Such as thing as too much fruit?

[DeanHere]

Here's goes my first post....
I am starting an apricot wine. Recipe is calling for 13 lbs but I was going to use 14. I weighed the fruit @ "14" on the scale. What I didn't realize was the scale was in kgs, NOT lbs. I realized my mistake AFTER adding water, sugar etc. So now I have 30 lbs of fruit in the primary!
So...feedback on this scenario.
Thanks!
(Love this forum!)

 

[hounddawg]

I aint got a clue,
but could you please tell me how it goes
on most country wines it calls for 3 to 4 lb. per gallon, but on my pear/apple,, my apple, cherry, blackberry, elderberry I double what those country wines call for,,, and where I live my only problem is accruing new friends, lol , but please I'd love to know how this turns out, of course ou can figure you poundage and add proper amount of water, take a new SG reading to adjust your sugar, then figure you new amount to add your extra chemicals, all up to you but I'd love to here what direction you go and how it finished out for you..
Dawg::

Here's goes my first post....
I am starting an apricot wine. Recipe is calling for 13 lbs but I was going to use 14. I weighed the fruit @ "14" on the scale. What I didn't realize was the scale was in kgs, NOT lbs. I realized my mistake AFTER adding water, sugar etc. So now I have 30 lbs of fruit in the primary!
So...feedback on this scenario.
Thanks!
(Love this forum!)

 

[Scooter68]

What was the original Quantity you were shooting for - In Gallons?
13 lbs for 1 Gallon is a pretty doggone heavy amount of fruit and you now have 30.8 lbls if your scale was in Kilograms ( 1 Kilogram = 2.2 pounds ). For 2 gallons that 14 lbs would be fine. So you could just double the volume with additional water and sugar and chemicals and go from there. You could make a very nice 4 gallon batch or even just push it to 3 gallons and have a little over 10 lbs per gallon. '

The amount of fruit per gallon is a personal preference thing and the discussion on her goes in both directions. I lean toward a more moderate amount of 5-8 lbs per gallon of pretty much and "Fruit" like Cherries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Strawberries or Black Raspberries. I recently made a batch Black Raspberry wine with just under 5 lbs of of berries and that was a VERY stout flavored wine. The body was beautiful, when you swirled it in the carboy or bottle it left a film that took several seconds to roll off the glass. Personal Preferences that's what it comes down to - I just cannot see that the heavy heavy quantities of fruit gets you a 'better tastiing wine." I mean Concord grape wines are overflowing with flavor but.... I'm not a fan of that taste bud blasting intensity. I like a lighter wine unless I'm going for a dessert wine.

 

[DeanHere]

23L / 5 gal recipe

 

[vernsgal]

Depending on fruit I use 7-10lbs per gal.Apricots are light in taste like peach. You're fine.I made a blackberry wine using fruit only,no water.It was/is great

 

[Masbustelo]

I have a mead aging that I made last year with just peaches and very little water. I think it is turning out very nice. I have five gallons of it.Keep an eye on pH and the TA. Initially mine was right at 4.0 pH.

 

[bkisel]

23L / 5 gal recipe

Welcome to the forum!

BTW, for 23L you want a 6 gallon recipe (23L = 6.07596 gal). I'm guessing you knew that and just mis-typed.

 

[DeanHere]

Welcome to the forum!

BTW, for 23L you want a 6 gallon recipe (23L = 6.07596 gal). I'm guessing you knew that and just mis-typed.

Thanks for the welcome.

Actually, the 5 was for Imp gal, which is 6 US.
So I guess that should be indicated when using gallons in the forum or ?

 

[Scooter68]

Pounds to Kilos, Gallons to Liters, tabletized additives vs powders

It's all part of the fun especially when we communicate world-wide with someone who just normally thinks in a different scale than we do.

 

[bkisel]

Thanks for the welcome.

Actually, the 5 was for Imp gal, which is 6 US.
So I guess that should be indicated when using gallons in the forum or ?

Thanks, I didn't think of Imp. Gal.

 

[Noontime]

My opinion is, if you can use 100% fruit with no water additions that would be optimal, just like making wine from grapes. Usually the SG, or the bulk of fruit "meat" (like fibrous mangoes), or going for lighter flavor profile will dictate adding water. Taste and starting SG (potential alcohol) should be your guide.