# Sweet Tea Wine



## JSquared

Has anyone made a successful sweet tea wine? Being from the south and from the city that is home to Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, sweet tea is a big deal. I am interested in trying to make a sweet tea wine. I did try a white zen that was flavored w black tea extract from a winery. It had a very nice flavor but I'm interested in fermenting the tea. Any thoughts?


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## dralarms

It was one of my first wines, I made mine too strong (too much tea) but it was very good and it's gone. I need to make more.


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## JSquared

How much tea did you use? I am shooting for a 5 gallon batch and I have the giant tea bags you get from SAMs that you use 1 to make a gallon of tea.


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## wine

Sweet Tea Wine !!!!!!! now that is one we will be trying this summer ,,,, Sweet Tea Wine ,,,,,, what tea would be best ???? green ?? black ??? herbal ???????? mint ??? green or black mint ????


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## JSquared

Here is the recipe I'm thinking about for a 5 gallon batch,
5 giant tea bags (directions say 1 per gallon on box)
Sugar to SG 1.09
5 tsp yeast nutrient
5 tsp acid blend
2 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
1 crushed campden tablet
Yeast thinking EC1118
Water to a little over 5 gallons

Thought???


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## dralarms

Add 1 extra tea bag. You need it just a little stronger than normal. But other than that recipe looks good


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## JSquared

I was on the fence about 5 or 6 giant tea bags so thanks for the advice, I'll change it to 6! I think I'm gonna throw it together in the fermenter tonight! It's getting warm in the south!


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## dralarms

If I had an empty, I'd start me some.


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## Rodnboro

Served over ice with a lemon wedge? Y'all got me thinking now.


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## JSquared

I'll keep ya'll posted on mine, I pitched the yeast yesterday! I'm also thinking you could add raspberry extract for a raspberry tea or orange or lemon! So many teas!


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## dralarms

I did mine with lemon. I may try strawberry this time.


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## ceeaton

JSquared said:


> I'll keep ya'll posted on mine, I pitched the yeast yesterday! I'm also thinking you could add raspberry extract for a raspberry tea or orange or lemon! So many teas!



Now you've got me interested. I bet a nice raspberry infused tea would be a great hot summer day drink...might use and f-pack instead of the extract, slightly off dry. Wonder how long it will take to age a tea wine? Never attempted one in my young career.


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## wine

was just thinking .... there should be very little settlement , so it should clear fast ,,,, thats a plus ....


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## JSquared

The liquid is a bit cloudy, the yeast seemed to cloud the water as it started to get active but there is very little real solids in the must.


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## Jericurl

Hmmm......I may have to do a sweet tea wine as one of my WOTM club wines.

Tea wine....and I'm in Texas....this could make the next BBQ very interesting...


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## Angelina

I may have to do a sweet tea wine as well. Like craig I think a raspberry f-Pac would be nice.


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## Angelina

dralarms said:


> It was one of my first wines, I made mine too strong (too much tea) but it was very good and it's gone. I need to make more.



How long did you need to age your sweet tea wine?


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## dralarms

Angelina said:


> How long did you need to age your sweet tea wine?



It was one of my first wines and I was drinking it too quick.


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## JSquared

Advise guys... This is my tea wine that I started and it doesn't seem to be fermenting very well. 6 gallon sized tea bags steeped an hour, 5 tsps yeast nutrient, 5 tsps acid blend, 2 1/2 tsps pectic enzyme, 1 crushed campden tablet and 27 cups of sugar.... Pitched EC1118 on 4/21 with SG of 1.09 here are my readings so far...
4/23 SG 1.084 74 degrees
4/25. SG 1.082 74 degrees
4/26. SG 1.080 76 degrees
It has a foam cap every time I check it but almost stalled fermentation, any ideas??


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## dralarms

It appears to be working, slow maybe but it is working.


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## dralarms

And if I remember correctly, mine was slow to ferment also.


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## JSquared

So you are saying I need to use some southern patience for my southern sweet tea wine! That's a tough one! On the bright side, I so have a plum that is almost fermented dry now!


