OH BOY!

[jsmahoney]

My first try at the Raspberry wine, and I think I blew it. it is terriable!!!

unless it gets better with age!

First of all I did the unmistakeable thing and sent the fruit through the juice machine. OK! So, I'm assuming that is why it is so bitter(seeds)!


I started out with a S.G. of 1.095. I have followed all the instructions. 1st day S.G. of 1.082, 2nd day S.G. of 1.055, 3rd day 1.032, 4th day 1.018, 5th day 1.000. Instructions say after fifth day "if" reaches 1.030 strain all juice from bag and into clean secondary. I transferred the fith day at 1.000. Itseemed to be workingnicely, and I watched the action in the bottle. Today is after three weeks and so I have a S.G. of .980.I know I could have transferred it when it reached 1.030, but didn't have the time.


Anyway, I've tasted this fine wine and

Very bitter, fells like you drank a glass of soda water or pop without the sryup, just the fizzy water. WOW! Any suggestions! It has not cleared yet so did plan on syphoning it for it's next clearingstep. Is it worth keeping to blend another wine to it, can I do somthing else, like a lot of sweetener?

Or is this something I should hang on to for my Holloween friends!?

Hey I like my wine, but this even made my ears pucker!

Or should I throw it away and start over!?


I did plan on making another batch,(not using the juicer), and hoping it will be much nicer. But I have also read that others have thought this wine to be nicer blended with another and not as a lone wine.


Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Edited by: jsmahoney

 

[NorthernWinos]

Sorry to hear about your Raspberry wine problems....doesn't sound good.Raspberry wine is one of our favorites....

I usually make a blend, one is with frozen apple juice concentrate, the other batch we like has WinExpert red grape concentrate...this time I have added oak to it.

I had read in a several wine making books to separate the juice from the seeds before you make the wine...like freeze them and strain etc...2 books suggested to throw the bitter seeds away and NOT to put the pulp in the must.I use a steam juicer, and toss the pulp...haven't found the wine to be bitter....so might have been your juicer pulverized the seeds into the juice.....

Maybe finish fermenting the batch, try some with wine conditioner/sweetner.....try some with 7up...try mixing some in with apple juice before drinking it....there still might be hope....

 

[jsmahoney]

Raspberry I love, but sounds like I'd be better to tose it and start fresh. I keep going back to try another sip, and my face has had enough of the pucker!

Live and learn!

Thank you! I will try this one once again, the right way, without the juicer.

 

[Wade E]

Dont throw it out, trust me. My pear wine tasted like snake pee till I
sweetened it up. This may be a little different because of the
raspberry seeds but I'd give it a try. Sorry to hear about it.

 

[jsmahoney]

I will finish it through it's course. Never know, it may be the turning point for a new fuel for our cars! $$$$

 

[jobe05]

JS: I made a raspberry as my fruit real fruit wine. That was almost 2 years ago. Once in a while I will taste a bottle, with the same results, 2 sips and the rest goes down the drain.


BUT!........... It does serve a great purpose to the home wine maker.


We all like to talk and brag about our homemade wines...... right?


We all also know someone who is very snobbish and wouldn't help or share anything that they have, but love to mooch off others. Offer him/her a bottle of your nice home made raspberry wine! They never come back! Works every time.

 

[Joanie]

OK....now I'm nervous about my raspberry!!! I pulled the straining bags out today after a week, let them drip for an hour, and added the drippingds to the must. It said not to squeeze but I must confess...I squeezed with the spoon! It smelled great and it seemed okay when I licked the spoon. I suppose I should really taste it, eh?

 

[Wade E]

Why not squeeze? Are the seeds that small that they will make it through the straining bag?

 

[Joanie]

Yes, they are really tiny and the two bags I used were "fine" so I doubt they would have made it thru, but I was being good and following directions!

 

[jsmahoney]

jobe05 You know I think you are right, there are a few people always seem to snob their way as your friend, and "you" know what they want. I think they might get one of my famous raspberry wines.

Maybe they will think twice next time "if' there is a next time.

Thanks!Edited by: jsmahoney

 

[Bill B]

ismahoney, could you post the recipe. I would ike some more info. I would not getrid of it yet. First of all from your starting SG 1.095 to .980 it going to be very dry. You would be suprised what a little back sweetening will do. But I would still like to see the recipe.
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[Wade E]

Bill, I agree. My Pear wine was pretty nasty until I back sweetened it
and it is very good now. I to was getting ready to do the dump but I'm
stubborn and wouldn't give up on it.

