Red clover wine - I'm going for it!

[BigDaveK]

Walking around, spotted a boatload of red clover across the road and I knew what I had to do.
Started at 1.090 4 days ago and transferred this morning at 1.014.

I find it pleasantly odd that a fruity flavor dominates over the alcohol. Happy so far though I am a little disappointed it didn't pick up some color.

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

Could be worse…. It could be brown

 

[QuiQuog]

I swear, you should change your user ID to ImGoingForit!!!

 

[BigDaveK]

Racked this week.
Again I am astonished at the flavor of something common from the yard.
Fruity notes first, alcohol not really noticeable, and then I get a smoky flavor. Smoky?! I have no idea where that's coming from!
Has a hint of color from the clover. I know it's young but my impression now is that I would make it again, possibly increase the quantity of clover for the heck of it.

 

[BigDaveK]

Bottling day.
A success...and a failure.

The success - wonderful fruity flavor. The sur lie and batonnage again made a wonderful creamy/silky feel. The downside to sur lie - it can potentially reduce color. I think I lost the subtle red from the clover. Back sweetening, as expected, increased the fruitiness.

The failure - this was the third and final time last year I used ONE banana with skins. And it's the third time banana is the dominant flavor, followed by peach of all things. I'll have to be very careful when/if I use banana in the future. I know isoamyl acetate can taste like banana and I know some of the carbs in bananas are complex polysaccharides. Whatever it is, my mouth is sensitive to it.

Bottom line - I'll have to make it again using only red clover.

 

[vinny]

Bottling day.
A success...and a failure.

The success - wonderful fruity flavor. The sur lie and batonnage again made a wonderful creamy/silky feel. The downside to sur lie - it can potentially reduce color. I think I lost the subtle red from the clover. Back sweetening, as expected, increased the fruitiness.

The failure - this was the third and final time last year I used ONE banana with skins. And it's the third time banana is the dominant flavor, followed by peach of all things. I'll have to be very careful when/if I use banana in the future. I know isoamyl acetate can taste like banana and I know some of the carbs in bananas are complex polysaccharides. Whatever it is, my mouth is sensitive to it.

Bottom line - I'll have to make it again using only red clover.

View attachment 99326

That is interesting. My banana wine doesn't even taste like banana. I can detect it, but we are talking 15 or so bananas in a gallon.

Maybe it is like my dandelion, though. The orange has mellowed, but I can't tell where the dandelion ends and the orange starts. I'm upset about the choice of orange, so I really notice it. It is likely easier to detect a contradicting flavor than figure out where all the bananarama that was in primary went.

The endless learning of wine making I suppose.

 

[vinny]

I had a jealous moment. I didn't see this when it was originally posted. I thought your spring harvests were already starting to pop up.

We are still a long way from that.

 

[Vinobeau]

Bottling day.
A success...and a failure.

The success - wonderful fruity flavor. The sur lie and batonnage again made a wonderful creamy/silky feel. The downside to sur lie - it can potentially reduce color. I think I lost the subtle red from the clover. Back sweetening, as expected, increased the fruitiness.

The failure - this was the third and final time last year I used ONE banana with skins. And it's the third time banana is the dominant flavor, followed by peach of all things. I'll have to be very careful when/if I use banana in the future. I know isoamyl acetate can taste like banana and I know some of the carbs in bananas are complex polysaccharides. Whatever it is, my mouth is sensitive to it.

Bottom line - I'll have to make it again using only red clover.

View attachment 99326

How much clover per gallon did you use?

 

[BigDaveK]

How much clover per gallon did you use?

I used 9 cups. I'll aim for the same amount this year, maybe more if I can find it.
I taste everything. The red clover actually tasted good and that's why I decided to make the wine. Hint of fruitiness, hint of sweetness, no bitterness.

 

[BigDaveK]

That is interesting. My banana wine doesn't even taste like banana. I can detect it, but we are talking 15 or so bananas in a gallon.

Maybe it is like my dandelion, though. The orange has mellowed, but I can't tell where the dandelion ends and the orange starts. I'm upset about the choice of orange, so I really notice it. It is likely easier to detect a contradicting flavor than figure out where all the bananarama that was in primary went.

The endless learning of wine making I suppose.

Yes, we're both exploring and learning the minutiae of wine making.

Yeah, bananas are a funny ingredient. My first one had 6 lbs and I used brown sugar syrup for some of the back sweetening. Turned out nice but could be better. I currently have one in secondary that used 12 lbs of organic bananas and skins. They had brown spots and were being sold for .10 lb. Didn't have to twist my arm!