# Plum wine tastes like medicine



## uwhinesomommywines (Oct 7, 2011)

We racked our plum out of secondary today and of course indulged in a little taste. All I can say is BLECH. Pretty much tastes like the medicine my mom used to force feed me as a child! So anyway, does anyone have any tips on how to improve the flavor? Maybe a f-pack? It also is *very *dry, so I'm pretty sure we'll be back sweetening later on...

It's a 5 gallon recipe...we used 15 lbs wild plums and 10 lbs sugar. Tonight's SG was .996


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## Sirs (Oct 7, 2011)

well don't use this as gospel but from what you've said i'd say you was short on the amount of fruit you had used for 5 gallon of plum wine, myself I used closer to 50 pounds for 6 gallon or about 8 1/2 pounds per gallon or in that neighborhood. I like to add more fruit so there is always plenty of the fruit flavor in my wines. Also if it has just finished fermenting it will taste odd especially if it is dry give it some time to mellow out. I had an elderberry that once it had finished fermenting it was awful I couldn't even get a sip to go down it was really nasty but after almost a year it is turning into an awesome tasting wine


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## Midwest Vintner (Oct 7, 2011)

I don't think 15# of plums is enough. An F-pac is probably recommended to get more flavoring, but I would have used more fruit, IMO. Still, You will also get more flavor back with some sweetening. It's amazing what a little sugar will do. 

What was the starting SG? 

Some people taste cherry wine and think cough syrup, so it might also be the relation of flavors problem and the wine may not be as bad as you think to others. If that makes sense. Let it sit for awhile too, that should make it mellow and then back sweeten it to your liking after the f-pac.  I've seen bad wines (i though from tasting in bulk aging), become much better with addition of time and sugar.


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## Julie (Oct 7, 2011)

you are short like 10#'s of fruit. You should have used 5 #'s per gallon and an f-pac. Make a strong f-pac, add that but make sure you stabilize your wine first. After the f-fac, then taste, you might need to sweeten it up some more. Fruit wines are better, with a ABV of 10-12% and sweeten, not necessarily real sweet but at least slightly sweeten.


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## uwhinesomommywines (Oct 7, 2011)

My starting SG 1.090 

I guess I'm confused on knowing how much fruit to use...? We referred to 2 recipes (both nearly identical) and both said use 15# per 5 gallons. One was a sheet of recipes that we received with our wine making supplies, from our supplier, and the other was from the "Winemaker's Recipe Handbook", which stated 4# per gallon, unless using wild plums (which we did), so it says to cut down to 3# per gallon - which would equal 15#. ...We also referred to various recipes we found online...

So, is there a "general rule" on how many lbs. of fruit to use, so that we know better in the future? ...Like say 5# of fruit per gallon? 

We will definitely use an f-pak and do some sweetening...

Thank you all so much for your feedback, it is so helpful


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## Midwest Vintner (Oct 8, 2011)

uwhinesomommywines said:


> So, is there a "general rule" on how many lbs. of fruit to use, so that we know better in the future? ...Like say 5# of fruit per gallon?
> 
> We will definitely use an f-pak and do some sweetening...
> 
> Thank you all so much for your feedback, it is so helpful



Many recipes are not "up to snuff" with what is on this site. I'm not sure about your specific books, but even Keller's site, lacks boldness in making fruit wine. It depends on what YOU want, but people here (me included) like mid-heavy bodied fruit wines. What some might consider heavy, others may think otherwise. There is a whole bunch of opinion in taste. Look at it this way, grape wine makers us ALL juice, at about 13-18 lbs of grapes to make wine. Why would 3 #'s get the job done? Now, on the other hand, grapes aren't particularly strong flavored and you'd be going overboard with 10 lbs of elderberries to the gallon. My best advice, until you get seasoned in wine making, is, it is best to ask here before you do a batch and see what people on here think. Take that knowledge from here and apply it to what you want to do, as in tailor it to your tastes and make your own assessments. Before you know it, you'll be helping people on here too! 

Keeping log and a list of recipes you like is a good way to get solid results.

