Cranberry 06

[jojo]

Followed Jack Kellers recipe - the one with currants and invert sugar.


SG 1.085

 

[Hippie]

Wow nice color! Wouldn't it be '05?

 

[jojo]

I thought it'stime of release. Yeah, the hot water sure took the color out of those berries fast. I did 3 gallons, thinking another 3 gallons of either the dried Craisin recipe or some other one. Gonna go on a scavenging hunt right after Thanksgiving and fill some freezer space.

 

[Hippie]

Sounds good. Not that it matters, it is your wine, call it whatever you want. Normally, a wine is dated from the fruit vintage year, or in non-vine fruits, year it was harvested.

 

[jojo]

You're the best sir Hippie. I make wine to get away from the massive anal retentiveness of other areas inlife. Fermentation is miraculous.

 

[Hippie]

 

[masta]

Looks good jojo...

I have an Apple Cranberry 05 that is almost ready to be racked and I will post some pics. I had trouble with the initial makeup due to the amount of cranberry concentrate I used which caused the TA to be too high and the pH too low for the fermentation to start.

I had to dilute the whole batch with more apple juice (added some honey too) to bring the TA and pH in range for the yeast.....but the good news is that I now have 10 gals instead of 6.


I sure do hope it comes out tasting ok!

 

[jojo]

thanks masta. more is always good!

 

[jojo]

tonight i am "transferring" to secondary. minus the bagged solids, which have decreased in size considerably.

 

[jojo]

Ok. She has been transferred. SG is 1.010. It came to almost 4 gallons including real thick lees, so I used a one gallon jug and this 3 gallon carboy. I figure after racking the secondary it will even out to 3. How low can I go with temperature here? The basement is an even 62 F, but I suspect itdips at night.






Edited by: jojo

 

[Waldo]

Might try setting them on an electric blanket or heating pad JoJo. The wines look great but that pinkish colored carboy looks like it might need to be topped up

 

[masta]

The only info I could find on Montrachet yeast is that the minimum temp to complete the fermentation is about 60 F.It appears the fermentation has move along well so far so I wouldsay you should be ok unless the temp really falls off.


Not to contradict you Waldo but topping off at this point is not critical since the wine is still producing CO2 which will purge the head space and protect the wine.It is very important after fermentation is complete and no longer producing CO2.


When it is time to degas you will need to warm it up to at least 70 or it will take forever and be very difficult.


Looks good and great job!

 

[jojo]

she dried out quickly. SG.990 today. i racked the extra gallon onto oak cubes and put it away in the basement to age. the 3 gallon i'm gonna leave like it is.


thanks waldo - i did top up the gallon this morning with almost a cup of boiled and cooled water. i figure down the road i'll use wine of some kind.


thanks masta - that is a point to remember. the basement is at 62 and steady these days. this wouldexplain a lot of lengthy beating i have done in the past!!!

 

[Waldo]

OOps Sorry JoJo..I was thinking a step ahead of where you were at. Thanks Masta for the correction.

 

[peterCooper]

I spent the day yesterday making my christmas cake. In England we have a
heavy heavy fruit cake, which we then put almond paste and a hard white
icing on. Then we decorate the top to look like a winter scene. In Texas, it's
as close as we get to snow.

Anyway, as a result I have
10 oz currants
6 oz of sultanas (white grapes, dried)
1lb raisins and
2 lb dried cranberry
3lb dark brown sugar.

Is this the basis for any kind of wine?

 

[masta]

First thing to know is whether any of the dried fruit has had sorbate (sorbic acid) added as this could prevent fermentation. Sulfite is ok but sorbate is not.

 

[jojo]

Is it a bit early for Christmas cake?

 

[Waldo]

Not too early for making them. Mom always made her fruit cakes before Thanksgiving and then sealed them up and let them set until Christmas. I think she used Rum inhers too. I know they were heavy suckers

 

[jobe05]

Thats right Waldo. I made mine this weekend also (4 of them). They need to age for about a month in a sealed container with a damp cloth. Im going to dapen mine with bourbon

 

[peterCooper]

I dampen mine with brandy. Actually the fruit soaks in brandy for a few
hours
before making the cake. It is supposed to be fed each week with a couple of
teaspoons of brandy, then iced about a week before.

None of the fruit has sorbate (good ol' Sunmaid). I do have some candied
peel wich does contain sorbate, but I'm not using it. I'm thinking of making
it christmas cake wine, using as many of the ingredients from the cake as
seems reasonable.

I suppose the question is going to be how much water, how much lime and
lemon and orange juice, and how much sugar to get the balance.Edited by: peterCooper