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## Rodnboro

I'm fermenting 1 gallon right now to try, Mine is fermenting slow as well.


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## Angelina

I started my sweet tea wine on 4/28 and knowing that it fermented slow I added some yeast energizer in the beginning. As of today the SG is at 1.000 I will rack it off Tuesday when I have a chance.


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## JSquared

Angelina said:


> I started my sweet tea wine on 4/28 and knowing that it fermented slow I added some yeast energizer in the beginning. As of today the SG is at 1.000 I will rack it off Tuesday when I have a chance.




What was your recipe? My sweet tea is still fermenting extremely slow. I started it on 4/21 at 1.09 SG and I just checked it and I'm at 1.06 SG. My temp is running around 74 degrees. Thanks for any help!


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## Angelina

JSquared said:


> Here is the recipe I'm thinking about for a 5 gallon batch,
> 5 giant tea bags (directions say 1 per gallon on box)
> Sugar to SG 1.09
> 5 tsp yeast nutrient
> 5 tsp acid blend
> 2 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
> 1 crushed campden tablet
> Yeast thinking EC1118
> Water to a little over 5 gallons
> 
> Thought???



JSquared, I used this recipe base plus one extra tea bag and I used the manufacturer recommended amount of yeast energizer. I am making a 6 gallon batch since I had a 5 gallon carboy available and I racked the extra gallon into a 1 gallon carboy to use for topping up. My OG was 1.070 temp 72°. I made this weak so I could drink more of it on a hot summer day.


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## dralarms

Jsquared, I'd give it some yeast nutrient. It does seem to be running awfully slow.


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## wineforfun

Are you stirring it very well twice a day? EC-1118 should be chugging along through that.


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## Rodnboro

Mine finished last week at .992. It took off after the second dose of nutrient.


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## JSquared

I have probably been a little lazy with the stirring, it's been a busy few weeks! I added 2 1/2 tsp of yeast nutrient tonight. I'll be more diligent about stirring and see if that helps too. Thanks for the advise from everyone!! It had only dropped from 1.06 to 1.058 from yesterday to today. Ugh, it's slow!


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## PhilDarby

The added nutrient I think was a good idea, because there isn't any fruit in there, it may also be lacking in trace nutrients maybe, if it doesn't take off.

I have some old recipies, for tea wine, from books, which ill dig out and add at the end.

its my understanding that yeast requires trace nutrients, vitamin b1 I think is one of them, normal yeast nutrient I think is based on the fact you will be adding some fruit.

Some of the guys who understand the science a bit better might churp in.

but, I suspect that's why it is fermenting so slowly, if it continues to do so, after the extra nutrients, try adding a litre of either grape or apple juice, from concentrate, not for the sugar etc, it should add trace nutrients, which comes from fruit, but, will alter the flavour very little, due to the small amount, if it perks up you will be able to judge its effects, from there.

But, both grape and apple contain all the essential stuff, for a good ferment, including trace nutrients.


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## JSquared

Thanks for the advise, I had a can of frozen Apple juice concentrate in the freezer so I added it to my fermenter. Even if it has some residual Apple flavor, I think that it would pair nicely with the sweet tea. I'll keep everyone posted on my slow fermentation.


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## PhilDarby

hopefully it will perk up, ill add the old recipies I have, to the above post when I can get around to it.


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## JSquared

That would be great, I'm always looking for great recipes!


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## Buehler91

Is it still fermenting?


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## JSquared

Update..I started my sweet tea wine back on 4/20 as of today it has been sitting, since 6/5, at 1.005. I'm wondering if the fermentation has stopped. I've added yeast energizer twice and yeast nutrient once during the fermentation to keep it moving. Any ideas??


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## dralarms

Sounds like it's done. Sometimes it just won't get down.


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## JSquared

I'm thinking about racking it to a carboy tonight and calling it done.


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## JimmyT

I had a grapefruit wine that I couldn't get past 1.004. I ended up just stabilizing and it's bulk aging since February.


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## JSquared

I ended up racking to a carboy at 1.005 and I'm waiting on it to clear now. Once it clears, I'm planning to back sweeten to a nice southern sweet tea and then sample it!


