Fruit Wine for 2010

[IQwine]

I have wine kits going pretty well. My next step is to try fruit wines this year.

Any suggestions on where to start? I am considering strawberry or pear or blackberry or all 3.

what do I need to know/do to make this a good experience in making as well as drinking?

What about special equipment I might need??

Need help before this gets out of hand

 

[Wade E]

You will most likely want a fermenting bag, pectic enzyme, potassium sorbate, acid blend, ascorbic acid if working with easily oxidized fruit like apple or pear. An acid test kit really should be part of your arsenal but you can wing it by taste and by following a recipe but just remember just like sugar in any fruit that the sugar and acid content will always vary even with the same fruit from one month to another. Blackberry is a real nice one as is strawberry, Pear isnt that great IMO!

 

[deboard]

Be sure to use enough fruit as well, I've seen recommendations of 5-6 pounds of fruit per gallon of wine on here plenty of times. I made a thin blueberry with too little fruit, so as far as fruit wines go, don't skimp on the fruit!

 

[IQwine]

forgot for my possibles on the list.... rhubarb and banana

going to be a busy summer

 

[Wade E]

They are both good wines there, I think I like the rhubarb better there. With fruit wines the amount of fruit required per gallon will vary based on acid amounts in the fruit and flavor profile of a fruit. A heavily flavored fruit like Black Currant or Elderberry have much more flavor then apple or pear so the later will need more fruit per gallon.

 

[Tom]

One that you can make now is either Fruit Wine or Strawberry. I make both from FROZEN fruit from Sams Club. Otherwise I would wait till fruit is in season where you live. (much cheaper). As said above I (we) like 5-6 #'s per gallon for better body and a f-pac and back sweetening.

 

[Wade E]

The Vintners Harvest wine bases are also pretty good if you use the 3 gallon recipe per can. Most have fruit in them except tye Black currant but to me the Black currant is the best of them all with the most abundant flavor profile!

 

[Midwest Vintner]

The Vintners Harvest wine bases are also pretty good if you use the 3 gallon recipe per can. Most have fruit in them except tye Black currant but to me the Black currant is the best of them all with the most abundant flavor profile!

x2. most of them are pretty good and the recipe is about perfect for making a balanced wine.

 

[NSwiner]

Look through the post Tom listed some really good books to download one is the home winemaking book very useful for beginners like us .

 

[Midwest Vintner]

both wade and tom have good points. i would go blackberry first if i were you. strawberry is a good one, but is not as easy to come out with good results and takes longer to clear. it takes more #/gal to make strawberry vs blackberry. pear is ok, but not my favorite flavor, so i cannot comment on how good it is compared to the other 2. blackberry also makes a more complex wine, more similar to grapes than the other two.

i have never made rhubarb or banana, so i cannot comment on those.