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Psilosopherr
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brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions
#23545108 - 08/15/16 07:23 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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I've been having fun with some brewing projects this summer, all have been cider up until this point. (I like to keep it as simple/low tech as possible, mostly meaning no added yeast. I do PC my vessels though )
So with wine it seems to be the same exact process, just mash up your grapes in a sterile container and airlock it, and let the wild yeasts do their thing. 1)Should I add any water to the mash or should it only be the fruit juices in there? 2) Do I need to add sugar? (just curious) Best tek I found had the guy stirring his mix daily to prevent floating grapes from molding? 3) So can this be done open air with no air lock or..? 4) Is there any trick to doing multi fruit wines? I have lots of plums and grapes, even pears and more apples on the way.
Idk, thought some experienced brewer might not mind giving me some advice to get started out on the right foot, or direct me to some good reading.
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falcon
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23559910 - 08/20/16 12:56 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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you might get away without adding a yeast, but wild yeasts don't make reliable good tasting wine, unless you're in a region where they are known to. For the grapes only juice, but you may have to add sugar if the sugar content of your grapes are low.
if you're going to do drupe fruits, get some pectin enzyme to add to the mix. plum makes good wine , most recipes call for water and sugar some kind of acid usually citric and a yeast nutrient.
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Psilosopherr
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: falcon]
#23559934 - 08/20/16 01:07 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Just started my first batch yesterday. plums sure do yield a lot more juice than apples
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falcon
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23564523 - 08/21/16 11:00 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Make abetter beverag imo too.
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Psilosopherr
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: falcon]
#23564533 - 08/21/16 11:06 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Tried one quart with a handful of pits and one without. We'll see what we get.
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pineninja
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23564542 - 08/21/16 11:11 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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1.Only add water to dilute the total alc content or to taste. 2. No sugar is needed if the berry's are ripe. 3.it should be fermented in the open air and pumped over or plunged to give the yeast oxygen to help it convert the sugar. 4. Yes trial and error.
-------------------- Just a fool on the hill.
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Psilosopherr
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: pineninja]
#23564575 - 08/21/16 11:27 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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fermented in open air? Surprising.
by pumped over/plunged do you mean mixing or..?
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pineninja
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23564598 - 08/21/16 11:37 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yes open air it helps keep the yeast happy and not struggling. As the yeast converts the sugar to alc they produce co2 which will grab onto all skins and seeds you will then have a seperation with bits on the top fluid underneath. Pumping over is the process of grabbing the fluid and pumping it back over the skins plunging means pushing the cap/skins back down into the fluid. Both of these processes increase the oxygen and help to extract colours and flavors.
-------------------- Just a fool on the hill.
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pineninja
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: pineninja]
#23564604 - 08/21/16 11:38 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Open air is actually not that! you should have a healthy invisible layer of co2 on top of your ferment.
-------------------- Just a fool on the hill.
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Psilosopherr
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: pineninja]
#23566043 - 08/22/16 01:41 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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I had read that giving it exposure to oxygen is how you make vinegar..? Or is that only with apples?
My first test batch of plum juice is already fermenting. I'm waiting to get some cheesecloth or something before going open air because one of my cider projects became fruit fly city and they're everywhere now. (had a lid but it was barely bent enough to allow an opening, apparently)
can't remember if I thanked you already for all the answers but I really do appreciate it. Didn't want to make a whole new forum account just for a side-hobby.
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pineninja
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23566560 - 08/22/16 04:39 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Whilst it's fermenting open air is key remembering that it creates it's own protective layer of co2....once it's finished ie sugar dry its important to keep it in a sealed non oxygen environment.....or you will get vinegar.
-------------------- Just a fool on the hill.
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pineninja
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: pineninja]
#23566575 - 08/22/16 04:43 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Cheese cloth will work but the flies are persistant....you can try multiple methods to keep them under control. One of the most effective and enviro friendly is a blue light that zaps em.
-------------------- Just a fool on the hill.
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Psilosopherr
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: pineninja] 1
#23566648 - 08/22/16 05:05 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
pineninja said: Whilst it's fermenting open air is key remembering that it creates it's own protective layer of co2....once it's finished ie sugar dry its important to keep it in a sealed non oxygen environment.....or you will get vinegar.
oh shoot you mentioned that earlier didn't you? The vinegar connection may have been necessary to my remembering it thanks
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Psilosopherr
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23583261 - 08/27/16 11:40 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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I'm wondering why every brew site recommends a siphon, is there a reason I can't just filter the yeast glop out with a coffee filter?
One of my quarts of plum wine has a surprisingly thick layer of glop on the bottom.
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Psilosopherr
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23583281 - 08/27/16 11:48 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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It seems weird to me that brewers are so fussy about clearing up their brews. I mean people cook with yeast as a supplement, so I doubt its unhealthy to drink the stuff, seems it would be the opposite in fact?
I mean if you've been brewing a while and as a craftsmen you prefer a clear product I understand that entirely but pushing it on noobs as necessary seems questionable. (the "you" here is random people on brewing forums, not the person reading this on the shroomery )
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RedSnapper
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23583289 - 08/27/16 11:49 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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Siphoning minimalizes contact with air, which introduces oxygen causing stale off-flavors. Yeast cells tend to cling to one another leaving the cake intact at the bottom of the fermentation vessel.
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pineninja
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: RedSnapper]
#23584214 - 08/27/16 04:28 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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The more clarified the liquid at each step you make from here the better the final product . As said above now is the time oxygen is not you friend, also by siphoning you can gently suck the liquid away without disturbing the thicks. Preferebly into a container with little head space and depending on whether your going through with malo a one way valve or not.
-------------------- Just a fool on the hill.
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Psilosopherr
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: pineninja]
#23584536 - 08/27/16 05:48 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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oh one of my quarts is like 70% yeast glop
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falcon
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Re: brewing wine from fresh plums/grapes, a couple questions [Re: Psilosopherr]
#23614354 - 09/05/16 10:37 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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A lot of that glop is probably caused by the pectin. Pectin enzyme tears a lot of that glop up. What's pectin enzyme good for?
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