I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
made me nauseated, too.

Greg,

My very second batch of wine ever was a large batch (6 gal) of
watermelon. The must the entire time was on he rotten smelling side,
kinda like you would expect from a very overripe watermelon. The
fruit was fresh and sweet when I started, and I kept with it. It
actually is a higher alcohol batch than usual, about 15%, and I racked
after primary, and a month after that. I had a little leftover at
this time and the smell was still strong, almost bad. I refrigerated
it for two weeks and tried it. The color at this time was still a
soft pink, and the stabilizing in the fridge did let the smell rest,
and the taste was rough, but not bad. I could tell it needed to age,
but had potential. On the bright side, it packed a very quick kick
that would tell me that this is strong stuff.

It cleared a little, but had a wee bit of haze to the pink color. I
finally cleared it with superkleer and within a day it was pee yellow,
all of the pink was sediment at the bottom. I racked to bottles 3
days later. I sweetened half and left half dry, stabilizing both.

I am holding my hope that this turns out very mellow for next summer.

Greg, Erie, PA

On 3 Dec 2004 20:57:42 -0800, (Greg) wrote:

>I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
>a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
>the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
>away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
>dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
>made me nauseated, too.

Hoss,
Watermelon wine does smell "odd"; that's the only way I can describe it.
I've made it 2 times, it just has a unique smell. I had trouble my first
time to, it wouldn't clear, and then the bottles started to pop. Anyway, I
looked at my first batch as a learning experiment. After making some
adjustments, I started my second 1 gallon batch in July 2003. And yes, this
batch turned out to have a 15% alcohol level too. My taste buds prefer it
sweeter, especially to offset the rocket fuel taste; so I sweetened and
added sorbate. I think this wine needs time to mature, so I have not opened
a bottle yet. You're right, it does not come out pink, but sort of yellow.
Hang in there.
Darlene
Wisconsin

"Hoss" > wrote in message
news
> Greg,
>
> My very second batch of wine ever was a large batch (6 gal) of
> watermelon. The must the entire time was on he rotten smelling side,
> kinda like you would expect from a very overripe watermelon. The
> fruit was fresh and sweet when I started, and I kept with it. It
> actually is a higher alcohol batch than usual, about 15%, and I racked
> after primary, and a month after that. I had a little leftover at
> this time and the smell was still strong, almost bad. I refrigerated
> it for two weeks and tried it. The color at this time was still a
> soft pink, and the stabilizing in the fridge did let the smell rest,
> and the taste was rough, but not bad. I could tell it needed to age,
> but had potential. On the bright side, it packed a very quick kick
> that would tell me that this is strong stuff.
>
> It cleared a little, but had a wee bit of haze to the pink color. I
> finally cleared it with superkleer and within a day it was pee yellow,
> all of the pink was sediment at the bottom. I racked to bottles 3
> days later. I sweetened half and left half dry, stabilizing both.
>
> I am holding my hope that this turns out very mellow for next summer.
>
> Greg, Erie, PA
>
> On 3 Dec 2004 20:57:42 -0800, (Greg) wrote:
>
>>I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
>>a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
>>the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
>>away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
>>dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
>>made me nauseated, too.
>
>

Well, from what everyone has described, it looks like my watermelon
wine may be on track. It definitely has that very, very overripe
smell, with a high alcohol content. It also has the pinkish, redish,
orangy color, with a slight haze.

I just bottled an elderberry a couple of weeks ago. It was delicious,
without the age. I hope we can stay away from the bottled ones for a
few months Up to be bottled in a few weeks is muscadine. During
racking, it had a good taste, too.

Thanks for the feedback on the watermelon. It's been spared the drain
for a year or so.

(Greg) wrote in message . com>...
> I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
> a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
> the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
> away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
> dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
> made me nauseated, too.

Greg,
It is always interesting when making a wine for the first time...I was ready
to dump my watermelon the first time around too - the smell was just so odd.
So when I made it the second time, avoiding what I thought were the
negatives during the first time, and it still smelled the same...heck, this
must be how it smells. I'm glad I didn't throw the batch out, because I
learned a lot from it. Sometimes though, it is hard to know if you're on
the right track - how something smells and tastes is a hard thing to tell
others about,
Darlene

"Greg" > wrote in message
om...
> Well, from what everyone has described, it looks like my watermelon
> wine may be on track. It definitely has that very, very overripe
> smell, with a high alcohol content. It also has the pinkish, redish,
> orangy color, with a slight haze.
>
> I just bottled an elderberry a couple of weeks ago. It was delicious,
> without the age. I hope we can stay away from the bottled ones for a
> few months Up to be bottled in a few weeks is muscadine. During
> racking, it had a good taste, too.
>
> Thanks for the feedback on the watermelon. It's been spared the drain
> for a year or so.
>
> (Greg) wrote in message
> . com>...
>> I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
>> a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
>> the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
>> away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
>> dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
>> made me nauseated, too.

Ok here comes the KID in me...

Have any of you ever though about using some of the watermelon wine to make
jello or something else fun for the weekend?

