Pumpkin wine

[Celestyal]

Am going to have ALOT of pumpkins on my hands soon and both sis and i believe that a pumpkin wine and beer are in order. However...i cannot seen to find a good recipe for the pumpkin wine. Anybody got one they'd be willing to share?

 

[Deezil]

You wouldn't happen to have too many pumpkins, would ya?..

Jack Keller suggests grating the pumpkin flesh. His suggestions for the amount of fruit/vegetable/what-have-you are generally speaking, on the low end. I would think i would aim high (10-12lbs / gallon), but i have absolutely no idea how much sugar or acid a pumpkin contains.

Would bring the SG to 1.085-1.090
Would probably want the TA somewhere in the .55-.60% range

Let it ferment out until its in the 1.010-1.020 range, and rack it into a carboy with an airlock. Leave it be until it gets down to .990-1.000. Then get out your Patience..

or helps some..

<Insert disclaimer explaining that this just is how I would do things>

 

[Celestyal]

I just might have too many...

Anywho, in my research this 'jake keller' guy keeps coming up, who is he anyway??

 

[pwrose]

I have heard that pumpkin wine isn't all that great, but that is one of those each to thier own. I am not sure I am all that interested in trying it, even though I have access to fields of pumpkins.
Maybe I should try it and if it isn't good maybe it would be a good blending wine. Ok thats my little rant, good luck with your orange wine.

 

[Deezil]

Jack Keller has put massive amounts of energy into compiling wine recipes for most anything your heart could desire.

They (the recipes) work well as a starting point for a lot of the shenanigans that happen on this forum. His recipes are usually low in flavor, with an alcohol content comparable to rocket fuel - they generally call for adding more sugar than the proposed yeast strain can handle, which is an attempt to eliminate the step of backsweetening. He hopes the strain will die off, and leave behind residual sugars.

The problems with this:
1. The yeast could die off early, leaving too much sugar for your taste and not enough alcohol for the wine to keep properly
2. The yeast could refuse to die (depends on the strain) and you could end up with rocket fuel and no residual sugar. Like perhaps the wine calls for a packet of D47, and all you have on hand is EC-1118
3. In almost all cases, the high amounts of sugar will cause the yeast strains to stress, especially if there isnt enough nutrient & energizer - this can lead to off flavors, fermentation problems, etc

This is why i suggested the SG in the 1.080-1.090 (11-12% ABV). It will practically ensure that whichever yeast you use, can handle that much sugar and ferment it to "dry". At that point, you can add sulfites & sorbate, wait a week, and sweeten/flavor to your liking.

If it doesnt have enough kick for you, when it hits the 1.010-1.020 range - instead of racking to a carboy, you can add a measured amount of sugar (adding blindly might give you a trip down rocket-fuel-alley) and wait for it to get back down to 1.010-1.020 range, then rack to a carboy.

 

[Wade E]

Most of the recipes on his site arent his and in fact sent in to him from others.

 

[Celestyal]

hmmm, thanks for the suggestions. I will keep those in mind...i didn't really like his recipe anyway thats why i'm asking.

So nobody have recipe?? That is not the Keller dude?? Anybody?

 

[Tom]

Bottom line...
Ask here if making fruit wines...

 

[Celestyal]

Thanks....

 

[Deezil]

How big of a batch?..

10-12lbs grated pumpkin flesh per gallon
Sugar to SG 1.085
Acid Blend to .60%
Yeast Nutrient, Yeast Energizer & Petic Enzyme per instructions on packet
1/4 tsp Potassium Metabisulfite per 5-6 gallons
1/2 tsp tannin per 5-6 gallons (cant remember this part, i think its on the packet)
Water

Take the grated pumpkin, tannin, potassium sulfite (k-meta) and add water. Wait 12 hours then add pectic enzyme and 1/3 of the total addition of energizer and nutrient. Warm some of this must on the stove, gently, and add sugar to reach the SG. Adjust the acid per its needs. Add the second 1/3 addition of energizer and nutrient when SG reaches 1.040-1.060. Add the last 1/3 addition of nutrient and energizer when you rack into carboy at 1.010-1.020. Top the carboy with an airlock and wait for an SG of 0.990-1.000. Degas and wait to settle. 1/4 tsp sulfite every 3 months aging. Another 1/4 tsp sulfite when adding sorbate (should be on the package, how to use). Wait a week and backsweeten with simple syrup and an F-Pack. Give it another week, check SG for refermentation for 3 consecutive days before bottling. Bottle and let age atleast 30 days before opening.

 

[Celestyal]

THANK YOU! Since i only have one open growler and two carboys. Thinking a carboy. 5 gal. The growlers got, other, plans. Hehehehe

 

[Ken914]

I'm not in a position to make any wine right now... currently on the road for the next 6 months. However, I could get some pumpkin frozen for me.

Mr. Keller recommends grating the pumpkin flesh. (He didn't mention if the skin should be peeled or anything.) I was wondering if this would be a good candidate for the steamer-juicer? Can anyone with experience with pumpkin chime in?

Thanks!

 

[Tom]

AS one who has a steam juicer I doubt you will get much that way. I would rremove seeds and rind Cut in chunks and freeze. When ready let the Pectic Enzyme do the work. Also, using Jacks recipe I would tripple the amy of fruit and only sugar so the starting gravity is 1.080

 

[Ken914]

Thank you, Sir.

(I'm in Iraq right now... no winemaking allowed under threat of legal or administrative discipline, ya know.)

 

[Julie]

PW a pumpkin wine with cinnamon, cloves and ginger added to it is very good and a pumpkin spice beer is even better.

I made a pumpkin wine last year with a fresh pumpkin, you have to watch what type of pumpkin you get, they have to be pumpkins that you eat and not the ones that you carve. Use mostly all pumpkin and very little water if any and it is best if left to age for one year.

 

[Celestyal]

So you didn't cook the pumpkin at all?

 

[Julie]

No I didn't cook it I cut the rind out and chopped it into small pieces.