What are you making and what have you made ???

[Kivanc]

It’s been 7 days since I put my cinnamon tea wine to secondary. It amazes me how it changed its color to a lighter tone. It has a strong cinnamon taste when compared to the earlier cinnamon tea wines that I made.

 

[BigDaveK]

It’s been 7 days since I put my cinnamon tea wine to secondary. It amazes me how it changed its color to a lighter tone. It has a strong cinnamon taste when compared to the earlier cinnamon tea wines that I made.

Great! Cinnamon wine is still on my list for this year.

Yes, the color. That's one thing that annoys me about many of my country wines - various shades of amber. Monotonous. I may have to add ingredients now and then just for the color. I added some water from boiled red cabbage to a strawberry. No noticeable flavor but a beautiful ruby red color.

 

[Jovimaple]

Bulk aging:
3 gal peach from peach nectar (no water added): will backsweeten and bottle late summer
6 gal FWK Tavola Cab Sav (to be bottled late summer/early fall)

To be started:
1 gal lingonberry from syrup
6 gal dragonblood (berry blend from Costco)
3 gal RJS Cru Specialty Vidal Icewine
2x3 gal RJS Cru Specialty Toasted Caramel dessert wine (fermented as a double batch)
3 gal RJS Cru Specialty Gingerbread Cookie dessert wine
6 gal Twisted Mist Pina Colada wine cooler kit (may tweak to 5 gallons, add sugar to raise abv, etc.)
6 gal Chilean Barbera juice bucket (pre-ordered, early May arrival)
3 gal RJS Cru Specialty Chocolate Orange dessert wine (pre-ordered, delivery this summer)
Probably another 6 gal batch or two of skeeter pee

As you might guess, the RJS dessert wines have become a huge favorite of ours. I grabbed some of the leftover 2022 batches because the prices for the 2023 versions are going up significantly. I haven't done the icewine kit yet, and the chocolate orange is new in 2023 (or at least hasn't been around since I started my wine making adventures in 2020).

Wow, I had better get started!!

 

[winemaker81]

I grabbed some of the leftover 2022 batches because the prices for the 2023 versions are going up significantly.

A large percentage of the kits I've made in the last 15 years were on some type of sale. Why pay full retail if we don't have to?

 

[Kivanc]

You will have to update us on how this one turns out.

My 13,12% alcohol cinnamon tea wine turned out to be a crispy with full cinnamon flavored champagne

 

[vinny]

How would you rate it? Really good, or is it just weird?

 

[Kivanc]

How would you rate it? Really good, or is it just weird?

Well, I would say that it isn’t over sweet which it gives the wine a honey-like taste along with the cinnamon flavor. It’s almost really good!

 

[detlion1643]

I recently put together a chocolate peppermint in hopes it'll be ready for Christmas time.

5 gallons water
2 bottles peppermint extract
1 cup hershey unsweetened cocoa powder
Sugar to 1.095 - 1.1000
Nutrient
Energizer
Montrachet red star yeast

It's currently down to 1.010 so I tried a sample. I'm torn, the peppermint flavor is nice but the chocolate flavor is gross, at least how it is currently.

Although, the first day I put it together the entire house smelled like peppermint and my wife thought I had bought tons of girl scout cookies lol.

 

[vinny]

I recently put together a chocolate peppermint in hopes it'll be ready for Christmas time.

5 gallons water
2 bottles peppermint extract
1 cup hershey unsweetened cocoa powder
Sugar to 1.095 - 1.1000
Nutrient
Energizer
Montrachet red star yeast

It's currently down to 1.010 so I tried a sample. I'm torn, the peppermint flavor is nice but the chocolate flavor is gross, at least how it is currently.

Although, the first day I put it together the entire house smelled like peppermint and my wife thought I had bought tons of girl scout cookies lol.

My first thought is that unsweetened cocoa is gross. I don't think you are going to get a real idea of the flavor potential without back sweetening.

Imagine chocolate ice cream, brownies, or anything similar without sugar. Might as well have a spoonful of cocoa...

Gross.

 

[bstnh1]

My first thought is that unsweetened cocoa is gross. I don't think you are going to get a real idea of the flavor potential without back sweetening.

Imagine chocolate ice cream, brownies, or anything similar without sugar. Might as well have a spoonful of cocoa...

Gross. I agree with Vinny. I make a lot of chocolate desserts and candies that call for unsweetened cocoa. It needs a ton of sugar to make it palatable. You will probably need to heavily back sweeten the finished product to get a reasonable choclate taste.

I recently put together a chocolate peppermint in hopes it'll be ready for Christmas time.

5 gallons water
2 bottles peppermint extract
1 cup hershey unsweetened cocoa powder
Sugar to 1.095 - 1.1000
Nutrient
Energizer
Montrachet red star yeast

It's currently down to 1.010 so I tried a sample. I'm torn, the peppermint flavor is nice but the chocolate flavor is gross, at least how it is currently.

Although, the first day I put it together the entire house smelled like peppermint and my wife thought I had bought tons of girl scout cookies lol.

I agree with Vinny. I make a lot of chocolate desserts and candies that call for unsweetened cocoa. It needs a ton of sugar to make it palatable. You will probably need to heavily back sweeten the finished product to get a reasonable cholate taste.

 

[Dwerth]

I guess I could add to this list as well.

As of 4/1:
Currently in bulk:
1 gal WinExpert Chardonnay. First ever wine, will be bottled in early May.
1 gal simple sweet red (Concord) wine. Bulk until early July.
6 gal FWK pinot noir. Bulk until October.

Currently in ferment:
1 gal experimental sweet red - experimenting with added tannin. To bulk in another week or so.

