Need help with Loquat batch

[Cxwgfamily]

All,
I came across some Loquars last year. Made a 3gallon batch and along the way I made some mistakes but the wine came out drinkable. I thought this year I could make an awesome wine just by correcting my mistakes. But I want to ask the group for any guidance. My first question is how do you handle the fruit. Last year, I washed the fruit then de-seeded them. Wow , it was a pain. This year I thought about just pressing them. I already have about 20 pounds de-seeded but I can press all the other loquats I get. Other questions are: 1) how many pounds per gallon do y’all use? 2) additives? I have a recipe but did not find very many recipes out there to compare and contrast. 3) is there anything I can do over and above the normal stuff to reduce browning, 4). Any other recommendations....
As always, I have always gotten great recommendations from this forum and I really appreciate it. You guys have made me a better wine maker!!! THANKS A MILLION.
Cxwgfamily

 

[hounddawg]

All,
I came across some Loquars last year. Made a 3gallon batch and along the way I made some mistakes but the wine came out drinkable. I thought this year I could make an awesome wine just by correcting my mistakes. But I want to ask the group for any guidance. My first question is how do you handle the fruit. Last year, I washed the fruit then de-seeded them. Wow , it was a pain. This year I thought about just pressing them. I already have about 20 pounds de-seeded but I can press all the other loquats I get. Other questions are: 1) how many pounds per gallon do y’all use? 2) additives? I have a recipe but did not find very many recipes out there to compare and contrast. 3) is there anything I can do over and above the normal stuff to reduce browning, 4). Any other recommendations....
As always, I have always gotten great recommendations from this forum and I really appreciate it. You guys have made me a better wine maker!!! THANKS A MILLION.
Cxwgfamily

freezing will breakdown the cell walls in your fruit/berries, i never heard of what your using, is the flavor strong like blackberries then i'd go 5 or 6 lbs to the gallon, but if light like apple and pear then 10 to 12 lbs to the gallon, if in between then go in between on you pound per gallon,
Dawg

 

[Rice_Guy]

@hounddawg .. The variety that I grew in Texas was close to a peach in color as well as percentage of fruit that was seed, and a light flavor.
Back then, I wasn’t thinking about fermentation qualities. A guess is pH and TA are similar to peach (have looked for samples but only find canned with syrup) Browning was an issue, the standard factory control would be minimize exposure to oxygen as by pitting and immediately putting in a sugar solution (squash em below surface) or in a metabisulphite solution (ie fermentation water). A third method is steam blanching to inactivate browning enzymes then pitting, but I would test a sample first. As dawg notes freezing breaks the cell structure so a process option is to minimize liquid, freeze, slowly thaw and process in the fermentor.

Sounds interesting and wish I had a tree in the back yard.

 

[Cxwgfamily]

Hounddawg and Rice_Guy,
Thanks for the replies. Last year I used 4 lbs per gallon. I think I will run that up higher this year.
the idea of freezing them in a water solution of sugar or Meta is brilliant. Although I have already frozen them. I will thaw them out in a sugar solution.
as always, thanks a million.
Charles

 

[Rice_Guy]

HUMM,,, Found a data set on loquats, This was a white flesh retail variety, not the back yard variety ,,,, juiced in freezer,
sp gravity 1.079
pH . . . . . . 4.90
TA . . . . . . .0.37%

this would suggest acid correction like peaches get.

 

[Scooter68]

Made a batch with about 4 lbs pitted loquats. I would describe the flavor as "Light on the palate" or a bit weak to be blunt. Not bad, just not impressive so if you use 4 lbs better go very easy on the ABV. Loquats are a bit like a ripe persimmon but not as strongly flavored and they also have a very slight citrus taste as well. Would like to do another batch but the ones I got were from a home my daughter was renting and once they moved.... (Southern California at that time)

That's just my opinion - Still have one bottle left from a 1 gallon batch. Have pop that open soon.

 

[Cxwgfamily]

Loquat update:
i bottled the batch about 6 weeks ago. The batch was hazy and not clearing so I filtered it through a mini jet plate and frame using a .5 micron pad. Can out crystal clear. I was impressed. I have tasted the wine a couple of times, it is awesome. It has the loquat taste with some citrus notes. The acidity is good. Some white wine drinking friends of mine love it. I will want to make a lot more next year.