Try at a White Grape Cherry. Input Please

[ShelleyDickison]

OK, I have this modified type recipe here and just need a bit of guidance to see if I am slightly or way off the mark. It’s adapted from the E.C. Krause site.

My main ingredients are:

12 pounds frozen Cherries from Harris Teeter (that’s all they had and 4 stores later can’t find anymore).
3 gallons of White Grape Juice (Non Concentrate)

I was planning on making a 5-gallon batch.

The cherries have been thawing since yesterday (didn’t add Pectic Enzyme, which after review of some posts probably should have) and I was planning on putting the loose fruit in a bag and getting as much juice as I could before adding the Grape Juice and water to get to the 5 gallon mark.

The usual of Energizer and such per instructions on bottles.

Then follow standard procedures.

A couple of questions:
The recipe has me adding:
5 campden tablets (crushed) prior to fermentation and 5 at bottling time---Correct or Incorrect
5tsp acid Blend – I now own an acid test kit so I am going to try and use it to make adjustments---correct or just go with the 5 tsps. We are not really people who like tart or acidic wines.
The yeast I have on hand is: Montrachet, Pasteur Red, 71B-1122 and the workhorse EC-1118. I was planning on using the 71B-1122 but would like input please.

I think that’s it as far as the plan. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Julie]

The campden is correct or you could use 1/4 tsp of k-meta instead. And add acid blend after testing, don't just add what the recipe calls for. And I would use the 71B-1122, it will bring out the fruit flavors better. This sounds like a nice wine. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[J-Gee]

This sounds quite promising.I would like to follow the progression,if you can keep it posted. Are the cherries tart?

 

[jamesngalveston]

I never use campden in my primary with juice are frozen fruit..it has no wild yeast in it.

and if you use the pasteur red, the ferment will start right away making alcohol and start making co2 which will kill off any bacteria and the alcohol will be help.
I would recommend that you add it when its in the secondary.
I would not use the montrachet, it is very easily stressed.
If you were using fresh cherries and juice that you crushed from fruit i would say yes to the campden.

 

[Stressbaby]

I agree with James, you could omit the Campden prior to fermentation, but I would add the first dose Campden when moving to secondary.

 

[Arne]

If you have the pectic enzime and havn't pitched the yeast yet, I would throw it in. It helps to break the fruit down and should give you a bit more juice out of it, also, will help later with clearing. Arne.

 

[ShelleyDickison]

This sounds quite promising.I would like to follow the progression,if you can keep it posted. Are the cherries tart?

From what I remember on the package they were sweet cherries.

 

[ShelleyDickison]

Update White Grape Cherry

Got it all thrown together.

P/H 3.4
Acid .60% raised it to .75% per the box. Went by White Grape more than Fruit because it wasn't all fruit. (Hopefully I did it right. Has to be an easier way than the kit) Added 1/3 tsp Acid blend
SG 1.046 and added 4.06 pounds of sugar to raise to 1.08
temp 68 degrees

All additions were calculated on the FermCalc

added 2 1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
added 5 tsp Fermax
added 1/4 tsp K-Meta

Smelled pretty good.

Wont pitch the yeast till tomorrow. Going with the 71B.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[ShelleyDickison]

Day 3 Bubbling Away.

 

[J-Gee]

What ABV are you shooting for on this?

 

[ShelleyDickison]

What ABV are you shooting for on this?

I am shooting for 11-12%