Hi from a newbie

[bj4271]

Hoss,


Where in La.? I get most of my muscadine from wild vines on my property. Just pick them off the grond - before the squirrels get the. I had a viney/orchard going but it got wiped out so tan exploration co. could put in another gas well. Just started rebuilding & planting.

 

[Hoss]

I live outside of Ruston. We have lots of wild muscadines on our property, but most of them are in the tops of the trees. The man I buy mine from lives right down the road and he has about 30 vines and several different varieties. The size of them is incredible and walking through, sampling the different ones you can really notice a taste difference in the varieties. I use 7 gallons of fresh muscadines to make a 5 gallon batch, so it's nice to be able to call him up and tell him I need 7 gallons of grapes on friday and just pick them up. I get two different batches about a week apart for wine, then I pick up a couple of gallons to make jelly out of.

 

[bj4271]

I'm just south of Bossier City. Eventually, I plan on walking through my own vinery picking muscadine. In the meantime, what does your guy charge per gallon?

 

[jobe05]

I wish I had someone I could call and tell them to get me a few gallons and I'll stop by and get them later......................

That would be wonderful. There are a few farms around here (whithin 50 miles, triad of NC) that you can pick your own but I haven't had any luck having anyone tell me what varieties they have. Via experience making scuppernong, the wrong variety will produce a tasteless wine, the right variety will produce a great wine.

 

[bj4271]

That's why all I'm planting are the black/purple varieties; although a couple of red look interesting.

 

[Hoss]

I pay $8 a gallon picked, but his brother has muscadines down the road from him, he doesn't pick them for you and he gets $6 a gallon, you pick. Like I said, this man is old and he's been raising muscadines for probably 50 yrs or so. He also has a beautiful garden every year. He's going to set me up with some plants this winter/early spring. He said I'd need probably 5 or 6 vines would do for what I'm using. If you've never had the opportunity to sample different varieties side by side, it is well worth it. I was just amazed at the different flavors. My biggest problem is going to be keeping the deer, possums and coons out of them.

 

[bj4271]

Waldo, I will add, the recipe that I have used came from the elderly man that I get my muscadines from. He is in his 80's. I had been getting muscadines from him for years because I make lots of jelly every year. When I told him I was going to try some wine, he gave me his brothers recipe. His brother got this recipe when he was in Europe in WWII. Very interesting story. But, the recipe is very "simple" as there is nothing to do with any "additives" much less specific gravities or anything else. The recipe calls for 16 cups of sugar, and 8 cups of honey and I can tell you that makes a wine that will kick your donkey...but good. Anyway, this year I decided to see what the difference was if the honey was omitted and replaced with an amount of sugar that would equal the S.G. The results so far have been interesting. The batch without the honey is not as rich in color and I find the flavor to be "weaker" also.


Just a side note, for what it's worth. Probably nothing new here to everyone.....I know, I know, I'm still learning, but I would enjoy some thoughts and input on the muscadine. As I've said, it is my passion. This year my man is going to give me enough plants to start my own "crop". That should be interesting, but I know I need to get something going as he will not be here forever. We have lots and lots of wild muscadines here, but without a bucket truck, good luck gathering enough to make a 5 gallon batch. Also, I am using about 7 gallons of muscadines to make a 5 gallon bach. I would love to hear your comments about that. Not enough, too many...etc. Thanks.

Hoss, is that 7 gal of musc + 16 cups sugar + 8 cups honey per 5 gal batch?


For 1 gal batch I use 5.5 cups musc + 5.5 cups sugar & vary yeasts for a little variety.


I prefer the small batches. It's my experience that larger batches (36 # musc per 6 gal batch, using all the chemicals, etc.) come out more polished, like wine from wine grapes; the smaller batches ( no chemicals - just yeast, sugar-musc) are bolder with more muscadine flavor - but need to be drunk quicker. In fact, I'm bottling 4 (2-Cotes des Blanc, 1-Montrachte, 1-Fleischmann's dry yeast) gal batches tonight or tomorrow for the crew that will be showing up on Thanksgiving.

 

[bj4271]

That's the same price I pay from an older (I'm old enough) guy in the Northwood hills area, N of S'port. The problem is he forgets to pick them by the time he told you to pick them up, & it's a long way there from wher I live.

 

[Hoss]

Iuse 7 gallons of muscadines, I steam/boil them and mash the juice out just as if I was making jelly. This yields about 4 gallons of juice. To that I add 16 cups of sugar and 8 cups of honey. By the time the sugar and honey is added, the actual level in the primary fermenter is about 4 1/2 gallons. I add a gallon and a half of water to bring the level to 6 gallons. Although I'm "making" a 5 gallon batch, I start with 6 gallons. I started doing this because the sediment in the bottom of the primary fermenter was taking away too much wine on first racking. When starting with 6 gallons, I can syphon a full 5 gallons to the carboy and stay totally away from the bottom sediment. I end up with a much cleaner product and I don't have to worry about having enough to top off with.

 

[bj4271]

I use 36# & get a great 6 gal batch (in fact, last year I used the left-over-squeezed-out "stuff" from a 6 gal batch & made a good 3 gal batch from it).







7 gal is 50# +/-. Yours must be extremely flavorful; with half again as many grapes + the honey.

 

[Hoss]

this is the first year I have made a batch without the honey. I have 1 five gallon batch with honey, and one without and the flavor difference is very noticable. For some reason, it seems the honey brings out the muscadine flavor more. It was an interesting experiment.

 

[bj4271]

I'll have to try the honey. I've got 5 gal of musc in the freezer I was planning onstarting after Thanksgiving was over.

 

[Hoss]

did you just freeze them whole?

 

[bj4271]

Yeah, it's supposed to make it easier to extract juice once they're thawed.

 

[Waldo]

I am going to start another batch this weekend myself and think I may give the honey a try also.

 

[Tomy]

Hoss Hi and welcome to the group, I'm waiting for the dandylions to come up next spring Tomy

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Hoss,

Welcome to the forum! It sure didn't take you long to make a serious contibution. Thanks!

 

[bj4271]

I started a batch (2 gal) yesterday using the pulp from the 4 1 gal batches I made for Thanksgiving. This time I used 2.5 pounds of honey in lieu of some of the sugar. We'll see how it goes.

 

[uavwmn]

Welcome Hoss. I also enjoy canning. Tried the salsa thing but didn't turn out so well. Love the jellies and jams tho. Jalepeno jelly is wonderful. No heat, but the pepper flavor. great on bagels, english muffins.


This hobby is wonderful and so is the knowledge here in the Forum. Enjoy~