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## yanks4carolyn

I'm thinking about Peach Tea, also.


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## Rodnboro

My finished Sweet Tea Wine. Tastes good at 9 months.


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## jayhkr

Oh wow.....yet ANOTHER one I've gotta try!! Love it!! What was your total fermentation time in both primary and secondary? Would you suggest modifying anything to that original recipe?


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## Rodnboro

jayhkr said:


> Oh wow.....yet ANOTHER one I've gotta try!! Love it!! What was your total fermentation time in both primary and secondary? Would you suggest modifying anything to that original recipe?



Primary- 13 days SG 1.085 to 1.000
Secondary- 6 days SG 1.000 to .992
Yeast- EC1118
Original recipe was pretty much ok. I only made 1 gallon and didn't record how many tea bags I used.


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## jayhkr

Rodnboro said:


> Primary- 13 days SG 1.085 to 1.000
> Secondary- 6 days SG 1.000 to .992
> Yeast- EC1118
> Original recipe was pretty much ok. I only made 1 gallon and didn't record how many tea bags I used.



Thank you, this gives me something to go off of at least!


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## hounddawg

just me but i''d boil on low boil 2 family size tee bags, per gallon for a half hour start timing after your boil strats, each, remember low boil, when all five have cooled down put in carboy sweeten to a SQ of around 1200. then after fermentation you can add water to suit your taste, no clue on yeast, I fall back most always to 1118 yeast, just normal sweet tea tastes better after 3 days in the fridge, so you can also after boiling you could refrigerate for 3 days before adding to carboy, hope you don't mind me try this as well, yhats one of the most adventures I've head in a while as it it that I love proper sweet tea, beings as i'm from the south myself, an sill down here as well good luck an if you stumble on to a truly great sweet tea wine i'd love to know how myself, I drink a blend of black tea an orange ponoke ::
Richard:: 








JSquared said:


> How much tea did you use? I am shooting for a 5 gallon batch and I have the giant tea bags you get from SAMs that you use 1 to make a gallon of tea.


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## yanks4carolyn

We have always put a good pinch of baking soda in our tea while its steeping. MIL said it gets all the strength out of the tea and makes it clearer. Would baking soda affect anything in the wine making or tea wine. Making? Guess it could be called 
Sweet Twine. I think I just gotta try a gallon. I've had a beer, of sorts, that was sweet tea. Redds I think. Btw...the wicked Apple is very very good. Takes me back to high school and Boones Apple. Sorry, I got distracted by a shiny object.


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## yanks4carolyn

I'll answer my own question for y'all. Baking soda reduces the tannins in the tea. So for wine, I don't think it should be added.


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## PhilDarby

Ok so I have to hold my hands up and admit it posted this in the wrong place, but, cant see how to delete it.


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## PhilDarby

Looks nice that wine


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## jrh143

I made sweet tea wine once a few years ago. It was just okay, nothing special. It lacked body and certainly didn't come out like I'd hoped it would, i.e. sweet tea flavor with alcohol only present in the back end. That could easily have been the kind of yeast I used or just as easily the type of sugar. The thought occurs to me that a batch with brown sugar instead of white would definitely add mouth feel and might improve the flavor. It would be worth tinkering around a bit too see how good it can become.


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## fabrictodyefor

How did that turn out for you, JS? I'm thinking of a version of Skeeter Pee Sweet Tea wine. I've always liked lemon in my tea, or is it tea flavored lemonade?


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## Swenman

Are you steeping the tea first or just putting the bags in the water/must?


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## Swenman

Are you brewing the tea first or just putting the bags in the water for the ferment process?


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## Elkdog

*10 small teabags per gallon*

I have made several gallons of tea wine, mostly following Jack Keller's recipes. In those recipes the amount of teabags per gallon of finished wine is usually 10 standard size teabags.


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## AkTom

This sounds great. I'd like a peach sweet tea. I need more 5 gallon carboys.


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## Boogiediamondz

If I were to use white grape juice concentrate as a base for this, would it eliminate the need for nutrients without altering the flavor too much?


