# Largest Fruit Wine Batch



## e-wine (Mar 5, 2010)

Okay, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask and I want to direct this first part to the amateur wine makers. 

What is the largest batch of Fruit Wine you've ever attempted? 

What kind was it and was it from fresh fruit? 

Would you try it again? 

Would you try a bigger batch if you had the room? 

To the commercial guys: 

What are the biggest challenges you encounter with the larger batches? 

Besides the taste test, what other tests do you run? 

Finally, and this is for everybody, how many belong to a local wine making club? 

If this is an inappropriate question, please let me know and remove it for me. 

Thank you. 

e-wine


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## Wade E (Mar 5, 2010)

I dont really make anything over like 8 gallon batches but I would say about commercial batches that when you are making big batches would be keeping the temp down. As Im sure you know when you have a batch of wine going and its in its vigorous stage it can create its own its own heat and when the size starts to get pretty big you start to need cooled fermentation tanks. I test for acidity and S02 myself. Id like to get a ph meter though soon. I cant see anything that would make this a inappropriate question.


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## Tom (Mar 5, 2010)

e-wine said:


> Okay, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask and I want to direct this first part to the amateur wine makers.
> 
> What is the largest batch of Fruit Wine you've ever attempted?
> 
> ...



Largest was 13gallons
Yes it was from fresh fruit (Blueberry)
Would I do it again?? In a heart beat!
I think for now I would do either 6 or 12 gallons. Reason is I have a huge supply of fresh fruit available to me. So, I make alot of DIFFERENT fruit wines.
On problem I see is having enough room to make it since alot of fruit comes "in season" the same time. For this I use a "Steam Juicer". Then I can make it when MY schedule says I have the room (carboys) to do it


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## e-wine (Mar 5, 2010)

Oh, one more thing. In fairness, I should answer these questions myself.

What is the largest batch of Fruit Wine you've ever attempted?

The largest batch I've made was 4 gallons (4x1 gallon in the secondary).


What kind was it and was it from fresh fruit?

Fig wine made with fresh figs.


Would you try it again?

Yes 


Would you try a bigger batch if you had the room?

As I add capacity, I plan to increase my batch size.


Finally, and this is for everybody, how many belong to a local wine making club?

I do not belong to a local wine making club although I did sign up for one run by a wine/beer making supply store. I've heard nothing.


Tom,

Do you know if they make the concentrates for kits using the same process as the Steam Juicer?


Thank you.

e-wine


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## Tom (Mar 6, 2010)

Not that I am aware of. Other than the concentrate that comes in a can I know of no "fruit" Wine Kits. 
BTW yes, I do have a Wine Club here in NJ. Very active one. We get 25-30 @ out montly meeting.


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## Wade E (Mar 6, 2010)

The only fruit wine kits which really aint kits are the Vintners Harvest wine bases which are a pretty good product, I use the 3 gallon recipe on the can and not the 5 as the 5 comes out a little this. This means to use a can per every 3 gallons and 2 cans per 6 gallons. 
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdVHFP.asp


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## e-wine (Mar 6, 2010)

Tom,

Sorry, I should have clarified. What I meant was do they use a process similar to the Steam Juicer on the grape wine concentrates? (I have not seen any kits on Fruit Wines but I have not tried to find any.) In retrospect, I'll rephase the question and ask it under the kit wine discussion (if I can't find the answer already posted.) I appreciate the information on the Steam Juicer. Thank you.

e-wine


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## Tom (Mar 6, 2010)

I am not sure how they make the different size wine kits. I would think they boil the water out somehow. I do know they do not steam juice grapes, nor would I. 
I just steam juice fruit. the nice part like I said earlier is that I can just "can" them in canning jars and use when I have time.


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## mainecr (Mar 6, 2010)

Last september my wife and I went to a buddies house and picked 400 pounds of clapps favorite pears. We made a 24 gallon batch of 10 pounds of mashed pears per gallon. 8-5 gallon buckets going at once. It's been racked down to 20 gallons, and is next up to bottle. 

We are drinking 16 month old pear wine now. It's good!


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## Midwest Vintner (Mar 7, 2010)

i've made 20~25 gal of apple at one time in a old salt tank from water softener system.


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## Boyd (Mar 7, 2010)

About 13 gallons in a mini brew fermenter. Supposed to be 15 gallons but with having to leave room for foaming and stiring comes to about 13. Make the remainder, about 2 gallons in a stainless primary to top off a 14.5 gallon glass jug.


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## e-wine (Mar 15, 2010)

Couple of weeks ago, I bought my second 5 gallon glass carboy and also got a 14 gallon bottle in the same purchase. Does anyone know how well these 14 gallon glass bottles hold up for wine making? Thank you.

e-wine


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## Boyd (Mar 15, 2010)

I got 3 of those. They work fine except you have to pump from one to another to rack.

I got 2 pumps from Ebay for $29.00 to do that. They are Flojet diaphram pumps and the one I am using has a thermal reset that I have torest 2 times to transfer the jug.

Haven't stumbled onto an adapter to vacuum transfer yet.

Where did you get yours. They may have an adapter.


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## e-wine (Mar 15, 2010)

I bought the jug from an individual. The jug is marked M.C.A. STD and 1943 on the bottom. I'm still evaluating it and I don't know if I will use it for wine. It came with the 5 gallon carboy as a package deal. The 5 gallon carboy was made in Mexico.

e-wine


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## Boyd (Mar 15, 2010)

If you decide to sell it and are close to me I would be interested.


