Pumpkin wine

[arcticsid]

Gonna give the canned type a try. It calls for 1 campden tablet, I've never used them. I have always used the powdered and have only made 4 and 5 gallon batches. I use 1/4 teaspoon per. So, for 1 gallon, I should use 1/16th right?

 

[Tom]

no.
Campton tabs are weaker then the powder k-meta. Use 1 per gal.
Does the canned Pumpkin have any preservatives? If so may be a "bear" to get started.

 

[ryankelley]

I didn't use campden because I poured boiling water over the pumpkin. My understanding is nothing lives when the temp is over 120 degrees. We'll see how the end product turns out, but everything seems good so far. http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques67.asp

 

[e-wine]

I poured the boiling water then waited until the temperature cooled to about room temperature before adding the campden tablet. That's how it was given in the recipe.

e-wine

 

[ryankelley]

Yeah, I read Jack's comment that using campden is just good wine making practice...after making this batch without it. The advice I got afterwards is the boiling water probably took care of any problems campden...if I had a time machine I would go back and add it.

This wine is supposed to require 2 years aging. I'll post a picture if I can figure out how.

 

[ryankelley]

This is the picture of my pumpkin wine (hubbard Squash).

 

[e-wine]

I told my wife it had to age at least a year. She seemed disapointed until she helped me strain the second batch. Now, I think it will take at least two years for her to get the memory out of her head. We'll see. We plan on trying the fig wine this month. Depending on how the fig wine taste, it could be even longer on the pumpkin.

e-wine

 

[jrock7106]

I have a 6 gal batch of pumpkin aging. It looks kind of like the one posted a few up, but it is a little more yellow. However, it smells like beer, or i guess, fermenting pumpkins. Is it supposed to smell this way? Should it start to smell pleasant later on when it starts to clear up?

 

[e-wine]

You may be further along than I am but mine smells like fermenting pumpkins as you describe. The color will depend on the pumpkins. I would estimate that once the yeast smell is gone and it has aged a bit, it should have more of the pumpkin smell. Is yours still fermenting and when did you start your batch?

e-wine

 

[jrock7106]

Yes it is still fermenting. I guess aging was a bad word to use. It is in the secondary, and has been reracked once. I guess it will just take a while to clear up and smell better....

 

[jrock7106]

oh, and the batch was started right around thanksgiving.

 

[e-wine]

So you are a bit ahead of me. What recipe did you use? Did you go with canned pumpkin or fresh from the vine (or rind as in my case)? I am still looking for an alternative method of getting the flesh from the rind.

e-wine

 

[arcticsid]

Tom, all I have is KMeta powder. I am not going to buy campden tabs for 1 recipe. How much powder to use for 1 gal. recipe? I have been using 1/4 tsp for my and 5 gallon batches
Troy

 

[jrock7106]

e-wine,

The recipe I used is from the purple winemaking book. I used the "flesh" or the meat of the pumpkin. Not the outside, but just the inside. I'm not sure what type of pumpkin though...

 

[e-wine]

arcticsid,

I did find this discussion:

http://www.winepress.us/forums/lofiversion/index.php?t25819.html

Which brought up an interesting point. How do you measure the difference between 1/12, 1/16 and 1/20 of a tsp? I would have to convert to grams and I don't know the weight of a 1/4 tsp. I know I'm not helping you and I apologize but the campden table starts looking like a better option for a one gallon batch. I guess you could cut it 20:1 (if you determine it's 1/20) with sugar and still go with 1/4 tsp.

e-wine

 

[Tom]

Tom, all I have is KMeta powder. I am not going to buy campden tabs for 1 recipe. How much powder to use for 1 gal. recipe? I have been using 1/4 tsp for my and 5 gallon batches
Troy

WEll I measure 1/4 tsp of k-meta is 1.8grams. So, for 1 is .3 grams. I hope you have a gram scale

 

[e-wine]

I racked the first batch today. The S.G. was a bit less than 1.000 which I kinda expected due to the increase in the size of the batch (1.5 gallon instead of one with sugar for one gallon.) By taste, it was definately dry. I still had some fermentation activity so I sweetened the batch when I topped the secondary. I also increase the acid by approximately a quarter tsp since the acid content was still low. I plan to rack the second batch on Friday.

e-wine

 

[mainecr]

We just pull the cork on the first bottle of 2008 pumpkin. Jack Keller's recipe. Pumpkin grated by hand. Starting SG was 1.090. Stiil got a slight bite and it's 12 months old. Overall a light white wine....that in no way tasted like pumpkin. It was a lot of work for an OK wine.

 

[upper]

Well I am sure Peter will like it.............Upper

 

[e-wine]

Having hand grated the pumpkin as well, and considering the work involved, I understand your statement mainecr. I'll let you know . . . in a year or so.

e-wine