Whole Tart Cherry's in Syrup

[Kanib]

I have 5lbs of Tart Cherry's with syrup (Door County WI cherries...not sure of the variety). Question is, I have looked at quite a few recipes online. But I keep coming back to the recipes in The Joy of Home Winemaking by Terry Garey. There are 2 recipes I am considering....Denny's Pie Cherry Wine on pg 92 & Canned Pie Cherry Wine on page 130. Since mine cherries have a syrup already incorporated I'm thinking of the second recipe. That recipe is based on 1 gal of finished wine. Since it calls for only 2-16oz cans of cherries in the recipe, I should be able to make 2 gallons and have a bit more cherries for flavor in each one. Has anyone made either of these or have advice as to which I should use? Thanks.

 

[CoachPieps]

I have made wine from Door County Cherries, I buy the 30lb sugar added from hyline orchards. I add enough water to bring it up to 5 gallons, add sugar as necessary to get SG at 1.085, I ferment to dry and then backsweeten with symple syrup. I start with 5 gallons, but I typically only have about 3 gallons after racking. so in your case I would start in your primary with about 1 1/2 gallons, so when you rack to secondary you have at least a gallon.

 

[Kanib]

Thanks for the reply. You nailed it on the head, I adjusted the recipe for 1.5 gallons of must and I just transferred to a 1 gal and a 1/2 gal carboys. I tried to start with some Lalvin 1122 (for its malic acid properties), but it there was no change in the SG after 48 hours. So I made a better starter with some Lalvin 1118 I had on hand, that one took off well. We'll see how it does. How did yours turn out in the past?

 

[CoachPieps]

I have been happy with mine, I have made it semi sweet and very sweet, each was good.