Six gals. Fresh Fig Wine, ideas?

[Bedouga]

Greetings!

I made a six gallon batch of fresh fig wine about 3 months ago. I am ready to rack it another vessel and had an idea; split off one three gallon batch by itself and three one gallon "spiced" versions.

So, what kind of additions could you recommend for tasty varieties?

Here's the original recipe from Jack Keller (I scaled it up by 5):

• 4 lbs figs
• 7 pts water
• 1-3/4 lbs granulated sugar
• 3-1/2 tsp acid blend
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkg Montrachet wine yeast

Thanks!
B

 

[Tom]

Do you have a hydrometer? What was the starting gravity?
If not GET ONE.
Never add sugar blindly. especially from "Jack's" recipes.
Never add acid blend blindly unless you do a TA test.
Pectic Enzyme is a must on all fruit wines.

 

[Bedouga]

Thanks Tom,

Yes I do but neglected to take a reading. Not much I can do about what's in it at this point but good to think about for future batches I guess.

Did you have any suggestions for where I'm at with this one?

Cheers

 

[Rocky]

B, get some almond extract and try a little of that (a drop or two) in a glass with the fig wine. In Italy, we had dried figs with almonds inside and it was a great combination. You mignt want to sweeten the wine a bit. If I were doing it, I would work with extracts. I might try orange with the fig wine. Be careful to bench test the amount. You just want the secondary flavor in the background.

Great idea, though. I like to experiment too.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom,

Yes I do but neglected to take a reading. Not much I can do about what's in it at this point but good to think about for future batches I guess.

Did you have any suggestions for where I'm at with this one?

Cheers

Whats the gravity now?
How does it taste?
I think you will have a thin wine as 4# per gal seems low.
Do you like dry fruit wines? If so then not much you can do now.
If you like a swweeter wine or more fruit flavor then look into a f-pac and backsweeten.

 

[Bedouga]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

@Rocky: Excellent suggestions. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.

@Tom:
Gravity - took a reading and it's darn near zeroed out. Ambient temp. is not the optimal 68F but it feels close enough.

Taste - I polled two others with a quick sampling and we came up with; Strong alcohol / sweet smell, smooth very dry flavor and mild fig aftertaste. We all agreed it was an overall pleasant sample. Not sure why but my throat tightened up after sampling.

I could stand it being a touch sweeter and slightly more complexity. This is my first wine so I'm not sure what to expect in 6 months.

I'm not familiar with f-pac and backsweeten. Can you explain how that will change the wine?

Thanks again,
B

 

[Tom]

F-PAC
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7547

Back Sweeten
1 part water to 2 parts sugar
I use spaghetti sauce jars, heat 1 jar of water in a pot, add 2 jars of sugar,whisk over heat till clear. Cool and put in 2 jars. Add to STABILIZED wine to YOUR taste.

 

[Rocky]

Bedouga,

Is the fig taste strong enough for you? I only ask because Tom thought that the amount of figs used was light for the volume of wine, and he would know. If you think it is, you could make up a flavor pack by getting some dried fig, just cover them with water and heating heat them on the range to extract some more flavor. Let the mixture sit to cool and stew and then add either only the juice to the wine or add the whole thing to the wine and let it stay in the wine for a period depending on how much flavor you want. Keep it under airlock the whole time. You will have to go back through clearing but the figs will add sweetness and body to the wine. Do not K-meta or K-sorbate it until you are satisfied with the fig taste. If you want to sweeten it after the fig taste is right, add the K-meta and K-sorbate then simple syrup (2 sugar to 1 water) to taste. Go slow on the sweetening. You can always add more but it is difficult to correct if you over sweeten it.

 

[Tom]

All good info
But,
You want to add meta and sorbate before adding f-pac or simple syrup. I would add both at least a day before adding anything. Of coures you want the wine dry (.990) before adding this.