Hi!
I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled in
September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe. As
racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled it,
it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at it for
4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful golden
with a hint of orange.

Is this normal?

So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It was
so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple years.
smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target November for the
earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of 375's. smile. I am
patient and can wait years if need be. smile.

Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to this
color?

thanks. DAve

Dave,
Can't say that my turned pink, although I only make a gallon recipe and I
usually add 1 can of Welch's grape juice to keep the color. I also do
sweeten it a bit before bottling. I will say though that I have noticed
other wines do change color a bit over time. My cranberry is usually
consumed within 2 years, and I always make a batch every year. As long as
its improving, I would keep it.
Darlene


"Dave Allison" > wrote in message
...
> Hi!
> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled in
> September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe. As
> racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled it, it
> was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at it for 4
> months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful golden with a
> hint of orange.
>
> Is this normal?
>
> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It was so
> harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple years. smile)I
> didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target November for the earliest
> to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of 375's. smile. I am patient and
> can wait years if need be. smile.
>
> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to this
> color?
>
> thanks. DAve

Never had that problem....do you have pH and TA data for it? Many
plant pigments will change color in response to pH (and oxidation
status).

Did you ahve enough SO2?


Dave Allison wrote:
> Hi!
> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled in
> September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe. As
> racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled it,
> it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at it for
> 4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful golden
> with a hint of orange.
>
> Is this normal?
>
> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It was
> so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple years.
> smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target November for the
> earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of 375's. smile. I am
> patient and can wait years if need be. smile.
>
> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to this
> color?
>
> thanks. DAve

hmm. I don't have those tools to measure TA or pH, nor SO2.
It has a strong nose, smells like raw alcohol, but if you get past the
nose, the taste is much improved and almost pleasant.

Guess I will look around for pH, TA and SO2 measuring tools. I guess
it's time I invest in these. With kits, it's not necessary, but now that
I am experimenting with recipes, I guess it's time.

thanks for the info. Oh, BTW, I did take a glass of it, and mixed it
with 50% white wine (technique Ray mentioned months ago), and oh, it was
very pleasant (but still strong alcohol smell/nose).

So it's keepable, but since I let it go so dry, it may take me another
year or 2.. Luckily I bottled a case of 375mL bottles, so I can sample
along the way.

--
DAve

Droopy wrote:
> Never had that problem....do you have pH and TA data for it? Many
> plant pigments will change color in response to pH (and oxidation
> status).
>
> Did you ahve enough SO2?
>
>
> Dave Allison wrote:
>> Hi!
>> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled in
>> September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe. As
>> racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled it,
>> it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at it for
>> 4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful golden
>> with a hint of orange.
>>
>> Is this normal?
>>
>> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
>> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It was
>> so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple years.
>> smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target November for the
>> earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of 375's. smile. I am
>> patient and can wait years if need be. smile.
>>
>> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to this
>> color?
>>
>> thanks. DAve
>

oops. TA stands for Total Alcohol, I know that. smile. It dried out at
12% which is know is kinda high. The pH or SO2 I don't know.
I wonder if next time I should have MLF'd it. hmm. More reading.

--
DAve

Dave Allison wrote:
> hmm. I don't have those tools to measure TA or pH, nor SO2.
> It has a strong nose, smells like raw alcohol, but if you get past the
> nose, the taste is much improved and almost pleasant.
>
> Guess I will look around for pH, TA and SO2 measuring tools. I guess
> it's time I invest in these. With kits, it's not necessary, but now that
> I am experimenting with recipes, I guess it's time.
>
> thanks for the info. Oh, BTW, I did take a glass of it, and mixed it
> with 50% white wine (technique Ray mentioned months ago), and oh, it was
> very pleasant (but still strong alcohol smell/nose).
>
> So it's keepable, but since I let it go so dry, it may take me another
> year or 2.. Luckily I bottled a case of 375mL bottles, so I can sample
> along the way.
>

Hmmm, I made a 6 gal batch of Jacks Cranberry recipe about 4 years ago. It
came out a fairly dark rose' and has held it's collor. I can not immagine
why it would fade that way. Especially early on. Cranberry usually turns
out fairly acidic so I would not expect that to be the problem. If it
tastes acidic I would not worry about that. Mine was very harsh the first
year, and somewhat harsh the second year. It is nice now and women seem
drawn to it. As it is acidic, you might try sweetening it a bit when you
open it. I like to blend it on opening with a white wine, maybe a Niagara.
Even if it is lighter than expected, give it time. It may come out OK.

