Question about the use of DME in (port) wines-

[BernardSmith]

JimmyT in the section dealing with port wines asked a question that I would like to turn on its head. The question was whether it matter what DME (dried malt extract) is added to port to improve mouthfeel. But that question made me think about the flavoring and blending of beers (made with all grain or extract) with fruit wines. Clearly, there is a long tradition (well fairly long) of adding fruit to beers (cherry, for example, raspberry, pomegranate)but the idea is simply to flavor the beer. There is a beer - honey mix called a braggot that is neither a beer nor a mead... There is a cider- ale drink that involves the fermenting the grains with the apple juice but I wonder if anyone has experimented with beer and fruit wines - and so using say, LME or DME or the wort from all grain brewing to boost the sugar content of say rhubarb or berries or stone fruit or to simply blend the flavors (if rhubarb pie tastes tantalizing might a rhubarb "alewine" also taste pleasant)... .

 

[seth8530]

I have not really ventured very far into this side of things... But, I have a mead going right now that was flavoured with a considerable amount of dark crystal malt. I would say that the cases where this would work for a wine are few and far between, but I can see them existing. Ie, think of a black currant or black berry port with a very dark malt addition that has strong chocolate flavours in it.