Its time for the watermelons

[pwrose]

It is time for the watermelons to be picked and I am looking to do a waermelon wine. I found plenty of recipes on the net, but decided to come here first before deciding on one.

I did a search here and did not fins any recipes for it. So post up your recipes, I don't plan on any other fruit/grape to be added to it.

 

[Tom]

I would not make watermelon wine. You will find alot of negatives here. Most cases dont taste that good or goes bad. Watermelon is mostly water and no real flavor.
just my .02 worth

 

[non-grapenut]

I agree with Tom...watermelon, or any melon, as a matter of fact, do not make for good wine. If you do go for it, don't forget to compensate for the lack of nutrients and tannin and maybe consider adding some other type of fruit, like bananas, sultanas, even rice, for body.

 

[Runningwolf]

I made a watermelon from a kit. One lady I gave some to raved about. So I gave her the entire batch! If you could imagine dropping about a dozen jolly ranchers in a wine glass of water, thats what it tasted like. Although Julie has made it by the truck load. Maybe she's lurking around and step in here.

 

[pwrose]

To me that is almost like challeging me to try it for sure. As many watermelon crops that we put bees on I get tons of watermelons for free. It would be ashame that I would not be able to perfect a watermelon wine. I have even though about using nothing but the hearts of the watermelons so there would not be any seed issues. A f-pac would not be hard to come by either.

I guess I need to call out Julie then

JULIE Where are you?????????

can you give some assistance please?????

 

[Julie]

Yes, I have. Last year was the first year and it is very tricky. Watermelon juice spoils very easy. I blended mine with strawberry and topped up with a 64 oz of Juicy Juice Watermelon. This year I have 9 gallon of watermelon and 6 gallon of watermelon/strawberry going. I'll dig out my recipe when I get home. I think people throw it away becasue it has a rind smell that takes at least a year to go away and the watermelon taste to come forward. I believe cold stabililzing would work wonders on this type of wine.

 

[pwrose]

DAMN, I didn't know you could yell over the internet and people actually heard and responded that fast,,,, LOL


I will be looking foward to your recipe.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I've been waiting for the seeded watermelons. I think they're almost extinct. I will do a w.m. wine but may mix peaches and or strawberries with it. Julie mentioned keeping it cool in the very beginning to slow down a potential for spoilage. You know Julie, she's the one that sits in front of the class.

Doug, do you think we could get a good deal on watermellons in the strip????

 

[pwrose]

Dj, do you guys have any farmers up that way that plant watermelons. If so wait until you see them start picking them and catch the farmer and ask him if you could snag a few. If you wait until they are done or close to done (about the third picking) you most of the time can get all you want.

Julie, hope work went well, could you post up your recipe pretty please.

 

[Julie]

Dj, pwrose is right, one of the custodians at work lives by a farm and last year she got me a truck load of watermelon, free.

This is for a 5 gallon batch
watermelon, you are going to have to eyeball how much you think you will need for 5 gallon, probably to 4.5 imp mark
5 # sugar, enough to bring s.g. to 1.080
2 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
5/8 tsp k-meta or 5 campden tablets
2 1/2 tsp peptic enzyme

Cut the meat out of the watermelons, fill the primary with the watermelons, then we use a sanitized paint stirrer to chop up the watermelons. Add peptic enzyme, I make mine in the fall so I place the primary, covered, out on the front porch, temp is roughly 45 degrees. Bring in the next morning (12 hours), I leave it warm up for at least 6 hours then add k-meta or campden tablets leave sit another 24 hours and pitch yeast starter. I make a yeast starter in the morning and have it bubbling pretty good. At looking at my notes I do not have anything about acid blend but I would do an acid test and make sure your acid it .60% and .65%. Rack at 1.010 and rack & k-meta every two months for one year. Backsweeten to 1.020. I sweeten this morn than my other wines because watermelon is a very sweet tasting.

 

[Larryh86GT]

I came across this yesterday:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgaDhMg62jI&feature=related[/ame]

 

[UglyBhamGuy]

Julie,
Do you de-seed the meat, or do you just add it "as-is"?

 

[arcticsid]

PW, look around for things to do with the rinds, pickle etc. ihave never done it but have tried it andit is actualy real good.

Maybe someone in here has a reipe for uses for watermelon rind.
DUH, t goes withoout saying of course eat the waterlon flesh first.

You could always puree the "meat" first and freeze it. Then experiment. Maybe just cook it on low, real low,stirring often. let it reduce and see what happens.

If you can do that without burning or scorching it, I'll bet you would have some dandy watermelon syrup. Just remeber, dont quote me. to make agallon of birch syrup takes like 90 gallons of sap, for maple like 45. Wmellomn is no where as sweet, but try to reduce some, super low heat and see what hppens. Curious minds want to kno!!


YUM!!!!!!. pancakes with watermelon syru. YUM, tastes like raspberry too!!! LOL



Just a thouht.

Hope you can fina use for them.

 

[pwrose]

Thanks Julie,,,, I will be looking forward to making this.

Troy, I have had watermelon rind preserves, my grandmother made them. They were really really good, problem is at almost 90 she is lucky to make herself breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but she does and she is still kicking in her own house.

I would be interested in trying to reduce some, but what about the pulp. You wouldn't want that in the syrup but how would you go about getting it out. I really need to get a steam juicer.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Julie why wouldn't you add K-Meta first? Kill off all that bacteria right away rather than let it start attacking the meat for a few hours. It would work even in cooler temps so you could start sooner chilling it plus I believe K-Meta will interfeer with Pectic enzyme somewhat. I think that was from Luc's post on here.

Adding Pectic Enzyme at least 12 hours after K-Meta will allow the P.E. to continue working even after the addition of yeast another 12 hours later.

Sounds like a science experiment this season.

 

[Julie]

Julie,
Do you de-seed the meat, or do you just add it "as-is"?

just add "as-is"

Julie why wouldn't you add K-Meta first? Kill off all that bacteria right away rather than let it start attacking the meat for a few hours. It would work even in cooler temps so you could start sooner chilling it plus I believe K-Meta will interfeer with Pectic enzyme somewhat. I think that was from Luc's post on here.

Adding Pectic Enzyme at least 12 hours after K-Meta will allow the P.E. to continue working even after the addition of yeast another 12 hours later.

Sounds like a science experiment this season.

You probably could and that might be a better way. It does sound a science experiment this season.

 

[ffemt128]

I've been waiting for the seeded watermelons. I think they're almost extinct. I will do a w.m. wine but may mix peaches and or strawberries with it. Julie mentioned keeping it cool in the very beginning to slow down a potential for spoilage. You know Julie, she's the one that sits in front of the class.

Doug, do you think we could get a good deal on watermellons in the strip????

Probably could but as others said, miught be better waiting til late havest and seeing if you could grab a few from the field. This could be a possible use for the steam juicer.....