# Jack Keller's #1 & #2 Muscadine Recipes?



## bearpaw8491 (Sep 7, 2021)

Can anyone direct me to Jack's original #1 and #2 recipes for muscadine wine? Just received his Home Winemaking book and hoped they would be included but they were not. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 
Didn't realize Jack had passed away until I noticed it in the Authors Profile. He will be sorely missed.

Thanks in advance,

John


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## Silverbeard (Sep 7, 2021)

bearpaw8491 said:


> Can anyone direct me to Jack's original #1 and #2 recipes for muscadine wine? Just received his Home Winemaking book and hoped they would be included but they were not. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> Didn't realize Jack had passed away until I noticed it in the Authors Profile. He will be sorely missed.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> ...



From the internet archive:



winemaking: requested recipe (muscadine wine)


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## Rembee (Sep 7, 2021)

Hope this helps!


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## bearpaw8491 (Sep 7, 2021)

Rembee said:


> Hope this helps!


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## bearpaw8491 (Sep 7, 2021)

Thanks for the fast reply Rembee. Will get this down in "recipe" format. May I ask where this came from; I looked all over for it. Thanks again


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## Rembee (Sep 7, 2021)

It came from a post here in the forum from @Hoonakwa 



Hoonakwa said:


> https://swguildpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Jack-Keller-Complete-Requested-Recipes-Collection.pdf


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## bearpaw8491 (Sep 7, 2021)

Wow! The entire collection!!! What a find!
Thanks Rembee and Hoonakwa!


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## bearpaw8491 (Sep 8, 2021)

Silverbeard said:


> From the internet archive:
> 
> 
> 
> winemaking: requested recipe (muscadine wine)


Thanks Silverbeard, appreciate the link.


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## JeffA (Sep 8, 2021)

Here are 3 Muscadine recipes from Jack Keller's website. And yes, he is missed dearly.


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## JeffA (Sep 8, 2021)

Rembee said:


> It came from a post here in the forum from @Hoonakwa


Thank you so much for this great link. I already have a lot of his recipes. However, having this PDF is awesome. Thanks again.


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## bearpaw8491 (Sep 8, 2021)

Thanks JeffA. Has been added to the collection.

John


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## wetneck (May 2, 2022)

I've never had muscadine grapes but they sound awesome. Id love to try them, the flavor description sounds so unique.


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## bearpaw8491 (May 2, 2022)

The muscadines are really good. They make great jelly, wine and even muscadine hull pie!! Not sure where you are but they have a wide growing range although they do best in the South. Look for them in groceries, farmer's markets in late July thur Sept. I've read that the hulls (skins) are the highest in antioxidants of any fruit/vegetable. We have the "Mother Vine" (400+ yrs old !) in Manteo (NC) from which all muscadines are supposed to have originated. Sir Walter Raleigh discovered the vine on his voyage to NC. My vineyard consists 4-60' rows. I get a couple of hundred pounds of grapes each season. Can you tell I really like 'em?


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## wetneck (May 2, 2022)

bearpaw8491 said:


> The muscadines are really good. They make great jelly, wine and even muscadine hull pie!! Not sure where you are but they have a wide growing range although they do best in the South. Look for them in groceries, farmer's markets in late July thur Sept. I've read that the hulls (skins) are the highest in antioxidants of any fruit/vegetable. We have the "Mother Vine" (400+ yrs old !) in Manteo (NC) from which all muscadines are supposed to have originated. Sir Walter Raleigh discovered the vine on his voyage to NC. My vineyard consists 4-60' rows. I get a couple of hundred pounds of grapes each season. Can you tell I really like 'em?



I don't think they grow this far north. Im in Mid Michigan. Ive been thinking about growing grapes here but somewhat limited to certain varieties. We usually get a tough freeze time here.

Maybe i can get some frozen muscadine grapes. I do have a friend in Virginia who stops in sometimes. Maybe he has a connection lol.

I love to watch that Moonshiners show on discovery and Mark and Digger use muscadine grapes in some of their "mashes". Never heard them call a "fruit mash" a must on that show. I know its all fake, more of an advertisement for their legal moonshine brands. I just like watching it for educational purposes lol.

Anyway im going to research these muscadine grapes a little more and try to figure it all out.

That 400 year old vine sounds so interesting. Curious as to how it can all be traced back to one vine. I love agriculture and am extremly drawn into this topic now.

Thanks for your insightful response.


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## bearpaw8491 (May 2, 2022)

Yep Michigan is way too far north for muscadines. Here's a link to Muscadine juice from Isons Nursery - a big supplier of vines - Red Muscadine Juice | Shop | Ison's Nursery & Vineyard. Pretty sure they'll ship to you. It's too expensive to use for a wine base but will give you an idea of the flavor. There are several wineries that specalize in muscadine wines, the most notable is Duplin - Duplin Winery | Sweet Wines. Wines can be dry or sweet. BTW, here's another link from PBS about the Mother Vine if you're interested https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=0i3qUur5l9Q&usg=AOvVaw2WoL99lzuh-FJebOoF005g.
Oh yeah, as far as those NC moonshiners are concerned; don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. Most of the actors are from Michigan!!!  Keep us post on progress.