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## Wade E (Mar 15, 2010)

a 14 gallon demijon is an awesome find, if you cant find any cracks in it then you atre golden as long as you have a bung to fit it. Give it a good cleaning and fill er up!


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## IQwine (Mar 15, 2010)

I read somewhere that the kit manufacturers use a process that is the reverse of a pressure cooker. They want to lower the boiling point to get the water out but at a temperature low enough to keep the aromas and other goodies intact.

the rest of their process is probably a trade secret....


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## e-wine (Mar 15, 2010)

Per a wine making supplier, I need a #11 stopper. I'll still have to evaluate the demi-john further but for $30.00, I didn't think I could go wrong. I felt the carboy was worth that but you never know.

e-wine


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## Boyd (Mar 15, 2010)

Smile, you got one hell of a bargin. # 11 stopper is what is needed.


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## e-wine (Mar 23, 2010)

Okay, I am ready to increase my batch size. I just picked up seven 5 gallon carboys, two 6.5 gallon carboy, five 1 gallon jugs, a case of new champagne bottles with corks and bales plus a bunch of other stuff. I actually didn't want all of it but it was a package deal. I have no idea what I'll do with all of them but I plan to have fun figuring that out. Now, all I need is some fruit. Take care.

e-wine


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## Tom (Mar 23, 2010)

DUH !!!
You make MORE WINE !
Plenty of fruit available now (frozen)


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## e-wine (Mar 23, 2010)

I do plan to start some raisin wine this week. The beets are not ready yet and I have to keep space available for the figs . . . well, not anymore. I think I have that covered.

One of the carboys has a label for peach wine and a date of 1983. There is also a price list from a wine supply shop from 1984. I'll have more time to look through things tomorrow evening after I bottle the pumpkin wine.

e-wine


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## crazyx2 (Apr 29, 2010)

the largest batch I've done is 15 gallons, but I did about 4 x 6 gallon carboys at the same time. Using different yeasts etc mixing it up, was a hell of a time peeling the feijoas! 

Would definately do it again,


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## DragonsLair (May 5, 2010)

e-wine said:


> Okay, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask and I want to direct this first part to the amateur wine makers.
> 
> What is the largest batch of Fruit Wine you've ever attempted?
> 
> ...



Largest batch was 20 gallons. It was a blend of 75% red grapes and 25% white. Don't know the species yet. This is the only grape I do. Most of my wine is fruit or honey. Like some others here I use a steamer/juicer, which is a great way to get juice from the fruit, then freeze it til I'm ready to ferment.

Would I do it again? You bet. I am working on going commercial so I have been working up to 50 gallon batches.

There are several beer/wine clubs near me I frequent, but they cater more to the beer makers so I don't go all the time or hang out at their events.


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## crazyx2 (May 5, 2010)

Am in the process of constructing a fruit press, definately want to avoid peeling/squeezing/chopping as much as I can in the future..

Wow 50 Gal would be awesome! what type of carboy would hold that amount?


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## DragonsLair (May 5, 2010)

crazyx2 said:


> Wow 50 Gal would be awesome! what type of carboy would hold that amount?



Either ten 5 gallon carboys (my cold room is set up to hold 86) or a 50 gallon stainless steel tank, which is a lot cheaper than oak. I don't oak most of my wine, but if I do I can always just use oak cubes or staves.


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## Midwest Vintner (May 6, 2010)

DragonsLair said:


> Either ten 5 gallon carboys (my cold room is set up to hold 86) or a 50 gallon stainless steel tank, which is a lot cheaper than oak. I don't oak most of my wine, but if I do I can always just use oak cubes or staves.



not a fan of oaking myself. lightly can be good, but many wineries around here do heavy oaking. if i wanted to taste oak, i would buy firewood or something. lol

will be doing up to 300 gal, hopefully soon n


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## DragonsLair (May 6, 2010)

Midwest Vintner said:


> not a fan of oaking myself. lightly can be good, but many wineries around here do heavy oaking. if i wanted to taste oak, i would buy firewood or something. lol
> 
> will be doing up to 300 gal, hopefully soon n



I agree on the oak. Great for a Cab Sav. I put some in my Elderberry Port and it is coming out great, but nothing else. Good luck on the 300 gallons. Someday I'll be there.


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## Midwest Vintner (May 6, 2010)

DragonsLair said:


> I agree on the oak. Great for a Cab Sav. I put some in my Elderberry Port and it is coming out great, but nothing else. Good luck on the 300 gallons. Someday I'll be there.



elderberry port? sounds gooooooddd. 

we are still awating some paperwork and still have a few hurdles to get there.


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## e-wine (May 6, 2010)

I like the idea of 10 five gallon carboys when it come to racking and to bottling. You can see through the carboys better when racking and you don't have 250 bottle to do at one time. If you have the help though, why not do it all at once. 

I got my largest batch up to 6.5 gallon and I'm waiting for the figs to come into season. I have reviewed what I did with them last year and I believe I've identified some areas for improvement. I also have the fig/banana Maderia I want to try.

e-wine


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## DragonsLair (May 7, 2010)

Midwest Vintner said:


> elderberry port? sounds gooooooddd.
> 
> we are still awating some paperwork and still have a few hurdles to get there.



I am with you. The State Liquor Board and ATF will be easy. It's the City of Lakewood I am having the difficulty with. I won't be in the 300 gallon batch range until I outgrow the basement winery.

e-wine, I really like carboys because I can watch the contents. Some of my wines are so dark I have to use a maglight to shine through and see how clear it is. It also breaks up a batch into bite sizes pieces for those times I can't get help bottling.


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