Sweet potato wine

[e-wine]

On Thursday, I also plan to start a batch of sweet potato wine using, you guessed it, a recipe from Jack Keller's web site. I also what to make some sweet potato pies since I now know my wife likes them but that's a different story. Any input on the wine will be appreciated. Thank you.

e-wine

 

[e-wine]

I did find sweet potatos at a reasonable price so I will start this batch tomorrow.

e-wine

 

[Tom]

I would INCREASE the #'s that is suggested. The #'s he suggest on all his wines are LOW. Keep in mind that the recipies are mostley from his readers.
Let us know what YOUR recipe is

 

[e-wine]

Tom,

My recipe is exactly from his site:

6 lbs sweet potatoes
2-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
1 lb raisins
1 tsp. acid blend
1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
1 gallon water
1 tsp yeast nutrient
wine yeast

On the pumpkin wine, I ended up with 50% more wine than I expected due to the contribution from the pumpkin which is why I feel the acid and sugar were low. So far, I have not had problems with fermentation starting (I just wanted to throw that in to jinx myself.) As for increasing the numbers, that statement doesn't provide me with any direction. I plan to test S.G. and acid and adjust accordingly. If there is something in particular you would increase, please let me know exactly what it is, after all, I'm still in my rookie season. Thank you.

e-wine

 

[Tom]

What does it say to do to the potatoes? Bake, Boil or Raw?

 

[e-wine]

"Peel potatoes and dice finely. Put diced potatoes in pan and just cover with water. Bring to boil, cover pan, reduce to simmer for 25 minutes . . . . Strain the potatoes over primary, setting the potatoes aside for use in cooking (candied, mashed, pie, etc.). " I'm going with pie.

e-wine

 

[NSwiner]

Ok this is probably a dumb question but does the wine really taste like sweet potatoes when your done ? There's a couple of types I was wondering the samething about like beetroot ,pumpkin and pecan although the description of the pecan wine sounded good .

 

[Tom]

"Peel potatoes and dice finely. Put diced potatoes in pan and just cover with water. Bring to boil, cover pan, reduce to simmer for 25 minutes . . . . Strain the potatoes over primary, setting the potatoes aside for use in cooking (candied, mashed, pie, etc.). " I'm going with pie.

e-wine

Personally I would add the cooked potatoes to a straining bag and ferment with the Water from the boil and add sugar and water to 1 gal. Let it cool, then add pectic. Wait 24 hrs and add yeast, nutrient, and check the TA and add acid blend accordingly.

NOTE:
Never add Acid Blend blindly ! Always check TA

 

[e-wine]

Tom,

I thought about that but the sweet potato pies are already in my sights. Also, I wanted to try sweet potato waffles. If I like this wine, and I make it again next year, I will change some things. Also, I do test TC before I change anything and I have stayed to the light side on the acid blend.

NSwiner,

Hopefully, someone else will answer your question. I have no idea how any of these wines will taste. As a guess, I'd say it will not tast like sweet potatos. We helped with harvesting Blanc du Bois grapes and thankfully, the wine does not taste like the grapes. I will let you know next year if no one else answers your question.

e-wine

 

[e-wine]

Okay, I followed the recipe as given and ended up with two gallons. So I doubled the raisins, sugar, pectin, nutrient, and 1.75x acid blend. I also ended up with two fresh baked pies, 4 frozen packets for pies (2 pies per packet), some for waffles and two more pies tomorrow. Six pounds of sweet potatoes is a lot of sweet potatoes. I also boiled the skins and fed it to the chickens. Nothing goes to waste around here. I'll add the yeast tomorrow and see if it starts up. Stay warm and Merry Christmas (the smell of the pies made me say that)!

e-wine

 

[Tom]

How does it taste?

 

[e-wine]

Tom,

Very sweet and like raisins. I don't have much of a sweet tooth so mainly, it just taste sweet.

e-wine

 

[arcticsid]

I was reading about sweet potatoe wine somewhere else, and from what they say it actually makes a pretty decent wine. Hope yours ends up the same. NS. I started a thread on that a while ago. It will never taste like what it was made with! I think it was Wade who said, "you taste the essence of the fruit/veg". You can start with the fruitiest most fragrant wine and be surprised it doesn't reseble it at all when its done. The scariest part is while it's fermenting it flat out stinks and you wonder what happened to that fruity tootie you started with.

 

[NSwiner]

Ok so now I want to try sweet potato wine still not liking the idea of beetroot lol Maybe I'll have time after Xmas t o look up that other post you talked about .

