Anybody picking fruit?

[ClutchDude]

With spring in full swing here in the states, I was wondering if anyone else is getting ready to get out there and pick?

I'm heading to north-east Louisiana this weekend to get a bunch about 25#-30# of blueberries to make a blueberry wine and a mullberry-blueberry wine.

Oh, and I guess as my first post, I've made a kit riesling and a bunch of apfelwein via edworts on HBT.com. I've made a couple of All-grain beers as well, so I'm quite familiar with sanitation and handling.

 

[Sacalait]

Just today I picked up 8gals. of blueberries @ $9/gal. My blackberries are almost finished now but I picked 13gals and I've started a batch of wine with some and they're still in the primary. Yet to come (July) will be figs and then in August the muscadines come in.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

With spring in full swing here in the states,

I don't know about y'all down there in the deep south but up here in the Pacific Northwest we're still waiting for Global Warming to kick in. The blackberries haven't even bloomed yet. Although the grapes I temporarily put in a pot on the patio until the grape arbor is built have grown out several inches in the last couple of weeks. Too bad I will have to prune them back to put them in their permanent bed.

Come late June, early July I will be heading for the central part of the state, either the Yakima or Wenatchee Valley where you can get any fruit for the asking. If you're into beer making there are hop fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. And in the Southeast corner of the state where the Snake River dumps into the Columbia the air is so thick with grapes you can taste it.

 

[manicorganicgal]

Sacalait, I see you've made a fig wine before. Do you care to share a recipe or tell me how it's supposed to taste? Is it a sweet wine? Mine is strong on fig aftertaste but mildly tart at first, and somewhat dry. It is a pale pink color. I did it the old way without a recipe or kit if that helps. Anything else you can tell me about it will be helpful as I am very new to this. Thanks!

 

[jeepingchick]

i WISH it was full swing spring ! we are still kinda chilling up here in De, a month or so from now ill be able to get to the U-Pick It for strawberries and i cant wait !

 

[summersolstice]

We don't even have a hint of anything green here. Wait- I did see some crocuses blooming a couple of days ago. It'll be a long time before anyone picks any fruit around here.

 

[Sacalait]

Sacalait, I see you've made a fig wine before. Do you care to share a recipe or tell me how it's supposed to taste? Is it a sweet wine? Mine is strong on fig aftertaste but mildly tart at first, and somewhat dry. It is a pale pink color. I did it the old way without a recipe or kit if that helps. Anything else you can tell me about it will be helpful as I am very new to this. Thanks!

Here you go for a starting batch size of 5 1/2gals.:

17# figs
9# sugar
1 cup lemon juice
3 1/2gals. water
1/4tsp. K-Meta
1/4tsp. pectic enzyme (liquid)
4tsp. yeast nutrient
11tsp. acid (I used tartaric)
71B yeast
Starting S.G. will be about 1.090

After fermentation is complete and ready for back sweetening add K-Meta (1/4tsp) and K-Sorbate (1/2 tsp./gal.). I usually bring the S.G. up to 1.002 for an off dry early drinking wine.

 

[Tom]

i WISH it was full swing spring ! we are still kinda chilling up here in De, a month or so from now ill be able to get to the U-Pick It for strawberries and i cant wait !

Why wait for Strawberry season. I go to Sams Club and get their frozen ones. Price not bad and it makes a great Strawberry wine.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Pick Fruit???????????? We still have a few tiny patches of snow here. It is coming soon though.....can't wait.

 

[myakkagldwngr]

Spring,, that's still just a word here in Florida. Our spring normally means temps in the high 60's at night and they can even push to the low 90's during the day.
Last night here in Central Florida it was 47. I live about 40 miles inland from the Gulf and about 125 from the Atlantic.
Strawberries are in full swing around here and will soon finish up. Few big growers want to upick any more because of the scum sucking lawyers. Too much liability.

 

[Mud]

snowing this morning after several days of 70* weather. no fruit here yet. But the rhubarb we planted in the fall is juuuust poking up. Might try something with that as we planted enough for an army. A small army. Like maybe Vanuatu's. If they aren't very hungry. <wanders off muttering to check frozen blueberry stocks>

 

[manicorganicgal]

Thanks! How do you go about back sweetening?

 

[Sacalait]

Thanks! How do you go about back sweetening?

After adding K-meta and K-sorbate to the finished wine just add simple syrup to the batch until you achieve the taste you're happy with.

 

[Tom]

Simple syrup is 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. Heat water to boil, add sugar, stir with heat till clear