Port for Dummies?

[xanxer82]

Sounds like a project to start before xmas to have some on hand next year...
good luck and keep up updated with photos.

 

[skinnydipper]

Getting my plan together for this weekend, and realizing what a novice I truly am.


Here's my recipe, which is medpreztels slightly modified:
1.25 gallons water
12# frozen pumpkin (mostly chopped, some shredded)
3.5# sugar, looking for SG 1,115
1 tsp shaved ginger
1/2 tsp tannin
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme


I want to use white or golden raisons in lieu of Welchs, I'm not sure how much raison to use.


Long term plan is to fortify with vanilla vodka. The goal is a unique yet complex port style wine. I envision a pumpkin pie with whipped cream taste profile, hence the the vanilla vodka. I'm thinking to use canned pumpkin pie filling to make an F-pack.


Okay - so back to the basics:


1) Where do I start?
2) The pumpkin is frozen, do I let it thaw?
3) Pour boiling water over the pumpkin in the primary?
4) Adding sugar, do I add all of the sugarto boiliing water to make a simple syrup? I read in another post where the writer used 2/3 of the sugar and water, reserving the remaining 1/3 to reach the desired SG.


I would like to state up front that I enjoy, read, and consider everyone's advice. I will make every attempt to respond to everyone's posts as I journey down this road, but if I do not it's because I'm up to my eyebrows in other activities.

 

[Waldo]

Getting my plan together for this weekend, and realizing what a novice I truly am.


Here's my recipe, which is medpreztels slightly modified:
1.25 gallons water
12# frozen pumpkin (mostly chopped, some shredded)
3.5# sugar, looking for SG 1,115
1 tsp shaved ginger
1/2 tsp tannin
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
1 Campden Tablet
1/2 lb Raisins..chopped
1 tbsp Acid Blend


I want to use white or golden raisons in lieu of Welchs, I'm not sure how much raison to use.


Long term plan is to fortify with vanilla vodka. The goal is a unique yet complex port style wine. I envision a pumpkin pie with whipped cream taste profile, hence the the vanilla vodka. I'm thinking to use canned pumpkin pie filling to make an F-pack.


Okay - so back to the basics:


1) Where do I start?


2) The pumpkin is frozen, do I let it thaw?
Yep
3) Pour boiling water over the pumpkin in the primary?
Yep, but only afteryou have put the pumpkin in a strainer bag along with your raisins and Ginger.


4) Adding sugar, do I add all of the sugarto boiliing water to make a simple syrup? I read in another post where the writer used 2/3 of the sugar and water, reserving the remaining 1/3 to reach the desired SG.
I would start with 2-1/2lbs sugar and then adjust as necessary to reach target SG..Make sure you stir it good..really good..No I mean stir it till you think your arms gonna fall off before you take your initial SG reading
So I would say that at this point you have now reached your target SG and have added the Ginger, Raisins, Tannin and Yeast Nutrient to your must so now youwant to add your crushed and dissolved Campden tablet to the must,Stir that in andlet it set for 12 hours and then add your Pectic Enzyme, let it set another 12 hours and then pitch your yeast to it.
I know, you didn't have any yeast in your recipe but thats ok..We all know you intended to use yeast

I would also recommend making a yeast starter for this one too given the high beginningSG
Once fermentation has begun you want to punch down the strainer bag a couple of times a day. Once the SG hits around 1.020 -1.030 take that strainer bag out, squeezing it very gently with your well sanitized hands. I personally use the disposable latex gloves, you know, the kind the Doc likes to snap on with a grin on his face when doing your annual physical. OK, now chunk that strainer bag and rack to glass to complete fermentation




I would like to state up front that I enjoy, read, and consider everyone's advice. I will make every attempt to respond to everyone's posts as I journey down this road, but if I do not it's because I'm up to my eyebrows in other activities.

 

[vcasey]

One thing to keep in mind is that pumpkin is a lot like mango , pineapples, and papaya in that you are going to get a lot of sediment fall out. And after that you going to get a lot more. My point is you may want to readjust to make sure you are starting with at least a gallon and a half of liquid and make sure you save the extra when racking because you may very well need it.
VC

 

[Wade E]

I CONCUR WITH BOTH POSTS ABOVE AND WOUKLD EVEN SAY MAYBE GOING A LITTLE HIGHER WITH THE AMOUNT SO YOU HAVE PLENTY TO TOP UP WITH LATER. Sorry about the capitals but my shift button gets stuck sometimes and just didnt feel like retyping. I would also add that you would be good to add 1/2 tsp of energizer and another 1/2 tsp extra of pectic enzyme with this batch.

 

[Waldo]

I had kinda igured that since he was staring with 1-1/4 gallon and that he awas going to be boosting with vanilla vodka that he would probably be ok ..just dont spill or waste any

 

[skinnydipper]

I'm afraid I will not get to it this weekend, hopefully next weekend.

 

[Goodfella]

I'm excited to see this one get going....

 

[ashton Hammar]

Hey all!!! Well, I thought I would add into this thread a bit since I did make a still Pumpkin Spice last year... pretty much followed exactly what Waldo mentioned above. My Pumpkin Spice turned out pretty well for only my 3rd wine I ever made.

It turned out the color of a Sauvignon Blanc, it was ~13.5%, and mildly spiced and oaked with a medium french. It turned out so well, I am actually in the process of increasing production to 10gal this year!!!

I am interested to see how the port style pumpkin spice turns out. I plan on increasing the spices this year and adding a heavier oak. The pumpkin doesn't have that much flavor, but it does have some. As for the sediment, like Vcasey said, it does have tons. One change up, is that I used jack-o-latern last year, and this year I am using baking pumpkins... so hopefully they will have more flavor.

