August 2014 Wine of the Month

[the_rayway]

You should have started it in the bucket instead of the carboy!! Lol, now you have a JAOMess

I've never done that one, and have always been interested in if it tastes any good. Lots of people say that it needs a lot of sweetness to outshine the bitterness. I have an intense hatred of bitterness, so I've been nervous to give it a go.

Way to go Winesleeper on joining the banana club!!

 

[buffalofrenchy]

Where is the bitterness coming from? Orange peel?

 

[jkrug]

Yes the pith of the orange.

 

[winesleeper]

Banana Wine Update

Got the banana wine started this weekend. Starting SG was 1.090. Looking and smelling good!

 

[codeman]

It seems you could zest the orange, then peel it and use just the zest and innards of the orange to get away from the bitterness.

 

[the_rayway]

Racked the Bochet Port & Wine.

The port accidentally dried out at 18% (oops), I thought the yeast had done around 1.020, but it appears I miscalculated. S.G. 1.002. I added 475 mL of the banana/vanilla bean soaked brandy to bump the ABV to approx. 23% (using my Pearson's square). I also gave it a 1/4 tsp each of pectic and amalyse enzymes to hopefully help clear the haze.

The wine is at 1.004 and is clearing nicely. It's a darker orange-y-yellow right now. Top up wine is at 1.000 and I still have about 2 litres of it after topping up the wine.

I didn't taste anything, but it all smells BANANA!!! Which is quite nice. And Deezil was totally correct - the brandy plus banana = butterscotch. It`s fairly incredible.

 

[the_rayway]

Looks like we're small but mighty this month with only three people contributing (I blame it on summer).

I'll update the OP shortly.

Let's get September going!!

 

[buffalofrenchy]

Fruits starting coming down so I will probably rack this next week end.