Runner Bean Wine - Why am I going for it?

[BigDaveK]

Did you ever do anything just out of curiosity?

Runner bean or green bean, 4 lbs cooked till very well done. Very robust ferment 12 hours after adding yeast.
This will be fun. It's supposed to taste like sherry....or green beans.

I ate a bowl of the beans when done and thought of my mom. Her vegetables were always boiled until the flavor and pesky nutrients were gone.

 

[sour_grapes]

I ate a bowl of the beans when done and thought of my mom. Her vegetables were always boiled until the flavor and pesky nutrients were gone.

Brother! How are you my brother?

 

[Rice_Guy]

why yes I have

Did you ever do anything just out of curiosity?

* stopped on the road yesterday to taste an apple crab on the highway, and will juice some to see what the numbers are
* put white pine needles together for a wine
* ran a rice sample in a water bath a degree above gelatinization temperature for two weeks, ,,, tasted bad so don’t do it
* pulled a TV and microwave apart
* crushed gooseberry in an antique cherry stoner this year
* used a bag (as in bag in box wine) as a fermentation carboy, good quality wine
* used a cubitainer as a carboy, this micro-oxidizes the wine and made sherry like flavor
* stag horn sumach wine
, , , and now let’s see what did I do last month

 

[BigDaveK]

why yes I have

* stopped on the road yesterday to taste an apple crab on the highway, and will juice some to see what the numbers are
* put white pine needles together for a wine
* ran a rice sample in a water bath a degree above gelatinization temperature for two weeks, ,,, tasted bad so don’t do it
* pulled a TV and microwave apart
* crushed gooseberry in an antique cherry stoner this year
* used a bag (as in bag in box wine) as a fermentation carboy, good quality wine
* used a cubitainer as a carboy, this micro-oxidizes the wine and made sherry like flavor
* stag horn sumach wine
, , , and now let’s see what did I do last month

As a departed friend of mine would say, I'm like doing things for *****-n-giggles. I tinker and have a barn filled with things I'm going to use for "something someday"...and eventually I do.

I really think our generation, growing up without the internet and smartphones, has made us more creative and curious.

 

[winemanden]

I made runner bean wine years ago, it was

 

[QuiQuog]

I made runner bean wine years ago, it was

...hmm

 

[BigDaveK]

I made runner bean wine years ago, it was

This is like the old Far Side cartoon where the murder victim is writing in his own blood, "It was...it was...argh."

 

[Venatorscribe]

I ate a bowl of the beans when done and thought of my mom. Her vegetables were always boiled until the flavor and pesky nutrients were gone.

My mother was no different. It must have been a post war thing. It was like she had no idea how delicious they could be if she left a bit of crunch.

 

[Ohio Bob]

My mother was no different. It must have been a post war thing. It was like she had no idea how delicious they could be if she left a bit of crunch.

My mother was the same with asparagus, boiled it to death in lemon juice. Not till I was on my own and discovered grilling it, became a huge fan of it.

 

[winemanden]

...hmm
Hmm, that's what I thought at the time. It must have been drinkable as I've dumped very few wines. As to whether it was any good, it was so long ago I can't remember, and I can't find any record of it.
Oh! I've just remembered, it was white.

 

[BigDaveK]

Transferred this morning.
Very robust ferment. Must be something in the beans the yeast really like.
I am constantly surprised by the "old time" and obscure wines. It's actually good! Not fruity, not vegetal, no aroma or flavor of green beans. I had a large glass left over after transferring to secondary and my top-up container. It was interesting that I couldn't taste any alcohol. About 15 minutes later I realized I shouldn't drive for a little while.
Oh, and I decided it tastes like an average white wine....but made from green beans. What a hoot!

 

[BigDaveK]

Clearing very nicely. Went from 1.088 to .986 and it tastes delicious!



It tastes SO good, in fact, that I cleaned the garden of beans, had enough for a 3 gallon batch, and even added 3 #'s of Chinese red noodle beans, transferred to secondary this morning. Crazy...Who the heck makes a 3 gallon batch of bean wine?

 

[winemaker81]

Crazy...Who the heck makes a 3 gallon batch of bean wine?

Dr. Frankenwine?



Post a list of the batches you've started. I've been following your posts for the last year, but don't have a mental picture of what you've tried.

 

[BigDaveK]

Racked this morning just because.
Cleared beautifully and we're at 3 months.
Absolutely delicious, fruity, bone dry down to .986 and about 13.4% ABV.
Again I am blown away by a wine using such a common ingredient. Green beans, who knew!?!? But what really blows me away is that, like my potato wine, I'll bottle this bone dry!

 

[BigDaveK]

Bottling day!

Delicious! Fruity, crisp, refreshing. Back sweetened slightly to make it off dry.
It's also dangerous. There's no detectable alcohol but it hits later. Believe me, it hits later. It was a fun day!

 

[BigDaveK]

Bottling day #2!
The 3 gallon batch tastes better than the 1 gallon. It may have to do with the beans being older AND the addition of the Chinese noodle beans. And it picked up a bit more color.
It was good dry, did 4 bottles, definitely will go with a meal. Back sweetened the rest for a refreshing sipping wine.
I'll be planting more noodle beans this year for sure.