Newbie Winemaker

[flagg]

Finally tried making fruit wine. Took 4 lbs of mixed frozen berries, added 1 lb frozen elderberries I harvested this year. Crushed with sugar and added water to 1 gallon. Followed typical wine process. Started at the end of October and think it is ready to bottle. Tastes kinda hot, but think it will age to decent wine. How long should I wait after bottling?

 

[noboundaries]

If the fermentation has stopped (no more bubbles in the water lock), and you've racked it off the sediment, it's ready to bottle. 

My dad used to make wine out of just about anything that would ferment, from grapes to tomatoes.  The most incredible tasting wine he ever made was dandelion wine. 

How long to wait after bottling?  Since you have a gallon, you'll get several 750 ml bottles out of the batch.  Here's what my dad used to do.  He'd take good notes about how it tasted when it was bottled.  He'd bottle one in a small 200-350 ml bottle.  Then he'd open that small bottle at 6 months to see what how it tasted.  Then he'd make a decision how much longer to let the rest of it age.  Some of it was ready at 6 mos.  Some only got better with age. 

 

[chef jimmyj]

Can't help but, Wine and Beer making is one of the subjects that has a TON of info on both forums and videos. Once my smoking toys are all set I would like to try wine making. Dad made a few batches but Grandpa was an artist. Was interesting to hear Ray mention Dandelion Wine. That was the only technically White Grandpa made and was well known for it's quality. Unfortunately he took the process to his grave...JJ

 

[atomicsmoke]

What do you mean by "hot"? Harsh, rough?

I have no experience with mixed berries but I made black currant wine before. This would be made in late summer (harvest time) and one would finish drinking it by the time the grape wine made in the fall was ready to drink (Christmas). That's the peasant cycle...with fruits and juices available year round that changed.

In my opinion fruit wines are not meant to age, although you will clearly see some mellowing in the first months. The problem is the fruitness decreases with aging.

Let us know how it goes.

I will post soon my grape wine making thread.

 

[chef jimmyj]

You said you crushed and added water. Did you press the juices out or just add yeast and ferment the mashed fruit? Hot may be all the tannins from the skins and seeds. Or depending on the sweetness of the fruit, plus sugar, maybe you have a high alcohol content. Just tossing out possibilities...JJ

 

[noboundaries]

After having a grandfather, dad, me, friends and in-laws who all made wine for home consumption, none of us were big on terminology.  Consequently I just learned something.  When a wine tastes "hot," it means there is a strong alcohol taste.  That can happen with fruit high in sugar.  The sugar all turns to alcohol when it ferments.  Hot usually means the alcohol content is 15% or greater.  Aerating a wine helps quite a bit. 

Even though I have an aerator, I never use it.  I prefer to open reds and let the bottle sit on the counter for 12 to 24 hours to breathe.  It significantly reduces the "bite" of the alcohol and can eliminate other volatile compounds. 

My daughter's in-laws and their friends are big time wine hobbyists, winning top prizes every year at their county fair.  The in-laws made a Merlot in 2011 with a 13.5% alcohol.  I only have four bottles left.  After it breathes, it is like sipping red wine honey it is so smooth and delicious.  

The in-laws and their friends all specialize in reds.  They'll bottle anywhere two to four different types of wine each year, depending on the grapes.  I just pulled a few of their bottles out of my wine rack and the alcohol content was 11.5% for a Spanish Tempranillo, 15.3% for a Roffinella Old Vine Field Blend, 15.7% for a Cabernet Pfeffer, 14.5% each for a Malbec and a Granache Noir.  They made the Roffinella and the Caberet Pfeffer for their son's wedding to my daughter.  We were all happy!

 

[flagg]

Thanks for all comments. "Hot" = alcohol burn. Checked my notes and have an potential alcohol around 16. Hope that aging will mellow the alcohols. Sweet but not strong berry flavor. Plan to bottle in 375 ml bottles. Will let yall know how it goes. Got a mead aging also. About to start a cyser.

 

[flagg]

Chef, I thawed all berries and put in strainer bag. Poured in sugar-water solution. Crushed berries. Topped up to 1 gallon.

 

[davemo]

Did you take a hydrometer reading before and after fermentation? Wine and beer making are my #1 hobby with bbq and fishing in a tie for second. No hydometer reading no way to judge alcohol content. how much sugar did you add at the beginning of fermentation, What wine yeast etc...

 

[rca dog]

Curious as well.  I have been making my own raspberry wine for quite a while, and just started into blackberry.  It's pretty much essential that you know your SG's, with just the berries, then after the sugar, then during and after fermentation.

 

[Gwanger]

Thanks for all comments. "Hot" = alcohol burn. Checked my notes and have an potential alcohol around 16. Hope that aging will mellow the alcohols. Sweet but not strong berry flavor. Plan to bottle in 375 ml bottles. Will let yall know how it goes. Got a mead aging also. About to start a cyser.

Made a merlot that was hot and It settled in to a fine drinking red after a year.

