This took WAY too long for me to get to, but better late than never. I said I am back, and I am slowly settling into the saddle again.
I finally got the haskap wine going the other day. I am just waiting to pitch the starter. There is not a lot to be found on Haskap wine, so some additional detail for the first timer is included.
I make a starter from a couple hundred ml of must diluted 50% with water. I add the yeast and pitch the next day. I find the starter catches the must up to where I would be if I had pitched yesterday rather than make the starter. The starter gives me patience to leave the must overnight to get a more accurate reading after the must has settled and all sugar is definitely dissolved and evenly distributed.
I started with 8.7 lbs of haskaps. I am pretty sure these were late season bulk picks, so rather than getting very ripe haskaps, I got whatever was left on the bush. They are tart. Original gravity was 1.045. PH... 2.57!
I basically had 1 gallon of berries. 2 liters of juice and 2 liters of thawed unpressed solids. I topped up to 1.5 gallons with apple juice which after pressing tends to leave me with 1 gallon and 500ml or so to top up. A little sacrificial oak added for tannin, and I am just waiting for one last reading after the last sugar addition to pitch D254 yeast. I made that choice based on the addition of mouth feel and strong enhancement of berry flavors. I had a commercial bottle of haskap, and I coulda been fooled that it was a grape wine. Different, but solid body and grape like depth. I am hoping to really accent fruit and berry flavors as I am expecting to back sweeten to counter acidity and want something bold with strong berry presence.
8.7 lbs Haskap
1 litre apple juice
1 tsp pectic enzyme
3 cups sugar to 1.100
5 grams oak chips
yeast nutrient
D254 yeast
I am using my expired bakers yeast that I boil to kill, and use that for nutrient. I am tempted to add a few peppercorns for interest, but I think I will leave it raw and play if I get gifted another batch of berries later in the season.
I finally got the haskap wine going the other day. I am just waiting to pitch the starter. There is not a lot to be found on Haskap wine, so some additional detail for the first timer is included.
I make a starter from a couple hundred ml of must diluted 50% with water. I add the yeast and pitch the next day. I find the starter catches the must up to where I would be if I had pitched yesterday rather than make the starter. The starter gives me patience to leave the must overnight to get a more accurate reading after the must has settled and all sugar is definitely dissolved and evenly distributed.
I started with 8.7 lbs of haskaps. I am pretty sure these were late season bulk picks, so rather than getting very ripe haskaps, I got whatever was left on the bush. They are tart. Original gravity was 1.045. PH... 2.57!
I basically had 1 gallon of berries. 2 liters of juice and 2 liters of thawed unpressed solids. I topped up to 1.5 gallons with apple juice which after pressing tends to leave me with 1 gallon and 500ml or so to top up. A little sacrificial oak added for tannin, and I am just waiting for one last reading after the last sugar addition to pitch D254 yeast. I made that choice based on the addition of mouth feel and strong enhancement of berry flavors. I had a commercial bottle of haskap, and I coulda been fooled that it was a grape wine. Different, but solid body and grape like depth. I am hoping to really accent fruit and berry flavors as I am expecting to back sweeten to counter acidity and want something bold with strong berry presence.
8.7 lbs Haskap
1 litre apple juice
1 tsp pectic enzyme
3 cups sugar to 1.100
5 grams oak chips
yeast nutrient
D254 yeast
I am using my expired bakers yeast that I boil to kill, and use that for nutrient. I am tempted to add a few peppercorns for interest, but I think I will leave it raw and play if I get gifted another batch of berries later in the season.
And I didn't expect them to change color so soon.
