# CHOKECHERRY BOTTLED



## NorthernWinos (Jul 20, 2008)

Judging by the members Posts over the last couple days a lot of wines have been bottled this weekend.....

We bottled one of our favorite wines too...Chokecherry...it seems to be a staple here.....Will put a case away to age and rack up the rest....


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## Wade E (Jul 20, 2008)

You go girl! When you find something you like ya stick with it and make some others on the side to experiment. 1 of these days I hope i can keep my labels more generic like yours cause they look awesome and would take less time on top of it. I always go overboard which typically ruins them.


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## rm-mi (Jul 20, 2008)

What is your recipe for the chockcherry wine? As it looks like it is going to be a good year for them in my location. I have not made this before but have had it and it is very good.


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 20, 2008)

rm-mi...
This is a pretty standard recipe that I use.....
I steam extract the juice, but you could use any method of getting out the juice...or use a straining bag.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHOKECHERRY WINE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


8-10 QUARTS JUICE = 22# STEAMED EXTRACTED CHOKECHERRIES
2 BOTTLES WINEXPERT RED GRAPE CONCENTRATE
7 1/2# to 9# SUGAR [S.G. 1.085]

6 1/2 CAMPDEN TABLETS
3 tsp LIQUID TANNIN
4 tsp ACID BLEND
2 oz AMERICAN OAK CHIPS [TOASTED]
2 VANILLA BEANS


S.G. 1.085 water to 6 1/2 gallons


Next day:
3 tsp PECTIC ENZYME 

3 tsp YEAST ENERGIZER
6 tsp YEAST NUTRIENT
LALVIN RC-212 YEAST

Ferment,rack and clear in usual manner.


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## Joanie (Jul 20, 2008)

Your bottled wine is a purdiful sight!


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## rgecaprock (Jul 21, 2008)

NW,


That recipe sounds so good. Do the vanilla beans give a mellow taste?


Ramona


I had some of PWP's chokecherry and I loved it.


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## Waldo (Jul 21, 2008)

Looking mighty fine NW


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## JWMINNESOTA (Jul 25, 2008)

Ithink this year I will try the concentrate and vanilla beans in my batches. Last years turned out to be very good, just starting to consume it, figure that would kick it up a notch! The trees are really loaded around here, hope they all ripen and make it to harvest!


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 6, 2008)

Steady cold rain today......Good day for wine maintenance...

Racked two batches of Chokecherry Wine that got started July 23 and July 30...They are coming along nicely.....will rack a couple more times and then bottle....Want empty carboys to make something else.....


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## Waldo (Nov 6, 2008)

What's next NW


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 6, 2008)

I got some Pinot Noir Juice....[just inexpensive stuff [not cheap]]....I am going to add juice from 10# of Blueberries, plus the pulp from the steamer....And mix to 5 or 6 gallons.

Guess it will be Pinot Noir/Blueberry...a la 'Country Wine'.....


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## PolishWineP (Nov 8, 2008)

Mmmmmm.... That sounds so good! And it sounds warm in your house! It's nasty out there today and I need some cozy.
I can hardly wait for deer hunting to end! We have hardly done any wine stuff in months! First the kitchen, then harvest, now hunting...



I may rack and even bottle some of my little wines this weekend. I have celery and ginger that need to be bottled.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 8, 2008)

Has Bert been hunting in North Dakota or Minnesota???? When did he start hunting??? Jim just went out for the first time this morning. He had 2 bucks and 3 does go by...He's taking the old camera this PM and going to a different stand. He has 4 stands so he wants to put time in each stand.....Mostly he just watches them, till the end of season, then he hunts...Unless something really nice goes by before next weekend he'll still be putting in his time.....

I had Jim lift the big carboys the other day when it was raining....I racked 8 jugs and have 8 more to do...those I can handle on my own.

Chokecherry could be bottles soon...it tends to drop sediment forever. Blueberry/Red Grape could be ready soon too......

I know it's time to bottle when we get over run with empties....


