Just bought myself a new home in late july that has a bunch (grove?) of
plum trees so badly neglected that they look more like bushes than
trees. while we was moving in the plums ripened (a LOT of plums) and
was thinking about what to do with them next year. I recalled having
plum wine in the local oriental restaraunt and wouldnt mind tinkering a
bit to see if I could come up with something similar.

anyway, I looked at jack kellers website and have seen acouple of
recipies, but am a bit daunted by the firehose of terminology.

also, it has not been only the plums that have been neglected, so I
have a list of house maintenance long enough that I cannot die until
well over 2050

with that being said, I have some brewing supplies that someone gave
me(corks, airlocks, etc) of unknown quality, and nearly a whole year
before I need to be proficient in winemaking can anyone point me to
a good website? I would not try googling as i really need to do some
yard cleaning and dont have time for 40,000+ sites on winemaking (jacks
site looks good, but not the best for the beginner)

I'd prefer a sweet wine, rather than a dry one.

approx 10-20 plum trees, most producting 20-40 plums per tree, all
ripening within a two week period. mid wisconsin area

*I* would make wine, as would probably most of the people who frequent
this group! I'd probably make jam as well, if there was anything left
over from winemaking ...

Try Lum's website: http://www.geocities.com/lumeisenman/contents.html

He's published a rather extensive home winemaking book. It's a lot to
read, but you've got a year ... and you can post more advanced
questions here.

Bryan


On 5 Nov 2006 07:34:21 -0800, "Tater" > wrote:

>Just bought myself a new home in late july that has a bunch (grove?) of
>plum trees so badly neglected that they look more like bushes than
>trees. while we was moving in the plums ripened (a LOT of plums) and
>was thinking about what to do with them next year. I recalled having
>plum wine in the local oriental restaraunt and wouldnt mind tinkering a
>bit to see if I could come up with something similar.
>
>anyway, I looked at jack kellers website and have seen acouple of
>recipies, but am a bit daunted by the firehose of terminology.
>
>also, it has not been only the plums that have been neglected, so I
>have a list of house maintenance long enough that I cannot die until
>well over 2050
>
>with that being said, I have some brewing supplies that someone gave
>me(corks, airlocks, etc) of unknown quality, and nearly a whole year
>before I need to be proficient in winemaking can anyone point me to
>a good website? I would not try googling as i really need to do some
>yard cleaning and dont have time for 40,000+ sites on winemaking (jacks
>site looks good, but not the best for the beginner)
>
>I'd prefer a sweet wine, rather than a dry one.
>
>approx 10-20 plum trees, most producting 20-40 plums per tree, all
>ripening within a two week period. mid wisconsin area

Tater wrote:
> Just bought myself a new home in late july that has a bunch (grove?) of
> plum trees so badly neglected that they look more like bushes than
> trees. while we was moving in the plums ripened (a LOT of plums) and
> was thinking about what to do with them next year. I recalled having
> plum wine in the local oriental restaraunt and wouldnt mind tinkering a
> bit to see if I could come up with something similar.
>
> anyway, I looked at jack kellers website and have seen acouple of
> recipies, but am a bit daunted by the firehose of terminology.
>
> also, it has not been only the plums that have been neglected, so I
> have a list of house maintenance long enough that I cannot die until
> well over 2050
>
> with that being said, I have some brewing supplies that someone gave
> me(corks, airlocks, etc) of unknown quality, and nearly a whole year
> before I need to be proficient in winemaking can anyone point me to
> a good website? I would not try googling as i really need to do some
> yard cleaning and dont have time for 40,000+ sites on winemaking (jacks
> site looks good, but not the best for the beginner)
>
> I'd prefer a sweet wine, rather than a dry one.
>
> approx 10-20 plum trees, most producting 20-40 plums per tree, all
> ripening within a two week period. mid wisconsin area

