Cherry wine

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Pitched the yeast today after finishing pH adjustment. Initially the pH was 3.86. Used primarily Malic and Acid Blend along with some citric Acid to get starting pH down to 3.57
SG last night was 1.088 but despite using hot water for my simple syrup mix something changed overnight and I launched it today with a starting SG reading of 1.100 so if this goes all the way to .990 I'm looking a little heavy on the ABV at 14.4% higher than I wanted but we will see where this goes.

Held out 1/2 the yeast nutrient for adding later and I did add Fermaid along with the Yeast Nutrient.

Used 2 oz very warm water for the yeast - approx 95degrees along with 1/8 tsp yeast nutrient in the yeast slurry. 2 oz of juice added after yeast starte temp was just detectable as warm. Waited another 15 mins while I did my final pH and SG measurements and found the starter with a nice head of foam on it where it had previously been showing no foam at all. Pitched the yeast in and stirred vigorously for about 30 seconds at 3:00 PM then covered with muslin. Checked in on the must at 9:45 PM and actually found a slight evidence of foam starting. At 6:30 there was nothing in evidence. Will check in on this in the morning but temps are going to drop in the house to a low as 66 degrees (This home is not currently occupied so we keep temps set lower normally). Starting temp was 72 degrees and at 9:45 the temp was 71 degrees. Hoping for a quick start on this.
 
Scooter68 said:
Pitched the yeast today after finishing pH adjustment. Initially the pH was 3.86. Used primarily Malic and Acid Blend along with some citric Acid to get starting pH down to 3.57
SG last night was 1.088 but despite using hot water for my simple syrup mix something changed overnight and I launched it today with a starting SG reading of 1.100 so if this goes all the way to .990 I'm looking a little heavy on the ABV at 14.4% higher than I wanted but we will see where this goes.

Held out 1/2 the yeast nutrient for adding later and I did add Fermaid along with the Yeast Nutrient.

Used 2 oz very warm water for the yeast - approx 95degrees along with 1/8 tsp yeast nutrient in the yeast slurry. 2 oz of juice added after yeast starte temp was just detectable as warm. Waited another 15 mins while I did my final pH and SG measurements and found the starter with a nice head of foam on it where it had previously been showing no foam at all. Pitched the yeast in and stirred vigorously for about 30 seconds at 3:00 PM then covered with muslin. Checked in on the must at 9:45 PM and actually found a slight evidence of foam starting. At 6:30 there was nothing in evidence. Will check in on this in the morning but temps are going to drop in the house to a low as 66 degrees (This home is not currently occupied so we keep temps set lower normally). Starting temp was 72 degrees and at 9:45 the temp was 71 degrees. Hoping for a quick start on this.
Click to expand...

Dawg gone, I might need a bottle or two of this one. :h
 
@Scooter68
Just curiosity, but why you use malic acid and not just tartaric acid?
Personally, I'd never introduce malic acid, at least obviously to my grape wine, but since this fruit you may know something I don't.
 
Malic acid is the predominant acid in Cherries and a number of other fruits. A couple of articles I read suggested adjusting the acidity of a wine must using the same acid that is dominant in a fruit to increase the acidity. I noticed also in hind sight that I did in fact use a 1 1/2 tsp of Tartaric. So while I did use somewhat more malic than the other acids I was also trying to keep it somewhat balanced by adding the individual acids since I ran low on my Acid blend.
Not looking to do any MLF so I will be doing my best to take the steps needed to stop that from happening. As I understand a ABV of 14% + will help and using Bentonite for clearing will also aid in that goal. I've been looking at the various Anti- MLF products (Lysovin Lysoeasy or Lactizyme) but most are $$$ for me.

On the up-side when I checked this morning about 10:00AM a light 1/4" cap of foam has already formed and the aroma of an active fermentation is definitely present. That's only about 19 hours after pitching the yeast.
 
Scooter68 said:
Not looking to do any MLF so I will be doing my best to take the steps needed to stop that from happening. As I understand a ABV of 14% + will help and using Bentonite for clearing will also aid in that goal. I've been looking at the various Anti- MLF products (Lysovin Lysoeasy or Lactizyme) but most are $$$ for me.
Click to expand...

As you noted, higher ABV is in your favor, as well as lower pH's, sulfite in excess of 50 PPM will keep even the most hardy cultivated strains of MLB at bay. Personally, if you get your wine finished, adjust your acidity and sulfite it, I doubt you have too much to worry about. Get it into the cellar at 55 and you have yet another factor in your favor.............
 
OK - Well 48 hours after pitching the yeast and the SG has dropped to 1.077 from 1.098*. The pH has dropped a bit to 3.47 which is still within bounds. Given the potential for a MLF I'm going to boost the SG in a day or so to keep the ABV closer to 15%.

In any case the Fermentation started without a hitch. The first night about 6-7 hours after pitching the yeast I did see a little foam starting and confirmed the next morning by both a 1/4" of foam cap and the aroma that things were underway. Temps started out about 71 degrees when I pitched the yeast and I've kept them at or above 66 since then.

We open windows during the day and with temps in the mid-to-high 70s we can get the house warmed up nicely with no help from the gas or electric company. :db

Oh yes I did a little taste today and the tartness is just right, still sweet of course since the yeast has a long way to go converting the Sugars but it looks like this could be a great wine if this holds.

*(Mis-read the Hydrometer and realized that on an reading 24 hours into the ferment.)
 