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## weasnerarchery

*Tea wine.*



JSquared said:


> Here is the recipe I'm thinking about for a 5 gallon batch,
> 5 giant tea bags (directions say 1 per gallon on box)
> Sugar to SG 1.09
> 5 tsp yeast nutrient
> 5 tsp acid blend
> 2 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
> 1 crushed campden tablet
> Yeast thinking EC1118
> Water to a little over 5 gallons
> 
> Thought???


Just made my first batch. I used 60 small bags of Su Yi tea. Zest and juice from 6 lemons.so no acid blend was necessary. And pure honey instead of sugar. 6 gallon batch.


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## bbsowen

Caffinated wine??
Sounds yummy


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## maurtis

Thinking of making some of this, using 1 can of frozen white grape juice concentrate per gallon for body. And I like the idea of using lemons and zest.


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## Mismost

Started my batch yesterday and started with JSquared's recipe:
21 family size tea bags in a gallon of water simmered for 20 minutes
10# sugar, 6 gallons 1.09 SG
yeast energizer and nutrients
EC1118 yeast
peptic enzyme ...although I'm not sure why 

then I went off my normal tangent:
4 very brown bananas sliced and bagged...they will like the enzyme
1/2 bag of wild berry juice left over from a cheap kit...it is very berry

Have no idea how this will turn out....but, I have less than 10 bucks into a 6 gallon start...it's even cheaper than a frozen juice concentrate wine. Right now it tastes like real sweet strong ice tea with a berry flavor. Just love it so far!


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## Mismost

Update...I read all about the slow fermentation some folks had which was why I started with energizer and nutrients...figured the bananas would also help feed the yeast as well as build up the body. Well, I pitched the yeast Sunday night, must temp was about 82 because I had made simple syrup with the 10# of sugar....I had also rehyrdrated the yeast and slowly fed it small amounts of must and got it up to about a quart in size.

This is a the BIGGEST fermentation I have ever seen! Thick, heavy foam 3" deep...I can hear the bucket sizzling behind me. That EC1118 is in a very happy place and it is just eating it's way through everything. Have been stirring, squeezing, and punching down the banana bag twice a day...just the lid sitting on top of the bucket...no signs of slowing down! 

I may call this one Steam Engine Sweet Tea.

Was wondering if something about making the simple syrup changed the sugar chains and helps it ferment faster/easier?


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## Mismost

well, it's been about week now. I pulled the banana bag after 5 days, snapped the lid down and air locked it. It is still just chugging right along. My last little taste was interesting, I liked it. We'll she how she turns out.


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## maurtis

Mine is chugging along too. Like you I made a simple syrup instead of just pouring the dry sugar into the fermenter. A week after pitching the yeast and I am at 1.010 from 1.090.

Planning to rack and degas with wine whip at 1.00, then after a couple weeks rack again for bulk aging for a few months.

Since I have mainly been making DB with only one racking before bottling this process it a little different. When should I add k-meta and sorbate? I do plan on back sweetening before bottling.

Should I k-meta at my first racking at 1.000, or at the second racking into my aging carboy? Should I sorbate then too, or k-meta and sorbate just before back sweetening / bottling?

I made a 6 gallon batch with 7 large Lipton tea bags. Ended up closer to 7 gallons since I neglected to factor in the volume for the simple syrup, 11 lbs of sugar to bring the gravity to 1.090. I used 256 oz of organic white grape juice for body (nearly the equivalent of 6 cans of concentrate) and zest and juice from 6 lemons.


05/29/2016
- Steep 7 tea bags and add tea to fermenter
- Add grape juice to fermenter (256 oz, four 64 oz bottles of organic white grape juice)
- Zest and juice six lemons, add juice and zest to fermenter
- Add pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient/energizer to fermenter
- Add water to 6 gallons
- Take gravity reading and calculate how much sugar to bring OG to 1.090, make simple syrup and add to fermenter (it took 11 lbs).

