, ,juice,fruit etc. Because of the spices, apple might be the best way to go.

I'm pretty sure you're gonna need more honey or sugar. Do you have any on hand? Brown sugar can work to, all or some.

Lets see what he others say before you do anything else.

Troy

deadhead · 02-09-2010, 07:16 PM

OH MY GOD IM SO SORRY MY CALCULATIONS GOT ALL SCREWED UP SOMEWHERE! i guess thats y u should be sober when you do this sort of thing

its 9 1/2 lbs of honey in 3 1/2 gallons of water and all other additives the same. i was measuring the amount in the jug after all was added hehe my bad

that has to be right for a mead right? i kno the fruit is low though could i just throw sum more oranges or apples or bananas in there? is three and 1/2 tspoons of yeast enough? should i add more honey/sugar? its been bubbling constantly since last nite

arcticsid · 02-09-2010, 07:24 PM

If its bubbling away you are probably in good shape, yeast multiplies. It wouldn't hurt to put more fruit in there, all three mentioned would be fine or all three. Don't panick I think you'll be just fine. Go ahead and toss some more fruit in there and be patient for the others to respond. I would boil the apples and bananas in a little water and then smash them up before adding them, but thats just my opinion.

And don't worry, I am willing to bet alot of wine has been made in the non-sober state.LOL. And probably alot of errors as well. Sometimes I wonder how many "buzzed" experiments turned out fantastic!!