Biggest bonehead mistake, ever??

[Truebrew]

I've been so excited about making a pepper jelly wine, thinking that should really be good. No comments on the recipe so I figured I was good to go. So I started it.

Today, I was doing the second stage where the must is boiled for 5 minutes and then poured over all the chemicals, sugar and apple concentrate, stirred, then left to cool. My husband walked in at the left-to-cool part and said, "It smells like vinegar in here."

Egads, I forgot that pepper jelly is made with vinegar, sugar and pectin and of course, I never smelled it.

Holy cow, is all lost? Have I contaminated all of my equipment or should I continue on to see how this turns out??

 

[Runningwolf]

My guess is the wine idea is down the drain, But maybe someone that makes vinegar will pop in and tell you a way to save it and make a good vinegar. Might really be good on a salad or pasta. Clean and sanitize all your utensils real good and keep this batch out of the same room your wine is in.

I am telling you all of this from what I have read in the past but I do not have any first hand knowledge.

 

[Tom]

Good drain cleaner now....

 

[djrockinsteve]

Get all that outta there. Away from any wine.

Talk to your wine supplier. Maybe you could add a mother of vinegar, stick it in the attic away from wine and make vinegar.

I just started a vinegar from a vinegar already started. Still learning.

 

[Truebrew]

Sigh.

And the must actually tasted good before adding the chems. Oh well, looking on the bright side, at least I didn't lose several gallons and all my carboys like Sarah and Matt.

Vinegar wine now dumped. Honestly, it tasted like apple with a hint of spice. OK, I'm jumping back on that horse. Next try: apple with heat! (No vinegar allowed!)

Thanks, for pointing the way.

 

[Julie]

Susan,

Just take your hot peppers, whichever it is you grow, and add it to a white wine. If you can get Welch's White grape, use that, this is what I use and it comes out great, or like Dan does use apple juice, can you get this? I have had Dan's and it it very good.

 

[Wade E]

You could give it a try but do as others say and get it away from all your other wines!! It really takes mother of vinegar for the bacteria to take so it might work and become a decent wine if the taste of the vinegar goes away. Make sure you clean and sanitize this vessel really really really good when done!

 

[Truebrew]

Thanks Julie and Wade.

Julie, I can't get the Welch's Niagra. I've looked and looked. Only the "cocktails" can be found and I can't use those since they have sulphites. I can find the apple concentrate, though. That's what I added to this wine initially. How many jalapenos a 1 gal. batch?

Wade, I've already dumped it and have done my first cleaning of the primary. Several cleanings will follow.

I'm really not too worried about contaminating the other wines since the vinegar I used in the jelly was a white distilled vinegar. If it was a raw vinegar, well, that's a different story.

 

[Tom]

Just about every good grocery store has it in the frozen food isle by the OJ

 

[buddy]

I could be wrong but my thinking is that when you boiled your must you would have killed off any acetobacter bacteria that was present so you were probably good to go with your wine.

 

[Truebrew]

Hmmm, well the jelly was boiled twice. Once in making the jelly and once in "unmaking" it for the wine so I think you're probably right. My husband (the consumate beer brewer) believes the only issue was the acidity level. He thought the yeast wouldn't be able to survive even though I'd added nutrients.

So, that begs the question, how do you lower the acidity level? (I don't have an acid tester and yes, I know I need one. It's on my wish list.)

 

[Truebrew]

Just about every good grocery store has it in the frozen food isle by the OJ

Apparently not in Fairbanks, Alaska! We have two major grocery stores (Fred Meyer and Safeway). Neither have it. Oh, and Sam's Club doesn't either. Maybe I could special request it...