# A NEW MUSCADINE PORT



## Waldo (Sep 4, 2009)

I guess technically I began this batch with my order to George for Malt and Elderberries on Monday but the gathering of the fruit began yesterday with my picking of 5 gallon of Muscadines. They are now cleaned and in the freezer 
I will need about another 2 gallon of fruit to get this one going.
Stay tuned for further developments !!


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## Wade E (Sep 4, 2009)

Sounds good, do you have the recipe made up yet?


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## vcasey (Sep 4, 2009)

So what does the fabric refresher bring to the port



? Looking forward to your recipe ........ minus the fabric refresher.
VC


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## Wade E (Sep 4, 2009)

"So what does the fabric refresher bring to the port



" Nice catch vcasey, now we can finally reproduce a "Cats Meow" wine, its the secret ingredient he has kept hidden.


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## hannabarn (Sep 5, 2009)

Shucks! Anybody knows that's so you can use pantyhose to strain your fruit! Right Waldo???


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## Waldo (Sep 5, 2009)

Oh, I forgot to mention, i spray my muscadines with fabric softner and it really helps when I get ready to juice them as it softens the skins 
Bwahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!


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## rrawhide (Sep 5, 2009)

Waldo strikes again!!!!
Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!


rrawhide


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## Waldo (Sep 21, 2009)

Phase 2 of this one was Saturday morning. I went and picked another 6 gallon of Muscadines. Got them washed and in the freezer..About ready to get this one going.


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## smokegrub (Sep 21, 2009)

Waldo, you are persuading me to plant some muscadines!


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## Wade E (Sep 21, 2009)

Are you making this exactly the same? I still havent opened your bottle buddy!


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## gaudet (Sep 21, 2009)

wade said:


> Are you making this exactly the same? I still havent opened your bottle buddy!



What will power............. Wade is the man!!!!


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## Waldo (Sep 22, 2009)

Right now wade I plan on using the same recipe as before.


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## JWMINNESOTA (Sep 26, 2009)

Ya got er rockin Waldo?


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## Waldo (Sep 28, 2009)

Hope to maybe juice the Muscadines next weekend and get er going


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## Waldo (Nov 30, 2009)

Waiting on some steady cool weather to get this one going and I am thinking this coming weekend the steamer juicer will be going full blast.


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## Goodfella (Nov 30, 2009)

wade said:


> I still havent opened your bottle buddy!








You are in for something very nice Wade!!! it's incredible.


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## Wade E (Nov 30, 2009)

Its gonna agewell right along side Jobes Blackberry Port.


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## paubin (Dec 5, 2009)

OK Waldo....where's the update and pics. Almost sorry I left the south as I don't have access to muscadines anymore...Laughed when I saw them in the Wallyworld.


Pete


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## Waldo (Dec 5, 2009)

Pete
A bout of the drizzling sniffles I must have contracted from my stint as Santa last weekend has forced me to postpone steaming my Muscadines at a later date. I dont think sinus drainage in the must would do too much for a good Muscadine Port


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## boozinsusan (Dec 7, 2009)

.......... uuuuummmmmm...... what are muscadines? Are they a kind of cherry or grape?


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## vcasey (Dec 7, 2009)

They are a grape native to the US and pretty common here in the south.


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## boozinsusan (Dec 8, 2009)

Oh, OK, thanks.
I thought they looked like a grape.


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## Waldo (Jul 3, 2010)

Finally, going to get it going today..Stand By for further developments 



Recipe as planned for now: 





6 Gallon batch


30 lbs Muscadines ( Steam Juiced)


1 Liter Red Grape Concentrate
2 lbs Muntons Light Malt Extract


4 oz. Dried Elderberries


2 lbs Raisins


Liquid from 3 lbs boiled ripe bananas &amp; Dried Elderberries( Approx 1 qt)


3 tsp Pectic Enzyme


3tsp Grape Tannin


6 tsp Yeast Nutrient


2 tsp Yeast Energizer


2 oz Bentonite


6 Campden Tablets


4 ozs French Oak Medium Toast cubes ( I will add these when fermentation begins)


1 Pack Red Star Pasteur Red yeast
Sugar to bring starting SG to 1.110


Additional juice from 12lbs Muscadines to make an F-Pack to back sweeten with.