Ray

"Dave Allison" > wrote in message
...
> Hi!
> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled in
> September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe. As
> racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled it, it
> was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at it for 4
> months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful golden with a
> hint of orange.
>
> Is this normal?
>
> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It was so
> harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple years. smile)I
> didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target November for the earliest
> to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of 375's. smile. I am patient and
> can wait years if need be. smile.
>
> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to this
> color?
>
> thanks. DAve

Thanks, Ray.
As I mentioned above, I learned to blend it from your advice months ago,
so I'll do that when it's ready. I'm thinking this will be really good
in another 12 months. I have many cases on "maturing", so I can wait.
Just was surprised by the color. I did blend this sample with 50% white
wine and as you suggested, it was very good. The NOSE is kinda harsh,
but I can wait. smile.

thanks for replying, Ray, I consider you one of the top winemakers on
the newsgroup. i appreciate it.

--
DAve


Ray Calvert wrote:
> Hmmm, I made a 6 gal batch of Jacks Cranberry recipe about 4 years ago. It
> came out a fairly dark rose' and has held it's collor. I can not immagine
> why it would fade that way. Especially early on. Cranberry usually turns
> out fairly acidic so I would not expect that to be the problem. If it
> tastes acidic I would not worry about that. Mine was very harsh the first
> year, and somewhat harsh the second year. It is nice now and women seem
> drawn to it. As it is acidic, you might try sweetening it a bit when you
> open it. I like to blend it on opening with a white wine, maybe a Niagara.
> Even if it is lighter than expected, give it time. It may come out OK.
>
> Ray
>
> "Dave Allison" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi!
>> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled in
>> September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe. As
>> racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled it, it
>> was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at it for 4
>> months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful golden with a
>> hint of orange.
>>
>> Is this normal?
>>
>> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
>> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It was so
>> harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple years. smile)I
>> didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target November for the earliest
>> to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of 375's. smile. I am patient and
>> can wait years if need be. smile.
>>
>> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to this
>> color?
>>
>> thanks. DAve
>
>

"Dave Allison" > wrote in message
.. .
> Thanks, Ray.
> As I mentioned above, I learned to blend it from your advice months ago,
> so I'll do that when it's ready. I'm thinking this will be really good in
> another 12 months. I have many cases on "maturing", so I can wait. Just
> was surprised by the color. I did blend this sample with 50% white wine
> and as you suggested, it was very good. The NOSE is kinda harsh, but I can
> wait. smile.
>
> thanks for replying, Ray, I consider you one of the top winemakers on the
> newsgroup. i appreciate it.
>
> --
I am flattered but let me correct you. Where I may be a practical winemaker
which may help beginers, I am certainly not one of the most knowledgeable
wine makers. After all, much if not most of what I have learned or learned
to recognise I learned on this site.

Ray

My cranberry/apple mead I made about two years ago is golden yellow.
Tastes great though. I bottled it about a month ago and kept it in a
clear demijohn until then. In the demijohn it had a faint pinkish tint,
but in the glass that is gone.

On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:33:11 -0400
Dave Allison > wrote:

> Hi!
> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled
> in September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe.
> As racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled
> it, it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at
> it for 4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful
> golden with a hint of orange.
>
> Is this normal?
>
> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It
> was so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple
> years. smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target
> November for the earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of
> 375's. smile. I am patient and can wait years if need be. smile.
>
> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to
> this color?
>
> thanks. DAve

Ah, interesting. thanks for the experience. i'm thinking another year,
and this will be golden. (haha, oh, it is already)

--
DAve

alien wrote:
> My cranberry/apple mead I made about two years ago is golden yellow.
> Tastes great though. I bottled it about a month ago and kept it in a
> clear demijohn until then. In the demijohn it had a faint pinkish tint,
> but in the glass that is gone.
>
> On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:33:11 -0400
> Dave Allison > wrote:
>
>> Hi!
>> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled
>> in September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe.
>> As racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled
>> it, it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at
>> it for 4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful
>> golden with a hint of orange.
>>
>> Is this normal?
>>
>> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
>> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It
>> was so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple
>> years. smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target
>> November for the earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of
>> 375's. smile. I am patient and can wait years if need be. smile.
>>
>> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to
>> this color?
>>
>> thanks. DAve

Interesting... My experience in blending my Cranberry with white wines
comes when I open the bottles and blend them when I drink them. It takes on
a nice rose' color. But from what you and Dave are observing, if you blend
them in the bottle they tend to fade. Am I understanding correctly?