Well Right now other than the yeast in the must - I have a carbonated Tart Cherry wine beverage. I could drink this stuff as it is :dg

Tasted it this morning at 9:00AM as I tested the SG which is now at 1.036 (Or an ABV currently of about 8 %) Actually not too sweet anymore which is also to be expected at this point. The pH is now at 3.40 still quite acceptable and even if it drops as low as 3.20 I see no reason to worry - UNLESS anyone has a reason why I should.
I suspect I might be ready to go to secondary either tonight or tomorrow morning - whenever it gets below 1.020. Ah, but I just read my note above - Need to add more simple syrup to get that ABV up closer to 15% to ward off the MLF.
 
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Checked on the wine last night it was down to 1.018 so I decided to rack it to my 3 gallon carboy.... Could have, probably should have, waited until today. Found that the fermentation foam would form quickly if you put a bubbler on the top but when I replaced the bung and bubbler with just my cloth bottle cover tied over the top the gas was able to dissipate fast enough to keep the foam from filling the headspace. Still had to put some into a half-gallon "carboy" and put a bubbler on it. The half-gallon container is now about 3/4 full and bubbling away happily. When fermentation finishes, soon I imagine, I should be able to rack to another carboy and fill it.
 
Last Night (Saturday) SG 1.012 This morning 1.010

Looks like it's starting to wind down. Now I'm thinking I moved it into the carboy too soon and should have let it run longer in the bucket. Stirred it some this morning and got some bubbling going on but that may be nothing more than CO2 releasing. Was hoping things would be below 1.000 today and I'd stir in the bentonite and let that settle things out before I move to close out fermentation. Still the ABV right now should be about 12.6 but that's below the goal I had of 14.5 or slightly higher. (To reduce chance of MLF)

I'll check again tonight and see where it's at. If it drops below 1.010 I'll wait at least another day before adding the bentonite. At least its now rehydrated and ready to go.
 
Racked mine today. The wine is really softening up and the flavor is very juicy and on the edge of being outright jammy. I'm pretty excited about it, but I'm really starting to believe this will make an even better port style wine. Maybe I shouldn't split it and go full on port with the entire batch.

The smell of the walnuts booms the second you open it. I never expected the walnuts I added to it to have such a profound (and very nice) affect on the aroma.

OdNId7Dbu.png
 
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dcbrown73 said:
Racked mine today. The wine is really softening up and the flavor is very juicy and on the edge of being outright jammy. I'm pretty excited about it, but I'm really starting to believe this will make an even better port style wine. Maybe I should split it and go full on port with the entire batch.

OdNId7Dbu.png
Click to expand...

When I was a kid, my parents used to go on an outing with some friends where they'd pick some kind of cherries, and mix up some big concoction, ferment for a while, add some booze and produce something they called "Cherry Bounce".

They can't find the recipe, but I suspect it was some kind of portish type concoction, and it was always a big hit.
 
Johnd said:
When I was a kid, my parents used to go on an outing with some friends where they'd pick some kind of cherries, and mix up some big concoction, ferment for a while, add some booze and produce something they called "Cherry Bounce".

They can't find the recipe, but I suspect it was some kind of portish type concoction, and it was always a big hit.
Click to expand...

I have a book by Ian Knauer called "The Farm" and it has a recipe for Sour Cherry Cordial. Calls for
2 cups Wild or Sour cherries
3 cups Vodka
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water

Muddle the cherries in a jar
Add the vodka
Cover and let sit 3 weeks (or Longer)
Then strain and sweeten to taste with a simple syrup from the sugar and water. Not much to it and looking at it now.... not impressive, but it will kick you back in your chair.

The book author speaks of finding wild cherries in the woods and decided that this was about the best he could do with the quantity he found. Interesting and it get me interested in the real thing - Fruit wine.

Not really fermented but obviously pretty potent.
 
mikewatkins727 said:
Cherry Bounce was a favorite drink of George Washington. A recipe for it was found amongst Martha Washington's papers.
Click to expand...


Interesting and when I found this recipe it looks strikingly like the "Cherry Cordial" but with a heating of the Cherries instead of just 'muddling' and letting them macerate in Whiskty/Brandy/Vodka. Otherwise very similar/the same.

http://outlanderkitchen.com/2012/07/16/the-great-cherry-bounce-experiment/

And after looking at a couple of other recipes - they all run along the same line. A simple 'mash' of cherries of your chosen variety, along with your favorite hard liquor and sugar.

Let us know what you come up with. I could see all sorts of variety to this, Orange slices, Cinnamon or other Spices etc.
 
Love this post thanks for sharing. FYI I think Costco also sells tart cherry juice too.

My cousin has 10 Bing cherry trees and we have made Cherry Bounce in the past with Vodka and Whisky. My fav was some thing like this cherries, whiskey, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Age from June to Turkeyday. It was great as a cordial and really good poured over a brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream .
 
BlueStimulator said:
Love this post thanks for sharing. FYI I think Costco also sells tart cherry juice too.

My cousin has 10 Bing cherry trees and we have made Cherry Bounce in the past with Vodka and Whisky. My fav was some thing like this cherries, whiskey, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Age from June to Turkeyday. It was great as a cordial and really good poured over a brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream .
Click to expand...

AND if you take the pits out the 'remains' of the mascerated cherries are also great topping for ice cream as well.

Years ago someone gave us a brandied fruit 'starter' that would render a great desert topping as well - you just had to keep 'feeding it' fruit now and then - I think canned fruit cocktail was the food we used because it had enough sugar already in it. In any case we neglected to feed it after a while and eventually it was gone.
 
So I was so happy that my juice sourced Tart Cherry wine batch had only about 1/4 inch of lees in secondary. BUT.... Last night I dosed it with 4 ozs of Bentonite slurry (1 tablespoon for 3 gallons) and this morning I now have 1 1/4 inches of lees. Ah well. Hopefully they will compact quickly. Fermentation has slowed down tremendously only dropped about .003 in the last 24 hours from 1.012 to 1.009
 

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