Planned for the rest of the year:
6 gal white (to be determined)
1 gal peach/mango control (no extra sugar)
1 gal peach/mango experiment (SG to 1.100, pasteurize)
1 gal peach/mango experiment (SG to 1.100, pasteurize then backsweeten as needed)
1 gal cranberry/pineapple wine control (no extra sugar)
1 gal cranberry/pineapple wine experiment (SG to 1.100)
1 gal cranberry/pineapple wine experiment (SG to 1.100, pasteurize then backsweeten as needed)
6 gal FWK Syrah - planning for Christmas gifts 2024.

I am certain I will add to my list, especially in the 1 gallon experimental batch size.

 

[BigDaveK]

That's a nice list, @Dwerth!
Mango is somewhat mild in flavor so don't be surprised if you don't taste it. Definitely worth trying, though!
Cranberry is one of my favorites, keeps its color and flavor.
Be careful with pasteurizing your wine. I'd give that plan a second thought.

When you say "no extra sugar" are you intending to use only the sugars in the fruit? I'd give that a second thought also.

 

[Dwerth]

That's a nice list, @Dwerth!
Mango is somewhat mild in flavor so don't be surprised if you don't taste it. Definitely worth trying, though!
Cranberry is one of my favorites, keeps its color and flavor.
Be careful with pasteurizing your wine. I'd give that plan a second thought.

When you say "no extra sugar" are you intending to use only the sugars in the fruit? I'd give that a second thought also.

I am planning on using juice for them currently, as I found some easily accessible (and pretty inexpensive) juice with no preservatives harmful to yeast. I am still so new into this hobby, I need to run this type of side by side experiment so I can wrap my head around the ramifications of doing "this" vs. doing "that". The follow on experiment set (not listed yet) will use both the juice and frozen fruit as well. I will be doing the sets in 1 gal. jugs so I can do each set of 3 concurrently, placed side by side on my shelf.

 

[BigDaveK]

I am planning on using juice for them currently, as I found some easily accessible (and pretty inexpensive) juice with no preservatives harmful to yeast. I am still so new into this hobby, I need to run this type of side by side experiment so I can wrap my head around the ramifications of doing "this" vs. doing "that". The follow on experiment set (not listed yet) will use both the juice and frozen fruit as well. I will be doing the sets in 1 gal. jugs so I can do each set of 3 concurrently, placed side by side on my shelf.

I'm not trying to discourage you, definitely not! I'm all for experimenting! Do what you need to do.
However...
Peach, for example, has approximately 83 g/l of sugar which, at best, will give you a bit less that 5% ABV. Not really a good number for microbial protection. For protection it's better to be around 9-10% ABV. Many commercial juices have sugar added so your numbers may be different. The hydrometer is your friend.

I usually start at 1.090 (or a bit more) and go heavy on the fruit, or even all fruit/juice. I'd hate for you to make something that you're not going to drink. Just trying to help - we all want each other to be successful here.

 

[Dwerth]

I'm not trying to discourage you, definitely not! I'm all for experimenting! Do what you need to do.
However...
Peach, for example, has approximately 83 g/l of sugar which, at best, will give you a bit less that 5% ABV. Not really a good number for microbial protection. For protection it's better to be around 9-10% ABV. Many commercial juices have sugar added so your numbers may be different. The hydrometer is your friend.

I usually start at 1.090 (or a bit more) and go heavy on the fruit, or even all fruit/juice. I'd hate for you to make something that you're not going to drink. Just trying to help - we all want each other to be successful here.

I appreciate that! With that in mind, I may bring all of them up to 1.100 then.

 

[vinny]

I'm not trying to discourage you, definitely not! I'm all for experimenting! Do what you need to do.

The day @BigDaveK says don't try to ferment that... I know I'll be following that thread.

 

[Dwerth]

Doing some research on yeast for my peach/mango and cranberry/pineapple experiments, I may have to pick up some Renaissance TR-313 yeast to run a comparison between that and what I use for my experiments (lalvin ec1118, 71B). Given the comments from @BigDaveK, I may change the tests to be more of a yeast test. Or possibly, Lalvin OKAY yeast. Not sure yet, but the Renaissance and the OAKY yeast have very low to no H2S, and are good for aromatics which is a goal for those.

1 gal peach/mango control (SG to 1.100, Lalvin EC1118)
1 gal peach/mango experiment (SG to 1.100, Ren TR-313)
1 gal cranberry/pineapple control (SG to 1.100, Lalvin EC1118)
1 gal cranberry/pineapple experiment (SG to 1.100, Ren TR-313)

 

[Ohio Bob]

Another option is the QA23, good for whites. I’ve used it one time on my latest Riesling. It’s still in the carboy so no definitive recommendation yet.

 

[detlion1643]

I was able to transfer the chocolate peppermint to secondary this morning. Not sure of the color when it clears, right now it looks like chocolate lol. I didn't try a sample, but I did put in sorbate and 6 cups of sugar for back sweetening. It's been a long time since I've added sugar back, and previously I remember dumping in the sugar and swirling around. However, I noticed a good bit of sugar sitting at the bottom of the secondary.

It's more useful to dissolve sugar in water and use that to back sweeten, right? Or is there a better method, I don't have a utensil thin enough and long enough to reach the bottom of the secondaries.

Also, sitting next to a cranberry apple (made from juice) which I might keep dry as I like it that way.

 

[crushday]

Not sure of the color when it clears, right now it looks like chocolate lol.

I'm sure it will be very light in color. As an example, here are a couple pictures of a Rosè made from Carménère. The wine in the carboy is the Carm about two hours after the fill - BTW, yeast was applied the following morning. The other picture is the wine bottled. The color difference is stark...