05/30/2016
- Add yeast to fermenter and stir
- Stir again in the evening

05/31/2016
- Stir in the morning
- Stir in the evening
- Fermentation smells of lemons and tea, delightful

06/01/2016
- Stir in the morning and take SG 1.070
- Stir in the evening

06/02/2016
- Stir in the morning, SG 1.050
- Add 3 tsp of Fermax, I like to add more Fermax at the 1/2 sugar break with non-fruit wines
- Fermentation still smells of lemons and tea, very nice

06/03/2016
- Stir in the morning
- Forget to stir in the evening

06/04/2016
- Stir in the morning
- Forget to stir in the evening

06/05/2016
- Forget to stir in the morning
- Forget to stir in the evening

06/06/2016
- Notice a slightly yeasty farty smell, yeast is stressed 
- Stir in the morning, SG 1.010
- Add 1 tsp of Fermax and apologize to the yeasties for ignoring them


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## maurtis

Going back through my old wine making notes... I think I will wait a couple extra days for the wine to completely ferment dry and stable for a few days before racking, then do 1/4 tsp of k-meta and 3 tsp of sorbate when I rack and degas.

If I am not seeing a lot of stuff drop out, I will save the second racking for three months later and back sweeten. Then bottle a few months after if things are looking good and clear.


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## Mismost

I racked mine a week ago and thought it should start at least try to clear up...but, it didn't...still kinda early. Got a wild hair and thought I would degas it and help it start clearing. Did the spoon for a while and really did not see anything. Got out the All In One Pump....MAN! That carboy had more gas in it than a high school football team at all-you-can-eat Mexican buffett! Thick, pillows of heavy foam arose...after 20 minutes of vacuum on/off/on/off it finally settled down and quit threatening to come up into the vacuum hose.

I know...Steve would say it very a very un-effective way to degas and he may be right....but is way cool to watch and play with!!


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## Whitehrs

fabrictodyefor said:


> How did that turn out for you, JS? I'm thinking of a version of Skeeter Pee Sweet Tea wine. I've always liked lemon in my tea, or is it tea flavored lemonade?




Drunken Arnold Palmer? I like it..


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## Mismost

7-6-2016...racked again, added camden tablets, slow clearing, but I am in no hurry...bet I have use a fining agent of some sort. Vac racked and pulled even more CO2 off, tasted good...going to be an interesting wine.


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## hounddawg

orange panko/black tea, I too will try this as if I didn't have enough going already,,,,, 6-gal blackberry,, 6-gal elderberry, 10-gall apple.. 20-gal apple/pear blend, 10-gal sweet cherry with honey,,,, starting a wildflower honey an Stella hops that give off a wildflower taste, and a wildflower honey mixed with sour cherries, 6-gal of each,
Dawg
Richard


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## Whitehrs

pitched a Carmel/Honey Chai tea with Banana last night (7-18-16) it is chugging away.. The must tasted very good before I pitch yeast. It was at SG 1.079.. I'll go dry, but I'll put it in secondary at about 1.03 or 1.02, and let it finish out for a month. Then test, rack of the lees and airlock it again. Then add K-meta, and let it clear for 2 months repeat until it's clear... I'm going to back sweeten with Smucker's carmel topping.. I may add a couple Biglow's Vanilla Chai tea bags for bulk aging as well. 

We will see how it works out..If it is awesome I will post the recipe.. If it sucks I will not.. I will work on the Drucken Arnold Palmer maybe..


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## Whitehrs

7-30- I put the carmel Banana Chai tea into carboy at 1.020 after 5 days. Now a week later it is still just sitting there, no action in the bubbler. It is fully thick with cloudiness, and a ton of sediment. I pitched about a 1/4 packet of Cote des Blanc (That is what I used) thinking I had removed all most all of the yeast with the solids, when I moved it to carboy. I mean it just froze/stopped when I went to carboy. I'm probably just going to watch it, and Rack it off the lees/solids in a week or so. and test it at that time. Probably fine if it is stopped. That would give me 8-9% abv, and would remain sweet. Anyway. It tasted awesome when I moved it to carboy. I'm guessing it will turn out. I may do a Sweet tea/Skeeter pee 50/50 (Drunken Arnold Palmer), that would be a galloon of Sweet tea, mixed with a gallon of skeeter pee. Not sure, still working this one..