 

[e-wine]

Earlier today, I thought the jinx was in. I added the yeast at 8:00 am and after 8 hours, nothing. A watched pot never boils so I just checked on the must an hour ago and the yeast are feasting. The funny thing to me is that all the raisin came to the top but with only the renderings from the sweet potatoes, there's nothing left but raisins. I plan to transfer to the secondary on Tuesday and get a second set of readings. When I transfer, I will add the second half of the sugar.

The sweet potato pies went over well with my wife. Since we got married, I never cook and I never bake so the pies' appearance was a complete surprise. I'll find out early tomorrow morning if the waffles are any good or not. There wasn't time this morning. To those in the northeast, drive safely tomorrow. My sister is driving through PA this weekend so my thoughts and prayers will be with all who have to travel in this unpredictable weather. Take care.

e-wine

 

[arcticsid]

My glass is lifted to all who are traveling also!

Your guyses "freeways" scare the snot out of me. I live in the mountains, or at least surrounded by them, and big trucks and even cars next to me freak me out. Can I say that at 43YO? It scares the sheets out of me. At least when I have to go up and down them it is just me! Still freaks me out. I would rather fly through some of the windy passes here than take a chance on those expressways you all deal with down there.

Anyway, I never thought it was possible but I can smell those pies all the way up here!

Troy

 

[arcticsid]

E, buy yourself a paint straining bag or a new pair of nylons, just don't let the wife see you running around in the house wearing that paint straining bag!

It sure makes life easier for solids in your must, be sure you press down the floaties at least once a day. Twice is better. Gotta dunk them! Even in a ferment bag. Keep it moist.


Troy

 

[St Allie]

Tom,

My recipe is exactly from his site:

6 lbs sweet potatoes
2-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
1 lb raisins
1 tsp. acid blend
1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
1 gallon water
1 tsp yeast nutrient
wine yeast

On the pumpkin wine, I ended up with 50% more wine than I expected due to the contribution from the pumpkin which is why I feel the acid and sugar were low. So far, I have not had problems with fermentation starting (I just wanted to throw that in to jinx myself.) As for increasing the numbers, that statement doesn't provide me with any direction. I plan to test S.G. and acid and adjust accordingly. If there is something in particular you would increase, please let me know exactly what it is, after all, I'm still in my rookie season. Thank you.

e-wine

Kellers recipe quotes pectic enzyme.. that will deal with the raisins.. however there is no mention of amylase.. you may end up with a starch haze in the finished wine..won't affect the flavour too much.. however it's difficult to shift without a starch enzyme. If you've started the wine already .. wait til the end and if you do have a haze.. at least you'll know to just add some amylase after fermentation is completed.

Allie

 

[St Allie]

Tom,

My recipe is exactly from his site:

6 lbs sweet potatoes
2-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
1 lb raisins
1 tsp. acid blend
1/2 tsp. pectic enzyme
1 gallon water
1 tsp yeast nutrient
wine yeast

On the pumpkin wine, I ended up with 50% more wine than I expected due to the contribution from the pumpkin which is why I feel the acid and sugar were low. So far, I have not had problems with fermentation starting (I just wanted to throw that in to jinx myself.) As for increasing the numbers, that statement doesn't provide me with any direction. I plan to test S.G. and acid and adjust accordingly. If there is something in particular you would increase, please let me know exactly what it is, after all, I'm still in my rookie season. Thank you.

e-wine

Kellers recipe quotes pectic enzyme.. that will deal with the raisins.. however there is no mention of amylase.. you may end up with a starch haze in the finished wine..won't affect the flavour too much.. however it's difficult to shift without a starch enzyme. If you've started the wine already .. wait til the end and if you do have a haze.. at least you'll know to just add some amylase after fermentation is completed if you want a nicely cleared wine..

Allie

 

[e-wine]

I transferred the batch into the secondaries and I did end up with a bit more than two gallons. Per the recipe, I did add the second half of the sugar which only increased my return. I put the remainder in an empty wine bottle, drilled a cork and fit an air lock. I'll try to use this when I rack the wine but that depends on how much settles out between cycles. The acid content is at the low end for a "fruit" wine but still within range. The S.G. is higher than I expected considering the fermentation activity. I'll check again in two weeks.

St Allie,

I did pick up some amylase for the beet wine so I do have some available. I'll keep an eye on the clarity and keep your advise in mind.

e-wine