Pumpkin wine

[djrockinsteve]

Here's an update on my 6 gallons of pumpkin wine. Again thanks to Julie for the recipe.

After adding all 18 cans of Libby's Pumpkin "Mix" to my 6 gallon bucket it consumed 3/4 of the bucket. After adding inverted sugar and water and ingredients it took it to the 6 gallon mark.

This must is so thick it was difficult to stir and there is no way to get a gravity reading. Julie mentioned let the enzymes work 24 hours before pitching yeast and see what happens.

I did and dispite it starting to thin I didn't want to wait any longer and added the yeast. The next day I could see signs of fermentation albeit little. Today I noticed some pumpkin splatter on the inside of the lid. I washed and replaced. Fermentation was definitely going on but the must so thick it was lifting the must up as opposed to escaping.

Two hours later it was running over the sides of the bucket and my wife was due home in 30 minutes. Quick clean up but still got busted.

Shortly later it was lifting the lid and about to overflow like Mt. St. Helens. I quickly poured half into a second bucket and with less weight the CO2 is really going on. Still after 3 days I can't get a reading but I believe real soon I will then I can monitor gravity for a few days the back calculate the beginning gravity.

This is a must thatsmells really good.

 

[Wade E]

That sounds really good, There is a local winery here that makes a pumpkin honey wine, Its not a mead as they only use the honey to sweeten it but use sugar pumpkins and this stuff is awesome. I think I may have to try a version of this. Its musts like this where the refractometer comes in handy to take an sg.

 

[ryankelley]

1 year later

One year later I'm finally going to bottle the last of my pumpkin wine. It too a long time to clear. I separated it into 5 one gallon carboys which allowed me to try different methods to clear it. In the end, sparkloid and bentonite with a whole lot of time is what it took.

I bottled 3 gallons already and have two more to do. These were the last ones remaining that I didn't treat with sparkloid and bentonite until it proved to clear the others.

Tasting it, it's kind of harsh. It taste like pumpkins though. The recipe says it needs two years of aging. A year from now I'll let you know how it turned out.

 

[Julie]

One year later I'm finally going to bottle the last of my pumpkin wine. It too a long time to clear. I separated it into 5 one gallon carboys which allowed me to try different methods to clear it. In the end, sparkloid and bentonite with a whole lot of time is what it took.

I bottled 3 gallons already and have two more to do. These were the last ones remaining that I didn't treat with sparkloid and bentonite until it proved to clear the others.

Tasting it, it's kind of harsh. It taste like pumpkins though. The recipe says it needs two years of aging. A year from now I'll let you know how it turned out.

My pumpkin will be two years old this month. I had made a gallon batch. I ended up with 4 bottles. We drank two last year and I agree with you Ryan, it tasted kinda harsh so we decided to leave the other two bottles sit for this Thanksgiving. I am curious to see how this taste this year. Did you add any spices to yours?

 

[djrockinsteve]

This is soooo creepy. Still thick but it is thinning out. After punching down and stirring the must I could tell there is still a lot of CO2 being held in the pulp. So I stuck my spoon all the way in then moved it briskly back and forth as if I were degasing.

It brought up quite a bit. Replaced the lid then came over to the PC. Suddenly I could hear the pumpkin bubbling from 20 feet away. This is a Halloween must for sure.

 

[ryankelley]

My pumpkin will be two years old this month. I had made a gallon batch. I ended up with 4 bottles. We drank two last year and I agree with you Ryan, it tasted kinda harsh so we decided to leave the other two bottles sit for this Thanksgiving. I am curious to see how this taste this year. Did you add any spices to yours?

No spices in mine. I followed Jack Keller's recipe and he said it needs 2 years minimum to become palatable.

One thing I did notice is it seemed to have a lot of kick. After the first swallow or two I could drink it normally without a lot of squinting. But then by the time the glass was gone I was buzzed pretty good. I'm not a heavy weight, but I normally don't buzz after a single glass.

 

[Flame145]

Here's an update on my 6 gallons of pumpkin wine. Again thanks to Julie for the recipe.

After adding all 18 cans of Libby's Pumpkin "Mix" to my 6 gallon bucket it consumed 3/4 of the bucket. After adding inverted sugar and water and ingredients it took it to the 6 gallon mark.

This must is so thick it was difficult to stir and there is no way to get a gravity reading. Julie mentioned let the enzymes work 24 hours before pitching yeast and see what happens.

I did and dispite it starting to thin I didn't want to wait any longer and added the yeast. The next day I could see signs of fermentation albeit little. Today I noticed some pumpkin splatter on the inside of the lid. I washed and replaced. Fermentation was definitely going on but the must so thick it was lifting the must up as opposed to escaping.

