Lum Eisenman recipes from his book

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St Allie

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PEACH, APRICOT OR PLUM WINE
(Makes five gallons, US measurements)

STEP 1 INGREDIENTS

15 lbs peaches or apricots or plums
5 gallons of water
8 lbs white granulated sugar
1 level teaspoon yeast energizer
6 level teaspoons acid blend
2 level teaspoons grape tannin
1 level teaspoon pectic enzyme
5 Campden tablets

STEP 2 INGREDIENTS

3 lbs white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of acid blend

STEP 3 INGREDIENTS

1 pkt of Epernay wine yeast

STEP 5 INGREDIENTS

5 Campden tablets

STEP 7 INGREDIENTS

1-4 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. potassium sorbate
3 Campden tablets

Method

1. Use only ripe fruit. Remove the stones and discard any rotten fruit. Crush the fruit, finely chop the fruit or run it through a food processor (do not process into a fine pulp). Put all step 1 ingredients in an open fermenter and stir well.

2. Use a hydrometer and adjust the sugar to 22 Brix by adding sugar in small quantities and stirring well. Use an acid test kit and adjust the acid to 0.65 percent by adding small quantities of acid crystals and stirring well. If a hydrometer or an acid test kit is not available, use the amounts shown in steps 1 and 2, but the quality of the wine will suffer.

3. Open the packet of dry yeast and sprinkle it on top of the must. Cover the fermenter, in 20 to 40 hours fermentation should start (bubbles form around the edge of the container).

4. Stir the must and measure the Brix each day.

5. When the hydrometer reads 12 to 14-Brix, strain out and discard the solids and syphon the liquid into a closed fermenter. Attach a fermentation lock filled half full of plain water. Always keep the container full of wine and always keep the fermentation lock half full of clean water.

6. After three weeks, rack the wine into a clean, closed container and add 5 crushed Campden tablets.

7. After three months the wine should be clear. If it is not clear, fine with Sparkolloid and rack three weeks after adding the Sparkolloid.

8. In a month or so, when the wine is clear and stable, add 3 Campden tablets. Add the sweetening sugar (to taste) and 2 level teaspoons (5 grams) of fresh potassium sorbate. Finally, bottle the wine.


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DRY PEAR TABLE WINE
(Makes five gallons, US measurements)

STEP 1 INGREDIENTS

20 lbs very ripe pears
4 3/4 gallons of water
8 lbs white granulated sugar
1 level teaspoon yeast energizer
8 level teaspoons acid blend
2 level teaspoons grape tannin
1 level teaspoon pectic enzyme
5 Campden tablets

STEP 2 INGREDIENTS

3 lbs white granulated sugar
3 teaspoons of acid blend

STEP 3 INGREDIENTS

1 pkt of Epernay wine yeast

STEP 5 INGREDIENTS

5 Campden tablets

STEP 7 INGREDIENTS

3 Campden tablets

Method

1. Try to get very ripe fruit. Remove the stems, quarter, remove all of the seeds and discard any rotten parts. Run the pears through a food processor until they become course pulp. Put all step 1 ingredients in an open fermenter. Stir the must until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2. Use a hydrometer and adjust the sugar to about 22 Brix by adding additional sugar in small quantities and stirring well. Use the acid test kit and adjust the acid to 0.65 percent by adding small quantities of acid crystals and stirring well. If a hydrometer or an acid test kit is not available, use the amounts shown in steps 1 and 2, but wine quality will suffer.

3. Cover the fermenter and place it in a refrigerator. Let the must stand for 48 hours. Syphon the clear liquid off the solids into a clean, closed fermenter, and attach a fermentation lock filled half full of plain water.

4. When the juice reaches room temperature, sprinkle the dry yeast on top of the juice. Fermentation should start (ring of bubbles forms around the edge of the container) in 20 to 40 hours. Retain the solids in a smaller container and place in the refrigerator. The next day, syphon off the clear juice and add it to the fermenter. Discard solids or resettle a third time.

5. Keep the fermentation cool, 50 to 60 degrees is fine. After 3 weeks the wine should be dry. Measure with a hydrometer. If the hydrometer reads minus 1 Brix or less, added 5 crushed Campden tablets and rack into a clean fermenter. If the hydrometer reads higher than minus 1 Brix, wait another week and then repeat this step.

6. After three months the wine should be clear. If it is not clear, fine with Sparkolloid and rack 3 weeks after adding the Sparkolloid.

7. In another month when the wine is clear and stable, add 3 crushed Campden tablets and bottle the wine. Be careful not to disturb any sediment on the bottom of the container.


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BERRY PORT
(Makes five gallons, US measurements)

STEP 1 INGREDIENTS

6 lbs Blackberries
6 lbs Loganberries
6 lbs Blueberries
6 lbs very ripe bananas
2 lbs dried dates
2 lbs dried figs
4 1/4 gallons of water
10 lbs white granulated sugar
1 level teaspoon yeast energizer
6 level teaspoons acid blend
2 1/2 level teaspoons grape tannin
1 level teaspoon pectic enzyme
5 Campden tablets

STEP 2 INGREDIENTS

3 lbs white granulated sugar
3 teaspoons of acid blend

STEP 3 INGREDIENTS

Pasteur Champagne yeast

STEP 5 INGREDIENTS

4-6 lbs white granulated sugar

STEP 6 INGREDIENTS

5 Campden tablets
2 oz oak chips

STEP 7 INGREDIENTS

5 Campden tablets
6 cups white sugar

Method

1. Cut the dates and figs into thin slices and bring to a boil in 3 cups of water. Simmer for 15 minutes and set aside to cool. Crush the berries and bananas. Mix all step 1 ingredients in an open fermenter. Pour in the cooled dates and figs including the liquid and stir well.

