Hello!
I just opened my first bottle of cranberry (11 months old) wine this past
Thanksgiving. It was my first try, and in general I was very pleased with
the results. It had a very cranberry taste, semi-sweet, and slightly tart -
I believe it came out at a 12% alcohol by volume. As soon as cranberries
went on sale after Thanksgiving, I bought 4 (12oz) bags and threw them into
the freezer for my next batch. Right now, I'm contemplating making another
batch, and trying to decided if I would do anything different this time
around. As I look back, my starting SG was 1.110, not to different from
yours - my ending SG was 1.021. It all depends on what your taste buds
like. What kind of yeast did you use? I guess, I wouldn't be too concerned
at this point, there are some things you can do while you're bulk aging and
before you bottle to get the wine to taste more to your liking. Keep notes
and taste-test. I would expect that your wine might have a strong kick to
it when it is young, but that should mellow out as you bulk age. Yes,
feedback comes slowly when making wine, but patience has it's own reward.
If you're like me when I first started, I was already thinking about what I
was going to make next.
Darlene

"spud" > wrote in message
...
> Hello:
>
> I've been lurking here for a few weeks and reading everything I can
> get my hands on about cranberry wine.
>
> Never having made wine before, I was intrugued with Roxanne's recipe
> (see below). But as my goodies bubble away I am concerned if this is
> going to turn out sweet or too high in alcohol, too hot.
>
> Since my research has found lots of folks that have made cranberry
> using this recipe or alternatively a starting out SG of 1.115, I was
> wondering if anyone would be willing to share thier impressions of the
> results. Too hot, too sweet just right, what?
>
> I've made lots of beer before, and ya didn't have to wait so long for
> the feedback results. I guess my question stems from an impatient
> nature. Is that common with newbies too?
>
> Take Care and TIA
> Steve Vegos
> Oregon
>
>
>
>
> Roxanne's Recipe:
> http://venus.spaceports.com/~jrjeff/winerec.htm
>
> 2 pounds cranberries, fresh or frozen
> 1 pound raisins
> 3 pounds granulated sugar (about 6 3/4 cups)
> 1 campden tablet
> 1 teaspoon nutrients
> 1/4 teaspoon pectic enzyme
> 1 1/4 teaspoon acid blend
> 1 package wine yeast
> 1 gallon water
>
> Chop cranberries coarsely. The goal here is the break the skin on
> every berry to help the juice leach into the water. Place them in the
> primary fermentor. Add raisins, water, sugar, yeast nutrient, pectic
> enzyme, acid blend and crushed campden tablet. Stir well to dissolve
> sugar. Let sit over night.
>
> The next day, check the specific gravity. It should be between 1.110
> and 1.115. Add yeast and mix in well. Cover primary fermentor. Stir
> daily for five days.
>
> Strain fruit, squeezing out as much juice as possible. Put into
> secondary fermentor and place airlock on the bottle.
>
> For a dry wine, Rack in three weeks and return to secondary fermentor.
> Rack again in three months, and every three months until 1 year old.
> Bottle.
>
> For a sweet wine, rack at three weeks. Add 1/2 cup sugar dissolved in
> 1 cup wine. Stir gently, and place back into secondary fermentor.
> Repeat process every six weeks until fermentation does not restart
> with the addition of sugar. Rack every three months until one year
> old. Bottle.
>
> Ths wine is best if you can refrain from drinking it for a year and a
> half from the date it was started.
>
>