Two hours later it was running over the sides of the bucket and my wife was due home in 30 minutes. Quick clean up but still got busted.

Shortly later it was lifting the lid and about to overflow like Mt. St. Helens. I quickly poured half into a second bucket and with less weight the CO2 is really going on. Still after 3 days I can't get a reading but I believe real soon I will then I can monitor gravity for a few days the back calculate the beginning gravity.

This is a must thatsmells really good.

I'm gonna try same recipe this weekend, did u use a stcking to put the pumpkin pie filling in ???? Any tips before I start would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[djrockinsteve]

did u use a stcking to put the pumpkin pie filling in ????

Don't know what a sticking is but I did use a spatula to get the majority of the mix in then I added a tiny amount of water (no more than 2 ounces) to each can, swish around and get the emaining bits of pumpkin out.

As I stated, 18 cans filled the majority of the bucket. After you mix everything I would split it into 2 separate buckets.

Watch out for those CO2 bubbles. They can be big. Mine smells terrific.

 

[Flame145]

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

did ur pie filling liquify from the bioling sugar water ??? Did it re-thicken back up ??? R you using a nylon to hold pie filling ? Just wondering because I just started mine tonight

 

[Flame145]

Don't know what a sticking is but I did use a spatula to get the majority of the mix in then I added a tiny amount of water (no more than 2 ounces) to each can, swish around and get the emaining bits of pumpkin out.

As I stated, 18 cans filled the majority of the bucket. After you mix everything I would split it into 2 separate buckets.

Watch out for those CO2 bubbles. They can be big. Mine smells terrific.

Sorry did u use a nylon stocking to put pie fill in. I mis-spelled it..

 

[djrockinsteve]

No. I prefer not to use stockings. Professionally and personally.

 

[e-wine]

Flame145,

I used grated pumpkin and I did not use a nylon bag. I've thought about trying the pie filler but then, I've thought about trying a lot of things. I had some of the pumpkin wine last week and it was good though it was only bottled in March. I plan to keep away from it for another year if I can. It did get me to thinking about starting another batch to add to what I have going right now. After all, I still have open carboys but with six full primaries, they are slowly disappearing.

e-wine

 

[Savana123]

After looking at all the pictures I would really like to make pumpkin wine as, it feels very good to see all the images here. I am quite anxious for this, but little scared enough too.

 

[saintprovogirl]

Flame145,

I used grated pumpkin and I did not use a nylon bag. I've thought about trying the pie filler but then, I've thought about trying a lot of things. I had some of the pumpkin wine last week and it was good though it was only bottled in March. I plan to keep away from it for another year if I can. It did get me to thinking about starting another batch to add to what I have going right now. After all, I still have open carboys but with six full primaries, they are slowly disappearing.

e-wine

I'm guessing the two bottles in front are your pumpkin wine. Mine looks about the same right now and should be going into the secondary in just a few days. You mentioned you bottled it in March...did it clear pretty good and if so can you submit some pictures?

 

[djrockinsteve]

e-wine, we have the same shelves. Had to get something to organize the carboys. I only use the tops for gallons and bottles. The bottoms are all 5's.

Was your pumpkin more orange in the beginning?

 

[e-wine]

The pumpkin wine came out perfectly clear. I'll post a picture later. The two in the front are not pumpkin but they will be joined by another one the same color. Unfortunately, the pumpkin was only in two, one gallon carboys. I'll have to work on a 5 gallon batch of pumpkin if I can get decent fruit and the time to do the grating. After the must had cooled, it looked like orange marmalade and was just about as thick. It was more liquid at transfer to secondary but it was difficult to strain with all the grated pumpkin. And the wine does not taste like pumpkin.

On the shelf above these carboys are about a dozen one gallon carboys. The shelf above that has supplies and the top one is where I store the primaries and secondaries when they are not in use.

e-wine

 

[saintprovogirl]

I tasted the must last night and I can definitely tell it's going to pack a punch! Tested SG and it's currently at 1.01, so just a bit more to go until I can rack and it's only been about 4 days since I introduced the yeast. I started this batch at a SG of 1.09, so clearly you can see why the kick. I'm looking forward to seeing how the pumpkin pie filling works out because that's what I want...the pumpkin taste. I doubt mine will have it when all is said and done.

 

[Julie]

That should give you roughly 13% ABV

 

[saintprovogirl]

That should give you roughly 13% ABV

Yeah, a little stronger than anticipated but oh well...I'll take it .

 

[e-wine]

I looked back at this thread and on 4/15/09 I posted a picture of the wine shortly before I bottled it. Now, the picture was posted on 4/15 but the wine was bottled on 3/23. As you can see, the wine was clear. I can take pictures of a 1.5 litre bottle if you wish, just let me know.

e-wine