Prickley Pear

[JR Smith]

I am fixing to start my first brew, never did this before. I found a cactus patch with the ripe pears and went to picking. I used a steamer to render the juice 4 gal. wich I have in the fridge. I ordered a kit and it will be here on friday. I will read the book there is a lot to know before you can get started it seem. The formula for cactus on this site talks about mashing up the tops, I just want to use the juice. Is there a shorter process by doing this? Do you use oak beans in this also?

 

[Wade E]

Welcome to the from JR. Since I live in Ct. I have no idea what to do with a cactus or the fruit it bears but can say Im not sure oaking would be that great for that but everyone has their own taste and dont be afraid to stray from the norm. After all, if it wasnt for experimentation we wouldnt have wine at all!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Welcome JR.


I have never made Prickly Pear wine...have seen the prickly Pears tho.


However, I have made many batches of wine using steam extracted juices.


Do you know how many pounds of Prickly Pears you had to get that much juice????


I usually find a recipe that calls for "X" pounds of fruit per gallon....I steam that much fruit, plus a little more [because I don't put the pulp in the wine, I figure maybe it needs a little more juice]


Then I just follow the recipe for that wine....so find a Prickly Pear wine recipe and follow it as best you can.


In your case you have quite a lot of juice...if you can't make that much wine right now, then maybe freeze the excess juice for the next batch....or freeze it all for now till you are ready.


Jobe, a member here has just started a Prickly Pear wine...Maybe read this Thread and ask him for his advice...
http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4135


Good luck with your venture.

 

[jobe05]

JR, Welcome to the forum. I gotta say, for a beginner you started with a tuff fresh fruit wine to make. As NW said, I have started my first batch of Prickly Pear also. I burned off the little prickly things, then sent them through my crusher and press. Because I have never made this, I'm starting with a three gallon batch. When I rack to glass, I will rack to 3 seperate gallon jugs so that I can play with them to see what I'm going to like best, dry, sweet or Oak is what I'm going to start off with and change them as they clear.

So far, I'm still in the fermentation stage, and am not impress with the small of it, but the taste shows promise.

A word of advise, as it was pointed out to me, Be careful while tasting and make sure that you filter your finished wine to insure tat all of those little prickly's are gone and none get stuck in your throat. I wouldn't imagine that would be any fun.

You got any Pictures? I get some pics of mine and post them on my thread (posted above).

Good luck, and again, welcome to te board.

 

[JR Smith]

The only pictures I took were of the Cactus patch. I will start taking a few more. I had not joined as of then and did not think about it. and I take a lot of pictures.