Kiwi wine

Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Chhams

Junior
Joined
Nov 29, 2023
Messages
21
Reaction score
73
Location
Nepal
Newbie here, this year I have 100 kilos kiwi and want to utilize the kiwi. Anyone knows the receipe with calculations(ph level, temperature, alcohol level) for kiwi wine? Step by step process?

FF6CBE0B-CA62-48DB-9865-23992F049933.jpeg
 
Here’s a couple recipes…good luck!
I was not familiar with Terry Garey's book -- thanks for posting.

@Chhams, the only differences between the two recipes is the amount of acid blend and the choice of yeast.

For acid, the dominant acids in kiwi is quinic and citric. Since I've not heard of quinic before, which means its availability for winemaking is unlikely, I'd add citric acid instead of acid blend, assuming you can get it. But I have no idea what products are available in Nepal, so if you can't get citric, I'd go with acid blend or tartaric.

Yeast? ANY wine yeast will work, although I'd go with a white wine yeast, such as those recommended in the posted recipes.

A lot of older recipes call for low amounts of fruit. You'll find a lot of discussion on this forum pushing for higher amounts, so the resulting wine tastes like the fruit. Having eaten a fair amount of kiwi, I'd target 5.5 to 6.5 lbs per gallon, 2.5 to 2.95 kg.

YMMV
 
Here’s a couple recipes…good luck!
Thanks someone already shared this attachment already to me
I was not familiar with Terry Garey's book -- thanks for posting.

@Chhams, the only differences between the two recipes is the amount of acid blend and the choice of yeast.

For acid, the dominant acids in kiwi is quinic and citric. Since I've not heard of quinic before, which means its availability for winemaking is unlikely, I'd add citric acid instead of acid blend, assuming you can get it. But I have no idea what products are available in Nepal, so if you can't get citric, I'd go with acid blend or tartaric.

Yeast? ANY wine yeast will work, although I'd go with a white wine yeast, such as those recommended in the posted recipes.

A lot of older recipes call for low amounts of fruit. You'll find a lot of discussion on this forum pushing for higher amounts, so the resulting wine tastes like the fruit. Having eaten a fair amount of kiwi, I'd target 5.5 to 6.5 lbs per gallon, 2.5 to 2.95 kg.

YMMV
This is the file I found through online. Yes citric acid is available in market.
I will do the calculations according to yhe kiwi available and will keep you posted.
After finalizing all the needed instruments, chemicals I will start the project.
Till then please stay in touch!
 

Attachments

  • Alphabetized Jack Keller Complete Requested Recipes Collection.pdf
    1.7 MB · Views: 0
What was probably not mentioned yet, kiwi must be really ripe to the point of overripened. If they are not, put them in paper bags and wait until they are very, very soft.
 
What was probably not mentioned yet, kiwi must be really ripe to the point of overripened. If they are not, put them in paper bags and wait until they are very, very soft.
Thanks for the idea but we donot have paper bag available near my place. I usually make kiwi ripe by wrapping up in the blanket (that’s what old local people around here does)
 
1st Step:
Added 15 kg (34 lbs) kiwi in a jute bag (Jute material is a natural vegetable fibre which is made from the outer stem and skin of a jute plant.)
And as per my grandmother, covering with grass is best process for ripening the whole fruits. So used the old method.
 

Attachments

  • 7495052E-3F2D-4F9F-B3A1-09C07E07F62D.jpeg
    7495052E-3F2D-4F9F-B3A1-09C07E07F62D.jpeg
    3.6 MB · Views: 1
According to Jack Keller receipe:
I calculated for sugar and water
For 34lbs kiwi
- 11 lb sugar
- 9.96 lt water
(What temperature, brix, pH level it should be in the begining)
I need to know how much tsp or gram I need to add for 34 lbs kiwi:
- citric acid
- pectic enzyme
- wine tannin
- yeast nutrient
- white wine yeast
 
Last edited:
According to Jack Keller receipe:
I calculated for sugar and water
For 34lbs kiwi
- 11 lb sugar
- 9.96 lt water
(What temperature, brix, pH level it should be in the begining)
I need to know how much tsp or gram I need to add for 34 lbs kiwi:
- citric acid
- pectic enzyme
- wine tannin
- yeast nutrient
- white wine yeast
A common criticism of Keller recipes is the fruit level is too low. IMO 3-4 lbs of kiwi per gallon will make a thin wine. I'd bump it to 6 lbs per gallon.

I'd treat it as a 5 gallon batch (if you can use 2 more pounds of fruit, make it 6 gallons):

34 lbs fruit
4 kg sugar
19 liters water
5 tsp acid
2.5 tsp pectic enzyme
0.75 tsp tannin
5 tsp nutrient

You won't regret adding more fruit, but you might regret adding less.
 