 

[daveomak]

I'm all ears for this wine making stuff... raspberry, apple, pear, quince, meade.... what every you've got to share...

Soooooo, I'm hiding in the bushes.......

 

[Gwanger]

I'm all ears for this wine making stuff... raspberry, apple, pear, quince, meade.... what every you've got to share...

Soooooo, I'm hiding in the bushes.......

Dave you can start the way I did and start with a kit from a beer and wine shop,many around and you progress from there. Kit makes 6 gal. 30 bttls. and if you follow careful instructions it will be one of the best wines that you have had.I like the Chardonays and Merlots and Pinot Noirs and have not made a bad batch yet.My mother in law makes the fruit wines Blackberry and cranberry and didn't degas the wine before bottling and was proud to have made a blackberry champagne.Lol

 

[daveomak]

Thanks... I'll give that a try and still keep an eye on you folks... Dave

 

[Gwanger]

Thanks... I'll give that a try and still keep an eye on you folks... Dave

Dave, If you want to try winemaking for a first attemp get yourself a starter kit from a home brew shop most shops have beer and wine supplies and starter kits, try one.Most of the better shops have beginner lessons, do this b4 buying starter kit so you don"t buy unnecessary items. White wine is ready in 6 mos. Reds in a year, waiting is hardest part.after you first batch you will just have a batch fermenting and aging while you have one or two ready to drink.The kits come w/instructions pretty easy to do and you will be proud of your first batch. You and Indaswamp helped me with my gasser If I can help you with starting in winemaking I would consider it an honor.Once you get started then there is alot of info on net if you want to go to fruit wines.Start saving you empty wine bottles.Clear for white colored for reds.Good luck

 

[Gwanger]

Dave, If you want to try winemaking for a first attemp get yourself a starter kit from a home brew shop most shops have beer and wine supplies and starter kits, try one.Most of the better shops have beginner lessons, do this b4 buying starter kit so you don"t buy unnecessary items. White wine is ready in 6 mos. Reds in a year, waiting is hardest part.after you first batch you will just have a batch fermenting and aging while you have one or two ready to drink.The kits come w/instructions pretty easy to do and you will be proud of your first batch. You and Indaswamp helped me with my gasser If I can help you with starting in winemaking I would consider it an honor.Once you get started then there is alot of info on net if you want to go to fruit wines.Start saving you empty wine bottles.Clear for white colored for reds.Good luck

Dave for your first attempt you will need a few items to get started,a 7-71/2 gal. food grade bucket, a lid that fits tightly,with hole for your air lock, air lock, hydrometer, degassing paddle (important),a secondary 5 gal. bucket to rack wine off of sedements,A Jet wine filter for clearing you wine b4 bottling,and a lot of empty bottles,Star san for cleaning bttles.A five gal.starter kit gives you 30 bttles. Enjoy, have fun

 

[daveomak]

I'm gonna start putting stuff together... If you can think of any other "need to get" things, let me know... Thanks..

Dave for your first attempt you will need a few items to get started,a 7-71/2 gal. food grade bucket, a lid that fits tightly,with hole for your air lock, air lock, hydrometer, degassing paddle (important),a secondary 5 gal. bucket to rack wine off of sedements,A Jet wine filter for clearing you wine b4 bottling,and a lot of empty bottles,Star san for cleaning bttles.A five gal.starter kit gives you 30 bttles. Enjoy, have fun ..

 

[Gwanger]

I'm gonna start putting stuff together... If you can think of any other "need to get" things, let me know... Thanks..

Dave for your first attempt you will need a few items to get started,a 7-71/2 gal. food grade bucket, a lid that fits tightly,with hole for your air lock, air lock, hydrometer, degassing paddle (important),a secondary 5 gal. bucket to rack wine off of sedements,A Jet wine filter for clearing you wine b4 bottling,and a lot of empty bottles,Star san for cleaning bttles.A five gal.starter kit gives you 30 bttles. Enjoy, have fun ..

Dave by me there is home brew supply shop called Northern Brewer they are outside Milwaukee but have two other locations they had a two hour starter class that went over Items you would need to start.Northern Brewer is on internet and has kits for starting out. Do a little research I am sure there would be a home brew shop close by your location.

 

[Gwanger]

I'm gonna start putting stuff together... If you can think of any other "need to get" things, let me know... Thanks..

Dave for your first attempt you will need a few items to get started,a 7-71/2 gal. food grade bucket, a lid that fits tightly,with hole for your air lock, air lock, hydrometer, degassing paddle (important),a secondary 6 gal. bucket and lid w/hole for air lock to rack wine off of sedements,A Jet wine filter for clearing you wine b4 bottling,and a lot of empty bottles,Star san for cleaning bttles.A six gal.wine kit makes you 30 bttles. Enjoy, have fun ..

Dave,I forgot two items,a vinator bottle rinser(shoots star san up into bottles to sanitize them) and a floor corker and corks, always rinse bottles out when empty,then use bottle rinser to sanitize b4 bottling