Juniper Wine

[MedPretzel]

4 oz. dried Juniper berries
3 lbs. sugar (6 cups)
1 tsp tannin
1 tsp. acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 campden tablet (crushed)
Water to 1 gallon
yeast (montrachet)


Boil 1 gallon of water. Add and dissolve sugar. Pour over berries, which are in a nylon straining bag. Allow to cool, add tannin, acid blend, pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient, campden tablet, and yeast. SG should hover around 1.080 to 1.090.


Cover primary (there should be enough air in it) with lid or towel. Ferment to SG 1.040, squish the nylon bag so all juices are out, being careful not to break it. Transfer to secondary, siphoning the yeast as well.


Rack when necessary.


Improves greatly with maturing.

 

[Hippie]

That sounds good and good for ya. Do you have any tasting notes?

 

[MedPretzel]

Well, this is one of the ones I would have labeled "sweet," but I have learned that I'm duping myself into thinking that it's sweet.





So, no, I dunno what it tastes like anymore.

 

[Hippie]

Aw come on. Next time you try it, think about it, then come here and describe it to us.

 

[MedPretzel]

I know it tastes velvety on the tongue. Just like my mint wine.





I also remember thinking, "how smooth" but I know it needs to age quite a bit more.

 

[Hippie]

Yes! Velvety smooth. Good descriptors! I knew you could do it!

 

[MedPretzel]

See? CJJ Berry didn't teach me that!!!

 

[Hippie]

LMAO. Use your palate and you won't go wrong. It is your wine, if you like it, you succeeded!

 

[MedPretzel]

Hahaha, Glenvall, you know how my taste buds work. "On" or "Off." Or rather "I like" or "Yuck."

 

[Hippie]

Well I reckon that's good enough for now.

 

[MedPretzel]

I hope so, because I don't know all those correct terms.





Maybe you could send me a bottle of your wine, and we taste it and compare what we come up with.

 

[Hippie]

Oh my bottles are good enough for taste trials, and yours aren't?

 

[MedPretzel]

No. Mine aren't.

I'm very worried about sending stuff to people, because I never know what their real opinions are, or if they are just trying to humor me.

 

[Hippie]

You need to quit caring if others like your wine or not. I like mine and if someone says it is not sweet enough for them or too sweet for them or this or that, I always say the same thang. "more for me".

 

[MedPretzel]

Good for you. I should learn how to do that.

 

[Hippie]

How? I just open my mouth and the words come right on out. It's my wine.

 

[MedPretzel]

I like to share, though.

 

[Hippie]

I do to, but if they don't like it, I don't need to share.

 

[MedPretzel]

Yeah. I have to agree with you on that one. I've been made fun of too many times. I've started to keep them myself.

 

[Hippie]

I get tired of so many wanting wines but do not seem ambitious enough to find bottles in exchange. 10 good wine bottles - 1 bottle of wine. A wise old man in North Carolina once told me this is the only way to make giving wine worthwhile. I took him seriously. I betcha George knows him.