Hello All!

[Counselorbonner]

Hi Group!

My name is Scoop. I grew up in southern Alabama on a farm. My grandmother always made wine from plum and peach trees annually. I've been reading the threads and have learned some amazing stuff here! But I wanted to share something with the group.
My granny didn't use all of the ingredients that the group talks about. The wine always tasted great, the customers loved it, and it was always better than the wine you'd but at the store. She'd simply smash the plums or peaches, but sugar in it (in a five gallon bucket), and cover it with a soft cloth. She'd strain it after the fermentation process was over and sweeten it.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Scoop,
Welcome to Wine Making Talk. It sounds like your grandmother made an awesome country fruit wine!
Congrats on keeping the tradition alive!

The simple additions that would probably be suggested would be potassium metabisulfite and Potassium Sorbate to stabilize the wine and stop any further fermentation after you add the sugar, unless you were after a sparkling wine, and help keep it from spoiling/to have a shelf life, and possibly pectin to help the wine clarify.

 

[Counselorbonner]

Thanks Pumpkinman!! My granny is awesome! I've been experimenting with some different fruits and mixing it. It always has a lot of alcohol in it! Like one glass will have me staggering and make me really sleepy. With some batches, the alcohol overpowers the flavor. So I just let it sit for a year or so and it seems to work itself out lol

 

[grapeman]

The reason it always has a lot of alcohol in it is because she adds sugar to it periodically until it stops fermenting. The alcohol level is therefore dependant on the yeast used- some have higher tolerances to it before they die off. That leaves it sweet, but no two batches come out the same. A more sure way of duplicating the taste, sweetness and alcohol would be to use the same brand and strain of yeast each time, sweeten to a set level for a certain alcohol- let's say 12% and let it ferment to dry. Then you add the k-meta and k-sorbate to preserve it and prevent renewed fermentation(stabilizing). You then sweeten it to your tast , maybe let it set a bit and then bottle it. That way you can get close to the same results each time.

There is nothing wrong with the old school ways and it is sure to give you a good buzz, it's just that it is kinda hit-or-miss each time.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!!