# Carrot Wine



## MedPretzel (Mar 5, 2005)

Hello,


Well, I did it tonight. I opened up a carrot wine that I bottled way back at the end of October last year. It was aged since then in a beer-bottle (St. Pauli Girl beer, by the way). 


It was very smooth, and sweeter than expected, but still very young. I think this one will have to age over a year to be somewhat good, although it shows promise now. 


This is one veggie wine (sorry, I know not fruit, as in the topic, but what the hey) I could recommend for those who like unusual, yet smooth white wines.





Yes, you heard correctly, it's a white. No hint of orange anywhere. I will post some pics when I get a chance.


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## Hippie (Mar 5, 2005)

Sounds good Martina. Did you leave it too sweet? It will never get any less sweet. You might decide to blend it with something dry. Beet?


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## MedPretzel (Mar 5, 2005)

Hahaha, no, this one is actually okay the way it is....





Strange for me, I know.... But it's so *smooth*! Maybe that's what you were talking about smooth, and I mean soft... It's like what velvet would taste like, I think.


The weird thing is, is that i fermented it down to 0.990, and it was rock solid at that point for a couple of months. The same thing happened with my juniper wine. And _that_ one is sickly sweet.





Don't ask me why, but it is that way.


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## Hippie (Mar 6, 2005)

The mellowing and aging process has fooled you into thinking your wines are sweet. You are used to drinking dry wines.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 7, 2005)

Why has it fooled me into thinking they are sweet? The really do taste quite sweet to me.





Will they dry up later?


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 7, 2005)

medpretzel, do you ever make plain old juice wine


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## Hippie (Mar 9, 2005)

Sometimes that just happens when your palate gets used to drinking very dry wines. The floral bouquet and fruit profile fool you into thinking it is sweet. Also of sweet wine drinkers love dry Gewurtztraminer because they think it also is sweet.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 9, 2005)

AAASTINKIE said:


> medpretzel, do you ever make plain old juice wine







The answer to that would be: No.


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## Hippie (Mar 10, 2005)

Martina is a homewinemaker's homewinemaker. She loves to experiment and try new thangs and do thangs her way. She loves to make wine from other than ordinary ingredients. We should all be so brave!


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## MedPretzel (Mar 10, 2005)

Yes, but may I add that Glenvall is the one to go to if you want to make a _good_ wine. His expertise in the amount of what goes into things, which yeasts are better, and filters, and sulphites and pH... The list is endless. 





He makes some damn good wine.


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## Hippie (Mar 11, 2005)

Ah come on now. I read the same books as everyone else.





*Edited by: Country Wine *


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## MedPretzel (Mar 11, 2005)

Well, in any case, I give credit to CJJ Berry and Glenvall for all my winemaking skills.





I'd have been lost without both of them.


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## Hippie (Mar 14, 2005)

Oh for Pete's sake! I am NOT in the same class as CJJ Berry.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 14, 2005)

But it really is true, Glenvall. If I couldn't find the answer, I'd ask you and you said "Well, eet's laaahk thayyyyyt. Orrrrrrrr laaaahk thees"





And you were right!





Plus, you're more fun to talk to than CJJ Berry.


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## Hippie (Mar 14, 2005)

LMAO! You just about have that twang down, at least in writing. I wish I was really that good.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 15, 2005)

Martina, that's an interesting wine-"Carrots" Being that I occasionally use the "Juice-man" machine to make juice using carrots and apples combined (quite good)...instead of throwing out the remains, I am wondering about using those for wine?....any thoughts?


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 15, 2005)

Good question Joe, I have a juice man or two under the counter myself, but I wonder if that would be a good way to prepare some fruits and veggys, not just the leftovers but use the juice too?


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## Maui Joe (Mar 15, 2005)

Well pressing "hard-type" foods like carrots and such is almost impossible when it comes to pressing, I really think that it's a great advantage in the process of having the juice first hand, also combined with the "mash"...if you wanted to deal with the end product in your wine as well. Comparing all products to like..tomato juice..tomato sauce..tomato puree...tomato paste...and, tomato whole. I personally see no difference other than time. (other than keeping in mind the improved aromas, etc. using the product itself, in addition to the juice you speak of, better yet I would think)



*Edited by: Maui Joe *


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## MedPretzel (Mar 15, 2005)

I wouldn't de-juice them and use the pulp in wine. You're looking at a very thin wine then. Think about what you're doing when you de-juice them. The name says it all. Have you ever tasted the de-juiced leftovers? Tastes like straw, not that I have ever tried that.





