Bing Recipe

[WineNewbie]

I see a lot of cherry wines being made lately. I have about 6 Lbs. of Bing cherries in the freezer. Do these make a decent wine? If so, does anyone have a good recipe?

 

[Wade E]

Ive heard people say sour cherries make a better wine and have also
heard from others that say Bing cherries Make a better wine, I guess
its all in your preference. Here is a recipe for 1 gallon using sweet .

[*]4-5 lbs fresh or frozen sweet cherries
[*]2 lbs finely granulated sugar
[*]7-1/2 pts water
[*]2 tsp acid blend
[*]1/4 tsp tannin
[*]1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
[*]1 tsp yeast nutrient
[*]Montrachet wine yeastJust remember that sugar ans
acid values will vary from each fruit source and when they are picked
so dont dump all the sugar in, out some in, test SG and keep going
until desired SG is acheived.


Edited by: wade

 

[NorthernWinos]

Wade...does Cherry Wine need extra amounts of acid blend??? I notice many recipes show quite alot of acid...We do like a dry wine with a bite.

 

[Dean]

Northern, I think that the sweet cherries need way more acid to counter the sugar, but sour cherries don't need as much acid, because they have a much higher concentation of it.

BTW: totally jealous of your nanking cherries! My dad used to grow them in Edmonton, and there were always awesome when we could get them before the birds. I think the wine will be totally great, and most likely with just a little acid blend. I'd probably go on your taste for it.

 

[grapeman]

For the Bing Cherry wine, I would agree pretty close with Wade on the 2 tsp per gallon for acid. The cherry I made this last winter I added 12 tsp for 6 gallons and it was about right for tartness. When it was done, it had the usual lack of flavor a cherry is known for so I added a couple tablespoons of LD. Carlsons cherry flavoring. I wouldn't do that again, I would wait for the natural flavors to come out. I mixed part of it with some of the black currant. I brought a bottle of the black currant and a bottle of the cherry/black currant to the In-Laws 50th Anniversary Party last weekend. Everybody liked the black currant a lot, but were raving about the mixed bottle.


I would say you could use 4 pounds for a gallon and keep 2 pounds and make a cherry pie

 

[WineNewbie]

Thanks for the recipe Wade. Sounds like varying opinions on the cherry wine. I will have to try for myself to see how I like it.


I also saw some Rainer cherries at the local market, but have no idea what kind of cherries these are (sweet or sour) and if they are worth picking up.


Thanks again for the advice. I'll keep you posted once start this one.


BTW: I've been scoping out a steam juicer, but it's not really in the budget right now. I've read Northern's posts on them and I would love to get one. I'm tempted to get the cheaper aluminum version, but I think I might just wait until I can get the stainless steel version. These cherries seem like they would be ideal candidates for a steam juicer. Also, I'll be getting some muscadines next month and would like to steam them as well...So many toys to buy in this hobby

Edited by: WineNewbie

 

[swillologist]

WN, rainer is also a sweet cherry.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

BTW: I've been scoping out a steam juicer, but it's not really in the budget right now. I've read Northern's posts on them and I would love to get one. I'm tempted to get the cheaper aluminum version, but I think I might just wait until I can get the stainless steel version. These cherries seem like they would be ideal candidates for a steam juicer. Also, I'll be getting some muscadines next month and would like to steam them as well...So many toys to buy in this hobby

I am looking to get one also,I think I would be a little leery of the aluminum, I know in beer it causes oxidation, a very unwanted thing with awful flavor, don't know if it would have same effect on juice for wine, but I wouldn't want to chance it.

 

[OilnH2O]

Wade's suggestion to use added sugar to reach a desired SG is an important one. Both Kutya and I have made sweet cherry wine, but he's had more experience, and mine is still in the carboy. But the difference between bings, rainiers, lapins (that I used) and so on is not only size or color but degree of sweetness (like the brix in grapes) in those varieties. I also tested for acid with mine plus added some pure juice from sour cherries so mine is not a "true" sweet cherry effort. But, you can get a "hot" wine (too much alcohol) if you aren't careful with the sugar -- and Wade's admonitionis to point out that the recipe calling for "two pounds of sugar" is more a suggestion of about that amount. Put in the first pound, then starting taking a SG reading and note the change as you add more. You may find you need even MORE sugar!


We get commercially produced sweet cherry wine from Flathead Cherrys here in Montana, and it is very good. Most of those cherries are bings, so you should have a great learning experience and positive results!

 

[bj4271]

I've got three cherry batches cooking now: sour cherry from cans (1 gal), dark/sweet from cans (1 gal), and ??? from a mix of Vintner's Harvest & Oregon puree (6 gal)(I have no idea what kind of cherries were used for them). Should be interesting to compare.

 

[Wade E]

There have been many people who have used a recipe and went way over
the desired SG and then your stuck having to water it down or get more
fruit and everything else to increase the amount of wine your making to
bring the SG down and thats not fun although a bigger batch in the with
good results doesnt hurt!