Peach Wine

[frankd0024]

First batch of the year. Had to order some 5 gallon glass carboys. One gallon has a chunck of oak in it as a test.

 

[dragonwithane]

Let us know how it turns out. I'll soon be bottling the peach wine I made last summer.

 

[Rojoguio]

Our local Sam's has yellow peaches for $9 for 4# flat. I plan on picking up 12#'s next week for a batch of Peach. Have you made Peach before and which Yeast did you use, please?

 

[frankd0024]

Our local Sam's has yellow peaches for $9 for 4# flat. I plan on picking up 12#'s next week for a batch of Peach. Have you made Peach before and which Yeast did you use, please?

This is my second time making peach. I only did a 5 gallon batch last year and had people trying to buy it for $35 a bottle. I use EC118. I also put two pounds of red grapes and two pounds of plums isn with 40 pounds of peaches after pitting.

 

[Rojoguio]

Thank you, I just processed excess plums to freeze yesterday. Also have EC118. I'm switching to 71B for my Country wines (for any fruit with tart skins) so a use for the EC118 I have on hand is great. I used EC118 for a batch of Plum, let it extract too long, now have a tartness in the batch of Plum from the skins that 71B does not extract.

 

[Scooter68]

Having had a bad experience with unripe store bought peaches, I only use peaches from a local orchard and I ask for their overripe and bruised/imperfect fruit. All I have to remove are the stones and any moldy parts. The softer the better, even a little brownness to the peach pulp isn't bad if there is no mold. If the bruised or imperfect are not ripe enough (Soft) I let them sit out and ripen until they are fully ripe. My pounds per gallon rate is typically at least 6.5 to 7 pounds and and for my standard 3 gallon batch I make sure my starting volume is at least 4.5 gallons. My must is really hard to get a SG reading from since I don't juice the peaches but rather mash them as much as possible. I dissolve my sugar addition in water (2:1 Sugar:Water) and the helps but not enough so I have to wait at least overnight for the juice to start to break down.

 

[Rojoguio]

Wow on the fruit per gallon. I felt the peaches I froze were a bit firm, if they are not ready for wine my wife will bake me a fresh peach pie and I will make quick bread out of the rest. I have 12 peach trees 2-3 years old. Once in production I won't buy from a store anymore.

 

[lisanordmann]

I just purchased 25 lbs of peaches. They are in greaT condition and very soft. I am cutting them up and freezing them. Should I add acid blend and pectic enzyme to the peaches prior to fermentation? Also, can I ferment them as a white wine with nutrients of opt white and fermaid O? I was going to use D47 yeASt And do a fermentation at 55 degrees. Thoughts?

 

[Scooter68]

I would get the pH in the range of 3.4 to 3.6 before fermenting. Some folks add pectic enzyme to the fruit before freezing as it can work on the fruit until it freezes and as soon as it's thawed. Yes, I would treat it as a white wine as the flavors can be a bit more delicate than fruits like Blackberries and Blueberries. A well done peach wine will be almost as pleasant to smell before drinking as it is to drink.

 

[lisanordmann]

Thank you for the info. Should I add any water?

 

[winemaker81]

Thank you for the info. Should I add any water?

That's a judgment call. I've had peach wines where 8-10 lbs was used per gallon, and conversely my b-in-l made one from peach juice. The former is a very nice wine, the latter was peaches in a glass (with a kick). What do you want? Adding water will produce more quantity, but no water means a richer wine. You can also split the difference by using a higher peaches/water ratio. There is no wrong answer.

I would add both acid blend and pectic enzyme prior to freezing.

You mentioned adding peaches to a Chardonnay kit in your other thread. I'd not do that, as Chardonnay will make a heavier white and the peach may not come through. However, I considered adding peaches or peach juice to a lighter white kit. I haven't done it yet, but it's in my mind.

 

[Dkrmwiz]

I've got a peach blackberry wine going at the moment. About 20 lbs peaches and 5 lbs of blackberries for the 5 gallons. It's pretty much done with the fermentation, when I do the next rack on the 27th, I'll be back sweetening. I kinda use the force, I've never used a hydrometer thingy. We'll see how it goes. I've been at this hobby since 2016. It's fun.

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

I have my peach mango in secondary right now. I got 2 pounds of nice ripe soft peaches for $2.49.

it’s taking a while to clear.

 

[cmullin]

I've got a peach blackberry wine going at the moment. About 20 lbs peaches and 5 lbs of blackberries for the 5 gallons. It's pretty much done with the fermentation, when I do the next rack on the 27th, I'll be back sweetening. I kinda use the force, I've never used a hydrometer thingy. We'll see how it goes. I've been at this hobby since 2016. It's fun.

Do you need to do a 4 to 1 for flavor balance between the peaches and the blackberries? Or is that just the fruit you had? The color must be fantastic! I live in Oregon and we have blackberries(marion berries) all over the place. Peaches are harder to grow.

 

[Scooter68]

Do you need to do a 4 to 1 for flavor balance between the peaches and the blackberries? Or is that just the fruit you had? The color must be fantastic! I live in Oregon and we have blackberries(marion berries) all over the place. Peaches are harder to grow.

Best answer to that is to take some of both fruit and crush them to get the juice. Don't bother to sweeten the juice, then try mixing at various ratios. That's about the only way short of going through the full process and finding out after it's all done. Alternatively you could make separate batches and mix when the wines are done.

Personally I think that ratio is about right. Not my personal choice in a mix but based on having made both wines, the peach is a much more delicate flavor. Blackberry is a strong flavored wine. It's almost like mixing a white wine and a red wine.

 

[Rojoguio]

Winemaker 81, your B&L wine made with peach juice, do you know which used? I'm thinking to supplement my weaker peaches with juice in a batch.

 

[winemaker81]

Winemaker 81, your B&L wine made with peach juice, do you know which used? I'm thinking to supplement my weaker peaches with juice in a batch.

AFAIK, he juiced peaches himself. He made this wine at least 15 years ago, and I don't recall any details. He gave me the last bottle that was ~8 years old, and it was still good, like peach in a glass + a kick.