Loquat time

[Slappy]

The loquats around my home are starting to ripen now. About 5 trees on my street so I have started picking them.
Currently have 6 pounds of seeded fruit in the freezer.
I'm thinking of doing 20 pounds seeded fruit for a 3 gallon batch. Haven't settled on recipe yet just gathering the fruit first. One thing I did notice is the fruits quite tart even though it's full orange and ripe to the touch. Is this normal or should I pick the remainder when they are getting black spots on them and are super ripe. Only problem then is beating the damn birds.

 

[Scooter68]

I've picke loquats from a tree where my daughter was renting once. Never noticed a tartness. A little astringency but not tartness. Might make sure those things are really ripe.
Yeah, avoid the spoilage issue and the birds... a real pain. Will they ripen more for you in a paper bag? (There is some real science behind the paperbag concept)

 

[Slappy]

Got another 2 pounds this morning that are a little riper so will see how they taste when I cut them up. The other ones weren't unpleasant but just a bit acidic. I haven't eaten them for 20 years so cant remember what they should taste like. Bloody birds have hammered the 2 easily accessible trees in past 2 days. It's a hot sunny day today so hopefully on my way home more have ripenes up. Hoping to avoid the mistake I made with my mulberry where it turned out too acidic due to some fruit being not quite ripe enough.

 

[Slappy]

I remember seeing in your recipe Scooter that you made quite an acid adjustment to bring ph down. From the fruit I tasted even the really ripe ones I can't see that I'd need to add any acid. That's what worried me because the fruit I have is soft and feels/looks ripe but tastes a bit not quite ripe due to the acidity. It is sweet though.

 

[Stressbaby]

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/japanese-plum-wine.39279/

I haven't reread this thread but my notes indicate it was hard to clear. I did add just a little bit of acid.

 

[Scooter68]

Check the pH - I adjusted based on the pH readings.

Just take it slow - wait at least 2-4 hours after adjusting before taking a new measurement. I've had a couple where I over did it one way or another and had to swing it back the other way. Althought slightly too acidic if much more acceptable than to little acid.

I don't like adding ANYTHING to a wine if I don't have to do it.

 

[Slappy]

I'll have to just play it by feel as I don't have a ph kit yet. Will get one over the next week or so. I've started the wine now as the trees are pretty much decimated by birds now. *******s were quick.
Here's what I ended up doing:
8 pounds loquats (fruit weight, no seeds)
4 overripe bananas
3 pounds sugar
1 gallon water
Heaped tablespoon pectin enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient

I'll be leaving it until tomorrow night to let the pectin enzyme work and do gravity reading before I pitch yeast. I added the bananas cos I didn't want to waste them and from what I've read they should be a fairly neutral addition.
I'm looking forward to how this turns out. Was going to try a bigger batch if the birds didn't ruin my plans but I have a mead, mulberry, cherry and plum to do before Christmas so I'm not missing out. Gotta love free fruit!

 

[Scooter68]

Don't delay on that pH testing. I use a digital meter and it's well worth the investment. Reading test papers is ....'for the birds' (Sorry about that)

I've yet to get any decent number of sweet cherries from our trees for the same reason. The birds strip them before the cherries are even Red. As soon as they get some yellow/gold color they attack.

 

[Stressbaby]

Your pH will be high IMHO but you can add some acid as soon as fermentation is complete. Hit it with SO2 at that point as well. Then adjust to taste/TA. Interested in how much almond character you get. Please report back.

 

[Slappy]

It's fermenting along pretty well now. Ended up pulling the fruit out and blending it as after 24hrs with a heap of pectin enzyme the fruit was still pretty much whole. So after blending added extra tsp of enzyme then pitched yeast.
I took a gravity reading at 1.080 but there was a bit of pulp do not sure how accurate so will only be able to work out a ballpark ABV. I wanted this wine to be in the 10-12% range anyway so should fall there.
First 24 hrs fermentation could only smell banana but now this morning smells like loquat and a faint apricot character. I can't smell any almond at all and couldn't when I was chopping up and de-seeding the fruit either. Maybe growing conditions of the fruit have dictated this as I have read several sources stating almond character in loquats.
Still unsure how this one will work out everything else I've made has given strong indicators of being good wine while fermenting still. Will have to taste the must to see what it tells me.

 

[Slappy]

Managed to pick more fruit today that the birds missed. So added another 2 pounds of mashed fruit to it. This fruit was much sweeter and not tart at all.
Also tasted the must and was not very acidic at all so adjusted with 4tsp tartaric and 1tsp citric acid. Now to taste seems about right amount of acid. It's not fermenting as hard as my recent strawberry wine so I added a bit of yeast nutrient for good measure.
This is the first time I've made things up as I go along so hope it turns out ok!

 

[Stressbaby]

Interesting. My fruit smelled just like amaretto as soon as the fruit was thawed.

 

[Slappy]

Just went and had another smell and no almond still. And my nose is very sensitive. It's funny how there can be such difference in fruit from different areas.

 

[Johnd]

Just went and had another smell and no almond still. And my nose is very sensitive. It's funny how there can be such difference in fruit from different areas.

Not to mention the difference in noses...................

 

[Slappy]

Still kicking along nicely. I added another 3 pounds of really ripe fruit I managed to get off another tree a day or so back. Plus added another half pound of sugar and some nutrient.
The volume has gone well up I think I'll get 2 gallons out of it and it's starting to smell like wine! I tasted it and it's quite pleasant. Will probably rack in another few days.

 

[Slappy]

I racked this today as it’s sat on the lees a few weeks now. Wine is totally clear. I’m very surprised that it actually tastes like a grape wine. Kinda Chardonnay like. Acid seems a little high but not sure if that will integrate or if I should cold stabilise to drop out some tartrates.

 

[Scooter68]

I racked this today as it’s sat on the lees a few weeks now. Wine is totally clear. I’m very surprised that it actually tastes like a grape wine. Kinda Chardonnay like. Acid seems a little high but not sure if that will integrate or if I should cold stabilise to drop out some tartrates.View attachment 52468View attachment 52469

We just finished off our next to the last bottle the other day. It is a nice light wine. Hope some day to get enough again to do another batch. (Loquats don't grow in NW Arkansas so I have to hope to catch them in one of our visits to California)