Not necessarily a bad thing, just and interesting observation.

Ray

"alien" > wrote in message
n...
> My cranberry/apple mead I made about two years ago is golden yellow.
> Tastes great though. I bottled it about a month ago and kept it in a
> clear demijohn until then. In the demijohn it had a faint pinkish tint,
> but in the glass that is gone.
>
> On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:33:11 -0400
> Dave Allison > wrote:
>
>> Hi!
>> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled
>> in September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe.
>> As racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled
>> it, it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at
>> it for 4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful
>> golden with a hint of orange.
>>
>> Is this normal?
>>
>> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
>> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It
>> was so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple
>> years. smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target
>> November for the earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of
>> 375's. smile. I am patient and can wait years if need be. smile.
>>
>> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to
>> this color?
>>
>> thanks. DAve
>

Ray, for my experience, I only mixed it with white wine after I opened
the bottle. My color is a orange/yellow, like a very dark chardonnay or
pinot gris. When I mix with white wine, it goes to a straw color.
My batch still needs another year in the bottle to remove the harshness.
But it is pretty good already with white wine 25% of the glass and 75%
cranberry wine.

--
DAve

Ray Calvert wrote:
> Interesting... My experience in blending my Cranberry with white wines
> comes when I open the bottles and blend them when I drink them. It takes on
> a nice rose' color. But from what you and Dave are observing, if you blend
> them in the bottle they tend to fade. Am I understanding correctly?
>
> Not necessarily a bad thing, just and interesting observation.
>
> Ray
>
> "alien" > wrote in message
> n...
>> My cranberry/apple mead I made about two years ago is golden yellow.
>> Tastes great though. I bottled it about a month ago and kept it in a
>> clear demijohn until then. In the demijohn it had a faint pinkish tint,
>> but in the glass that is gone.
>>
>> On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:33:11 -0400
>> Dave Allison > wrote:
>>
>>> Hi!
>>> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled
>>> in September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe.
>>> As racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled
>>> it, it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at
>>> it for 4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful
>>> golden with a hint of orange.
>>>
>>> Is this normal?
>>>
>>> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
>>> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It
>>> was so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple
>>> years. smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target
>>> November for the earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of
>>> 375's. smile. I am patient and can wait years if need be. smile.
>>>
>>> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to
>>> this color?
>>>
>>> thanks. DAve
>
>

"Dave Allison" > wrote in message
.. .
> Ray, for my experience, I only mixed it with white wine after I opened the
> bottle. My color is a orange/yellow, like a very dark chardonnay or pinot
> gris. When I mix with white wine, it goes to a straw color.
> My batch still needs another year in the bottle to remove the harshness.
> But it is pretty good already with white wine 25% of the glass and 75%
> cranberry wine.
>

Very interesting. It really sounds like the white wine you are using is
bleaching the color out of the cranberry. The whites I have used did not
have this effect. They would just blend the color as you would expect.

Ray

On 8/7/2006 9:33 PM, Dave Allison wrote:
> Hi!
> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled in
> September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe. As
> racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled it,
> it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at it for
> 4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful golden
> with a hint of orange.
>
> Is this normal?
>
> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It was
> so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple years.
> smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target November for the
> earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of 375's. smile. I am
> patient and can wait years if need be. smile.
>
> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to this
> color?
>
> thanks. DAve


DAve,

My cranberry mead always fades to an orange color within a few months.
I had always thought that this was just how cranberry wine/mead worked.
Despite an unexpected color, it always tastes good.


