# Green Tomato Wine



## Brewgrrrl (Oct 4, 2009)

A few years ago I tasted a strange wine that reminded me of a bit of Chardonnay. When I found out I was drinking green tomato wine I couldn't believe it. I have wanted to try making it ever since. When my uncle gave me almost a full bushel of green tomatoes this year, I made the following recipe (based on several recipes I reviewed and adjusted to what I had available).

Green Tomato Wine (makes 6 gallons - I know, I might be crazy but what the heck, the tomatoes were free)

21 lbs green tomatoes
36 cloves
3 oz. ginger root, chopped
6 cans Welch's white grape concentrate (69 oz)
10 lbs sugar
juice of 6lbs of lemons
juice of 5 valencia oranges
1 1/2 tsp tannin
6 tsp yeast nutrient
6 tsp pectic enzyme
water to 6 gallons
6 campden tablets
Lalvlin EC-1118 wine yeast

Wash the tomatoes, remove bruises and blemishes, chop (I used a food processor). Place in a straining bag with the cloves and ginger root. Add the sugar and about two gallons of water and stir. Add remaining ingredients (except yeast) and leave overnight.

I plan on adding Lalvlin EC-1118 yeast tomorrow evening. My SG=1.120, which is a little higher than I'd expected, but my acid was right at .70. I plan on racking and removing the pulp/cloves/ginger when the SG=1.040.

Here's a picture of my 6 gallon green machine right now:







Wish me luck (fingers are definitely crossed on this one - this is by far the strangest thing I've tried to ferment to date).


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## vcasey (Oct 4, 2009)

One of our local wineries makes a tomato wine and they add hot peppers. I think maybe I'll try it again next time I visit, maybe. I like their carrot &amp; banana wine much better, but the best is the orange coffee. 
Here is the web site with their list of wines http://www.floridawine.com/wine_selection.htm
VC


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 4, 2009)

Interesting stuff! Thanks for the link. I wonder how a green tomato wine is different from a red tomato wine... I would think it might have a sharper ("green") flavor to start that might have to mellow more over time but I don't know. I've heard that red tomato wines have a strange flavor at first that has to mellow out over many months before it's drinkable. It will be interesting to see how this all turns out. Maybe I'll design a label while I wait...


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 8, 2009)

It's a healthy fermentation so far (Lalvlin EC1118 yeast), but also quite possibly the grossest looking one I've seen in a while. Hard to believe that the final wine is going to be light gold...


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## grapeman (Oct 8, 2009)

I hate to say this, but THAT LOOKS GROSS!


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 8, 2009)

Seriously. It's the GROSSEST! 
It looks and smells like a healthy fermentation though so - gosh darn it, it's so crazy, it just might work...


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## paubin (Oct 15, 2009)

I'm seriously wanting a pic once this is in the glass. 










Pete


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## Waldo (Oct 16, 2009)

That just does not look right




Keep those pictures coming on this one. I lke the idea of adding some hot peppers to the must too. Im going to save your recipe and give this one a try next year.


Gaudet made a tomato wine, maybe he can jump in here and give us his take on it.


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 16, 2009)

I've been under the weather so I just got around to racking this off the pulp.






Needless to say, there will be no second-run tomato wine... for obvious reasons.






It's a bit less green now...






(hey, if I said this was green apple you'd be all over it, right? Well - it's NOT)

And finally... (I did pause for a long while at this moment)...










Yes. Yes I did.
It's very strong alcoholic-flavor but not very tomato-ey any more. When I figure out how to describe the taste I'll let you know. I'll almost certainly be aging this a bit on oak at some point. That's all for now.

(at least I didn't post this at dinner time, right?)


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## ibglowin (Oct 16, 2009)

Wow,

You are indeed a brave "brew girl"!

It looks like a Chardonnay but has Lycopene!


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 16, 2009)

Ha! Perhaps I should reference anti-cancer properties on the label... (not verified by the FDA, of course)


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## xanxer82 (Oct 16, 2009)

Wow... Just wow... that's some bravery there. I would try it though. I'd try any wine once.


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## gaudet (Oct 16, 2009)

Waldo said:


> That just does not look right
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I made mine from red tomatoes. It turned to a nice golden / straw color. When I do it again I will not back sweeten as much. I like the taste though. You can get the hint of tomato, but one might not know what it is if they were not told firsthand.


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 16, 2009)

Gaudet, how do you think the green tomato might compare? To date it's never tasted very tomato-ey - more "green" than anything (although 11 days in is probably a bit early to be judging the flavor profile - ha ha). Any thoughts on this?