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## Mismost

I racked mine on 7-6-2016...saw Whitehrs post and got down on my hands and knees and crawled back in the corner under my desk, to take a look at mine. 27 July 2016, and it is clearing rather nicely now! I just didn't feel like moving 5 other carboys to get to that one! Sometimes having a small work area is a good thing...makes it easier to just leave stuff alone!


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## Whitehrs

Mismost said:


> I racked mine on 7-6-2016...saw Whitehrs post and got down on my hands and knees and crawled back in the corner under my desk, to take a look at mine. 27 July 2016, and it is clearing rather nicely now! I just didn't feel like moving 5 other carboys to get to that one! Sometimes having a small work area is a good thing...makes it easier to just leave stuff alone!


 
Yep, mine is in the closet of my Office at home. Sits right at 72-73 all the time.. Most stuff I have done is great 72-73.. What is the temp under the desk? Mine is quite a bit warmer with the monster computer tower under there. I guess if I need a 80-85 degree ferment I guess it will work..


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## Mismost

Was racking some wines and even though it's only been a month, I racked the Sweet Tea again. Cleared up good, nice flavor....different but nice....It has the tea taste. I like my tea sweet, may sweeten this one up a bit to get there. But, I think it's gonna be a nice sitting on the deck sipping wine.

I need to go back and find who started/posted that recipe....they need an Atta Boy!


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## JSquared

Mismost said:


> Was racking some wines and even though it's only been a month, I racked the Sweet Tea again. Cleared up good, nice flavor....different but nice....It has the tea taste. I like my tea sweet, may sweeten this one up a bit to get there. But, I think it's gonna be a nice sitting on the deck sipping wine.
> 
> I need to go back and find who started/posted that recipe....they need an Atta Boy!




I've had mine sitting since I made it. I wasn't impressed with the taste so it's just been sitting. After this post, I'll have to pull out some and give it a try!! I'll let you know what I find out.


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## Mismost

JSquared said:


> I've had mine sitting since I made it. I wasn't impressed with the taste so it's just been sitting. After this post, I'll have to pull out some and give it a try!! I'll let you know what I find out.



Please do! I think it is a pretty wine, it cleared nicely. My neighbor lady tried a glass, she likes dry and it is dry. SHe said it had a familiar taste she couldn't identify, but she liked it. I finally told her it was tea and she was fairly shocked! Once she knew she said it was good tea. She suggested i split the batch and only sweeten half...we'll see. I just really like sweet tea!


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## JSquared

I think the problem with mine is, I got it too sweet and it overpowers the wines true flavors. I make make another batch and leave it dry and just do good old fashion half and half!


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## Whitehrs

JSquared said:


> I think the problem with mine is, I got it too sweet and it overpowers the wines true flavors. I make make another batch and leave it dry and just do good old fashion half and half!




I had thought about that as well. 1/2 skeeter pee, half sweet tea.. drunken Arnold Palmer..sounds good.


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## Mismost

Mismost said:


> Started my batch yesterday and started with JSquared's recipe:
> 21 family size tea bags in a gallon of water simmered for 20 minutes
> 10# sugar, 6 gallons 1.09 SG
> yeast energizer and nutrients
> EC1118 yeast
> peptic enzyme ...although I'm not sure why
> 
> then I went off my normal tangent:
> 4 very brown bananas sliced and bagged...they will like the enzyme
> 1/2 bag of wild berry juice left over from a cheap kit...it is very berry
> 
> Have no idea how this will turn out....but, I have less than 10 bucks into a 6 gallon start...it's even cheaper than a frozen juice concentrate wine. Right now it tastes like real sweet strong ice tea with a berry flavor. Just love it so far!



Racked into the bottling bucket. FG .97 ABV 15.48 (never sure about these numbers...but that what the calculator said) Crystal clear, nice golden collor, and the taste has a hint of tea and berries...it's very nice...thin, light body. It is not hot to me, yet it is warming on the tummy!

I was thinking of backsweetning it, but I like it as is...can always add Splenda to a bottle later....for now, I just gotta get it in the bottle!