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## Aaronh (Nov 9, 2008)

I hear ya NW. I made some choke cherry and the sediment is verey verey fine andjust when you think it stopped.... 
<DIV id=ms__id120> I got mine in two seperate 3 gallon carboys. I thoughtit stopped dropping sedement anda week later, more.I am thinken of putting it back in a six galand some sparkloid. With the advantage of the cold weatherim gonnacold stabalize i thinks.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 9, 2008)

I do use Super-Kleer KC on Chokecherry....You think it's done dropping and then there is a lot more....then we rack it at least twice or more...

When the bottom of the carboy is clean after a couple rackings...then we bottle. I do put it in the darkest bottles we have, dark brown Claret,[ but we don't haven enough of those this time]....If it does drop even more sediment over time, it doesn't show as much.....


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## K&GB (Nov 9, 2008)

Love the labels on the batch you bottled in July. Neighborhood Choke cherry. Can't imagine a better caption. 


You mentioned using jugs, and I'm having trouble racking out of mine. My auto-siphon doesn't fit (there's probably a smaller version) in my 1-gal jugs, and the lees always seem to get sucked up by the racking tube. I either wind up leaving3 inches of wine behind and trying to strain the last 3 inches through coffee filters. Any advice? Thanks.


Ken


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## Wade E (Nov 9, 2008)

<t></t><table style="width: 417px; height: 108px;" id="products" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><t><tr><td width="2%" align="default"><div align="center">4872 </td>
<td width="5%"><div align="center">



</td>
<td width="20%">

3/8 inch Mini Auto-Siphon for One Gallon Jugs
</td>
<td width="2%"><div align="right">$8.99

</td></tr></t></table>
*Edited by: wade *


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## PolishWineP (Nov 9, 2008)

Bert was hunting MN this weekend. And his cheeks were so windburnt when he got home last night. That wind was vicious! Much nicer out there today. Next weekend and the following he will be in ND. His sister and B-I-L live outside of Mountain and they really need a good harvest done. Way too many deer around the entire area! My car is scared to go out in the dark!


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 9, 2008)

No problem racking since Jim made me a short racking cane and copied the idea of the 'orange cap' method of racking...

He drilled two holes in a #6 rubber bung...






Then cut down a racking cane and inserted both pieces...






Blow in the short piece of tubing and the pressure pushes the wine up the racking cane and out the tubing into a receiving carboy...

I think someplace I saw they sell a bung with two holes...that was after we rigged one up....

I do have to hold down on the bung when blowing to insure a tight seal, otherwise....
No fuss...Works great.....


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## K&GB (Nov 9, 2008)

That's the coolest rig, NW!



That looks like the carboy cap George sells, but I'm not sure he sells one small enough for 1-gal jugs.


My problem is when I get near the bottom. I always manage to suck up a bunch of lees. Maybe it's because of the large diameter tubing I use,3/8" I think. If I got a smaller auto-siphon, like Wade suggested, maybe it would come with 1/4" tubing. Maybe then there wouldn't be as much suction. It's going on my wish list. But I may have to make a rig like yours in the meantime. Very nice!


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## pelican (Nov 9, 2008)

Chokecherry throws sediment forever??




I just bottled my chokecherry and said to myself "should I filter" replied "no, I want to save my filters for other stuff". Dang it. 

It was very clear, I had racked it several times. The last one was a very small small dusting of just other-colored-coating on the very bottom of the jug. 

About racking from jugs without getting lees, K&amp;GB I have the same probelm as you, sucking up some right near the bottom. I try to accommodate for that by not putting my tubing too far down at once - I inch it down as the level drops while I am racking. I also tilt the jug towards my tubing when I get to about 1/3 full - and keep the tubing up towards the top of the fluid level. If there are any lees to speak of, they come up the tube anyway no matter what you do about it because of the (my opinion) suction pressure being higher per volume of wine in the smaller container. It means I rack again... when that bit that sucks up settles down. And maybe rack again. I also switched to a smaller diameter tube and that helps.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 9, 2008)

Chokecherry will also sometimes put a cloud on the sides of the bottle...It's something to do with the pigment in the fruit. 

You might get some sediment in yours....but it sticks to the bottle....Be sure to rinse and use the bottle brush right away before it dries on.

My racking cane has a little plastic bottom on it and it keeps it out of the sediment pretty good. I prefer to throw away a little bit of wine that rack it over....there is no shortage of wine....


