99# plum wine

[ryangws]

so my neighbor just dropped off 99# of small plums frozen on my door step and said make some wine with this. i have not made plum wine yet.

i have only done one small batch of cherry fruit wines besides about 10 grape kits. so i could use some help on how to start this properly. i have all the ingredents. (well i am off the store to get sugar).

i have been looking at the plum recipe and a few plum threads. so i am guessing about 50# per batch, in bags in the buckets.

i dont have a press.

thanks for your help in advance. any measurements would be helpful (acid).

 

[ryangws]

first problem i see is fitting 50# in one 6gal bucket

guess it has to defrost some first

 

[AlFulchino]

yep you need over flow especially after the cap gets heated up......

you might even thaw out some as a sample and test the taste first....you might be in for a bad or a good suprise,,,i would taste test first

 

[ryangws]

going to use 30# per batch and vary the sugar to get 2 different sweetness

<ul>[*]6 lbs plums
[*]1-1/2 lbs fine granulated sugar
[*]Water to one gallon
[*]1-1/2 tsp acid blend
[*]1 tsp pectic enzyme
[*]3/4 tsp yeast nutrient
[*]1/4 tsp yeast energizer
[*]1/8 tsp grape tannin
[*]wine yeast
[/list]going to multiply this recipe by 5 for a 5 gallon batch.
any help on which color package of yeast to use would help

 

[Goodfella]

Looks good...


I would use Lalvin RC212


You might want to consider some raisins also....

 

[ryangws]

thanks, what would be the equivelent in red star brand?

will i need to hand press the fruit or just let it soak

 

[Goodfella]

Personally.... I would cut it up, put it in a strainer bag, smash it up good with a potato masher and go from there.


Not sure the red star equivelent. I will look into it.

 

[Wade E]

You do mean varying the sugar at the end right to get the different sweetness?

 

[ryangws]

You do mean varying the sugar at the end right to get the different sweetness?

well with 99# i can do 3 6gal batches. i only have 2 strainer bags so the third wont have a bag and i will have to strain it later. going to start each batch at a different sugar amount. to get 3 different levels of sweetness/dryness.

If you have enough plums, make several batches of wine varying the
sugar content (3-1/2 lbs, 3-1/4 lbs, 3 lbs, etc. -- the wine will be
sweet until you get to 2-3/4 lbs, but progressively less and less)

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques12.asp

i just went to the homebrew store and only got redstar brand (bought 2 of each color). so i would like to use what i have.

just added the water and the plums are defrosting. didnt take much
water.

one more question. this recipe doesnt use campton tablets. should i add them, because other fruit recipes do.

 

[Goodfella]

First.... Campden Yes!!! Wait 12-24 hours before adding yeast.


Second.... Use a hydrometer for sugar amounts. Never a recipe.


Third.... The sweetness only depends on sugar AFTER fermentation. Sugar BEFORE changes the ABV.

 

[ryangws]

First.... Campden Yes!!! Wait 12-24 hours before adding yeast.


Second.... Use a hydrometer for sugar amounts. Never a recipe.


Third.... The sweetness only depends on sugar AFTER fermentation. Sugar BEFORE changes the ABV.

1) 1 per gallon right?
2) so im doing 2 maybe 3 batches one dry one sweet. what should the SG be for each. 1.085-1.09 for Dry and ____for sweet?

 

[ryangws]

another question

should i save some fruit for back sweeting or just use it all and make 3 batches.

 

[Goodfella]

1 per gallon.


I would start them both at 1.085. I would freeze some fruit to use for f-packs later.


I would sweeten one right before bottling if you want a sweet one. Sugar before fermenting is not the way to do it.

 

[ryangws]

i got two buckets started tonight with all ingredents except yeast (still waiting on a suggestion as to which yeast to use.

yea the fruit was pitted and broken, so i didnt have to do that part.



quote: "I would sweeten one right before bottling if you want a sweet one. Sugar
before fermenting is not the way to do it."

i understand to do this (f-pack) style
but i am confused when you say to do it that way and
the recipe here http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques12.asp
says to sweeten before fermenting and even suggests to make different sweetnesses

how do you determing what fruit gets sweetened before fermenting and which after? is it just personal choice or is there a science to it?

thanks for all your help guys.