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## WinoDave (May 2, 2022)

I’ve made Muscadine wine the past 3 years, it’s pretty tasty, make sure you pick them at the right time. It’s taste pretty good after 6 months but hits it stride after a year or so. I picked mine to early last year and the wine came out a little sour. My buddy’s wife makes jelly with hers and it’s pretty awesome.


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## bearpaw8491 (May 2, 2022)

You're spot on Dave. 'dines are pretty acidic to begin with and if picked too soon the TA will be over the top. My test for ripeness is if I touch the berry and it drops off in my hand, it's on the money!


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## winemaker81 (May 3, 2022)

Buy Muscadines grown for winemaking. Table grapes will probably produce a thin wine due to lesser quality. Also note that bone dry they tend to be astringent.

Unlike others, I'm not fond of Muscadine or Scuppernong; while the local wineries produce high quality wines, it's not my taste. However, that doesn't stop me from trying them from time to time, as one of these days I may find one that works for me.


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## bearpaw8491 (May 15, 2022)

WinoDave said:


> I’ve made Muscadine wine the past 3 years, it’s pretty tasty, make sure you pick them at the right time. It’s taste pretty good after 6 months but hits it stride after a year or so. I picked mine to early last year and the wine came out a little sour. My buddy’s wife makes jelly with hers and it’s pretty awesome.


Hey Dave, Giving some thought to starting a collection of muscadine wine recipes and already have about a dozen. Out of curiosity (and feeding my desire for plagiarism !!!), what recipe(s) - if I may ask - do you use? PM me if preferable.


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## WinoDave (May 15, 2022)

bearpaw8491 said:


> Hey Dave, Giving some thought to starting a collection of muscadine wine recipes and already have about a dozen. Out of curiosity (and feeding my desire for plagiarism !!!), what recipe(s) - if I may ask - do you use? PM me if preferable.



Mine is nothing fancy. I just squish the grapes in a press. This year a 70 quart cooler full gave me a little under 3 gallons of juice. I took a sample of the juice to my local wine/beer supply store and got the PH measured and luckily It was perfect. I added sugar to get the SG to around 1.10, added some yeast energizer and yeast nutrient then pitched the yeast. Added more yeast nutrient day 3 and 5.
Then did some transfers every couple weeks/months till it was clear. Added potassium sorbate and potassium Metasulphite to kill off the yeast and then Back sweetened with traditional sugar/water till it was 1.020 and bottled. My first year batch took 3rd at the state fair. Took it 6 months or so to taste good but man it was really good after a year. Making good wine is all about picking grapes at the right time and getting the PH level Right. 2 of the 3 years I was spot on PH wise and it made great wine. The off year I didn’t adjust the PH nor did I get it measured (guess because year one went good and I didn’t need to, big mistake) and it made one TART A$$ wine. Drinkable but tart.
My muscadine wine is all muscadine juice from the grapes. My buddy takes his share and his wife makes Jelly and it is unbelievable tasty . My buddy lives in Florida and that’s where I get the grapes from. He finds them growing wild somewhere. I just go for the ride. Finally I’ll add muscadine juice stains my siphoning tubes and bucket.


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## bearpaw8491 (May 16, 2022)

Thanks Dave! I've logged your recipe in my files and will give it a try this year when the muscadines come in. Do you remember what your begining pH was? Somewhere around 3.1-3.4 I would guess - right?
Thanks again and happy fermenting.


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## WinoDave (May 16, 2022)

bearpaw8491 said:


> Thanks Dave! I've logged your recipe in my files and will give it a try this year when the muscadines come in. Do you remember what your begining pH was? Somewhere around 3.1-3.4 I would guess - right?
> Thanks again and happy fermenting.



3.2 PH. For the Sweets, think the tart came out 2.8.
I actually combined some of last years tart wine with this years sweet wine and created a Muscadine Sweet/Tart Wine. Think the ratio was 1/3 Tart to 2/3 Sweet and it’s actually pretty good and interesting. Goes in the mouth tasting sweet and as you swallow ends up tart.
Wondering how it’s going to taste next year.


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## bearpaw8491 (May 17, 2022)

Thanks Dave, That's about what I thought pH would be for sweeter of the two but a little surprised at 2.8 for tart - any trouble getting it going?


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## WinoDave (May 18, 2022)

bearpaw8491 said:


> Thanks Dave, That's about what I thought pH would be for sweeter of the two but a little surprised at 2.8 for tart - any trouble getting it going?


Not that I remember, I add yeast nutrient the first week to keep fermentation going.


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## bearpaw8491 (May 19, 2022)

Thanks Dave, yeast sometimes have a hard time getting started in a low pH environment. Glad your's went off with out a hitch. Will make note of this.


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