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## gaudet (Oct 16, 2009)

Honestly I don't know....................... Ever eat fried green tomatoes? They are tart and a bit acidic, so I would expect the same from your wine.


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 17, 2009)

Well, I'm going for a dry white so that sounds hopeful. We'll see how things go over the next few months...


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## boozinsusan (Oct 28, 2009)

Any updates?


I just made a one gallon batch from your recipe last night. Pitched yeast this morning.


First batch that I am totally on my own! I would have liked to go with a kit (which I have) but the tomatoes had to be dealt with, right?


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 28, 2009)

Sweet! I'd love to see pictures of your little green machine. 

Mine's still in the secondary, so not much to report. When I racked it the fermentation got pretty active again for about two weeks. Now it's quieted down but I'm going to wait a few more weeks before I rack it again. I'll post pictures the next time I work with it.


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## boozinsusan (Oct 29, 2009)

I really like the smell! It isgreen. citrusy, and yeast-y. 


I am also surprised by the color - I thought it would resemblepond scum.


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 29, 2009)

Yes, I don't think it's actually as gross as the pictures looked here, but given the amount of time/work I put into it I'm also a little biased. I also agree that the fermentation smell was nice - the wine has really seemed very healthy and I'm looking forward to tasting it when it's finished.


My batch has lightened up quite a bit in the secondary. I also have a batch of Pinot Grigio going right now (about two weeks younger than the green tomato wine) and they actually don't look that different.


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## xanxer82 (Oct 29, 2009)

You gotta get some pictures up Brewgrrl. I'm interested in seeing it


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## vcasey (Oct 29, 2009)

http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8751&amp;PN=1

She post a couple when she started.
VC


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## boozinsusan (Nov 6, 2009)

Mine is now in secondary too. One gallon jug.
It is a beautiful yellow color, and I am amazed at what the must looked like when I took it out of the bag - dusty pieces of nothing........


Hope I am doing this right! Remember, it is the first batch I will have done all by my lonesome!


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## Brewgrrrl (Nov 6, 2009)

That sounds right. I have a Pinot Grigio going at the same time and the color is surprisingly similar.


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## graywolf97 (Nov 14, 2009)

Hey, 

Green tomato wine was the first that I ever made. I used my Uncle's recipe:

6 lbs green</span> tomatoes
6 lbs sugar
2 lbs raisins
2 large oranges
1 gallon water
yeast

This was of course, before I knew anything about how to make wine for real. Since that point, Jack Keller has helped me update it to this:

* 3 lbs green</span> tomatoes
* 2 lbs sugar
* 1 lbs raisins
* 2 large oranges
* 1 Campden tablet
* 1 tsp pectic enzyme
* water to make up 1 gallon
* 1 tsp yeast nutrient
* Champagne yeast" 

Bring
1 quart water to boil and pour over raisins and let soak about 15
minutes. Meanwhile, chop tomatoes and thinly peel oranges (orange
portion only, no pith). Drain and chop the raisins, then combine them,
the chopped tomatoes and the orange peel in nylon straining bag. Tie
and place in primary. Add sugar and 3 to 3-1/2 quarts boiling water and
stir well to dissolve sugar. Cover and allow to cool. Add finely
crushed and dissolved Campden tablet and juice of the two oranges. Wait
12 hours and add yeast nutrient and pectic enzyme, stirring to mix.
Wait additional 12 hours and add activated yeast in a starter solution.
Cover and gently squeeze bag 2-3 times a day. When vigorous
fermentation subsides, remove bag and drip drain, then squeeze well but
not too hard. Pour all liquid into secondary and top up with water if
required to within 2-1/2 inches of airlock. Rack after 3 weeks, then
again every month until wine clears and no additional deposits form
during two-week period. Bottle and allow to age 6-9 months.

I've had it in the secondary for a month or so now. It is more of a dark Orange color than your wine. I will post a picture when it's finished.


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## boozinsusan (Nov 30, 2009)

How is your batch looking, brewrgrrrl? I think mine is clearing nicely, all on its own.... Yours?


I realized we made the batches only a week or two apart, so I am kind of following you....... 


Great recipe, graywolf! Thanks!


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## Brewgrrrl (Nov 30, 2009)

Yes, it's looking really good. I'm hoping to have time to rack it again this weekend. If I do, I'll post pictures as well as a tasting update. Right now it's 6 gallons of mysterious liquid that seriously looks just like the pinot grigio going nearby.


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## boozinsusan (Nov 30, 2009)

I thought mine would be ready for what i think is the final racking, this weekend.
Glad to know you are in the same boat. I must be figuring this out....
I only have a 1 gallon batch, but it certainly is a topic when with friends - comes up all the time!