 

[Guest]

You may know this but it bears repeating...


Keepin mind (as stated page one), that the amount of sugar you add to the fermentation bucket will not affect the sweetness, or dryness of your finished product, it will strictly affect the amount of alchahol (A.B.V.)in you wind up with in yourfinished product ( * assumeing that you ferment to 0.000).


After fermentation (and your setteling period, how ever longyou personally choose) and prior to botteling, you add your sugar to taste for your finished product.






*If however,you stall or shorten the fermentation periodfor what ever reason, your existing fermentation sugar level at that time will base your finished product taste.

 

[Guest]

First off, in my opinion, most of these recepies (JK included) are writtenvague purposly. They are intended merely to point you in the right direction for the type of wine you're making and not toduplicate the results of the author.
A.B.V. is a matter of personal preference as is dryness and sweetness.


Back to the question;


The recepie states...


"The first recipe below makes a dry table wine. The second one makes a high-alcohol sweet (dessert) wine."...

And it does.
Note that in recepie #1, after the sugar is added prior tofermentation (the A.B.V. factor not specificly statedthough I suspect 0.000 from the extended period),no sugar is called for AFTER the final campden/sulfite addition and before bottling.
End result... an A.B.V. of what ever and no Chaptlization (that's back sweetening for those who don't recognize the word) resulting in a given alchahol content and no sweetness. Dry.


In recepie #2...


You have to assume sincenot specificlystated, that the same amount of sugar was added for fermentation as recepie #1.
Then as the fermentation progresses, more sugar is added, raising the A.B.V higher.
After the fermentation is complete (0.000)and campden/sulfite is added to stop further fermentation (killing off the existing yeast), sugar is added againto raisethe sweetness factor in the finished product.


Hope that helps clarify

 

[fivebk]

Make double sure you test the acidity of the must. Plums have a lot of acid in them. You may have to lower the acid by using some calcium carbonate and this should be done before fermentation begins.

I would use a hydrometer and start all 3 batches at the same level ( my choice would be 1.085 ) varying the sugar amount at the beginning will just change the alcohol level in each batch. and then a month or more before bottling backsweeten to taste.

I also used 2 kinds of oak in my plum and really like the results.

BOB

 

[ryangws]

thanks.

what should the acidity measure?

so i guess i will get 2 different ABV since i did one like recipe #1 and one like #2.

how much fruit will i need to backsweeten, i like sweet dessert wines.
my GF likes dry, so i like having the two different batches.

still unanswered, which redstar yeast should i use???

 

[Guest]

I'll let someone else with Plum Wine experience, answer the acidity level question though I would imagine .55 to .60 would produce a nice flavor.


Two A.B.V.'s
Most certainly. If you followed his somewhat unspecific directions throughout the fermentation process (adding more sugar) your alchahol content will be different between the two runs.


How much fruit.
That's a matter of opinion and opinion means taste.
I seldom use heldback fruit anymore though some biblicly preach it.
If you are adding held back fruit, make sure it's devoid of any wild yeasts as that can restart your fermentation process all over again and also that the fruit you addis asclean as clean can be. You don't want to introduce any bacteria to your nearly complete wine here.
Add the fruit by juice alone, noskins or pulpand sample as you add it till you get the sweetness you want.
There's no hard rule as to amount.
Another draw back here is that any clearing you've done to date, will have to be done all over again for the new fruit addition.


On the otherhand.


If you're not adding held back fruit and instead, Chaptilizing, add your sugar in halfcup quantitiesand stir well. Sample and if necessary, add another half cup of sugar repeating this processtill you reach the sweetness level you're after.


REMEMBER


You can always add more sugar to a sour mix but you can't remove it from a too sweet mix.


SAMPLE, add, sample, add, sample add.


As for Red Star yeast.
Try going to Georges page on yeast...
http://www.finevinewines.com/Home-Wine-Making-Ingredients-Red-Star-Wine-Yeast.asp
... and see if that doesn't help you.

 

[fivebk]

I used Pasteur Red yeast. The acid level should be close to .60-.65. I used 10 lbs of fruit per gallon and did not have to add an F-pack.

BOB