Best of luck to us all! Cheers.

 

[Waldo]

Quote-One change up, is that I used jack-o-latern last year, and this year I am using baking pumpkins... so hopefully they will have more flavor.

Best of luck to us all! Cheers. [/QUOTE]






So how do you tell the difference between the two?

 

[grapeman]

Waldo generally the baking or pie pumpkins are smaller and kind of flattened a bit. The skin color in darker with flecks of gray or dark brown in them. The flesh is thicker than jack-o-lantern varieties. This provides much more meat to the pumpkin and should contribute more solids to the mix and presumably more sugar. One old variety name is Small Sugar if that gives you a better idea.

 

[vcasey]

The small ones tend to have more flavor, but keep in mind you'll be going from very little flavor to some flavor, not much difference except as Appleman pointed out more pumpkin meat. Also you can use Hubbard squash as well as the pumpkin and you get a little more flavor.
Last year I made a pumpkin wine and a pumpkin mead. The wine I used just the pumpkin no spices and its a mild nice white wine and if I didn't know there was pumpkin in it I could not have told you there was any. The mead will remain out of reach for at least another year but I did use lots of pumpkin pie spices and I am expecting a nice wine. Next time I make this I'll try adding a bit of maple syrup and see what happens.
I have talked with several of our local craft breweries and the conclusion seems to be pumpkin really does not add much (if any) flavor, its the fall spices that make the difference.
VC

 

[skinnydipper]

Interesting about different pumpkins - who woulda thunk it?


Quick question, when I was at my loca lbrew shop I didn't want to buy a big can of DME because, from what I understand, it does not keep long after open. The salesman talked me into dry malt - any thoughts or comments?

 

[ashton Hammar]

Hey Waldo looks like you got your answers above. The Jack pumpkins are the ones you always use to carve designs into. My 10 gallons is bubbling nicely, with a into of spice. I like to add some spice during the primary then add more when I rack into my carboys for finishing. I increased pectic enzyme as compare to last year hoping to degrade the pumpkin pulp and extract more 'flavor' from the flesh. As casey said, it doesn't have that much flavor to begin with so I am trying my best to maximize. Here are some stats:
SG: 1.084
Acid: .6 tar
Pulp: 35lbs for 10 gal (have a little lighter pulp/liquid ration than I like)
Yeast: Lalvin ICV D-47 (I am planning on MLF for this batch... I think it would add a lot to the wine, hopefully give it greater body, vanilla, and a butter texture?)

Cheers!

 

[vcasey]

Interesting about different pumpkins - who woulda thunk it?


Quick question, when I was at my loca lbrew shop I didn't want to buy a big can of DME because, from what I understand, it does not keep long after open. The salesman talked me into dry malt - any thoughts or comments?

I use the dry malt extract, not the stuff in cans, I believe the can stuff is more of a liquid syrup. Just keep the DME away from any liquid because it can be challenging to keep from clumping. I pour out what I need and then try to mix it in slowly over very warm water and stir constantly. Once the package is opened I try to use it quickly so don't buy any more the you need because this stuff just soaks in the humidity and will get hard as a brick.
VC

 

[Waldo]

Waldo generally the baking or pie pumpkins are smaller and kind of flattened a bit. The skin color in darker with flecks of gray or dark brown in them. The flesh is thicker than jack-o-lantern varieties. This provides much more meat to the pumpkin and should contribute more solids to the mix and presumably more sugar. One old variety name is Small Sugar if that gives you a better idea.

Thanks appleman..and everyone else. I'm going to have to go on a quest now for baking pumpkins. Ive never seen any around here advertised as such. Its always just "Pumpkins For Sale"

 

[skinnydipper]

After reading thrugh this thread again,here is my plan for this weekend, am I missing anything? Thoughts? Suggestions?


Friday night:
1) remove pumpkin from freezer, place in primary and let thaw overnight. (Pumpkin was put in straining bags prior to freezer.
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Saturday morning,
1) make simple syrup.
2) add ½ pound chopped raisons to strainer bag.
3) add 1 tsp shaved ginger to strainer bag.
4) boil 1.25 gallons of water, pour into primary.
5) after the must has cooled, add ½ tsp tannin
6) add 1 tsp yeast nutrient
7) add dry malt extract
8) add simple syrup and stir until Waldo’s arm falls off.
9) take SG reading and adjust as necessary to get SG 1.116
10) add crushed and dissolved campden tablet
11) Stir everything in.

Saturday evening (12 hours after finishing previous step)
1) ½ tsp pectic enzyme
2) Make yeast starter


Sunday morning (12 hours after finishing previous step)
1) pitch yeast

once fermentation begins
1) punch down a couple of times each day
2) take SG readings

once SG hits 1.020 – 1.030
1) take strainer bags out, squeeze gently but don’t use Waldo’s gloves – you don’t know where they’ve been.
2) Rack to glass, airlock.

Rack every couple of months until clear.

? Fortify with Vodka
? add F-pack (made with canned pumpkin pie filling)

 

[Goodfella]

Looks really good as far as I can see.....


The only thing I might do different would be.... Leave it in the primary until it hits 1.010. Then add sugar to bring it up to 1.030. Then you will have a higher ABV. (and need less at fortifying time).

 

[Waldo]

Be sure and post us some pictures. Would be better if you could do the "scratch n sniff" kind

 

[vcasey]

I would slowly add the DME to the hot water and stir like crazy to keep that stuff from clumping. And like Goodfella said add more sugar a couple of times until the SG stops dropping so you don't need to fortify as much. What yeast are you using?
VC