Thinking Out of the Box

[RCGoodin]

Ok, Joe has shared many of his tweaks with us, so it's time we shared some of ours with him.

What have you done?

I'll start with what I am going to do.

I have 4 white kits and I want to kick them up a notch, so I am going to do the following.

Batch 1: Calf Chardonnay, adding 1/2 lb of white raisins after 5 days of primary. Adding zest of 2 oranges, 2 lemons and 2 grapefruit in secondary.

Batch 2: Calf Chardonnay, adding 1/2 lb of white raisins after 5 days of primary. Adding 2 packages of oak in secondary. Adding 1 cup of simple syrup in secondary.

Batch 3: Semillion Chardonnay, adding 1/2 lb of white raisins after 5 days of primary. Adding oak in secondary. Adding tannins for White in secondary.

Batch 4: Gawurtztramier, adding 1/2 lb of white raisins after 5 days of primary. Adding zest of 2 oranges, 2 lemons and 2 grapefruit in secondary. Adding oak in secondary. Adding tannins for White in secondary.

Ok, now it's your turn.

 

[Runningwolf]

I love the zesting idea! I am interested in knowing how it works for you, please follow up.

It takes a lot of alcohol to draw the flavor out of the skins and that is why I just started doing extracts.

 

[LoneStarLori]

I'm interested in the zesting too. I have done Joe's raisin kick 3 times now and I am sold. But adding citrus may be the kick my whites have needed.

 

[cpfan]

RCGoodin:

Just wondering why you are waiting 5 days to add the raisins? Also are you adding them whole or chopped up? In a hop bag (or similar), or loose?

Steve

 

[ou8amaus]

On the whole extract topic, I was wondering if anything else other than 40% alcohol could be used to help extract the flavors? I want to give extracts a try, but my greedy government taxes us up the wazoo for booze. At $30-40a bottle, it gets a little pricey to experiment, especially to make multiple extracts. I could always just use smaller jars, but if there is another way...? Thanks

 

[jethro]

In the U.S. you can buy flavor extracts in the grocery store. Where spices are sold for food. Check there for lemon extract, orange extract, etc.

 

[RCGoodin]

RCGoodin:

Just wondering why you are waiting 5 days to add the raisins? Also are you adding them whole or chopped up? In a hop bag (or similar), or loose?

Steve

Waiting 5 days to get to secondary. I will add raisins in secondary to the fermenting bucket. I will add them whole, and loose, as per Joe's instructions and then do airlock.

I have found 3 bottles of citrus extract, so I will do that along with skins.

 

[Arne]

On the whole extract topic, I was wondering if anything else other than 40% alcohol could be used to help extract the flavors? I want to give extracts a try, but my greedy government taxes us up the wazoo for booze. At $30-40a bottle, it gets a little pricey to experiment, especially to make multiple extracts. I could always just use smaller jars, but if there is another way...? Thanks

Don't know for sure, but you could try and make a plain sugar wine, start it out at 1.085 or so, ferment it down a ways, to 1.050 or so, make sure you keep plenty of nutrients in it, step feed the sugar back up to 1.085, let it ferment down. Use a yeast that will withstand high alcohol. Stop feeding sugar when the yeast quits. You should be able to get up to 18 to 20% or so. Now you can use this to make the extracts. Cost?? Some sugar, a few chemicals and a pk. of yeast. Just a thought, Arne.

 

[wineforfun]

I just bought some Watkins orange extract for an orange juice wine I am making. $3 bottle for 2 oz.
Not that familiar with extracts but this one said ingredients: 89% alcohol, orange oil.

 

[the_rayway]

LorAnn Oils are really good too. I've used the orange oil in my Orange Creamsicle Mead.

If you are zesting, make sure to zest the fruit over the wine - that way the oils that spray out will be caught by the wine. It really adds a lot.

 

[RCGoodin]

LorAnn Oils are really good too. I've used the orange oil in my Orange Creamsicle Mead.

If you are zesting, make sure to zest the fruit over the wine - that way the oils that spray out will be caught by the wine. It really adds a lot.

Sounds like a great tip. Thank you.

Any suggestions as to how many tablespoons of bottled extracts per 6 gallons of juice?

 

[wineforfun]

One of Dave's(of Dragon Blood) recipes he used 2oz. in 6 gal. of a peach wine. Said it turned out good but in the future he would only use 1oz in 6 gal.
The 1gal. batch of orange juice wine I just used it in, I used 4.24 ml, which is a conversion of the 1oz to 6 gal.
It seems to be plenty as it is very strong stuff.

 

[ou8amaus]

Don't know for sure, but you could try and make a plain sugar wine, start it out at 1.085 or so, ferment it down a ways, to 1.050 or so, make sure you keep plenty of nutrients in it, step feed the sugar back up to 1.085, let it ferment down. Use a yeast that will withstand high alcohol. Stop feeding sugar when the yeast quits. You should be able to get up to 18 to 20% or so. Now you can use this to make the extracts. Cost?? Some sugar, a few chemicals and a pk. of yeast. Just a thought, Arne.

Thanks Arne, that sounds like a great idea! I have been looking for a reasonable reason to try out the "superyeasts". Have you any experience with this? Will the final product (prior to zesting) be relatively neutral-flavored?

 

[Arne]

Thanks Arne, that sounds like a great idea! I have been looking for a reasonable reason to try out the "superyeasts". Have you any experience with this? Will the final product (prior to zesting) be relatively neutral-flavored?

Nope, havn't tried it, but if you don't get it too sweet towards the end, it should be pretty neutral. I think others have recomended to make some of this to use as a top up wine. Usually don't try to make it as strong on alcohol then so it will be fermented dry. Anyway, try it, if it works good, let us know. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[the_rayway]

Sounds like a great tip. Thank you.

Any suggestions as to how many tablespoons of bottled extracts per 6 gallons of juice?

I bench tested mine - each extract is different, as is each wine that you are adding it to, as are your taste buds! For flavour, I would always taste instead of guess-timate

 

[Boatboy24]

I've actually added Tellicherry peppercorns to a Syrah. I think that'd do better with a Zin, but what the heck.

 

[RCGoodin]

I've actually added Tellicherry peppercorns to a Syrah. I think that'd do better with a Zin, but what the heck.

I like the peppery finish in a Zin when you swirl it in your mouth prior to the swallow.......

 

[joeswine]

Fun with extracts

Always be aware of your base wines profile before exploring...............but always have fun..........\

TESS, can you see how clear it comes out?

 

[knockabout]

I'm going to split my luna rosa up and add licorice vanilla bean peppercorns and sur lies and chocolate from some form maybe raisins too! That's the plan anyways well see if dear smart hubby vetoes tonight after tacking! Lol&

 

[joeswine]

knochabout

sounds like a bit much ?????????????