Wine by the month

[Jericurl]

I think I've decided I want to make a 1 gallon batch of experimental wine every month.
That way I can continue to learn, but not have massive amounts of wine around.
There are only two of us in the house and it's small, only about 1000 sq ft, so space is at a premium.

This month's experimental batch is Cranberry Chocolate.
Right now I have it simmering on my stove.

So far:

1 gal cranberry juice
4 oz cocoa bits
2 cans grape/cranberry concentrate, plus a bit of water to rinse out containers
1 cup Hershey’s special dark cocoa

I plan on pouring it all in the bucket, letting it cool down, then measuring SG, adding sugar, nutrient, bentonite, tannin, etc.

I can't decide if adding one habanero pepper would add another layer of pizzazz or if I should just leave it cran/choc.

eta: This stuff tastes good. Really, really good...

eta: Ok, this is the final recipe and yeast has been pitched.

1 gal craberry juice
4 oz crushed cocoa bits
2 cans grape/cranberry concentrate
1 cup Hershey’s special dark cocoa
1 tsp tannin
1 tsp yeast energizer
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1/2 habanero pepper
1 campden tablet
2 lbs sugar
SG @ 1.12
pitched Lavlin EC 1118 on 11/12/13

 

[Elmer]

Sounds really good. That pepper will add a nice pop to the flavor!

 

[Ebonheart]

Wow, a wine a month is actually a great idea for a beginner like me. Thanks!

 

[Jericurl]

I do have a couple of 6 gallon batches going and I just bottled 6 gallons of Dragon's Blood.

I figure that will keep me in enough wine while I can experiment and learn.

If I screw something up or something doesn't turn out, it's only 5 bottles.

Of course, on the flipside, if it's great....it's only 5 bottles.

Anyway,
that will allow me to experiment with some small amounts.
When people start talking about oaking and tannins and body and things of that nature, I really have no idea what they are talking about. I understand it intellectually but not how to interpret it when I drink my own wine.
Smaller batches will help me experiment with things of that nature, etc.

 

[Rampage4all]

Just remember to catalog all you do and how you did it. So when you get the one you love you can duplicate it.

 

[keahunter]

That's a great idea...think I'll get some gallon jugs and do the same thing.

 

[the_rayway]

Can I join too? Lol! Fantastic idea Jericurl!

Shall we call it the 'Wine of the Month Club'?

 

[Medic8106]

That's kinda what I am doing...I have (12) 1 gallon jugs that I got at a flea market for $1 a piece. I started making wine this September and so far have the following started...

Chocolate-Strawberry
Welch's Niagara
Sunflower
Welch's White Grape-Peach
Cranberry/Blueberry/Blackberry

My next batch WILL be a 6 gallon batch of Dragon Blood everyone is talking about...I need wine to drink sooner than later.

 

[jethro]

I think if you add the habanero pepper, you'll ruin it. Of course, I haven't actually tried this, so I could be wrong.

I kinda started doing the 1-gallon experimental wine thing. But mainly because I have yet to drink a wine that I have made that I like.

When I drink a wine that I have made that actually tastes good, then of course, I'll wish that I had another five or ten gallons of it.

 

[Jericurl]

I like it.

Wine of the month club.
We can each do a one gallon batch.
Do we want to try the same kind of wine, or each of us do something different?

I plan on bottling each batch at around the 4 to 6 month range, then trying it in the month it was made. So if everything works out correctly, I'll be drinking my first bottle of cranberry chocolate in November 2014.
I'm hoping to do one every single month. In the meantime, I've got half a kit going, my 6 gallons of prickly pear, and my bottled Dragon's Blood. I think that will keep me settled for a bit while I plan my batches. I do plan on starting another batch of Dragon's Blood just to keep me out of my 1 gallon batches.

(Incidentally, I actually started this last month with apple/chamomile wine.)

 

[Jericurl]

Jethro,
Of course I would read your post after I've already cut up the pepper and thrown it in!


I think it may work out ok.
I cook quite a bit and have made soap for years so I'm pretty good at picking out things that work well together. I could have missed this and it may end up fubar, who knows.

I think this combo is going to be good. I'm taking the same approach in blending a perfume. The cranberry adds the fruit and the tartness, which would be my middle and top notes. The chocolate and grape concentrate adds in a base notes and helps round off the edges. I think the habanero will give it a pinch of the unexpected. Habaneros tend to have a floral, tangy flavor once you get past the heat and I think that will pair nicely with both the cranberry and chocolate.
Of course, now I am second guessing myself so I took out half of the habanero.

 

[buckhorn]

Jericurl - I think the pepper is a good idea in that wine. I have had good German chocolate that had hot pepper in it and that little bit of flavor (after-flavor?) really made the chocolate pop.
My only concern would be you only have a gallon of wine and the habanero being a strong pepper --- be careful you do not leave it too long and overpower the rest of the batch into a "tobasco wine"

footnote: I am a newbie, have tried a couple kits but have not attempted anything beyond that yet -- so, I am not expert on this, just my opinion....

 

[the_rayway]

Why not go half way and do 1/2 a pepper? We have an amazing Mexican restaurant in the city and they make dark chocolate chili cookies that are to die for.

Plus, habaneros are quite sweet and floral once you get past the heat, like you mentioned. Good luck!

I think it would be fun to have each of us start different 1 gallon batches and post the recipes in a thread. Then we could compare notes and try each other's recipes as well! I like the 'taste at one year' mark idea too.

Lol, let's do it up!

 

[Jericurl]

That's exactly what I ended up doing.

I took half the habanero out, so hopefully it will be a very mild zing.

I think this is going to be a lot of fun.

 

[LoneStarLori]

Wine of the month club.. Love it! I'm in.

A different one for each person is a good idea. That way we can share successes and failures on different recipes instead of just one. I know my first is going to be the vidalia onion one from Jack Keller. Which will be a cooking wine. Someone mentioned it another thread yesterday and it looks intriguing.

Btw, Lindt makes a dark chocolate chili bar. It's delish.

 

[Jericurl]

So, I think I've already ran into an issue.

I swear when I added my sugar yesterday, my SG was right at 1.10.

Today it was a bit cooler in the house. When I went to pitch my yeast, my hydrometer is sitting at 1.12. How in the world did this happen? I mean, granted, I was on allergy meds yesterday, but I don't think I would flub it up that badly.
Should I attempt to fix it now, or wait until it is done?
Or should I just leave it?

 

[jamesngalveston]

calibrate your hydrometer at every reading helps....
get a digital thermometer, get water to about 68 degrees, add hydrometer for about 2 minutes, take must reading...
hydrometers can flucuate alot with temps..... plus are minus the calibration.
and watch the meds...lol

 

[Jericurl]

Yeah, yeah.....tell me about it on the meds.

Weather is changing here and I've been miserable all weekend. Finally took something yesterday, then felt like I was walking through jello all day. I almost burnt the ribs I was cooking!

I will have to get a digital thermometer.


In the meantime, I guessing I will just have a high alcohol wine then? Should I add anymore nutrient or anything to keep the yeast from stressing?

 

[jamesngalveston]

give it a couple days and add some nutrient, then in a day add a little more.
and if you have a swirling, fizzing ferment dont fret, all is good.
You do not need a huge cap are bublling to have a good ferment.

 

[Winenoob66]

Wine of the month club sounds good to me I'm in.