Fresh Peach

[yanks4carolyn]

Do y'all peel your peaches and/or remove the darker middles where the stone was? I've read several ways but I want some real advice from ones who have had trials and errors. They are frozen now. Also, I've read to use a slow yeast. True?

 

[Masbustelo]

I made some peach mead last summer. I cut the peaches in half and removed the seeds, nothing else. I used Cotes des Blancs, step fed honey, and I think ran the ABV up to 18%, where it quit.I used just peaches and didn't add any water. It is still bulk aging and clearing, but in sampling it, I think it is some of the best I've made.

 

[FTC Wines]

Ijust de-stone, cut up & ferment. I add a little water. The skins add a little color to the wine. Been doing it this way for 9 yrs. excellent wine. You may also want to use some Bentonite in the primary, Peach can be hard to clear. Roy

 

[bkisel]

I've made two 6 gallon batches... De-stone, cut in quarters and freeze for about three days.

 

[PhilDarby]

the last peach I made was the type with a very fluffy furry skin on, im in the uk but, from pictures I think it might be an American peach variety, I left the skins on sliced it up and included the whole peach, including a couple of stones, the end result was actually superb. It was nice enough where I might make another batch this year when they come back into season.

The stones help with added tannins I suspect, it certainly has/had a bit of a tannin hit, while retaining very peach like flavours even as it aged.

The fruit was left in the must for 7 days before removal and im fairly sure that the skins added to the overall flavour, as well.

 

[yanks4carolyn]

Thanks Peeps!

Many thanks for the replies! I can always count on y'all to keep my questions answered! I have read that it's a wine that can be slow slow to clear. I bought some local peaches last summer that are like eating candy. It was hard to freeze them, instead of just eating. I hope I can get more this year! Thanks again!

 

[Turock]

Here's some tips on getting peach to clear better. Use a better pectinase. I recommend Lallzyme C Max. It is designed to break down the pectin more rapidly so the wine clears better. But this isn't all there is to it. You should also add a nominal amount of tannin--1/4 tsp per gallon. Tannin plays a role in clearing. And almost all fruits, with the exception of elderberry, are sorely lacking in tannin. Tannin will also stabilize color so you don't get color plate-out in the bottle. Add it later in the ferment so it doesn't inactivate your enzymes, such as the pectinase you use.

Also on white wines and any dense fruit wines made with little or no water, it's a good idea to add bentonite during the ferment. Add on the 2nd or 3rd day of the ferment so it doesn't inactivate the enzymes you're using. Bentonite works better with added tannin. Lack of tannin can be the reason why bentonite sometimes fails. Bentonite has a negative charge--protein is a positive charge, so there is an attraction there that makes the protein clump and then drop out.

So to summarize, when making peach wine use Lallzyme C Max, tannin, and bentonite additions and your wine will clear easily. Our peach wine clears with no problems and is as clear as a glass of water, so I know this protocol works well.

 

[yanks4carolyn]

Here's some tips on getting peach to clear better. Use a better pectinase. I recommend Lallzyme C Max. It is designed to break down the pectin more rapidly so the wine clears better. But this isn't all there is to it. You should also add a nominal amount of tannin--1/4 tsp per gallon. Tannin plays a role in clearing. And almost all fruits, with the exception of elderberry, are sorely lacking in tannin. Tannin will also stabilize color so you don't get color plate-out in the bottle. Add it later in the ferment so it doesn't inactivate your enzymes, such as the pectinase you use.

Also on white wines and any dense fruit wines made with little or no water, it's a good idea to add bentonite during the ferment. Add on the 2nd or 3rd day of the ferment so it doesn't inactivate the enzymes you're using. Bentonite works better with added tannin. Lack of tannin can be the reason why bentonite sometimes fails. Bentonite has a negative charge--protein is a positive charge, so there is an attraction there that makes the protein clump and then drop out.

So to summarize, when making peach wine use Lallzyme C Max, tannin, and bentonite additions and your wine will clear easily. Our peach wine clears with no problems and is as clear as a glass of water, so I know this protocol works well.

Thank you very much for that info Turock! Should I add the Lallyzyme at the beginning of the ferment and tannin with bentonite 2-3 days later?

 

[yanks4carolyn]

Thank you very much for that info Turock! Should I add the Lallyzyme at the beginning of the ferment and tannin with bentonite 2-3 days later?

 

[geek]

That's a good feedback Turock.

 

[Turock]

Add the Lallzyme 6-12 hrs after you dose your fruit with meta. Add the tannin and bentonite after the pectinase has done its job--the 3rd day is good, unless your ferment is moving along very rapidly. Then you might want to add it on the second day of the ferment.

 

[Masbustelo]

How much bentonite do you guys add, the third day?

 

[yanks4carolyn]

Masbustelo I use what ever the amount is on pkg directions. 4 teaspoons per 5 gallons. I was watching a YouTube video last night and he added the bentonite to a small bowl of water, very slowly and stirring very well. He continued to stir for 2min. or so.
I haven't found the Lallzyme that Turock suggested, yet. Still looking.

 

[Masbustelo]

https://morewinepro.com/products/lallzyme-cmax.html or http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RW8OLK8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[yanks4carolyn]

Masbustelo, That was very nice of you to send me a link. Amazon was out of stock when I first looked there. But now I found it from your link. Thank you! Predictive text is sure that your name is Mashup! Ha

 

[Turock]

MoreWine carries the Lallzyme.

Regarding the bentonite---To figure out how much you need, it's a nice idea to know your PH, as bentonite is more effective at a lower PH. The positive charge on proteins is stronger at a lower PH. So a low level addition of bentonite may be all you need which is 1/2 tsp with a 1/2 cup of hot water. A mid-level dose is 9 grams, or 1 1/2 tsp, along with 3/4 cup of hot water. These doses are for 5 gallons.

It's a good idea to throw the mixture into a blender so you don't have any lumps.