Your welcome, but honestly this site is here to help, so don't worry, we'll do what we can to make sure you get your wine to make YOU happy.


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## Julie (Oct 8, 2011)

Rule of thumb is 5# per gallon.


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## Tom (Oct 8, 2011)

uwhinesomommywines said:


> We racked our plum out of secondary today and of course indulged in a little taste. All I can say is BLECH. Pretty much tastes like the medicine my mom used to force feed me as a child! So anyway, does anyone have any tips on how to improve the flavor? Maybe a f-pack? It also is *very *dry, so I'm pretty sure we'll be back sweetening later on...
> 
> It's a 5 gallon recipe...we used 15 lbs wild plums and 10 lbs sugar. Tonight's SG was .996



I am making that now.
Like above you are way short on #'s per gal
What was the starting gravity?
I used 36# for 6 gallons
Looks to me you have high alcohol and no flavor.
toss it. chaulk it up to experience


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## Tom (Oct 8, 2011)

Julie said:


> Rule of thumb is 5# per gallon.



Plum/Pear bump it to 6+#'s per gal.


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## CowboyPhil (Oct 9, 2011)

I agree with what everyone has said 5# of fruit is standard. I use this rule for a 1 gallon batch.
4# of fruit for a light flavor to wine, I generally do not use this method unless it is a mixed wine, such as Strawberry Chardonnay,
5# of fruit for a medium flavor, I use this for most fruit wines, I also sweeten to the point that my Alc % will be at or around 9-11%. Fruit wines taste much better with lower Alc levels, it is not about strength it is about flavor.
6# of fruit for a full bodied flavor or med for fruits that do not tend to have a ton of flavor, Plum falls in this area, so does strawberry in my humble opinion. 

I wouldn't toss it, I would try to F-pack and sweeten, then like Sirs said, wait it is amazing what 6 months will do.


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## uwhinesomommywines (Oct 9, 2011)

Thank you all for you replies!

I am definitely going to try using an f-pac and sweeten it up a bit to see if I can save it. There is plum flavor to it - just, overall, it is definitely very "alcohol tasting". ...Funny thing is that when I look up plum wines, many people in general seem to think they taste like medicine, so maybe mine is on track after all  ...It's a beautiful color if that counts for anything!!

So, we'll do the f-pac, sweeten it, wait 6 months and if it still tastes like medicine, we'll chalk it up to experience!


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## Rocky (Oct 9, 2011)

Just a suggestion, but Costco in our area sells a 3 lb. 2 oz. bag dried plums under their "Kirkland" brand. Ingredients are only dried plums (prunes) and Potassium Sorbate. Might be a way for you to go.


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## Tom (Oct 9, 2011)

Rocky said:


> Just a suggestion, but Costco in our area sells a 3 lb. 2 oz. bag dried plums under their "Kirkland" brand. Ingredients are only dried plums (prunes) and Potassium Sorbate. Might be a way for you to go.



YOU dont want it since it has sorbate. It will be a bear to start..


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## Rocky (Oct 9, 2011)

Tom, from the original posting, I believe the wine is finished fermenting (SG = 0.996) and they are to the point of backsweetening, which would imply that they have added or are about to add the sorbate. The little bit of K-sorbate in the plums should not hurt. I made the suggestion to get a little more plum flavor in the wine. Do you agree?


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## Tom (Oct 10, 2011)

Misunderstood your post.
Yes, that would work as a f-pac. 
I have a plum going now and it needs a f-pac and backsweetening. 
My plans are to use 5 qts of steamed plum juice and reduce it by 60%. This should gice some great flavor.


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## greyday (Oct 11, 2011)

Julie said:


> Rule of thumb is 5# per gallon.



I'll agree with this. 4 can even work if you mash them in a jam bag so the yeast can feed on them thoroughly, but why skimp if you don't have to?

Also, this may be a "duh" thing, but when you say "wild" plums, you don't mean plums from a tree in your yard, do you? Because wild plum doesn't mean from a tree, it's actually a specific type of north american plum...


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