David

"Dar V" > wrote in message
...
> Greg,
> It is always interesting when making a wine for the first time...I was
ready
> to dump my watermelon the first time around too - the smell was just so
odd.
> So when I made it the second time, avoiding what I thought were the
> negatives during the first time, and it still smelled the same...heck,
this
> must be how it smells. I'm glad I didn't throw the batch out, because I
> learned a lot from it. Sometimes though, it is hard to know if you're on
> the right track - how something smells and tastes is a hard thing to tell
> others about,
> Darlene
>
> "Greg" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Well, from what everyone has described, it looks like my watermelon
> > wine may be on track. It definitely has that very, very overripe
> > smell, with a high alcohol content. It also has the pinkish, redish,
> > orangy color, with a slight haze.
> >
> > I just bottled an elderberry a couple of weeks ago. It was delicious,
> > without the age. I hope we can stay away from the bottled ones for a
> > few months Up to be bottled in a few weeks is muscadine. During
> > racking, it had a good taste, too.
> >
> > Thanks for the feedback on the watermelon. It's been spared the drain
> > for a year or so.
> >
> > (Greg) wrote in message
> > . com>...
> >> I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
> >> a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
> >> the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
> >> away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
> >> dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
> >> made me nauseated, too.
>
>

Lol. Sure, but I'm over 21 (well a bit more than that) and I like to try new
things. Believe me there was a watermelon around my house to eat.
Darlene ;o)

"news-server.triad.rr.com" > wrote in message
. com...
> Ok here comes the KID in me...
>
> Have any of you ever though about using some of the watermelon wine to
> make
> jello or something else fun for the weekend?
>
> David
>
> "Dar V" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Greg,
>> It is always interesting when making a wine for the first time...I was
> ready
>> to dump my watermelon the first time around too - the smell was just so
> odd.
>> So when I made it the second time, avoiding what I thought were the
>> negatives during the first time, and it still smelled the same...heck,
> this
>> must be how it smells. I'm glad I didn't throw the batch out, because I
>> learned a lot from it. Sometimes though, it is hard to know if you're on
>> the right track - how something smells and tastes is a hard thing to tell
>> others about,
>> Darlene
>>
>> "Greg" > wrote in message
>> om...
>> > Well, from what everyone has described, it looks like my watermelon
>> > wine may be on track. It definitely has that very, very overripe
>> > smell, with a high alcohol content. It also has the pinkish, redish,
>> > orangy color, with a slight haze.
>> >
>> > I just bottled an elderberry a couple of weeks ago. It was delicious,
>> > without the age. I hope we can stay away from the bottled ones for a
>> > few months Up to be bottled in a few weeks is muscadine. During
>> > racking, it had a good taste, too.
>> >
>> > Thanks for the feedback on the watermelon. It's been spared the drain
>> > for a year or so.
>> >
>> > (Greg) wrote in message
>> > . com>...
>> >> I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
>> >> a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
>> >> the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
>> >> away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
>> >> dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
>> >> made me nauseated, too.
>>
>>
>
>

Sure, I'm over 21 too and love to try new things. One thing I have never
tried is watermelon wine Jell-O.

Bet it would be good. :-)

David



"Dar V" > wrote in message
...
> Lol. Sure, but I'm over 21 (well a bit more than that) and I like to try
new
> things. Believe me there was a watermelon around my house to eat.
> Darlene ;o)
>
> "news-server.triad.rr.com" > wrote in message
> . com...
> > Ok here comes the KID in me...
> >
> > Have any of you ever though about using some of the watermelon wine to
> > make
> > jello or something else fun for the weekend?
> >
> > David
> >
> > "Dar V" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> Greg,
> >> It is always interesting when making a wine for the first time...I was
> > ready
> >> to dump my watermelon the first time around too - the smell was just so
> > odd.
> >> So when I made it the second time, avoiding what I thought were the
> >> negatives during the first time, and it still smelled the same...heck,
> > this
> >> must be how it smells. I'm glad I didn't throw the batch out, because
I
> >> learned a lot from it. Sometimes though, it is hard to know if you're
on
> >> the right track - how something smells and tastes is a hard thing to
tell
> >> others about,
> >> Darlene
> >>
> >> "Greg" > wrote in message
> >> om...
> >> > Well, from what everyone has described, it looks like my watermelon
> >> > wine may be on track. It definitely has that very, very overripe
> >> > smell, with a high alcohol content. It also has the pinkish, redish,
> >> > orangy color, with a slight haze.
> >> >
> >> > I just bottled an elderberry a couple of weeks ago. It was delicious,
> >> > without the age. I hope we can stay away from the bottled ones for a
> >> > few months Up to be bottled in a few weeks is muscadine. During
> >> > racking, it had a good taste, too.
> >> >
> >> > Thanks for the feedback on the watermelon. It's been spared the drain
> >> > for a year or so.
> >> >
> >> > (Greg) wrote in message
> >> > . com>...
> >> >> I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it
has
> >> >> a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even
after
> >> >> the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
> >> >> away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
> >> >> dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
> >> >> made me nauseated, too.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

Greg wrote:
> I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
> a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
> the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
> away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
> dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
> made me nauseated, too.
I'm making brussel sprout wine (it was a dare! I'll get £50 if it's
drinkable, nothing to pay out if it isn't!). My place smelled like a
dead donkey had farted while it was in the must bucket. It still smells
like flatulence when I unbung the airlock for checking (haven't dared
taste it), but is slowly losing the bad odors. I hope it loses all,
that £50 will be useful in buying more equipment.

Good for you! I think it is always good to try something new each year.
Darlene


"alien" > wrote in message
...
> Greg wrote:
>> I just finished bottling a gallon batch of watermelon wine and it has
>> a strong watermelon smell. It always has smelled like that, even after
>> the rackings. I may be crazy, but I was assuming that odor would go
>> away after fermentation. Is this normal, or has the batch bit the
>> dust? It taste ok, I think, but needs some aging for sure. Kind of
>> made me nauseated, too.
> I'm making brussel sprout wine (it was a dare! I'll get £50 if it's
> drinkable, nothing to pay out if it isn't!). My place smelled like a dead
> donkey had farted while it was in the must bucket. It still smells like
> flatulence when I unbung the airlock for checking (haven't dared taste
> it), but is slowly losing the bad odors. I hope it loses all, that £50
> will be useful in buying more equipment.