Plum wine

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I would not. I’d cut them in 1/2 and yank the pit out and freeze them them. Then thaw in a bucket with plenty of pectic enzyme to aid in the breakdown of the fruit
 
Oh, and welcome to winemakingtalk
Thanks, I have always pitted the plums in the past, but a thread indicated that leaving the pits in for the fermentation added a slight almond flavor. A thought. Getting ready to make a batch of Santa Rosa plums that are just over ripe. Yummmmm.
 
I would not. I’d cut them in 1/2 and yank the pit out and freeze them them. Then thaw in a bucket with plenty of pectic enzyme to aid in the breakdown of the fruit
What I was looking for are the pros and cons, not just a recommendation. Anyone had experience either way and why?
 
Think what you are asking about would be a very unusual approach. Perhaps someone has tried it but with all large pitted fruit those stones/pits are always best removed.

One con comes to mind very easily - The off flavors a few cracked/opened stones/pits could generate would not do you wine ANY good.

Take a plum pit and crack it open and see how it tastes. Magnifiy that flavor and imagine that in your wine - NOT good.

For an almond flavor add thin sliced almonds or almond extract. A lot safer and controlled approach.
 
As per the above. Bitterness and off flavors. Same goes for all stone fruits from my research. I haven't really heard of any pros apart from one recipe I saw for cherry wine that said a few stray pits won't hurt it but may be a bit bitter and take more time to age before drinking. If you have time to make wine you should have time to pit the fruit. Agree it can be a tedious job though, at least plums etc are easier than cherries.
 
I feel like a broken record but wine making requires one key thing that many people don't have in todays electronic age - PATIENCE.

It takes time to pit/prepare fruit
It takes time to age a wine properly
And the list goes on.

We spend time preparing things to make wine and we spend time waiting on wines to age BUT the wait is worth it to have it YOUR way.
 
I'm not an expert, but do know that stone fruit (ie., plums) contain a compound called amygdalin, which breaks down into hydrogen cyanide when ingested. It has been listed as having an almond flavor as well. I would remove the pits as hydrogen cyanide is a poison.
 
I should have said the PITS of stone fruit. I almost lost a dog many years ago cause he was in the same area that I had peaches growing. Figured out he had been chewing on the pits and had cyanide poisoning. BTW, commercial growers/processors save the pits and sell them to the pesticide manufacturers so that they can extract the toxin. Cherry pits also has the same compound in them.
 

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