# Maple Syrup Wine



## Wannabe (Feb 18, 2011)

I've been trying to find a recipe for maple syrup wine. Apparently it's amazing but finding a recipe isn't easy. Would anyone have a recipe they'd be willing to share? I've come across these two sites that look interesting. Before I go experimenting using maple syrup ($$), I'd appreciate it if some of you pros would take a look at them comment. I'd appreciate comments/suggestions. Thanks

http://www.brewery.org/cm3/recs/10_25.html

http://www.donosborn.com/homebrew/acerglyn.htm


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## mmadmikes1 (Feb 18, 2011)

My guess is it has been done more than once and if turned out good we would have all heard


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## deboard (Feb 18, 2011)

Sounds like an interesting experiment, why don't you make your own recipe if no one else has one? This is one of my favorite parts of winemaking. 

All you really need to start making wine is to make sure a few things are measured:

Specific Gravity (SG): To keep track of alcohol % and to give the yeast plenty of stuff to convert to alcohol. Maple Syrup seems fairly sweet, but it's always best to check. I would hazard a guess and say you will need to add water. If you don't have a hydrometer, go get one, they are very useful.

Acid: Check with a titration kit. I always shoot for 0.65% - 0.75%. The maple syrup sounds like it will be low in acid, but I'm not certain, just a guess. It's easy to use tartaric acid to make adjustments since the titration kit is measuring that acid specifically, but acid blends work fine too. 


Then you have to determine the amounts of a few things: 

Wine tannin - My container has instructions for heavy/light wines, but this can be optional if you wish. I like tannic wines, so I generally add plenty.

Yeast Nutrient - (mine says 1/2 tsp per gallon, follow your container's instructions, but you probably won't hurt your wine by putting a little too much in)

Pectic Enzyme - not sure if you'd need it here, but it won't hurt if not. 

k-meta - add 1/4 tsp per 6 gallons (that's what mine says anyways). So divide or multiply for your batch size. 

OTHER ingredients: This might be where you get creative. Adding spices, maybe Allspice, or cloves, some fruit, things like that. Or nothing extra, that's fine too. 


Add all this first and let it set for 24 hours in the primary, covered with a towel or bucket lid.


Then pick yourself a yeast and add that to the mix, and you're on your way to maple syrup wine. 

Once you've racked the wine a few times, and most or all of the sediment is gone, add Potassium Sorbate as directed on label to ensure no renewed fermentation. 

Now, if you want to sweeten it, I'd suggest getting more maple syrup and adding it as an f-pac. It's important to do this at least a week AFTER you add the Potassium Sorbate. I always wait a month, but that's just my racking schedule. Sweeten to your own tastes.


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## Runningwolf (Feb 18, 2011)

Funny you brought this up. Just tonight at dinner I was telling some friends I would like to try this wine this spring. I am also looking for a recipe.


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## djrockinsteve (Feb 18, 2011)

Runningwolf said:


> Funny you brought this up. Just tonight at dinner I was telling some friends I would like to try this wine this spring. I am also looking for a recipe.



Hey Dan, whip up a batch of milk wine to go with it.


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## Wannabe (Feb 18, 2011)

Maple syrup wine seems to exist. I've done enough poking around to know that it has no taste resembling maple syrup until it's aged at least a year. And I've seen lots of comments on how good it is but then no one seems to follow up with a recipe. Perhaps I'll invent my own and then not share.  Who am I trying to kid?!? If I actually produced something enjoyable, I know I couldn't help bragging and telling everyone!


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## Runningwolf (Feb 18, 2011)

djrockinsteve said:


> Hey Dan, whip up a batch of milk wine to go with it.



Hey DJ who was it that made milk wine last year. I wonder how it ever turned out. I have no interest in making this one.


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## djrockinsteve (Feb 18, 2011)

no we'd have to search. I couldn't bring myself to read the posts. It actually churned, no pun intended, my stomach,


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## Runningwolf (Feb 18, 2011)

djrockinsteve said:


> no we'd have to search. I couldn't bring myself to read the posts. It actually churned, no pun intended, my stomach,



Here you go,* milk* it for what it's worth.


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## djrockinsteve (Feb 18, 2011)

If you are what you eat then you whiz what you ain't!


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## Mud (Feb 18, 2011)

Sub maple syrup into a mead recipe and you should be fine. Might put a vanilla bean or 3 in there, too. It'll be tops. 

Google "maple mead" and you'll find some good stuff.


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## Wannabe (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestion Mud. I'd already done a bunch of googling before I posted my inquiry. I looked into meads and also stumbled across acerglyns (I think). I'd never even heard of meads and the process seems a little different. I'm a newbie at even wine so may be getting a bit ambitious for my own good. It's a long time til spring so I have lots of time to research before setting it up


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## Runningwolf (Feb 18, 2011)

Wannabe said:


> It's a long time til spring so I have lots of time to research before setting it up



Thats what I though too until on the way to dinner I already saw buckets on trees.


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## mmadmikes1 (Feb 18, 2011)

I wouild heat the maple syrup to about 120 for about 15 minute to break down the sugars.Maple syrup is just a tree sugar syrup. I would guess you will add about as much watewr as you do for Mead with honey but hydometer will tell the tail.


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## Mud (Feb 18, 2011)

Not really, Mike. In order to make maple syrup the sap is reduced ~40:1 by boiling. Further heating shouldn't be required.


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## mmadmikes1 (Feb 19, 2011)

You dont think it will need it to get it all desolved? Not disareeing, interested. On west coast you could never afford the experiment


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## bruno (Feb 19, 2011)

I made maple sap wine several years ago. It came out very good but did not taste like maple syrup, more like a spiced, mulled wine. Jack Keller's recipe.


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## Mud (Feb 19, 2011)

Not sure if my prior post sounded argumentative or rude but it wasn't supposed to. Sorry if so. 

If you meant that heat will help the maple syrup dissolve you're certainly right. I misunderstood what you meant by "convert".

Real maple syrup is much less viscous than you might suppose if all you've had is fake stuff for pancakes. Lots of people (including me) make honey mead by dissolving the honey in room temp water for a couple reasons: It's easier on the delicate honey scents and flavors and requires less aging. You have to stir until about 5 minutes after your arm has fallen off but it works. Maple syrup should be easier. 

One thing, though...You generally don't need to sulfite honey at the beginning because it has some natural anti-bacterial properties but should do so with maple syrup.

BTW, I'm not trying to drag this off-topic and make it about honey. They're just very similar. And if I rambled it's because I need a pot of coffee. A cup won't cut it.


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## mmadmikes1 (Feb 19, 2011)

*as I suck down my 4th cup* didn't sound like an argument, sounded informitive. We aint got no maple trees here that make my pancakes tasty


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## Dirtydog420 (Feb 19, 2011)

Im hoping to make some wine with maple sap and was planning to back sweeten with syrup..


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## Wiz (Feb 19, 2011)

Hey DJ, careful how you use that word.

Mike


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