Thanks to JSquared for sharing the recipe!


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## WildernessMedic

Too long to read but after my first cheap old garage sale kit the second thing I did is go get a falling of captain Ds sweet tea and ferment it. If I recall it wasn't bad.


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## Mismost

This is an interesting wine...we opened a few bottles over the week end. It was fun to watch the expressions on people's faces when they tried that first sip! Most made a funny face...most said it had a very familiar taste, but they couldn't name it. Most really liked it after it about 1/2 a glass and ALL were surprised and then recognized the taste when I told them it was tea wine.

I stopped at a bigger HBS in Austin and picked some flavorings...gonna try adding them and see what happens. I really think this could be a good base wine to add many different flavors too...like coconut, watermelon, or berries. Too good and cheap to not make again!


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## BernardSmith

How many grams or ounces of tea do you use to a gallon? I am thinking about 32 grams plus or minus (that is about 1 ample oz or about 16 tablespoons of loose leaf )? I ask because I am thinking of making a mead using lapsang souchong tea with some local wildflower honey to make a sultry, smoky mead


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## Mismost

BernardSmith said:


> How many grams or ounces of tea do you use to a gallon? I am thinking about 32 grams plus or minus (that is about 1 ample oz or about 16 tablespoons of loose leaf )? I ask because I am thinking of making a mead using lapsang souchong tea with some local wildflower honey to make a sultry, smoky mead



I used 21 FAMILY SIZE tea bags...if normal size bags, I would multiply by 3...and I have no idea how much a tea bag weighs or what in the heck lapsang souchong is either!! The tea flavor is pretty light in my wine.


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## BernardSmith

Thanks Mismost. I guess my working assumption is that if the flavor is rich enough for the tea then the flavor is likely rich enough for the wine. That would be around 32 grams for about 16 cups of tea and 16 cups would be 128 fl oz (a US gallon) 

Lapsang souchong tea is a black Chinese tea that is smoked. Very unique flavor. Makes a great tea. Hoping that it might make a very interesting mead.


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## BernardSmith

Tasted the tea wine last night - it is now at .992 and tastes really very good for a wine that is just less than three weeks old. Looking at some of the earlier and other posts where people talk of boiling the tea for about an hour..In Glasgow, where I was born, that would have been called stewed tea and that would not be a compliment. You want to add boiling water to the tea and perhaps allow the tea to steep for 5 to 10 minutes. More than that and you are drinking tannin, not tea. And for what it's worth you want to use the very best tea you can find - not supermarket tea bags filled with tea dust. My next batch will be an oolong tea...


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## Mismost

I find the flavor to be there, but very faint. Folks taste it and say it has a famieral taste....but they can not place it until you say TEA. Then they pick up on it quick.

I did start with boiling water, added my bags of supermarket "tea dust", let it steep over night, and then into the primary....but I was born in Texas and therefore am unencumbered with preconceived notions on the proper way to make tea. But, I do know better than to drink it hot with milk. ;-)

Now, we have been adding those Crystal Lite tubes of drink mixes...Rashberry, Peach, Mango, Lemonaide...one tube to a bottle. I am sure this violates numerous serious wine drinking sensibilities but it is real fine on a 100 degree deck by the pool.


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## Jose' Miller

Growing up we always had home grown spearmint tea. My mother still makes it every year. I asked if she could make me some concentrate out of this and she said she could. I am going a little stronger on the tea since #1 it's good, and #2 I'm afraid the taste would be weak if I don't up it? I know 1/8th cup of concentrate is added to 4 cups of water to make the tea. I intend on doubling it.

Do you see any issues with my intentions? Any other suggestions? I don't intend on adding any other flavors, just the spearmint.


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## BernardSmith

I tend to be a contrarian and suggest that you taste the must using the same concentration that you prefer when you drink this as tea. If it tastes too thin or weak then add more concentrate. Easier to add flavor than remove it. I would suspect that as a wine this tea should be as strong as when you drink the spearmint without any alcohol.


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## Jose' Miller

Thanks for the advice! That does make sense.....can always add flavor. Thank you sir!!