Cheers,
Ken

Ah, thanks for the info. then I'm still in good shape. I guess I should
wait another 6 months, as the nose is rather harsh. but mixing with
white wine is great, for now.
thanks,
--
DAve

mail box wrote:
> On 8/7/2006 9:33 PM, Dave Allison wrote:
>> Hi!
>> I made my first 6 gallons of Cranberry wine late 2004, it was bottled
>> in September 2005 after following the Jack Keller web site's recipe.
>> As racking occurred - it got lighter and lighter pink. When I bottled
>> it, it was very pink, light pink, but pink. Now after not looking at
>> it for 4 months, today I retrieved a bottle and it is now a beautiful
>> golden with a hint of orange.
>>
>> Is this normal?
>>
>> So I took a 375ml bottle and chilled it, and poured a taste. Not bad,
>> still a little harsh, but much improved from when I bottled it. (It
>> was so harsh I assumed this would be throw away wine in a couple
>> years. smile)I didn't sweeten it, just let it go dry. I target
>> November for the earliest to try again, good thing I bottled a lot of
>> 375's. smile. I am patient and can wait years if need be. smile.
>>
>> Just wondered if anyone else with cranberry wine had it change to this
>> color?
>>
>> thanks. DAve
>
>
> DAve,
>
> My cranberry mead always fades to an orange color within a few months. I
> had always thought that this was just how cranberry wine/mead worked.
> Despite an unexpected color, it always tastes good.
>
>
> Cheers,
> Ken

Just an update.
As you all said, let it sit. And sure enough I tried another bottle
after 27 months from when I started this Cranberry Wine - and it's
wonderful. Golden in color with a hint of orange, on the sweet side with
a slight bitter ending to it. Great with cheeses.

I am so pleased as this was my first fruit recipe (all others were grape
kits). And since I made 6 gallons, I have lots now to enjoy.

thanks again for your advice above on this thread,

DAve

Dave Allison wrote:


Dave Allison wrote:
> Ah, thanks for the info. then I'm still in good shape. I guess I should
> wait another 6 months, as the nose is rather harsh. but mixing with
> white wine is great, for now.
> thanks,
> Ah, thanks for the info. then I'm still in good shape. I guess I should
> wait another 6 months, as the nose is rather harsh. but mixing with
> white wine is great, for now.
> thanks,

Good news Dave

I can't get the group that far back, would it be a straight cranberry you made or a cranberry-currant like Kellers? I
ask because I just started a carboy and demi of the Keller one and this forecast sounds good

Jim

"Dave Allison" > wrote in message ...
> Just an update.
> As you all said, let it sit. And sure enough I tried another bottle after 27 months from when I started this Cranberry
> Wine - and it's wonderful. Golden in color with a hint of orange, on the sweet side with a slight bitter ending to it.
> Great with cheeses.
>
> I am so pleased as this was my first fruit recipe (all others were grape kits). And since I made 6 gallons, I have
> lots now to enjoy.
>
> thanks again for your advice above on this thread,
>
> DAve
>
> Dave Allison wrote:
>
>
> Dave Allison wrote:
>> Ah, thanks for the info. then I'm still in good shape. I guess I should wait another 6 months, as the nose is rather
>> harsh. but mixing with white wine is great, for now.
>> thanks,
>> Ah, thanks for the info. then I'm still in good shape. I guess I should wait another 6 months, as the nose is rather
>> harsh. but mixing with white wine is great, for now.
>> thanks,

Hi, Jim.
It was straight cranberry, followed Keller's site for the recipe though.

Good luck. Let me know if you have any questions, I'm not a newbie, but
almost. smile. (well, 330 bottles and 15 kits or recipes to date)

DAve


jim wrote:
> Good news Dave
>
> I can't get the group that far back, would it be a straight cranberry you made or a cranberry-currant like Kellers? I
> ask because I just started a carboy and demi of the Keller one and this forecast sounds good
>
> Jim
>
> "Dave Allison" > wrote in message ...
>> Just an update.
>> As you all said, let it sit. And sure enough I tried another bottle after 27 months from when I started this Cranberry
>> Wine - and it's wonderful. Golden in color with a hint of orange, on the sweet side with a slight bitter ending to it.
>> Great with cheeses.
>>
>> I am so pleased as this was my first fruit recipe (all others were grape kits). And since I made 6 gallons, I have
>> lots now to enjoy.
>>
>> thanks again for your advice above on this thread,
>>
>> DAve
>>
>> Dave Allison wrote:
>>
>>
>> Dave Allison wrote:
>>> Ah, thanks for the info. then I'm still in good shape. I guess I should wait another 6 months, as the nose is rather
>>> harsh. but mixing with white wine is great, for now.
>>> thanks,
>>> Ah, thanks for the info. then I'm still in good shape. I guess I should wait another 6 months, as the nose is rather
>>> harsh. but mixing with white wine is great, for now.
>>> thanks,
>
>