 

[jsmahoney]

The recipe came from this web site, Fine Vine Wines,under Raspberry Wine.


3 lbs. Raspberries (fresh or Frozen)


2-1/4 lbs. sugar


1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme


1 pkg Wine yeast ( I used Red star Montrachet)


7 pints of water


1/2 tsp Acid Blen


1 Campden, crush ( I used 1/4 tsp Sodium Metabisulphite)


1 tsp Yeast Nutrient
*I used my juicer to juice the raspberries. took the pulp and placed it in a straining bag, and placed it in the primary. Followed the recipe, except, I used the juicer.*


Stir all ingredients EXCEPT yeast. Cover primary. after 24 hours., add yeast.Cover primary. Stir daily, check hydrometer reading and press pulp lightly to aid extraction. When ferment reaches 1.030 (about five days) strain juice from bag. syphon off sediment into clean secondary. Attach lock. When S.G. reaches 1.000 (Usually about 3 weeks) fermentation is complete. Syphon juice off sediment into glass container, re-attach airlock. To aid in clearing, syphon again in 2 months and again, if necessary, before bottling.


If a slightly sweetened wine is more to your taste, add 1.2 tsp of stabilizer and 1/4 cup f dissolved sugar at bottling.
As of today I am trying my hand at another batch of Raspberry Wine, not using the juicer this time. I sure hope this makes a "BIG" difference!


When sweetening, what do you recommend? Thanks for everyone's help!!

As I red through the forum, I see that I put to much sodium metabishuphate in the batch; so all my batches are wrong.

Any suggestions now? I've gotten three batches that I used 1/4 tsp. of sodium in, all gallon batches. I was of the thinking 1/4 tsp for one campden tablet.

my raspberry wine fermentation seemed to go just fine.

Now I've gone and done it to the same raspberry wine recipe, just didn't juice it.

two batches of raspberry(same recipe, and one welche's grape concentrate recipe) Grrrrrrr!!!!!

Yep should have gone and helpedcut firewood, guess I can still catch up!Edited by: jsmahoney

 

[Bill B]

OK, The recipe looks good. First of all I doubt the seed caused any bitterness they are just too small unlike a grape seed. which is very bitter. When I made my Blueberry I just squeezed the berries and many tiny seeds came through not to worry as they will fall out. secondly, The starting SG of 1.095 final Sg 0.980 this will be a very high alcohol wine about 15% or so. I find again this is my opinion only that if your starting SG is a bit lower say 1.075 to 1.080 or even lower The ABV will be lower and not overpower the fruit flavor.Thirdly did you do an acid test or check the PH? This is important Your acid level should be 0.50 to 0.60 TA. Not enough acid or too much acid can make your wine
<DIV SuperAdBlocker_DIV_Elements="0" SuperAdBlocker_OnMove_Hooked="0" SuperAdBlocker__Hooked="0" SuperAdBlocker_DIV_FirstLook="0">flat or subject to oxidation problems. Let the wine sit a month or so, then I would us Supercllear K.C. then filter. after filtering I would make a batch of sugar syrup. 2 cups sugar (cane) 1 cup water. heat to disolve let cool to room temp then add slowly to wint till sweetness level is reached. Then add 1/4 tsp K-meta and some sorbate, then bottle.
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[Wade E]

Wouldnt you want to stabilize first then sweeten Bill and isnt 1/4 tsp k-meta too much!

 

[Bill B]

Sorry about that Im thinking 5 gal I stand corected.I usually add the K-Meta and sorbate mix well then add the syrup and bottle. For this batch I would use 1/8 tsp K-meta and 1/4 tsp sorbate. Thanks Wade.
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[jsmahoney]

Thanks for all your help! time will tell!

 

[Pepere]

Don't throw it out!! I have a lilac wine working that two months ago was just bitter and awful.

(check posts elsewhere on this forum)


I just racked it for the third time and it's coming around. "Med" told me it would take a year. Now I may back sweeten or not but, "Med" is correct, these country wines take time. I wish I had my desk top power supply fixed so I could share the pix with you. Patience, give it a chance to get some age on it.

 

[jsmahoney]

Pepere, I will work with it then. I was of the understanding that I was going to transferr it every three months for one year and then bottle. So, we shall see. Thanks!

 

[Wade E]

Not everyone waits a year. after ferm is done I usually give it few
months of bulk aging and then bottle it. I'm sure it would probably be
a little better if left in there but I cant wait that long. I do let
them bottle age for awhile besides the obvious couple bottles here and
there to sample.