Prickly Pear Wine ?????????

[JR Smith]

I am thinking about going back and get some more and take down a few specks on what I am doing for future projects. I will half to borrow the juicer/steamer again. now the wife wants a qt or so for jelly, and next the other kin will want in on it to. oh well, it holds down the bickering someone said something about making pancake surpe out of it also. I may half to buy a house on the border to get enough pears. this wine making is getting costley

 

[uavwmn]

jobe, I live here in SE AZ. We have prickly pear everywhere!!! So.....I was wondering how your prickly pear wine turned out? Did you happen to take notes? And if so, could you share them with me? Pretty please??

 

[deerdude]

I live in south texas and have 640 acres of prickly pear my wife makes jelli every year and i have 5 gal of juice left anyone have a way to just use the juice she likes sweet wine!! how long does it take to make?? thanks

 

[saramc]

Have prickly pear cactus juice-needs a recipe.

I live in south texas and have 640 acres of prickly pear my wife makes jelli every year and i have 5 gal of juice left anyone have a way to just use the juice she likes sweet wine!! how long does it take to make?? thanks

Well, since you already have the juice...you have the hardest part done.
**I would recommend bringing the juice to a BOIL and then immediately remove from heat, cool, and strain because the juice has a tendency to be very mucous-like if you do not heat treat first. Now, if the juice was obtained by steam-juicing, you are good to go.


Ingredients for FIVE gallon batch:
Prickly Pear juice2 tsp. Yeast NutrientSugar to obtain OG of 1.0855 lbs. chopped raisins 2 tsp. Acid Blend5 tsp. Pectic Enzyme1/4 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite 1 pkg. Cotes de Blanc Yeast

Directions:

1. In primary fermenting bucket: place chopped raisins in straining bag, add juice and all remaining ingredients, EXCEPT yeast. Stir well.
2. Cover primary (to keep bugs, etc., out). Ideal temp: 68-72F.
3. Wait 24 hours, then add yeast and lightly re-cover primary.
4. Stir daily, check S.G. and press raisins lightly.
5. When S.G. has decreased by 2/3 from starting point (usually 3-5 days), lightly squeeze all juice from raisin bag-remove and discard. Then rack into glass carboy, leaving any sediment in primary, and attach airlock.
6. When S.G. reaches 1.000 or SG has not changed after checking for 3 consecutive days (usually about 3 weeks), fermentation is complete. Rack into clean glass container, leaving any sediment on bottom prior carboy. Re-attach airlock.
7. As long as the wine continues to drop sediment you will need to rack every 60-90 days to aid in the clearing process.
8. When wine is clear and no longer dropping sediment after racking, you can proceed with back-sweetening, stabilizing and bottling.
9. To sweeten your wine, add 2 1/2 tsp potassium sorbate and 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulfite and stir. Then add 1/4 lb. dissolved sugar per gallon (or to your taste) and stir again. Re-attach airlock and allow to rest for 7-10 days, using your hydrometer to check for refermentation. If no signs of refermentation, rack one final time, filter if desired and bottle. Age for approximately 6 months (again at your discretion).

I used this recipe but made a mead instead of wine. If your juice was obtained by way of steam-juicing, you do not need to add the k-meta at the start of the ferment, but do add it when you transfer from primary to secondary/airlock for the first time. It is not a mandatory requirement but an option since your juice was obtained by steaming.

 

[snowgirl812001]

I am VERY new to this but I also make prickly pear jelly and have lots of juice i have frozen. I want to try to make it into wine but am having trouble with finding a recipe to go from. I am going to be doing a 1 gallon batch. I've seen many recipes that have the fruit in them, I guess I am looking for help on exactly how much of the juice to use. Any help would be greatly appreciated!