According to Jack Keller receipe:
I calculated for sugar and water
For 34lbs kiwi
- 11 lb sugar
- 9.96 lt water
(What temperature, brix, pH level it should be in the begining)
I need to know how much tsp or gram I need to add for 34 lbs kiwi:
- citric acid
- pectic enzyme
- wine tannin
- yeast nutrient
- white wine yeast
Hello Chhams, Glad you made it here from the Facebook link. If you're only using around 10 litres of water that's just over 2 imperial gallons unless I've misunderstood as that's a lot of sugar.. Do you have a vessel to hold 5 imperial gallons? That would be a good quantity to shoot for with 34lbs of kiwi. Jack Kellers recipe is for 1 us gallon. Multiply his additions by 5. The yeast may need to be doubled. I've made kiwi and it's very good. I used about 5 lbs post peeling per us gallon. Some recipes call for leaving the skin on if so you may not need the tannin at all. Some think the skin adds to much bitterness. Actually all the additions are considered optional by some but they make a much better wine. So I guess my question is what size vessel are you going to ferment this in?
 
A common criticism of Keller recipes is the fruit level is too low. IMO 3-4 lbs of kiwi per gallon will make a thin wine. I'd bump it to 6 lbs per gallon.

I'd treat it as a 5 gallon batch (if you can use 2 more pounds of fruit, make it 6 gallons):

34 lbs fruit
4 kg sugar
19 liters water
5 tsp acid
2.5 tsp pectic enzyme
0.75 tsp tannin
5 tsp nutrient

You won't regret adding more fruit, but you might regret adding less.
And what about the wine yeast? How much white wine yeast?
 
Hello Chhams, Glad you made it here from the Facebook link. If you're only using around 10 litres of water that's just over 2 imperial gallons unless I've misunderstood as that's a lot of sugar.. Do you have a vessel to hold 5 imperial gallons? That would be a good quantity to shoot for with 34lbs of kiwi. Jack Kellers recipe is for 1 us gallon. Multiply his additions by 5. The yeast may need to be doubled. I've made kiwi and it's very good. I used about 5 lbs post peeling per us gallon. Some recipes call for leaving the skin on if so you may not need the tannin at all. Some think the skin adds to much bitterness. Actually all the additions are considered optional by some but they make a much better wine. So I guess my question is what size vessel are you going to ferment this in?
89016E9B-6358-4DEA-9943-50AF38404EEA.jpeg
I will be using 20 litres plastic vessel which has fitted lid on it.
May be I will have to make a hole on the lid to fit the airlock for further fermentation process.
 
One 5-6 g packet is good for up to 6 gallons
E17AE6E5-0808-4B79-8DAE-BFB32ABA8826.jpeg
Lastly, I hope I have collected all the useful items.
The items I have available right now are:
- Kiwi
- pH meter -2 (just incase one is not working)
- hydrometer (brix reading 0-10 and 10-20) - 2
- temperature reading meter
- cylinder for checking reading in sample wine
- small beakers for pH level checking on sample
- jug for transfering sample with to cylinder and beaker

The items I need to get it from city area (12 hours driving distance from my home) are:
- 50 gm KMS solution for washing the instruments before use so that there won’t be any foreign contamination
- 10gm Citric Acid
- 5 gm pectic enzyme
- 5 gm wine tannin
- 10 gm wine nutrient
- 5 gm yeast
- air lock - 2 (incase I have to ferment wine in 2 buckets) I dont know if airlock is available in the market, checked youtube videos and found I can make airlock from small pipe (clear pipe)
- buffer solutions for setting the pH meter before checking wine pH level
- nylon straining clothes - 3 pcs

Please let me know if I forget anything
 

Attachments

  • 22130B27-F772-471A-A4E8-F0379B5C7AFD.jpeg
    22130B27-F772-471A-A4E8-F0379B5C7AFD.jpeg
    1 MB · Views: 0
Last edited:
I will be using 20 litres plastic vessel which has fitted lid on it.
May be I will have to make a hole on the lid to fit the airlock for further fermentation process.
Fermentation proceeds best if done in an open container, as yeast needs O2 for reproduction. Once fermentation is complete, a bucket has far too much airspace and the wine will most likely oxidize. Think of it this way: O2 is yeast's friend but wine's enemy.

The best storage for home winemakers is 4 liter jugs and 19-23 liter carboys. Fill within 3" of the stopper to limit the headspace.

In batch planning, always plan to have more wine than you have containers, so you can ensure you main container(s) are full. Excess can be kept in smaller bottles. I have small screwcap bottles (100-200 ml), plus 375 ml, 750 ml, and 1.5 liter wine bottles.

You also want a racking cane and tubing, to rack the wine off the sediment.

