Wife's got the bug, need recipes

[DavidB]

So now that my wife has learned that wine is very forgiving and maybe I actually can make something that taste good, she has got the bug and is suggesting "seasonal" wines that I should make. I have done several searches and can't find a recipe for any of the below. All help would be greatly appreciated.

Butterscotch candy wine
Green Apple / Raspberry
Pear Mead
Wintergreen candy wine

I know some of the above is around in a kit. Not really interested in that. Would love to go from scratch if I can.

Thanks!
David

 

[closetwine]

Maybe this will help, It's about candy canes, but I believe you could substitute any candy. Somone's recipe is on down there.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2688&highlight=candy+cane

 

[Minnesotamaker]

If she's thinking of wine for THIS holdiay season, I'd tell her not to get her hopes up. Unless it's a "early drinking" wine kit, or Skeeter Pee, I don't think you could have it drinkable by Xmas or New Years. Even with these options, you'd be pushing it.

If you're thinking about Xmas 2011, then there are lots of options. I always like a nice apple wine around Christmas. It's good with a little cinnamon and can even be warmed up.

 

[DavidB]

If she's thinking of wine for THIS holdiay season, I'd tell her not to get her hopes up. Unless it's a "early drinking" wine kit, or Skeeter Pee, I don't think you could have it drinkable by Xmas or New Years. Even with these options, you'd be pushing it.

If you're thinking about Xmas 2011, then there are lots of options. I always like a nice apple wine around Christmas. It's good with a little cinnamon and can even be warmed up.

I've got a 4 gallon batch of the candy cane wine going for this Christmas. It will be pushing it, but I think it's going to make it. And you are right, the 5 gallons of Apple with cinnamon I made a couple of months ago has been consumed already. It was a BIG hit! I think everyone that had it asked for seconds, which is how I judge if they like it or not. It's one thing to say "hey thats good" but if they ask for more, that's a good indication that they really do like it.

She knows we can't start anything else and have it ready in time for this Christmas, but has been thinking about different things that would go well with certain holidays. Like I have Wade's Chocolate Strawberry Port going for Valentines day and she wants to do an Easter wine of some sorts. As much as she fused when I started this obsession, I can't believe how she has took onto it. But I plan to play that up as much as she can.

Anybody have any idea how many pounds of candy it would take for the butterscotch, wintergreen or cinnamon candy to make a gallon? The candy cane recipe called for 60 or more candy canes. But how much other type of candy would sound right if you were going to do some?

 

[Sirs]

I think I'd go with the weight amount and possibly sugar content and not worry so much about flavor as most have artificial flavors anyway

 

[steviepointer]

I've got a 4 gallon batch of the candy cane wine going for this Christmas. It will be pushing it, but I think it's going to make it. And you are right, the 5 gallons of Apple with cinnamon I made a couple of months ago has been consumed already. It was a BIG hit! I think everyone that had it asked for seconds, which is how I judge if they like it or not. It's one thing to say "hey thats good" but if they ask for more, that's a good indication that they really do like it.

David:
Do you have the recipie handy for the Apple + Cinnamon wine? Sounds good.

Thanks!

 

[DavidB]

David:
Do you have the recipie handy for the Apple + Cinnamon wine? Sounds good.

Thanks!

Yep. Go to Aldi or any other discount store. Buy 5 gallons of apple juice (mine was from concentrate but if you can find 100%, that would be even better). Add a heaping of cinnamon to taste ( I added about 1 cup of powdered cinnamon), sugar to 1.085 and ferment. When it goes dry, rack it to a carboy, add sorbate, k-meta, sugar to taste and let it age a month or two (the longer the better). That's all I did. It was fantastic.

When you rack it the first time, the Cinnamon is going to be sticky and almost fluffy. Don't get your racking cane too close or it will gunk it up.

 

[FTC Wines]

I do a 3-5 gallon batch of apple cider wine, without spices, then bulk age it in 1 gal. jugs, with various amounts of cinnamon,[I use sticks] cloves, & ginger. Leave the spices in until the taste is what you want. Some years I just rack it all back into one carboy & bottle, because they were all good & I couldn't make up my mind as to which one I liked better! Roy