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AstroBootes

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I've read thru several/most of the plum wine threads, and have some questions/comments. I have 16 lbs of unpitted/unprocessed plums, ie., fresh off the tree.


Equipment: 6 gal carboy; 7.8 gal fermenting bucket.


The recipe:


3.5 qts of water
2 lbs of sugar or 2 lbs. light honey
4 lbs ripe sweet plums or 3 lbs wild plums
5 tsp of acid blend (do not use with wild plums)
1/8 tsp tannin
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 camden tablet (recommended)
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
champagne or montrachet yeast


1. what is the difference between 'ripe sweet' and 'wild'?
2. the qts specified are for 4/3 lbs of plums, and I don't want
to assume that these qtys are for each 4/3 lb of plums, ie.,
15 lb plums processed / 4/3 = 4/5 x the above qtys, so


what amts of the called for items should be used with the
15+/- lbs of plums?


3. As this is my first wine making attempt in several decades,I expect this to be a learning experience, and as such, am not to concerned if things don't turn out positive. In other words, a somewhat controlled experiment


4. In other plum threads, folks added other fruits, ie., bananas, raisins, is this something that I should definitely consider, or perhaps wait 'til I've made it thru a single batch?


5. Perhaps I should just follow the recipe, using just 4/3 lbs of plums initially, and see how this goes before committing all of the plums?


Any/all comments/suggestions welcome!


Think this is it for now.


Thank You,


Bob
 
Astrothe recipe is for one gallon. For each 4/3 pounds of plums you can make a gallon of wine. The way your recipe reads, if you have sweet plums you can make 4 gallons, with wild plums you could make 5. Your ingredients should be increases accordingly. The exception would be the sugar at this point. In another post you said you had got some equipment from George. I hope one of the items you got was a hydrometer. Your recipe should have a starting Specific Gravity (SG). The recipe I have hasa startingSG of 1.085.Using your hydrometer add a little sugar at a time until you reach the starting SG. Make sure you stir the sugar up good when you add it so your hydrometer read is correct. Later on down the line when you get more familiar with wine make and testing your acid you will be able to adjust it accordingly also. Good luck and welcome to the forum. Edited by: swillologist
 
Thank you...yes, eq. includes hydrometer, thermometer, syphon, etc., pretty much what is in a starter kit, plus a few extras...


Bob
 
If you are making a 6 gallon batch, everything will have to be multiplied by 6 except for the yeast. 1 packet of yeast will work fine for up to 6 gallons.
 
Well, appears that first attempt is a bust. Now to understand where/why things went south, if that's where we are....
It looks nice, in the carboy, but SG isn't close. The recipe didn't state a starting SG, sobelieve that this is where things started going south. It is still passing gas in the secondary, but the SG is less than 1.0.


The plums were drawn & quartered...pitted.Boiled waterand sugar,
and added to must...sure did smell nice at that point. Added tanin, nutrient, and campden after it cooled...covered and added air lock.


After 12 hrs added pectic enzyme.
After 24 hours added yeast and stirred. (single packet)


Removed straining bag at the end of a week. SG was less than 1.0
at this point. Instructions said to move to secondary when SG reached 1.030, but I didn't see this happening.


Any ideas what may have gone wrong? Too impatient? Or should I justlet things continue in the secondary?


Started with 12lbs of plums, and multiplied ingredients by 4, except for yeast.
 
It doesn't sound like anything is wrong at all. It just fermented a little faster than the recipe. If it is still bubbling a little, it is forming a C02 blanket which you want to protect it until the next racking. It should finish out at a SG of .990-.996. They sometimes bubble a little after done as a result of changes in air pressure working C02 out of suspension. After it slows way down check the SG and if it is near .995 or lower three days in a row, it is done. You can then degas and add clarifiers/fining and stabilize. Then age it some and bottle later. Don't fret- all is well with the plum!
 
Did you test the acidity of this batch? How much acid blend did you use. looking at this closer now and I see that this a gallon batch recipe and that is way to much acid blend in my opinion. I have a 6 gallon batch going and I tested the acidity today to adjust as I always do this once the fruit has been eaten by the pectin to get a true reading and i only had to add 3 tsp for this 6 gallon batch and the Ph was right on the money at 3.4.
 
I didn't add any acid blend.


The recipe said 'do not use with wild plums', and i figured these were wild plums, ie., i plucked them from a tree vs store bought.


Thank you,


Bob
 
Appleman...thank you. A few questions:


re: You can then degas and add clarifiers/fining and stabilize.


As this is my first controlled(?) attempt at wine making, what
clarifiers/fining and stabalizing chemicals would you recommend?
I do have acid blend, just didn't use it.


re: Then age it some and bottle later.
Age how? Can this be done in a carboy?


What ph test kit would be good for a newbie?


Thank you,


Bob
 
Fining agents - K.C. SuperKleer is an awesome fining agent. For stabilizing you will need to add Potassium sorbate and Potassium Metabisulphite.
Aging should be done in a carboy and should be topped up. You can get away without using a PH tester but if you do want to get 1 the Accuvin quick tests are easy and cheap.
 
Appleman...how far upstate in NY are you?


Ever tour the fingerlakes wineries, more specifically around cayuga?


Bob
 
Well I stir the snot out of it 1st with the mix stir and then I keep using it till I can hold between 10 and 15" of vacuum for 2 hours. Ill pump it then check back in an hour or 2 to see where it is.

Edited by: wade
 
That's Joans territory. I'm up in the Champlain Valley about 6 miles southwest of Plattsburgh. I'm even with Snow Farms Vineyard in South Hero-Grand Isle, Vermont, which is right on the lake. Never toured the vineyards out there. I will have to go visit my older brother some day. I've got him hooked on making apple cider and wine now. Next comes the grapes, he he.... He lives right near Geneva on the Finger lakes. He buys his wine supplies at Montezuma Winery which is only a few minutes away from him. Many vineyards near him. I see a road trip in my future.
 
Does he have a computer and internet, hint-hint! When did you add that Bad apple of the bunch under your avatar? I like it and please dont tell me its been there for months!
 
Wade, no he doesn't! I had to laugh the other day. He wanted to send me some pictures he took of his cider press he made himself(looks similar to mine). He lives in a cabin and is a true outdoorsman- being in the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service all his life. He asked for my cell phone nuber so he could send the pictures- obviously he isn't so old-fashioned afterall. He has one of the new phones that send pictures!
smiley36.gif



And yes Wade - I really don't remember when I added that. It's been so long ago I can't recall. It was probably about a month and a half ago!
 
Wade,


re: Well I stir the snot out of it 1st with the mix stir and then I keep using it till I can hold between 10 and 15" of vacuum for 2 hours


How are you checking the vacuum?


Thank You,


Bob
 
I have a brake bleeder that has a gauge on it. I might have cofused this thread with another earlier or forgot to mention to you that I use a brake bleeder after using my mix stir in a drill. Sorry for the confusion if this is the case as we get a lot of questions on degassing.
 
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