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## pelican (Nov 11, 2008)

Dang that chokecherry - I looked at the bottles this evening and there is stuff in there (not just wine I mean, sediment). I knew I was being impatient to bottle it, so, they are now unbottled and I'll just bide my time - let it settle out some more and then filter before I bottle "for real". 

It was satisfying to bottle it!! but it Haste makes Waste - Just the cost of the corks and having to rewash the bottles again. Maybe a good lesson to remember next time the bottling-bug bites


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 12, 2008)

pelican said:


> Dang that chokecherry - I looked at the bottles this evening and there is stuff in there (not just wine I mean, sediment). I knew I was being impatient to bottle it, so, they are now unbottled and I'll just bide my time - let it settle out some more and then filter before I bottle "for real".
> 
> It was satisfying to bottle it!! but it Haste makes Waste - Just the cost of the corks and having to rewash the bottles again. Maybe a good lesson to remember next time the bottling-bug bites



Chokecherry is a real stinker to clear....We try to keep racking until the carboy is clean for a couple rackings. Even then, this sometimes grey sediment cloud will accumulate on the sides of the bottle...and, sometimes the usual purple sediment on the bottom most side of the bottle.....





I do use Super-Kleer KC to rid the heaviest particles, but, find it will drop more sediment for several rackings after the S-K KC.

The wine is worth the wait. When we gather with friends it is the most asked for wine....Many friends are not shy to ask for more.....Depending on our inventory they usually get some.

At the moment we have 6 gallons clearing....This summer when I was feeling crappy I did mix up 2 batches with hopes of stockpiling a stash. Low and behold, I will soon mix up yet another batch just to keep on top of the demand.....

It is by far one of our most favorite deep, full bodied red wines....


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## Aaronh (Nov 12, 2008)

At first when I tried my choke cherry wine it tasted a bit astringent and I was having my doubts. The bouqet was a bitsharp as well.This morning I racked my 2 gallons back into a 6 for further clearing. I tasted it, smelled it and wow what a difference. The bouqet is sorta like a bubble gum smell and the taste is rather smooth and refreshing. Defenently note worthy and worth the waiting on the clearing. I can see why you call this your favorite NW



I am on my 5th racking so far



.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 12, 2008)

When I steam juice the Chokecherries it smells like Almond.....They might be related. 
When I made Chokecherry Syrup I added Almond flavoring and it turned out great. I like it on pancakes and waffles and Jim puts it on ice cream.....


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## Wade E (Nov 12, 2008)

Sounds like this is a wine that can really use a Vinbrite filter!


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 12, 2008)

I have that on my wish list....don't know why I haven't gotten one before this.

I also need a Checker ph tester....so many toys....

Just need to treat myself more....but just stocked up on supplies and was feeling guilty and took those two things off for the next order..


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## Wade E (Nov 12, 2008)

Treat yourself woman, you deserve it if anyone does!


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 25, 2008)

Bottled 11 gallons of Chokecherry Wine that has been hanging around since July.....






Nice to get it done and out of the way.....

Kept back 1 gallon to serve on Thanksgiving....[save the corks]





*Hope the photo shows up....Having a hard time posting photos lately.


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## grapeman (Nov 25, 2008)

Well I see the labels now. You took a picture from the other side in the other post or else this picture is after you added them


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 25, 2008)

I added the labels late in the evening....

Now I am cleaning the sticky floor in the kitchen....


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## Wade E (Nov 25, 2008)

Thats a lot of labels and corks there Woman!


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 25, 2008)

wade said:


> Thats a lot of labels and corks there Woman!



I forget how many bottles there was....
11 gallons of Chokecherry + 1 gallon jug......and...
25 bottles of Blueberry and 1 gallon jug....

Guess that adds up to 79...





Sure was fun tho....


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## Wade E (Nov 25, 2008)

Did you have another treatment that makes you crazy with energy again?


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 25, 2008)

wade said:


> Did you have another treatment that makes you crazy with energy again?



No treatment....no steroids or cortisone....just going crazy being inside the house.....

This is a hard time for me....transition between practically living outside and being stuck inside....

Think I need another hobby.....


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