Greetings from New Zealand!

[Maestro]

Hi Maestro,

So are you close to where they play the masters? golf?

I'm about 2 hours to the west of where they play the masters. Augusta National Golf Course....beautiful course.

 

[crazyx2]

Wow that would be amazing to be in the area, let alone go to the event.

Just bought a 30 litre and a monster 60 litre carboy! Let the good times roll haha now just need some ideas for wines!!

What do you guys recommend?

 

[Boozehag]

Hey Crazyx2!
Ive made several batches of feijoa wine as I have some trees. I use 10kg of fruit pulp in mine but think I can get away with 8-9 if I dont have that much as it was really strong last time....not that that is a problem!
I add around 4-5kgs of sugar but work on the ideal of 1085 for the sg so alter it to suit. Put in about 4kg and then start testing it until you reach that magic number.
I also added a bit of plum wine to the last batch as Id over sulphited the plum and it helped to dilute that as well as add an interesting flavour and colour. Was very popular.

Can post full receipe if you want it but am at work at the moment!

You should come to our wine club we need members!

I recommend making rhubarb, plum, feijoa, citrus, apple and blueberry.
There is a farm here that sells winemaking berries $25 for 10kg...they list it on Trademe each season, I can give you their number if you want.

 

[crazyx2]

Oh nice, yes I would definately like the number, what type of berrys are they? I'm in the middle of getting a whole heap of apples from cambridge and kiwifruit from Te Puke if you wanted some. It's $10 for around a 3rd of a tonne (a bin full), was going to juice them and keep it in the freezer until I had carboys free. The apples are $3 for 10 kgs also.

My last batch of feijoa wine I used 7 kgs of pulp then decided to add 2.4 kgs of sliced pineapple, I'm hoping that will come out nice. But usually I use alot less feijoa and I find it comes out quite watery I guess you could say. Although I added raisons to one of the carboys and dried mangos and apricots to the other. Seems to have done the trick to the one with raisons, I'm going to check the mango one out tonight.

I just bottled a 6 gal carboy a couple nights ago, kinda happy with the results although there is the slight port kinda taste to it. Not sure what could have caused that though, perhaps I let it ferment too long..

The fruit mix you just said sounds quite interesting, I think the next one I'm going to try is a kiwifruit/raspberry mix using Wade's strawberry/kiwifruit recipe.. but will definately have to give that one a go!

How often does the club meet up? and what do you do? (I've never been to a wine club before..)

 

[Boozehag]

Oh nice, yes I would definately like the number, what type of berrys are they?

Theyre Blueberries, not in season now I usually get them about January so will send unmber to you in pm ok.

I'm in the middle of getting a whole heap of apples from cambridge and kiwifruit from Te Puke if you wanted some. It's $10 for around a 3rd of a tonne (a bin full), was going to juice them and keep it in the freezer until I had carboys free. The apples are $3 for 10 kgs also.

Thanks for that, sadly im allergic to kiwifruit and when it comes to apples Im lazy and use predone juice! Lucky you getting that much though, how cool! Wawa might be keen to get some Im sure!

My last batch of feijoa wine I used 7 kgs of pulp then decided to add 2.4 kgs of sliced pineapple, I'm hoping that will come out nice. But usually I use alot less feijoa and I find it comes out quite watery I guess you could say. Although I added raisons to one of the carboys and dried mangos and apricots to the other. Seems to have done the trick to the one with raisons, I'm going to check the mango one out tonight.

Yeah I add raisins, they do make a huge difference. The golden sultanas are the best they dont discolour the wine. I think 8 - 9 kg fruit pulp is best with the feijoas.

I just bottled a 6 gal carboy a couple nights ago, kinda happy with the results although there is the slight port kinda taste to it. Not sure what could have caused that though, perhaps I let it ferment too long..

Not sure on that myself, Im sure one of the more senior members could explain that one!

The fruit mix you just said sounds quite interesting, I think the next one I'm going to try is a kiwifruit/raspberry mix using Wade's strawberry/kiwifruit recipe.. but will definately have to give that one a go!

Opps I meant as individual wines as in what works well in our climate. Some are good mixes especially the feijoa and plum...apple with feijoa wasnt so nice!

How often does the club meet up? and what do you do? (I've never been to a wine club before..)

We only meet occassionally depending on if we have any wine ready, theres usually just me and Wawa with hangers on like my hubby and soem friends who all like to help us drink the wine!! Which is pretty much what we do, drink the wine, eat some nibbles, talk about wine and any issues making it or simply just talk rubbish depending on how drunk we are! its very informal at this stage anyway!