I've written some whitepapers, recording my methods & understanding. The Basic Winemaking Process, How to Make a Yeast Starter, Reducing Wine Loss, and Sanitation in Winemaking may help you get started.
 
Fermentation proceeds best if done in an open container, as yeast needs O2 for reproduction. Once fermentation is complete, a bucket has far too much airspace and the wine will most likely oxidize. Think of it this way: O2 is yeast's friend but wine's enemy.

The best storage for home winemakers is 4 liter jugs and 19-23 liter carboys. Fill within 3" of the stopper to limit the headspace.

In batch planning, always plan to have more wine than you have containers, so you can ensure you main container(s) are full. Excess can be kept in smaller bottles. I have small screwcap bottles (100-200 ml), plus 375 ml, 750 ml, and 1.5 liter wine bottles.

You also want a racking cane and tubing, to rack the wine off the sediment.

I've written some whitepapers, recording my methods & understanding. The Basic Winemaking Process, How to Make a Yeast Starter, Reducing Wine Loss, and Sanitation in Winemaking may help you get started.
Wow lots of informations. Thanks alot
Will have to look through it.
Do you think this will work for fermentation? The glass one might be too expensive or may be not available in the market.
Other queries might come in future but let me check the link first.
 

Attachments

  • 38FAE3E2-6227-470F-8B53-E4DA33DC9DF0.png
    38FAE3E2-6227-470F-8B53-E4DA33DC9DF0.png
    1.9 MB · Views: 1
Do you think this will work for fermentation?
As long as the plastic is food grade, it's fine. I used one like that for a couple of years, and currently use Rubbermaid Brute trash cans (purchased new for winemaking!).

Make sure the container is large enough -- don't fill it more then 3/4 full, as a vigorous fermentation can overflow the container. Your target is current 19 liters of wine, so I'd use a minimum 40 liter capacity container to handle the amount of fruit pulp. If you can't get a large enough container, you can divide among multiple fermenters.

What are you going to use to press the fruit? Any type of fruit press is best, as the pulp will contain a lot of wine. However, if you can get a fine mesh nylon bag, put the pulp in that and put a weight on it.

Here's a practical example: In October my son and I fermented 130 kg Cabernet Sauvignon, 130 kg Cabernet Franc, and 65 kg Merlot. We pressed the batches hard enough to get 68 liter each from the CS and CF, and 34 liters from the Merlot. To the pomace (grape pulp) we added two 23 liter juice buckets of Sangiovese. This wine will be barrel aged until next fall, and we need at least 60 liters of wine to start, as water and alcohol evaporate through the wood of the barrel, enriching the wine left behind. The plan was to extract ~20 liters from the pomace, which would get us enough wine.

Our result was 90 liters of wine from the Sangiovese/pomace when we pressed it hard, roughly 50% more in total than we expected.
 
As long as the plastic is food grade, it's fine. I used one like that for a couple of years, and currently use Rubbermaid Brute trash cans (purchased new for winemaking!).

Make sure the container is large enough -- don't fill it more then 3/4 full, as a vigorous fermentation can overflow the container. Your target is current 19 liters of wine, so I'd use a minimum 40 liter capacity container to handle the amount of fruit pulp. If you can't get a large enough container, you can divide among multiple fermenters.

What are you going to use to press the fruit? Any type of fruit press is best, as the pulp will contain a lot of wine. However, if you can get a fine mesh nylon bag, put the pulp in that and put a weight on it.

Here's a practical example: In October my son and I fermented 130 kg Cabernet Sauvignon, 130 kg Cabernet Franc, and 65 kg Merlot. We pressed the batches hard enough to get 68 liter each from the CS and CF, and 34 liters from the Merlot. To the pomace (grape pulp) we added two 23 liter juice buckets of Sangiovese. This wine will be barrel aged until next fall, and we need at least 60 liters of wine to start, as water and alcohol evaporate through the wood of the barrel, enriching the wine left behind. The plan was to extract ~20 liters from the pomace, which would get us enough wine.

Our result was 90 liters of wine from the Sangiovese/pomace when we pressed it hard, roughly 50% more in total than we expected.
Yes, local people use this plastic container for making home made alcohol for fermentation.
I will add this (probably 50 litres is available in the market) also in my buying list.

I am going to use my hands to press the kiwi (after kiwi is ripened, it will be easy to press and get the juice out of it.

Now my question is do I press the kiwi after putting it in the nylon bag? So that juice will come out in the primary.

And while putting the nylon bag in the sugar solution what should I use for weight to avoid foreign contamination to avoid floating.

And regarding yeast starter, I am going to use glass beaker. While placing it for 18-20 hours before inoculating do I need to cover the beaker or no?
 
Back
Top