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## Brewgrrrl (Nov 30, 2009)

Well, I think I'll be racking at least once more after this time. I want to give it plenty of time to clear and I also think I will want to age it with some oak (depending on how it tastes right now). Right now, my basement (a.k.a. "the cellar") has really cooled off so I don't want to rush anything.


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## boozinsusan (Dec 2, 2009)

What type of oak will you try? I think I may rack once more too, now that you mention it..... would you put the oak in when you rack the last time?


My "cellar" is a closet in my kitchen (far away from cooking) since I rent. Storage is in the basement (put the bottles in Rubbermaid tubs so no one will know), so I am trying to get it there......


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 2, 2009)

I haven't decided yet - I think I will need to taste it and see what the flavor is like before I choose. I'll let you know when I do for sure. I'm really hoping to get to this during the coming weekend. Time seems to be flying by now that it's the holiday season.


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 6, 2009)

Okay, I racked it over today and it is REALLY tart-tasting. I had planned on adding oak, but I added only a little of very light-toasted oak because I didn't want to accentuate any tartness. I'm hoping this will be subtle. I'm also hoping the tartness will mellow with time. If it's still like this in a few months though, I may set it out in the garage and try cold stabilizing it.
It still looks just like the pinot grigio. I'll post pictures when I find my camera!


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## Waldo (Dec 6, 2009)

Brewgrrrl said:


> I haven't decided yet - I think I will need to taste it and see what the flavor is like before I choose. I'll let you know when I do for sure. I'm really hoping to get to this during the coming weekend. Time seems to be flying by now that it's the holiday season.



If you have the carboys to do it brewgrrrl I would try splitting thebatch, add some calcium carbonate to one of the batches, cold stabilize it and then blend the two back togrther.


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 6, 2009)

Hmmm. I have the carboys, but what would that accomplish?


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## grapeman (Dec 6, 2009)

The calcium carbonate (or potassium carbonate) would remove some of the acids and lower the TA. It works best on malic acid so I'm not sure if it would do a lot. Then the cold stabilizing helps to precipitate the Ca or K Carbonate out.


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 6, 2009)

But why only half the batch? This stuff is really tart...


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## grapeman (Dec 6, 2009)

I'm not sure on that question. If I was doing it, I would try a bench trial with small amounts to get the desired affects and then multiply it to do the whole batch.


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 6, 2009)

Hmmm. I only started it two months ago... I may give it some more time before experimenting. Whew, it's tart though...


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## corn field (Dec 6, 2009)

I make both green &amp; ripe tomato wine. They both are tart to start with. A little sugar and time usually cures it. Be careful with the sugar though because it is easy to get it too sweet.


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 6, 2009)

Thanks! Oh boy, do I have questions for you: How long do you usually have to age yours? Do you cold stabilize? Do you use oak? What do you think of the recipe I started with?


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## corn field (Dec 6, 2009)

Ripe tomato is usually drinkable in 8 months, green tomato takes about a year but is great at 2years. No I don't use oak but try it and let me know. Your recipt seems right on to me. I don't use raisens because the sulphur treat ment they use to preserve them gives me a serious alergic reaction. I use either white grape concentrate or welches white grape frozen concentrate I think it helps with the sour taste IMHO. I keep all of my wine in the basement and it is around 50 in the winter and 65 in the summer.


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## Waldo (Dec 7, 2009)

Brewgrrrl said:


> But why only half the batch? This stuff is really tart...



I made this recommendation on the assumption that you would want to retain a degree of atartness to this wine which this procedure i FELT WOULD ACCOMPLISH TAHT


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 7, 2009)

Thanks, Ron. My basement has a similar winter temp so maybe just leaving this alone for a while will do the trick.
Waldo - thanks. I've only done kits, red wine from juice and fruit wines so I haven't ever cold stabilized anything (the pino grigio I started around the same time is my first white wine). I wouldn't have thought of only doing part of the batch to retain some of the tartness. This is all really interesting and it's going to be neat to see how it progresses.


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## grapeman (Dec 7, 2009)

With practice you can add (x)carbonate for the treatment to the full batch after finding the correct amount to add. Waldos way is another possibly safer way. That way if you take too much acid out, you can blend back to the right amount. Yes you are correct Waldo. Many ways to skina <STRIKE>cat</STRIKE> er, dog (Waldo's a cat guy).


