plum wine- is it worth it?

[james]

Never had much luck with plum wine. Its not cleared twice and once it did clear but tasted like medicine.

However.... I may have access to "lots and lots" of plums in a few days time.

I've got the contents of my demijohns planned through till next spring. But should I shuffle and make space?

If so...got a recipe?

[NorthernWiner]

Never had much luck with plum wine. Its not cleared twice and once it did clear but tasted like medicine.

This has also been my experience with plum wine. I have two carboys sitting in the back recesses of my cellar that are over a year old and haven't cleared at all.

[fatbloke]

Never had much luck with plum wine. Its not cleared twice and once it did clear but tasted like medicine.

However.... I may have access to "lots and lots" of plums in a few days time.

I've got the contents of my demijohns planned through till next spring. But should I shuffle and make space?

If so...got a recipe?

This has also been my experience with plum wine. I have two carboys sitting in the back recesses of my cellar that are over a year old and haven't cleared at all.

Well whats the possible reason for it not clearing ?

Not enough pectolase ? Does it need to be cold crashed ? Maybe it's one of those wines that needs nuclear grade finings ? Or just more than one type ?

To be honest, I haven't checked the gallon I made last year, but this has prompted me to look later on (dentist next....)

regards

jtfb

[NorthernWiner]

Well whats the possible reason for it not clearing ?

Not enough pectolase ? Does it need to be cold crashed ? Maybe it's one of those wines that needs nuclear grade finings ? Or just more than one type ?

John, I've tried every enzyme and clearing agent known to mankind... pectolase, amylase, 2-part clearing, bentonite. You name it, I've tried it. I even attempted forced filtration.

Nada.

[james]

I heard freezing helps prior to pulp fermentation (with industrial quantities of pectolase), but not tried it.

[lockwood1956]

However.... I may have access to "lots and lots" of plums in a few days time.

I've got the contents of my demijohns planned through till next spring. But should I shuffle and make space?

If so...got a recipe?

see here for my experiments with plum wine

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=130&highlight=experimental+plum+wine

if i were to make it again i would add 4 tsp pectolase per gallon, and definately NOT use hot or boiling water at any point in the process....
as it took ages and 4 seperate pectolase treatments and 2 seperate finings additions afterwards to clear....the 2nd 5 gal batch is still in a 5 gallon carbuoy, and STILL isnt clear.


the finished wine was oooooookay, but better if sweetened to around 1.010

hope this helps
regards
bob

[NorthernWiner]

if i were to make it again i would add 4 tsp pectolase per gallon, and definately NOT use hot or boiling water at any point in the process....

Bob, I'm not sure that even makes a difference. I only used cold water in mine, and not a lot of that, either, as it was mostly pure juice.

Our friend Luc Volders claims to have pretty good success with plum. I'd be interested to know what he does different.

[lockwood1956]

If I ever make plum wine again .....and I might as next door have offered me their plum crop (looks to be about 30lbs)

I think it may need to be a dessert style wine to balance out the harsh malic acid in the plums...

plum wine always tastes just too sharp for my liking...even good plum wine

[fatbloke]

If I ever make plum wine again .....and I might as next door have offered me their plum crop (looks to be about 30lbs)

I think it may need to be a dessert style wine to balance out the harsh malic acid in the plums...

plum wine always tastes just too sharp for my liking...even good plum wine

Those sort of fruit shouldn't IMO, taste too "wine like". Not dry, not too acidic, more like a slightly sweet alcoholic fruit cordial - much like I remember used to be brewed commercial by Gales. A lot of the berry wines were very "berry tasting" - it's sort of what I try to aim for with my country wines.

I still haven't fished out the gallon of plum I made last year to see what it's doing, but I think that I might have a dig around to try and understand more about MLF - wouldn't 71B be an ideal yeast or would it be better to use something that retains more fruit flavour and colour (thinking K1V and/or RC212 here.....)?

Ha ha! if anyone within 50 miles or so of me has any "free" plums, I know exactly what I can do with them, but this isn't the place for that

regards

jtfb

p.s. oh and the linked thread is a damn fine example of tutorial/guidance for plum wine, well done......

[lockwood1956]

Those sort of fruit shouldn't IMO, taste too "wine like". Not dry, not too acidic, more like a slightly sweet alcoholic fruit cordial - much like I remember used to be brewed commercial by Gales. A lot of the berry wines were very "berry tasting" - it's sort of what I try to aim for with my country wines.

Dessert style, not dessert alc levels, was thinking around 10 to 11% alc and lots of residual sugar

p.s. oh and the linked thread is a damn fine example of tutorial/guidance for plum wine, well done......

thank you kind sir