# Staghorn Sumac wine



## gunwolf (Aug 17, 2010)

although I have not completed this batch yet...here you go...

Staghorn Sumac wine(3 gal)
15lbs. of fresh picked sumac "berries" or approx. 50 to 60 staghorn berry clusters
9lbs of sugar
3 1/2 gallons of water (I use spring water)
2 teaspoons of yeast nutrient(fermaid)
1/8th teaspoon of K-meta
1 1/2 tablespoons of pectic enzyme.
3 over ripe bananas
1 packet of lalvin rc212 yeast.


I start by collecting berry clusters in late July or early August. 
I do not wash the berry clusters!!! this will take away most of the sugars which collect on tiny hairs on the outside of the berry. I carefully slide my hand down each "stalk" to remove the clusters of berries. it's OK to leave a few stems.
I then look through the pile and discard any immature berries. Make sure also there are no insects in your berries. I place these in a nylon straining bag and set them aside.

I then add two gallons of water to my primary bucket, along with the sugar,K-meta,Nutrient,and pectic enzyme. stir until sugar is almost dissolved. 
cut up the bananas in large chunks and add to saucepan...add just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 min. then strain and add the banana water to the must.

I then add the bag of berries and the rest of the water. I squeeze the bag several times while getting it wet to release some of the juice. cover the bucket and let it sit for 24 hours.then I check the SG and adjust with sugar/water to get desired SG I started at 1.095

stir everything up again and pitch yeast. cover with top that has a airlock and let ferment for two weeks. I then rack into a 3gal carboy ...then the waiting begins.


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## Mud (Aug 18, 2010)

Can you liken the taste of sumac to anything else?


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## BobF (Aug 18, 2010)

Which Sumac? Smooth, Fragrant, Poison, or some other variety?


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## gunwolf (Aug 18, 2010)

Staghorn Sumac has a lemonade (tart) flavor...*I have read that the tartness comes from the amount of tannin 

Staghorn sumac is a variety like smooth. it grows in cone shaped berry clusters. but the tiny hairs on the stems and berries give it it's name.


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## Mud (Aug 18, 2010)

I'm going to try this. Lots of sumac around here. Should be easy enough to get some.


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## Woodbee (Aug 18, 2010)

Thank you 
Gunwolf


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## closetwine (Oct 16, 2010)

Can we get an update on this one? I have tons of sumac around here and love the flaver, never thought of making wine with it though. I'd love to know how this is turning out!


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## bowman64 (Sep 21, 2012)

sounds great,i will most certainly give this a try..thanks for sharing..john


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## saramc (Sep 22, 2012)

Getting ready to make this soon. I have had a large brown grocery sackful of staghorn sumac clusters stashed in the freezer and today I sat down with a fork and started to "fork" the berries off of the stem(s). Fork works wonders. I had cleaned 35 clusters with a yield of one very packed one gallon bag and I have at least 20 more clusters to "fork". Looking forward to getting this one going.


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## Mellow Mama (Jul 23, 2018)

Wondering if anyone has made sumac wine the ol' country fruit style by using just sumac berries, (or the juice), sugar, water and yeast.


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## coboll2921 (Oct 10, 2018)

How did the sumac wine turn out, I'm interested.


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## Rice_Guy (Jan 31, 2019)

gunwolf said:


> although I have not completed this batch yet...here you go...
> 
> Staghorn Sumac wine(3 gal)
> 15lbs. of fresh picked sumac "berries" or approx. 50 to 60 staghorn berry clusters
> ...


Why use banana? 
I have some in the garage waiting. Kinda stopped when I tried to pull the berries off and said this is like work. , , With the berries I pulled I did a 50% tea: pH 2.7 / gravity 1.00 / acidic otherwise bland / lots of hairs. 
 Really don’t want to have to pull all the berries. but then the wife would like it to go away.


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## Rice_Guy (Jan 31, 2019)

saramc said:


> Getting ready to make this soon. I have had a large brown grocery sackful of staghorn sumac clusters stashed in the freezer and today I sat down with a fork and started to "fork" the berries off of the stem(s). Fork works wonders. I had cleaned 35 clusters with a yield of one very packed one gallon bag and I have at least 20 more clusters to "fork". Looking forward to getting this one going.


How much did you make ? , , , all I collected was 1.5 grocery bags of clusters.


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