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Winemaking (rec.crafts.winemaking) Discussion of the process, recipes, tips, techniques and general exchange of lore on the process, methods and history of wine making. Includes traditional grape wines, sparkling wines & champagnes. |
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Chokecherry wine
"Greg Cook" > wrote in message ... > In article >, > "1234xx" > wrote: > > > What recipes and tips can someone offer on making chokecherry wine. I've > > never made wine myself but my father has done a good job on raspberry and > > local apple wines. I picked about 5 gals today and would like to freeze them > > for use later. They are excellent this year with the unusually hot summer. I > > haven't the time, equipment or skills to tackle it at the present myself. > > > > Thanks in advance. > > > > > > I made chokecherry last year and it turned out ok. I used 3 pounds per > gallon and did a pulp fermentation. It has a nice flavor, but is a bit > light (color and flavor). I have a friend that makes a really delicious > robust dry chokecherry that is deep red and has a terrific body. He uses > about 5 pounds per gallon. He adds boiling water to the room temperature > cherries, and whirs it up with a 5-gallon paint mixer - this breaks the > chokecherries but does not break the pits. He lets this steep for about > 24 hours then strains it and ferments the juice without the pulp. I am > going to do something like that with this year's crop. I notice all the > recipes call for about 2.5 pounds per gallon. I suppose it depends on > how ripe the cherries are, but I found 3 pounds to be too little. > Boiling water will help to extract the color, so I may do this also. > > Please let us know how it turns out. Update on the chokecherry wine. I'm into the second batch. I divided the berries into 1/3 and 2/3. I started the first 1/3 on Sept 25th. The second 2/3 is very nearly ready to transfer into the carboy. Both are looking good. For the second I used half of red grape concentrate the recipe called for and substituted the 1/2 the alternate of raisins. I have access to a digital battery hydrometer (very expensive, about $4000 CDN) which reads to .001. The present batch started at 1.149 sg and is now at 1.024 sg so perhaps this afternoon it will each target of 1.010. I couldn't resist a taste of the liquid withdrawn by the hydrometer this morning. Expect it to be a tasty wine, better than the first go around. I took your suggestion of the paint mixer. The first I built myself modeled after one in Walmart. It worked so so. I ended up crushing many berries by hand. I then went shopping and found one for $10 CDN that was built differently. It worked somewhat better and I just left the berries that didn't disintegrate. The berries were picked a few day late. Some were starting to get quite dry. Another person who makes fine rhubarb wine freezes the fruit twice. He claims it tends to break down better. It might be worth trying this with chokecherries. The mixer did a fine job on the raisins. What might work well a mixer along the design of an egg beater made from a hard rubber, something that would avoid breaking the pits. |
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