Following the proportions of the Neighborhood Chokecherry recipe posted by Northern Winos, which wine is the inspiration for winemaking in my household by the way (three cheers for the talents and generosity of Northern Winos!!) - here's my conversion of that recipe in a 1 gallon batch.
********* CHOKECHERRY Red Grape ala NW 1 gal *******
1-1/2 qt chokecherry juice (steam extracted) + 1/4 c. reserved for yeast starter
150 ml Red Grape Concentrate
2 3/4 C.sugar dissolved in 1 qt water
** Tested SG and it was a little high at 1.110, so added
1 qt water (additional)
** Retested SG at 1.086
added:
1 campden tablet, crushed
1/2 tsp acid blend
1/2 tsp Pectin enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient (3/4 tsp in must, 1/4 in yeast starter jar)
1/2 tsp yeast energizer
Plus the extras for flavoring:
about 1/4 of a vanilla bean (cracked to help extract flavor)
2 pepper corns (I didn't toast them)
1 Tbsp. oak chips
Yeast Starter - the 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient referenced above, 1 c.
water, 1 Tbsp sugar, pinch acid blend (about 3 grains of this, a mini
pinch), and packet of EC-1118 yeast.
(I had a partial packet of EC-1118 in the fridge - other yeast might be more suited).
About 6 hours after starting the "starter" I also added the 1/4 c. reserved chokecherry juice to the yeast starter jar.
********************************
24 hours after preparing the must, I pitched the yeast starter and now
(another 24 hours later) it's going good, temp is about 76 degrees vs.
the 68 it started at, and it's looking like:
It sure smells good too!
********* CHOKECHERRY Red Grape ala NW 1 gal *******
1-1/2 qt chokecherry juice (steam extracted) + 1/4 c. reserved for yeast starter
150 ml Red Grape Concentrate
2 3/4 C.sugar dissolved in 1 qt water
** Tested SG and it was a little high at 1.110, so added
1 qt water (additional)
** Retested SG at 1.086
added:
1 campden tablet, crushed
1/2 tsp acid blend
1/2 tsp Pectin enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient (3/4 tsp in must, 1/4 in yeast starter jar)
1/2 tsp yeast energizer
Plus the extras for flavoring:
about 1/4 of a vanilla bean (cracked to help extract flavor)
2 pepper corns (I didn't toast them)
1 Tbsp. oak chips
Yeast Starter - the 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient referenced above, 1 c.
water, 1 Tbsp sugar, pinch acid blend (about 3 grains of this, a mini
pinch), and packet of EC-1118 yeast.
(I had a partial packet of EC-1118 in the fridge - other yeast might be more suited).
About 6 hours after starting the "starter" I also added the 1/4 c. reserved chokecherry juice to the yeast starter jar.
********************************
24 hours after preparing the must, I pitched the yeast starter and now
(another 24 hours later) it's going good, temp is about 76 degrees vs.
the 68 it started at, and it's looking like:
It sure smells good too!
