Celery Wine

[dfwwino]

I think we need a new category for vegetable wines. I had a bunch of celery that was going to rot when I left for an out of town trip. Therefore,I juiced it using my Omega juicer and used CJJ Berry's recipe for Celery Wine from First Steps in Winemaking. However, I used Turbinado sugar rather than Demerera sugar to add color to the wine. I racked it tonight from the primary to the secondary with a specific gravityleft of 1.020. I had a sip and I actually kinda, sorta liked it, though the residual sugar may be hiding a future surprise. It had the nose ofcelery and a sweet green vegetable taste. If I do it again, I think I'll use table sugar to keep the color green rather than golden. I find the color and taste donot match. Edited by: dfwwino

 

[Wade E]

Your a brave man dfwwino.

 

[dfwwino]

I thought I'd update this post. I bottled the celery wine this evening. The Omega Juicer did a very good job juicing the celery. The wine cleared very well, though it could have used some fining. The celery hasa bit of a bitter taste, so I sweetened with 2 oz. wine conditioner. I bottled five bottles and it is drinkable. I will let you know how it ages.

 

[Waldo]

Think it would make a good cooking wine too df?

 

[dfwwino]

With an hour or two left at Winestock, I sheepishly pulled out this wine and poureda few participants samples. To my surprise, I actually got some positive feedback, though I still think someof you must have been abundantly kind or drunk.

I made the celery wine by juicing one full bunch ofcelery and adding 2.25 pds of turbinado sugar and water to obtain one gallon. I back sweetened with 2 oz. of wine conditioner, though a bit more sugar might help.

 

[PolishWineP]

I liked it and am glad I tried it! Offering it as Mystery Wine was a chance though. I know I'd had enough to drink that I wasn't too scared to try something offered as a mystery wine. I don't think it needed to be any sweeter. It was good enough that I think I'm going to try to make a batch.

 

[patrick1]

Ialso tried the wine and thought it was very good andI know your going to post the recipe for all to try

 

[s.arkvinomaker]

I tried the wine also and thought it was wonderful. I got the impression you were surprised by the response you got there. I won't mind trying the recipe also. That has to be one very inexpensive wine to make.

 

[dfwwino]

I guess I was timid pouring the wine because celery is not a wine I would expect to be drinkable. It does leave a bit of a bitter aftertaste, but so does celery when I eat it. I asked others to first drink it without knowing what it was because my wife seemed to form an opinion that it would not be good when I told her to try some celery wine. I wanted tasting feedback without bias from preconceptions about celery.

 

[PolishWineP]

I started a gallon batch of celery wine tonight. I used the recipe in CJJ Berry's book. It has a lovely green tint to it.

 

[dfwwino]

I'm glad to hear you have been inspired to start your own batch. I used the CJJ Berry recipe, but also used Turbinado sugar, which gave it a golden/brown tint. When I do this next, I will use table sugar to get a greenish tint. I want a taste at next year's Winestock! Heck, I have the winemaking bug this weekend. Maybe I'll get some fresh celery tomorrow and put my travel fermenter to work. Edited by: dfwwino

 

[PolishWineP]

The yeasties have started their work!

 

[s.arkvinomaker]

Not familiar with the book you mentioned for the Celery recipe. Would you be willing to share full name of book and authur. Wouldn't mind the recipe your speaking of either if you are willing to divulge it. I'm so demanding!!! LOL

 

[Ieatrice4dinner]

i wonder how it would taste if you blended a small amount of celery wine with an old world wine

 

[PolishWineP]

I racked the celery wine today and it really has a celery taste to it. But it's still quite young. (Yes Waldo, I tasted that young wine.)
The book that DFW used is C.J.J. Berry's First Steps in Winemaking. It's been around forever. http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=7315 George carries it.

 

[Waldo]

That was my first book I read on winemaking..I have loaned it out so many time to so many people I lost track of who had it and it has not been returned.

 

[s.arkvinomaker]

Hello DFWWINO (Robert),




I want to start a celery wine. How does this compare to your recipe you used to make yours. I know you didn't use sugar to sweeten but I am. Let me know if it looks like I'm missing anything. I was so impressed with yours at Winefest I thought I would try my own. Steam or not steam? Do I need acid blend? Thanks for your help in advance.

3 Gal Batch


12 # Celery


3 gal water
1 packet dry yeast


3 tsp yeast nutrient


1 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme


3/8 tsp Metabisulfite

 

[s.arkvinomaker]

Oops forgot the sugar. I would like to sweeten to a potential alcohol content of 10 - 12%. How ever that much will come to after testing S.G.

 

[PolishWineP]

I also bottled my celery wine yesterday. I think I'll take a bottle or 2 for Thanksgiving tasting. It's all in beer bottles as I know this one won't get to age very long. I think that next time I'll make a 3-gallon batch! I really like this stuff. Mine didn't clear well, still a little foggy, but it tastes good.

 

[Waldo]

Does it have a heavy celery taste PWP