Peach and Pear wine recipes

[RobertChartier]

Morning all,
I plan on making both a peach and a pear wine. I have become the recipient of a large amount of CANNED fruit. I know that fresh fruit would be a better product but currently have about 30 pounds of canned pears, and about 27 pounds of canned peaches.

I plan on using Jack Keller's peach recipe, minus the white grape juice. I've cobbled together a Pear recipe from various sources, and will be adding wine tannins for structure.

Is the amount of fruit sufficient for a 6 gallon batch of each, in your opinion? I know the Keller recipe for Peach suggests 4 pounds per gallon, and I'll be using slightly more than that. Just worried about the flavor as they are canned, and not fresh fruits.

 

[oppyland]

I have made a couple different versions of pear, but never with canned fruit. One of the recipes I tried included sauteing the pears and it turned out pretty good, so I think canned pears would be worth trying. Your fruit ratio seems good to me - I would just look carefully at starting SG since canned fruit is usally loaded with sugar.

 

[RobertChartier]

I have made a couple different versions of pear, but never with canned fruit. One of the recipes I tried included sauteing the pears and it turned out pretty good, so I think canned pears would be worth trying. Your fruit ratio seems good to me - I would just look carefully at starting SG since canned fruit is usally loaded with sugar.

I agree. I've already looked at the nutritional info on every can, and noted the total carbohydrates. Mainly because it also gives me an idea how much additional sugars I may need to have.

 

[salcoco]

not normally in a recipe but I would add some bentonite to the must. it w will help clear the wine later. both wine will benefit

 

[oppyland]

not normally in a recipe but I would add some bentonite to the must. it w will help clear the wine later. both wine will benefit

Good idea! Pectic enzyme also. My pear wines have always been challenging to clear.

 

[Khristyjeff]

The Book that they published of his recipes has increased some of the fruit. For example, my Keller recipe for peach calls for 8-10 pounds per gallon.
This Summer I used 10 pounds of actual fruit per gallon and reduced to 8 pounds per gallon once processed. So 24 pounds processed peached made just under 3 gallons of wine. I didn't add water and it ended up tasting very peachy with good body.

You may still decide to add water to produce a lighter flavored wine.

By the way, the Jack Keller book calls for 5 pounds per gallon for Pear wine.

 

[BigDaveK]

Oh, Yeah. If I had that many cans I'd be thinking about wine, too!

Whatever you do will make a wine and the idea, of course, is to make it as good as possible.

Some fruit flavor will be in the syrup. Packed in light syrup or heavy syrup? Maybe add more fruit and use some of the syrup in elsewhere.

Definitely pectic enzyme. Generally always used if fruit has pectin.

Preservatives?

The recipes I've seen using canned fruit call for 2-3 cans per gallon. Seems light to me but then I always add a bit more. SOP for me.

Canned fruit can lack some flavor. Perhaps add a fresh complimentary fruit for a boost.

 

[RobertChartier]

Thanks for all the input folks, I regularly use Bentonite and pectic enzymes for fruit wines.

I figured I would use the fruit AND juice from all the cans and will be adding additional sugar as needed. I'd like to keep it around 10-11%. High enough to remain chemically stable, but not so high as to override the flavor.

I know pear is a very subtle flavor, and will require tannins for structure.

I will also be using yeast energizer and yeast nutrient to be safe. I'm thinking of using D-47.

As for quantity of fruit, I figure the 33.75 pounds of Pear will make a 6 gallon batch, and 27 pounds of peaches should be good for a 5 or 6 gallon batch (4.5 to 5.4 pounds per gallon)

 

[BigDaveK]

Yes, definitely watch that initial SG. I'm sure you know the drill.
I recently started a jelly wine that was SG 1.100 right from the start. Didn't have to add any sugar. Slow but steady, maybe racking tomorrow.

 

[Raptor99]

With pears I use at least 7 lbs. of fruit per gallon. Pears have a subtle flavor, so more fruit is better.

I like D-47, but it is sensitive to nutrient conditions. It's best to add the nutrients in stages rather than all at once. Otherwise it is likely to produce off flavors. Search for "SNA" on the mead forum for more info.

Tannin helps with the structure of pear wine. I like to oak it in secondary.

 

[Jal5]

I agree Raptor. I never tried the oak though may have to do that this summer. I’m a big fan of pear wine mostly because the neighbor gives me all i can use. LOL

 

[Jal5]

I tried to boost the flavor with adding a commercially made pear syrup…not a winner. Too flowery scent and taste.

 

[Steve Wargo]

With pears I use at least 7 lbs. of fruit per gallon. Pears have a subtle flavor, so more fruit is better.

I like D-47, but it is sensitive to nutrient conditions. It's best to add the nutrients in stages rather than all at once. Otherwise it is likely to produce off flavors. Search for "SNA" on the mead forum for more info.

Tannin helps with the structure of pear wine. I like to oak it in secondary.

I agree with the oaking of some fruit wines. I light oaked a dry apple wine, that gave it hints of a chardonnay.

 

[BigDaveK]

I was happy with my first pear wine last year. I could still taste pear at bottling. My recipe suggested letting the pears barely OVER ripen. I threw them in the freezer until I had enough and plan to do the same this year - but MORE!

 

[Raptor99]

Using enough pears is the key. Next time I will probably use 10 lbs. per gallon.

 

[BigDaveK]

Using enough pears is the key. Next time I will probably use 10 lbs. per gallon.

My recipe called for 4 #'s pears which I thought was a bit low. I kicked it up to 8 #'s. That will be my minimum from now on.

 

[RobertChartier]

Update: As it turns out, I now have 31.875 pounds of peaches, and 37.5 pounds of pears. ()and for some reason almost 12 pounds of fruit cocktail). I figure I can get away with 5 gallons each of peach and pear. And I'll start at least 1 of them, as soon as I have a primary fermenter available.

 

[HillPeople]

We crush and press around 10 lbs. for a gallon of juice