2. Use a Brix hydrometer and adjust the sugar to 24 Brix by adding sugar in small quantities and stirring well. Use the acid test kit and adjust the acid to 0.65 percent by adding small quantities of acid crystals and stirring well. If test equipment is not available, use the sugar and acid shown in steps 1 and 2. 3. Open the packet of dry yeast and sprinkle it on top of the must. Cover the fermenter. In 20 to 40 hours, fermentation should start (ring of small bubbles forms around the edge of the container).

4. Measure the Brix each day. When the hydrometer reads about 5 Brix, syphon the liquid off into a closed fermenter. Discard the solids. Attach a fermentation lock filled half-full of plain water.

5. Measure the Brix every few days. When the hydrometer reads 0 Brix or less, withdraw a half-gallon of must. Dissolve 2 cups of sugar in the must and return it to the fermenter. Stir thoroughly. The hydrometer will now read 2 or 3 Brix. Repeat this step until the hydrometer stays steady, and it reads slightly above 0 Brix. This may take several sugar additions.

6. When the hydrometer stays steady and reads above 0 Brix for 4 weeks, the wine will contain about 16 percent alcohol. Rack into a clean container, add 5 crushed Campden tablets and 2 oz oak chips. Top up and attach the fermentation lock. In about three months, rack the wine into a clean container. If the Port is not clear, fine it with Sparkolloid. Rack the wine into a clean container three weeks after adding the Sparkolloid.

7. After another month, when the wine is clear and stable, it can be bottled. Add 5 crushed Campden tablets, 6 cups of additional sugar and stir well. Let the wine stand for six weeks to make sure it is stable, then bottle it. This Port style wine will improve greatly with two or more years of bottle age.


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STRAWBERRY DESSERT WINE
(Makes five gallons, US measurements)

STEP 1 INGREDIENTS

15 lbs very ripe strawberries
4 3/4 gallons of water
8 lbs white granulated sugar
1 level teaspoon yeast energizer
8 level teaspoons acid blend
2 level teaspoons grape tannin
1 level teaspoon pectic enzyme
5 Campden tablets

STEP 2 INGREDIENTS

3 lbs white granulated sugar
3 teaspoons of acid blend

STEP 3 INGREDIENTS

1 pkt of Epernay wine yeast

STEP 5 INGREDIENTS

5 Campden tablets

STEP 7 INGREDIENTS

2-6 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. potassium sorbate
3 Campden tablets

Method

1. Try to get one day old, overripe fruit. Remove the stems and the caps, discard any rotten fruit. Mash the fruit or quickly run it through a food processor but do not process into a smooth pulp. Put all step 1 ingredients in an open fermenter, stir well.

2. Use a hydrometer and adjust the sugar to about 22 Brix by adding sugar or water in small quantities and stirring well. Use the acid test kit and adjust the acid to 0.60 percent by adding small quantities of acid crystals and stirring well. If a hydrometer or an acid test kit is not available, use the amounts of sugar and acid shown in steps 1 and 2.

3. Open the packet of dry yeast and sprinkle it on top of the must. Cover the fermenter, in 20 to 40 hours fermentation should start (ring of bubbles forms around the edge of the container).

4. Stir the must and measure the Brix each day. When the hydrometer reads 12 to 14-Brix, syphon the liquid into a clean fermenter, strain and discard the solids. Attach a fermentation lock filled half full of plain water. Always keep the fermenter full of wine and always keep the fermentation lock half full of water.

5. After 3 weeks, rack into a clean closed fermenter and add 5 crushed Campden tablets.

6. After three months, the wine should be clear. If it is not clear, fine with "Sparkolloid." Rack the wine 3 weeks after fining.

7. In about a month, when the wine is clear and stable, add 3 crushed Campden tablets. Add sugar (to taste) and 2 level teaspoons (5 grams) of fresh potassium sorbate. Bottle the wine.
 
Due to geocities websites closing down, Lum Eisenmans free online book may no longer be available. The author has given permission for people to utilise his information with appropriate acknowledgements..
 
I started making the berry port on saturday.. gave up working out the brix and just followed the sugar additions.. starting SG is 1.100.

Allie
 
Great flavour already Wade.. I did fiddle with it as I had 10 kilos of blueberries ( and no freezer space for them) so I used 8 kilos blueberries, a kilo of raspberries, 1/2 a kilo of blackberries, two tins of blackberries in syrup and a 750ml bottle of blackcurrant concentrate as a substitute for the 9.5 kilos of berries in the original recipe. Had no dried figs so I doubled the dried dates instead. The sugars are a mix of demerara 1kilo, muscovado 1 kilo, brown sugar 2 kilos and the balance is white granulated. No raisins ( though I was tempted to add them!)

Will see how it turns out.

Allie
 
Update on the berry port,

on the 16th june I racked and added 2 litres of vodka to 20 litres of this recipe and 1 litre of brandy to the remaining 10 litres.

25th june... have racked off the lees again on one third of the batch, the port is a beautiful claret red and pretty much clear. siphoned off two bottles ( out of the 10 litre batch)( will leave those bottles as a dry port in the cellar. Instead of making an f-pac I used two bottles ( 2 x 750ml )of blackcurrant syrup with preservative, to sweeten.. this has dropped the abv however it's very palatable and tasty.

To the other 10 litres with vodka, I have added oak chips and will leave that another 6 weeks before I rack and sweeten it.


Will do something different with each 10 litre amount to sweeten so I can compare results.

Allie
 
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