Mint

[kaizen]

Planted some apple mint and some chocolate mint for wine making.
Anybody worked with mint before? How does it taste? Should
I try to make a heavy or light dessert wine?

 

[MedPretzel]

I have made Chocolate Mint wine.





I've gotten good reviews on it, even though it's still young (about 10 months from fermentation). It's a very refreshing wine in the summer months, and oddly enough, warming in the winter.


I would suggest you make a gallon and try for yourself. You can always pick a lot of mint, freeze it, and make more wine in the autumn/winter months.

 

[MedPretzel]

<DIV ="postcolor">Here's the recipe I used as a guide from Terry Garey's book.
<DIV ="postcolor">It makes 1 gallon of "Martina's After Eight" wine:

4 cups of chocolate mint, chopped -- they were frozen.
3 lbs sugar
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/8 tsp tannin
pectic enzyme (Ms. Garey says don't, but I did...)
3 tsps. acid blend
1 campden tablet
1 packet of Montrachet yeast

Water to one gallon

Let the water boil, add the herbs. Take the mixture off the stove, and let it sit overnight. You can adjust the amount of herbs and/or the amount of time you let it seep to adjust the flavor. I'm very impatient, so 4 cups and overnight worked just fine for me.

Add everything else when the water is room temp (sugar, etc). I used a little more sugar than Ms. Garey says-- I usually go by SG, so I added enough sugar to get to about 1.085to 1.095....

Ferment out (SG 0.990). Clears very well on its own. I started this one on the 21st of August 2004, and it was done already in October. I personally don't think it needs additional sugar, since the taste and smell are so unique, but I think once could sweeten to taste...

I will also add this to the recipe section for everyone.

Edited by: MedPretzel

 

[kaizen]

thanks for the advice.