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 7, 2009)

appleman said:


> With practice you can add (x)carbonate  for the treatment to the full batch after finding the correct amount to add. Waldos way is another possibly safer way. That way if you take too much acid out, you can blend back to the right amount. Yes you are correct Waldo. Many ways to skin a <strike>cat</strike> er, dog (Waldo's a cat guy).



Thanks, Appleman (and good to know who the cat and dog people are).


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## boozinsusan (Dec 30, 2009)

So, how is it coming along, brewgrrl? Mine tastes like a Chablis (kind of) and is clearing pretty well (next racking will be in a few weeks, i think).


How about yours?


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 30, 2009)

It'll probably be a while longer before I rack it off the oak chips (lightly toasted American oak). So far so good, but I think Ron's right that this is going to take a while for the taste to settle - even though it's clearing nicely, mine is still green-tasting.


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## Waldo (Dec 30, 2009)

May be a perfect pairing with Fried green Tomatoes then brewgrrrl


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## Brewgrrrl (Dec 30, 2009)

Here's hopin'!


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## RSRN601 (Jan 2, 2010)

Tomatoe wine sounds interesting. Is there a preference to the type of tomatoe? I use Romas for making sauce and salsa.


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## boozinsusan (Jan 20, 2010)

Welcome RSRN601!


I guess seeing which type of tomato to use would be part of the experiment, and therefore, fun, of this obsession.... the green tomatoes I used were the regular beefsteaky kind that had to be picked before a frost. 


I typically grow romas too for canning, and would be interested to know if there is a difference. I imagine there would be more sediment from romas since there is more pulp and less juice/seeds than regular tomatoes, but that is just a guess on my part.....


I think I will be tasting and racking/bottling this soon! Woo hoo! 


I did not oak, and only have a small batch (it is now in a 3 liter jug - already racked from a one gal jug) and will be bottled into beer or other smaller bottles. 


I figure that even if I don't like the taste of it for casual drinking, it probably would be good in spaghetti sauce, right?


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## boozinsusan (Feb 12, 2010)

I like the taste so far, but it does have a little "bite" to it (tartness).


I jsut added some light toast American Oak to it. I will let it sit a while and then bottle - it is already pretty clear.


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## Brewgrrrl (Feb 13, 2010)

My basement is reallyreallyreally cold, so there is not much going on down there right now.



I am looking forward to the Spring thaw and seeing how the green tomato wine turned out (mine was made from the beefsteak tomatoes too)...


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## boozinsusan (Aug 23, 2010)

Do you have any updates yet? I still have not tasted mine again..... letting it sleep a while, I guess.....


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## Brewgrrrl (Aug 24, 2010)

Mine is oaked and almost clear - it's funny you are asking because I was just thinking I should really rack/degas it this coming weekend. I'll sample it when I do and let you know.


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## Ankita (Oct 6, 2010)

Hi Brew Girl,

Its an interesting post and the wine you make it seems to be very tasty.
My recipe about green tomato wine :

3 1/2 lbs / 1,600 grams green tomatoes

2 1/2 lbs / 1,100 grams granulated sugar

Juice of 4 lemons

1/2 teaspoon pectic enzyme

2 lbs / 900 grams raisins

1/2 oz fresh ginger

Wine yeast

1 teaspoon yeast nutrient / energiser

8 pints / 1 gallon water

1 campden tablet

</span></span></span>Wash
and chop tomatoes. Add to winemaking fermentation bucket, together 
with all other ingredients, apart from wine yeast. Stir wine mixture 
and leave to settle overnight.



Add activated wine yeast and stir the tomato wine 'must' twice daily for
five days. Strain the tomato wine mixture thoroughly, extracting all 
of the juice and liquor. Transfer fermenting tomato wine into demijohn,
with an airlock. Rack for the first time at four weeks, and then two 
or three more times until clear and one year old. Bottle the tomato 
wine and leave to stand for a few months before drinking.

You can get varieties of wine by this resource winegrowersdirect.com.au.

</span></span></span></span>


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## boozinsusan (Aug 11, 2011)

Mine is being used mainly for cooking, so I bottled into Grolsch bottles. Tastes "green" (SURPRISE!)
Was good in a chicken/mushroom dish with a cream sauce.


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## Brewgrrrl (Aug 24, 2011)

I'd caution using all of it - everything I've heard about this wine is that it takes time to mellow out. I've had more than one batch of other wines that I thought were only good for cooking, but then a year or two later realized (when I only had a bottle or two left) that they had become delicious. I am still bulk aging this one...


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## boozinsusan (Dec 2, 2011)

Thanks Brewgrrrl, I will keep that in mind.
I like the recipe that Kartik posted too - I like the addition of ginger. Maybe I will try that as well.....


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