I am planning on letting this one ferment all the way in the Primary and anticipate a finishing SG of around .990 which will leaveme withan ABV of around 16%.


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## Waldo (Jul 4, 2010)

Started early yesterday morning gathering everything to get this batch going.















A couple of deviations fom my original planned recipe were that I actually ended up steam juicing 38.5 lbs of Muscadines which resulted in a yield of just a hair over 4 gallons of juice. I also went with 2 lbs of Malt .Here are a few pictures of the process.


First step, while waiting on the Muscadines to finish thawingwas to chop up my bananas








Added them and the dried Elderberries to about 2 qts water








Brought this to a boil and then simmered for about 40 minutes








Strained out the pulp and added the juice to my Primary Fermenter. Just a big plate of goop was all that was left.








Got my Steamer set up and began steaming the Muscadines. I fill ita little overhalf full and then sprinkle a couple cups of sugar over them and then fill it on up and let that steam do its thing.


























As each batch finishes I will scoop out the remaining pulp and put in in a collander set in a pan and capture what juices remain from the batch. When all is said and done there is nothing but a mass of pretty much tasteless and odorless pulp.






















This all resulted 4 gallons of pure, sweet smelling Muscadine Juice








I dissolved the Malt extract and 4.5 lbs of sugar in boiling water, let it cool ovnight and added it too the primary this morning along with the Red Grape oncentrate and additionalwater to bring volume to 6.5 gallon.








Gave it good elbow breakingstirring and checked my SG which was 1.140 with a must temp of 78 degrees


The batch has now been sulphited and in about another 12 hrs I will add my Pectic Enzyme . Let it set another 12-14 hours and then add my Yeast nutrient &amp; Energizer and pitch the yeast. After fermentation begins I will add my raisins and oak chips. 
Anyone see any problems with seaing it up and letting it go all the way in the Primary with the raisins in it?


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## vcasey (Jul 4, 2010)

Waldo said:


> Anyone see any problems with seaing it up and letting it go all the way in the Primary with the raisins in it</font>?



I haven't had a problem yet and I actually find the fermentation goes a bit faster and degassing is much easier. I give it 1 last good stir at 1010 or so and seal it up, usually finishes in a couple of days.


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## Wade E (Jul 4, 2010)

Now that just looks tasty my friend!!!!!!!!


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## ibglowin (Jul 4, 2010)

Looks like the start of yet another gold medal winner! 

Nicely done.


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## fivebk (Jul 4, 2010)

Waldo , looks great !!!Looks soo good that I have tried dipping my wine thief in that primary bucket three times , but came up empty everytime











BOB


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## Waldo (Jul 4, 2010)

Thanks all..I am ever hopeful this one will turn out good also. I just added my Pectic Enzyme and will be pitching the yeast to it tomorrow.


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## Waldo (Jul 5, 2010)

Heated about 1-1/2 cups water in a small pan and dissolved the Bentonite and added it to my Primary. Dont just dump that Bentonite in, add it real slowy, constantly stirring as you add it and it will go in pretty smooth for you and not clump up.




 
Dissolved the Yeast Nutrient and Energizer and added it to the Primary and gave it a good stirring, talking to the must as I stirred, explaining in detail how I wanted it to act during fermentation and promised it some realy purdy bottles to live in if it behaved itself and did what I instructed.


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## dragonmaster42 (Jul 5, 2010)

Looking good there Waldo.


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## rrawhide (Jul 5, 2010)

hey hey hey Waldo. Hi Tony.

Maybe yer can put my nome on one of them bootles, huh?

Take care and good luck with all.

later

rrawhide


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## Waldo (Jul 5, 2010)

tHANKS Tony, and rrawhide iffen I knew what the hell a "nome" was I would fer shure put it on one of the bottles


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## grapeman (Jul 5, 2010)

Waldo, Wald, Waldo - haven't ya ever heard of a garden (g)nome? I'm not sure how you will get it to stick though.......................................


