Hibiscus wine

[RevA]

I recently brewed a mirco batch (quart batch) of hibiscus wine using Jack Keller's recipe and have to say I'm surprised by how drinkable it turned out.
My only regret is that I was only able to bottle one bottle of wine from the batch.
Does anyone have advice for tweaks to his recipe?
Hibiscus Flower Wine

• 
  
  • 1-2 oz dried hibiscus flowers
  • 2 lbs sugar
  • 7 pt water
  • 1-1/2 tsp acid blend
  • 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 pkg Cote des Blancs yeast

 

[salcoco]

if your initial batch was great why fix something that is not broken?

 

[Vinobeau]

I've made this a number of times, and tweaked it a bit a couple of times. I used honey and a couple of bananas, once and made half Hibiscus and half Heather, neither was as good as pure Hibiscus. My best addition was adding some Dill sprigs to the bottles of finished wine. I also do that to some of my Rose Petal wines. It is a rather amazing addition.

 

[Chris Mellor]

I've made this a number of times, and tweaked it a bit a couple of times. I used honey and a couple of bananas, once and made half Hibiscus and half Heather, neither was as good as pure Hibiscus. My best addition was adding some Dill sprigs to the bottles of finished wine. I also do that to some of my Rose Petal wines. It is a rather amazing addition.

Dill? As in the green stuff on salmon?

I would never have thought of it ( not that that says anything). What does to bring to the party? I’m intrigued.

 

[Vinobeau]

The same dill. The first time that I used it was when I added the dill to the Hibiscus primary for my DillyBiscus wine. Since then, I just add a sprig or two to the filled bottles. It adds a nice aroma & flavor - a nice bitterness to the sweeter wine. I back sweeten all of my flower wines, helps bring out flavor and hide harshness.

 

[BernardSmith]

Did you use the 1 oz or the 2 oz version? I would have thought that 1.5 oz of hibiscus /gallon would likely be the sweet spot.

 

[Vinobeau]

Did you use the 1 oz or the 2 oz version? I would have thought that 1.5 oz of hibiscus /gallon would likely be the sweet spot.

I've always used 2 oz of dried flowers per gallon.

 

[Rice_Guy]

. . . I added the dill to. . . all of my flower wines, helps bring out flavor and hide harshness.

curious, was testing black locust flowers last year, how would you run it?

?harshness ? the burn in the back of the throat (acetaldehyde) is hidden by fresh dill ? ? sounds like another tool to try.

 

[Stressbaby]

I've always used 2 oz of dried flowers per gallon.

Same here - haven't made it in a while but was always pleased with the result.

 

[hounddawg]

reading this thread makes me wonder if yawl are trying to come summer to rob my mom's flower beds, if i was caught i'd need all of your names and addresses, not that i would throw anybody under the proverbial bus, but hey at 78 come april mom dont have no sense of humor when it comes to her flowers, she has tons of flowers but hibiscus encases the front of their home,,, whew, hibiscus huh? would never have thought of that,

 

[RevA]

Did you use the 1 oz or the 2 oz version? I would have thought that 1.5 oz of hibiscus /gallon would likely be the sweet spot.

2oz

 

[hounddawg]

i ask my mom about just a few, her exact words were( you know better then that and if i find any missing i'll knock you in the head ), so this 59 y/o cant make any because my mommy said no, to say the least,,,,, yawl aint real fun to play with, i ain't been talked to like that in better then 40 years,
puppy on the porch