I usually cook the amount of carrots in a certain amount of water. You can slice them. The water that's left over is used in that recipe. You can use the carrots in meals -- but I tend to freeze the cooked carrots, so I don't have to use 10 pounds in a meal. My husband wouldn't go for that. Neither would I.





But the carrot-juice wine is certainly worth trying. I would maybe make a couple of batches with different amount of carrot juice, since I could imagine that it would be more potent than my variant.





If you'd like, I could post the recipe I used.





Hope this helps


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## Maui Joe (Mar 15, 2005)

Sounds very interesting, I love carrots, not alone, or as a meal in itself. I would try the recipe...is it for a one (1) gallon?


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## Maui Joe (Mar 15, 2005)

The combinatiion that I previously mentioned of carrots and apples as a juice was great. I would thinkthat a wine made in that combination would be great as well. (I will try one of each as an experiement and see, thanks!)


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## MedPretzel (Mar 15, 2005)

Glad to help. I bet that combo would be great as well. Keep us posted!


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## Hippie (Mar 15, 2005)

Joe and gang, no problem using the Juiceman to process anything and make wine as long as you use the juice with the pulp, or just the juice alone, I do it all the time.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 15, 2005)

I am parallel with you on that CW.


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## Hippie (Mar 16, 2005)

Nothing like being in parallel. I think our wines are probably alot alike.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 16, 2005)

Man, I wish I could say _that_ to someone!


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## Hippie (Mar 18, 2005)

Martina, it is a very good thang to be yourself. Diversity is also good, especially with ideas.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 19, 2005)

I suppose. Sometimes it gets me into trouble, though.





Well, I am going to have to wait with a few wines. I am so backlogged with bottles, I don't really know what to do!


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## Hippie (Mar 19, 2005)

What does that mean? Backlogged with bottles?


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## MedPretzel (Mar 19, 2005)

Not enough bottles, deary.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 19, 2005)

I have been warned about bottles lately. People un-announced drop by when I am not at home and leave them in the garage at the steps.


I like home deliveries but storage is beginning to be a problem.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 19, 2005)

I would be happy with that problem.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 19, 2005)

Not when you have 500 on standby and the other half who doesn't particularly care either way. To me, those bottles are like "gold" and when they become redeemable like other containers, they will become scarce.


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## Hippie (Mar 20, 2005)

I heard that. I have ALOT of stacked up boxes of clean wine bottles in my garage. We will be having a yard sale next weekend to help clean out the garage, but still won't be able to get a car in there.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 20, 2005)

I know that so well, funny how all those collectables "grow legs" 


Well, you will then have more room for more bottles?


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## Hippie (Mar 20, 2005)

Yes! Very good thought Joe! I sleep way too much to keep my wife so mad at me.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 20, 2005)

What are you going to do with all those bottles, though?





How many carboys do you have, and how many wines do you make per year?


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## Hippie (Mar 20, 2005)

I am going to fill all those bottles with wine! Is that your natural hair color? SORRY. I really am.


I have maybe eight 5 gallon carboys, three 6 gallon, one 6.5 gallon, two 3 gallon, and a whole bunch of alot of 1 gallon jugs.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 20, 2005)

Smiley has a rather large thumb?


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## MedPretzel (Mar 20, 2005)

Well, DUH, you're gonna fill them with wine. It just sounded like you didn't have that many carboys going at the moment.


In the post titled "What's in YOUR carboy" you wrote :


Scuppernong (bulk aging)


Muscadine (fermenting/degassing)





You must have lots of carboys filled with Scuppernog and Muscadine.





Sorry if I misunderstood.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 20, 2005)

CW keeps very busy!


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## Hippie (Mar 20, 2005)

Yes, I do. Very busy at the moment, as a matter of fact!


I only have 2 carboys in use at this time, yes. Correctamundo.


I can have all those carboys busy by the end of this year and use all those bottles by then, can't I? I hope so.


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