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## ibglowin (Jul 5, 2010)

Garden Gnome: A highly mythical figure that sneaks around in the wee morning hours looking for bottles of Muscadine wine to steal and drink under small river crossings........


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## Waldo (Jul 6, 2010)

Ohhhhhhhhh OK...So rrawhide are you going to send me your Nome or just a picture of it?






OK, so I rehydrated my yeast yesterday evening around 3PM and pitched it to the must. This morning I have a very healthy and nice smelling fermentation in progress.






I added my raisins and French Oak chips to a sanitized knee high panty hose. Added a handful of saniitized marbles to keep it weighted down and added it to the Primary. Will give it a good stirring this evening when I get in from work and seal her up and put the airlock on it.


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## Waldo (Jul 6, 2010)

Was planning on air locking it this evening but she is going, full steam ahead so may wait another day or so and ler er settle down a bit buefore I seal er up.


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## Waldo (Jul 6, 2010)

Well, went back in to give it a little stirring and she did not need it. She was bubbling over the sides












I grabbed a gallon jug, gave it a good sanitizing and drew off almost a gallon.








That brought the level down enough I felt it was safe to go ahead and put an airlock on it, which I did, after I got everything cleaned up goodon the outside .














Dont ya just love this hobby !!!!


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## grapeman (Jul 6, 2010)

It can keep a man on his toes, unless of course we drink too many samples while doing it!


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## gaudet (Jul 6, 2010)

Samples? Samples? Lucky enough we get to bottle something..........

Looking good Waldo..... I'm holding on to that gold medal winner from last year. I mean how can you improve on it except for aging it?


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## Waldo (Jul 7, 2010)

Well, I woke up this morning and it had foamed up into the airlock again and had the lid of the fermenter bulged up into a big dome. I sanitized a wash cloth, eased the airlock out and she tried to blow like ole faithful. I placed the cloth over the opening and covered the lid completely with a towel as it was time to leave for work. This evening I came in, sanitized another fermenter and transferred the wine into it, As NW would say, Life Is Good !!!


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## Waldo (Jul 17, 2010)

The Muscadine has completed fermentation at an SG of 1.004 which give me an ABV of 17.8%
I splash racked it to glass and will now begin the stabilazation stage









Dang flash on the camera stole part of my carboy and covered it with flooring 










All that was left in the Primary after racking


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## ibglowin (Jul 17, 2010)

Wow almost 18% ABV and that is without adding any Brandy or Vodka? 

That's fantastic!


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## Waldo (Jul 17, 2010)

That Pasteur Red went a little further than I thought it would. I may not fortify this one at all.


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## Goodfella (Jul 17, 2010)

mmmm.... maybe a touch?


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## xanxer82 (Jul 18, 2010)

Looks great Waldo  maybe bump it to 20% with brandy just for flavor ?


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## Brewgrrrl (Jul 18, 2010)

That looks fantastic - YUM!


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## Waldo (Jul 18, 2010)

xanxer82 said:


> Looks great Waldo  maybe bump it to 20% with brandy just for flavor ?






May do that before bottling. Will let it clear, bulk age it for a while on oak and then decide from there.


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## grapeman (Jul 18, 2010)

I would think it would be very flavorful already and that's a pretty decent ABV. Either way I'm certain it will be outstanding.


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## Wade E (Jul 18, 2010)

Smells like another gold!


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## Goodfella (Jul 19, 2010)

Yeah... Looking good Waldo.


I also like the idea of a touch of Brandy for flavor.


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## Waldo (Jul 19, 2010)

Thanks all..got a top secret plan to try with this one so stay tuned for further developments.


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## smack (Oct 3, 2010)

Waldo said:


> Thanks all..got a top secret plan to try with this one so stay tuned for further developments.


still staying tuned? . . .


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## toddrod (Nov 27, 2010)

Do you correct the acid levels at all? Did you check the levels? Just wou8ld like to know what TA level you would normally try to get with a wine of this type.


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