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## Mismost

Jose' Miller said:


> Growing up we always had home grown spearmint tea. My mother still makes it every year. I asked if she could make me some concentrate out of this and she said she could. I am going a little stronger on the tea since #1 it's good, and #2 I'm afraid the taste would be weak if I don't up it? I know 1/8th cup of concentrate is added to 4 cups of water to make the tea. I intend on doubling it.
> 
> Do you see any issues with my intentions? Any other suggestions? I don't intend on adding any other flavors, just the spearmint.



I've got six gallons going right now... used 100 of the cheap "tea dust" store bought bags...a dollar a box! It made a pretty strong batch, much darker color.
I have mint growing in the garden... think I'll steep up a strong batch or it and add it to part of this batch.
That's what I like about Tea Wine...it so cheap you can really play around with it. Thinking of adding some apple juice, mango juice, different flavors...bottle and cap in beer bottles for a carbonated "wine cooler".


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## Jose' Miller

Mismost said:


> I've got six gallons going right now... used 100 of the cheap "tea dust" store bought bags...a dollar a box! It made a pretty strong batch, much darker color.
> I have mint growing in the garden... think I'll steep up a strong batch or it and add it to part of this batch.
> That's what I like about Tea Wine...it so cheap you can really play around with it. Thinking of adding some apple juice, mango juice, different flavors...bottle and cap in beer bottles for a carbonated "wine cooler".



Did you add anything to the must such as tannin, acid blend, etc. I have seen varying opinions on the research I did. Thanks!


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## Mismost

Jose' Miller said:


> Did you add anything to the must such as tannin, acid blend, etc. I have seen varying opinions on the research I did. Thanks!




Nope. Plenty of tannins in my batch... yeast energizer, yeast nutrient added....acid can be adjusted at the end. Did use use two packages of EC1118 that I started and then pitched...it blew through the sugars, very fast ferment.


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## Jose' Miller

Thank you!!


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## wpt-me

I have just started a raspberry herb tea batch. It's going like gangbusters right now. 
we will see how it comes out !!

Bill


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## Venatorscribe

Added hibiscus tea to rose petals before primary. Fermented on the petals and leaves. Have only just bottled it and believe that this will be a stunner in six to twelve months.


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## Shayne Edwards

I have 10 litres in 5 litre demijoyns added rosella and apple syrup at 1,02 added airlocks. Have the remaining 28l under a lid and airlock now.


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## Shayne Edwards

This should be interesting, made some stuff ups but will soldier on to see what happens.


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## M dubey

JSquared said:


> Has anyone made a successful sweet tea wine? Being from the south and from the city that is home to Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, sweet tea is a big deal. I am interested in trying to make a sweet tea wine. I did try a white zen that was flavored w black tea extract from a winery. It had a very nice flavor but I'm interested in fermenting the tea. Any thoughts?


 

couple of year back I tried my hand on turkish tea wine and green tea mead flvoured with cardamom, anise and cloves. At that time I have no access to wine yeast and have to depend on baker's yeast matured in fruit juice. Both wines had were fine and green tea mead was much appreciated for its inherent flavor of Himalayan wild honey.


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## wpt-me

My raspberry tea wine came out very nice and tasty. Just bottled got 10 .750 liter.

Bill


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## winemanden

Nothing wrong with these various wines you make. Shoot me down if you like, but I've always been under the impression that the main ingredient in Tea wine had to be TEA . Everything else is an infusion. Ask for a cuppa Tea in the UK and that's what you get. TEA


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## wpt-me

I used 32 bags of Celestial Raspberry Zinger tea, backed by 24 oz. frozen raspberries.
This was for a two gal mix.

Bill


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## Semperfi

So what recipe did everyone use that turned out good. I'm new to the whole process but love sweet tea.


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## hounddawg

winemanden said:


> Nothing wrong with these various wines you make. Shoot me down if you like, but I've always been under the impression that the main ingredient in Tea wine had to be TEA . Everything else is an infusion. Ask for a cuppa Tea in the UK and that's what you get. TEA


Amen, where I'm from if you order tea it is called sweet tea, served cold, 
Dawg


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