prickly pear wine

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LittleLeroy

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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
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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?
 
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
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. 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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
Pictures of my prickly pears


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This looks more red then it really is. It realy is a bright purple. I started a oe gallon batch last night.
 
Camden tablets are just k-meta in small amount. They also have fillers. They are the correct portion for 1 gallon batches.
 
I told you eariler that I did not like the taste of this juice when I juiced the prickly pears. Well I added the sugar and some of my brothers Texas honey and tasted it before I pitched the yeast and boy did it taste a lot better now that it is sweet. But it still does not smell that good.
 
I may be worried for nothing, but can some one help me. I have never put K meta in the must before to make sure the yeast had a clean start. I added 1/8 tsp to one gallon saturday and then added the yeast 24 hours later. Now the yeast has been in the must for 24 hours and I do not see a thing. No foam or bubbles. Did I do some thing wrong? Or should I just wait another day a see if it is working?
 
That may be a little higher dose then needed. (I may be wrong)


Did you use any nutrient or energizer?


Are your yeast fresh?
 
Goodfella said:
That may be a little higher dose then needed. (I may be wrong)


Did you use any nutrient or energizer?


Are your yeast fresh?


I did use yeast energizer. And I hope my yeast was frash I bought it from George last week. Should I get more yeast and try again? Do I have time to do that? How long before my juice spoils?
 
I assume you have it in a good temp.


What is your SG?


Honestly, I am not excactly sure what advise to give you. If I was you, I would call George today.
 
well, 1/4 tsp k meta is used for 5-6 gallons so 1/8 for 1 gallon may have overshot it and is keeping your yeast down - I would think to pitch another pack of yeast if you have one and maybe by now the sulfite level will have dropped enough for the yeast to take off - others may have other thoughts on this
 

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