I'm about ready to make my first attempt at winemaking, using a wine kit
from Brew King, a merlot. Looks like it should be fun. I read somewhere
that adding fruit to a wine kit would be an interesting thing to do. I
think the specific suggestions were dried grapes, cherries, etc. However I
lost that recipe.

Is this really a good idea, or just a figment of my imagination? Do I add
the fruit at the beginning of the primary? If this is a good idea, then how
much? And what are things to consider ... and things to stay away from.
I'm tempted to just go ahead and expirement ... but I'd also like this first
batch to be moderately successful. Any advice would be appreciated.

Dave

Adding fruit helps, especially grapes or grape skins - but if this is your
first attempt, I'd just go with the kit and it's instructions to get some
experience and think about adding the next time around.

Hope it works out well!

Ed

"Dave" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about ready to make my first attempt at winemaking, using a wine kit
> from Brew King, a merlot. Looks like it should be fun. I read somewhere
> that adding fruit to a wine kit would be an interesting thing to do. I
> think the specific suggestions were dried grapes, cherries, etc. However
I
> lost that recipe.
>
> Is this really a good idea, or just a figment of my imagination? Do I add
> the fruit at the beginning of the primary? If this is a good idea, then
how
> much? And what are things to consider ... and things to stay away from.
> I'm tempted to just go ahead and expirement ... but I'd also like this
first
> batch to be moderately successful. Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> Dave
>
>

One question.... should fruit be blanched or otherwise sterilized
before being added? I've never added fruit, but with all the concerns
over sanitizing equipment, it seems to me that this could all be
ruined if your fruit is not clean.

I added some concentrated apple juice to a cheap white wine kit. It is
clearing now. I may add some more before bottling to add more apple
flavour. Not sure how it will turn out.