Tater wrote:
> Just bought myself a new home in late july that has a bunch (grove?) of
> plum trees so badly neglected that they look more like bushes than
> trees. while we was moving in the plums ripened (a LOT of plums) and
> was thinking about what to do with them next year. I recalled having
> plum wine in the local oriental restaraunt and wouldnt mind tinkering a
> bit to see if I could come up with something similar.
>
> anyway, I looked at jack kellers website and have seen acouple of
> recipies, but am a bit daunted by the firehose of terminology.
>
> also, it has not been only the plums that have been neglected, so I
> have a list of house maintenance long enough that I cannot die until
> well over 2050
>
> with that being said, I have some brewing supplies that someone gave
> me(corks, airlocks, etc) of unknown quality, and nearly a whole year
> before I need to be proficient in winemaking can anyone point me to
> a good website? I would not try googling as i really need to do some
> yard cleaning and dont have time for 40,000+ sites on winemaking (jacks
> site looks good, but not the best for the beginner)
>
> I'd prefer a sweet wine, rather than a dry one.
>
> approx 10-20 plum trees, most producting 20-40 plums per tree, all
> ripening within a two week period. mid wisconsin area


Wine Maker Magazine: issue June-July 2005 has a whole article on plum
wine. According to this publication a gallon of plum wine can be make
from 5 lbs of plums. Best to care for the grove now, prune, use
dormant oil several times this winter before spring buds appear,
cultivate a bit (weed and grass removal) from trunk to drip diameter of
each tree. Read about wine making and gather other necessary supplies
for next years harvest.
Altawine

I'd be glad to take some plums off your hands, if our zipcodes were
reasonably close ;^) . get the keller recipe,
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques12.asp , a rubbermaid foodgrade
barrel for a primary fermenter, a towel to cover it, some domino & some
lalvin 1118 yeast, & the other chemistry jack enumerates. Your carboys are
your secondary fermenters. racking means to transfer your good wine off of
the sediments to another carboy. don't fret, it's not brain science or
rocket surgery! if you post questions about the methodology or
terminology, someone will answer. good luck& don't worry!


"Tater" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Just bought myself a new home in late july that has a bunch (grove?) of
> plum trees so badly neglected that they look more like bushes than
> trees. while we was moving in the plums ripened (a LOT of plums) and
> was thinking about what to do with them next year. I recalled having
> plum wine in the local oriental restaraunt and wouldnt mind tinkering a
> bit to see if I could come up with something similar.
>
> anyway, I looked at jack kellers website and have seen acouple of
> recipies, but am a bit daunted by the firehose of terminology.
>
> also, it has not been only the plums that have been neglected, so I
> have a list of house maintenance long enough that I cannot die until
> well over 2050
>
> with that being said, I have some brewing supplies that someone gave
> me(corks, airlocks, etc) of unknown quality, and nearly a whole year
> before I need to be proficient in winemaking can anyone point me to
> a good website? I would not try googling as i really need to do some
> yard cleaning and dont have time for 40,000+ sites on winemaking (jacks
> site looks good, but not the best for the beginner)
>
> I'd prefer a sweet wine, rather than a dry one.
>
> approx 10-20 plum trees, most producting 20-40 plums per tree, all
> ripening within a two week period. mid wisconsin area
>

Hi,
I'd make the wine - it is yummy, but does need to sit a year to be really
good. I believe I used Jack's recipe, and I like my wines on the semi-sweet
side. It may be a bit daunting, but give a yell on this site and we'll help.
Darlene
Wisconsin


"Tater" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Just bought myself a new home in late july that has a bunch (grove?) of
> plum trees so badly neglected that they look more like bushes than
> trees. while we was moving in the plums ripened (a LOT of plums) and
> was thinking about what to do with them next year. I recalled having
> plum wine in the local oriental restaraunt and wouldnt mind tinkering a
> bit to see if I could come up with something similar.
>
> anyway, I looked at jack kellers website and have seen acouple of
> recipies, but am a bit daunted by the firehose of terminology.
>
> also, it has not been only the plums that have been neglected, so I
> have a list of house maintenance long enough that I cannot die until
> well over 2050
>
> with that being said, I have some brewing supplies that someone gave
> me(corks, airlocks, etc) of unknown quality, and nearly a whole year
> before I need to be proficient in winemaking can anyone point me to
> a good website? I would not try googling as i really need to do some
> yard cleaning and dont have time for 40,000+ sites on winemaking (jacks
> site looks good, but not the best for the beginner)
>
> I'd prefer a sweet wine, rather than a dry one.
>
> approx 10-20 plum trees, most producting 20-40 plums per tree, all
> ripening within a two week period. mid wisconsin area
>

Yes, the terminology can be daunting when you talk to some of us who have
been into it for years, but really, winemaking is very simple. You have a
year but you do not want to spend much unproductive time at it.

