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  • Black Hamburg grapes

    Hi all, I have been given around a 25ltr fermenter full of Black Hamburg grapes (not picked yet but the owner thinks there will be about that amount) I have never made wine from grapes before and am looking for simple uncomplicated advice. I don't know when to pick them, they have been grown in a conservatory so I would guess they should be ready now. I was told someone tried to make wine from the vine a few years ago and the wine was white. I have all the gear needed for kit wine making what else if anything do I need? UK based. thanks John.

  • #2
    Pick when the seeds turn brown. The sugars should be maximum at that point.

    See here for making red wine
    N.G.W.B.J.
    Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
    Wine, mead and beer maker

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    • #3
      Thanks for the reply. Have just picked the grapes this afternoon, don't fully understand the tutorial unfortunately. Will start tomorrow, I have filled a fermenter just over the top, the grapes look and taste fantastic.

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      • #4
        I've made wine from black hamburg grapes a few times. The wines are light, fruity and floral. It's also quite versatile as you can make it white, rose or light red. I don't have anything to test acid so I try to rely on taste, it's not scientific but I've not gone too wrong so far. If they are acidic tasting I make rose (crush and keep the skins in for up to 1 day before pressing) then stabilise and sweeten when it's fully fermented to balance the acid. Or you can press immediately and ferment the juice only to make white wine but the juice doesn't have tons of flavour and I think benefits from what the skins bring to a rose. If they're mainly just sweet tasting and not acidic you can make white or rose without sweetening afterwards or a light red. I got the grapes fully ripe one year and fermented fully on the skins which made a light bodied red, turned out fine (wasn't quite my taste in reds). Before you add yeast make sure you've taken a hydrometer reading from the juice so you know if you'll need to add sugar (quite likely with our climate). If it's 1.080 or more you'll get away with no sugar for white or rose but not lower. Do you have yeast already? Lalvin 71B (or the Gervin or Vintners harvest equivalents) is my favourite yeast for garden grapes (white, rose or light red) as it softens acidity a bit. Good luck!

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        • #5
          Originally posted by joelw94 View Post
          I've made wine from black hamburg grapes a few times. The wines are light, fruity and floral. It's also quite versatile as you can make it white, rose or light red. I don't have anything to test acid so I try to rely on taste, it's not scientific but I've not gone too wrong so far. If they are acidic tasting I make rose (crush and keep the skins in for up to 1 day before pressing) then stabilise and sweeten when it's fully fermented to balance the acid. Or you can press immediately and ferment the juice only to make white wine but the juice doesn't have tons of flavour and I think benefits from what the skins bring to a rose. If they're mainly just sweet tasting and not acidic you can make white or rose without sweetening afterwards or a light red. I got the grapes fully ripe one year and fermented fully on the skins which made a light bodied red, turned out fine (wasn't quite my taste in reds). Before you add yeast make sure you've taken a hydrometer reading from the juice so you know if you'll need to add sugar (quite likely with our climate). If it's 1.080 or more you'll get away with no sugar for white or rose but not lower. Do you have yeast already? Lalvin 71B (or the Gervin or Vintners harvest equivalents) is my favourite yeast for garden grapes (white, rose or light red) as it softens acidity a bit. Good luck!

          Thanks for the reply, I have only Muntons Premium Gold yeast at the moment so will have to wait until Tuesday to buy the proper stuff. John.

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