I would suggest you get a wine kit and make a batch. You have the hardware
you said. The kits provide you with the juice and chemicals that you need.
They also provide you with a 2 page, fool proof instructions on how to make
wine. And some of them are very good.

Make a kit or two during the comming year. It will painlessly teach you the
basic proceedures for making wine. You will have some very nice end
product. And you will be ready to handle the only slightly more difficult
task of making wine from your own fruit. Then you will understand much of
what Jack and Lum talk about. If you like sweet wines (plum is frequently
made sweet) try making a Island Mist kit which contains fruit and makes what
I would call a picknick wine, or make a good Gewertztraminer Kit which will
produce a more traditional German style wine.

Really, wine making is very easy if you do not bite off more than you are
comfortable with chewing! ;o)

Ray

"Tater" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Just bought myself a new home in late july that has a bunch (grove?) of
> plum trees so badly neglected that they look more like bushes than
> trees. while we was moving in the plums ripened (a LOT of plums) and
> was thinking about what to do with them next year. I recalled having
> plum wine in the local oriental restaraunt and wouldnt mind tinkering a
> bit to see if I could come up with something similar.
>
> anyway, I looked at jack kellers website and have seen acouple of
> recipies, but am a bit daunted by the firehose of terminology.
>
> also, it has not been only the plums that have been neglected, so I
> have a list of house maintenance long enough that I cannot die until
> well over 2050
>
> with that being said, I have some brewing supplies that someone gave
> me(corks, airlocks, etc) of unknown quality, and nearly a whole year
> before I need to be proficient in winemaking can anyone point me to
> a good website? I would not try googling as i really need to do some
> yard cleaning and dont have time for 40,000+ sites on winemaking (jacks
> site looks good, but not the best for the beginner)
>
> I'd prefer a sweet wine, rather than a dry one.
>
> approx 10-20 plum trees, most producting 20-40 plums per tree, all
> ripening within a two week period. mid wisconsin area
>

Ray Calvert wrote:
> I would suggest you get a wine kit and make a batch. You have the hardware
> you said. The kits provide you with the juice and chemicals that you need.
> They also provide you with a 2 page, fool proof instructions on how to make
> wine. And some of them are very good.

well, i dont know if I have a complete set of equipment (pretty sure i
dont) and I've been looking on ebay, aside from the usual warnings
about buying on ebay, is it wise to buy kits there?

There may be a misunderstanding here. Understandably so. In wine making, a
"Wine Kit" has no hardware. It is all the juices and consumable ingredients
such as acids and clarifiers that you need to make a wine. The hardware is
totally separate and there is precious little of it. Look for "Winemaking
Kits" rather than "Wine kits" for the hardware. You can look on the web at
some of the Winemaking Shops and find their "Winemaking Kits" and see what
they have in them. You will need most of it but that is not so much. If
you want to you can buy a whole kit. They generally cost the same as the
sum of the pieces. Otherwise, just buy what you are missing. The one thing
many of us would advise is do NOT buy the cheap corker that they include.
When it comes time to bottle, borrow or rent a good floor corker. If you
continue with the hobby you will want to buy one. They run $75 to $100 and
they will become one of your prized possessions.

Ray

"Tater" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Ray Calvert wrote:
>> I would suggest you get a wine kit and make a batch. You have the
>> hardware
>> you said. The kits provide you with the juice and chemicals that you
>> need.
>> They also provide you with a 2 page, fool proof instructions on how to
>> make
>> wine. And some of them are very good.
>
> well, i dont know if I have a complete set of equipment (pretty sure i
> dont) and I've been looking on ebay, aside from the usual warnings
> about buying on ebay, is it wise to buy kits there?
>