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hopmeup · 11-27-2009, 03:00 PM

can anyone point me in the right direction to the proper technique for starch conversion. i want to make pumpkin wine but i want to use the pumpkin for as much of the sugars as possible.
i have have 15 pounds of pumpkin hopefully i can get enough conversion to make several gallons.

**conpewter** · 11-27-2009, 03:09 PM

I looked in to it, and there really isn't a lot to be gotten out of pumpkin. I did a pumpkin wine, it required 25 lb of pumpkin and 15 lb of sugar. A cup of pumpkin has 49 calories, a cup of sugar has 770 calories.

Pumpkin - 89 cal / lb
Sugar - 1730 cal /lb

Here's the recipe I used ( I did 5 gal)
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques53.asp

If you wanted some conversion from the pumpkin you may be able to put some amylase enzyme in, but I have not tried it.

rsmith179 · 12-01-2009, 07:21 PM

Can't say for sure, but would a pressure cooker help any in breaking down some of the starches into more simple sugars?

Emerald · 12-01-2009, 07:52 PM

I do know that if you can age the pumpkins somewhere around 45 to 55 degrees and the pumpkins will get sweeter as time goes on, the same with any of the winter/storage squashes.
I grow a few winter squash and store them under the bed in the unheated spare bedroom, I do have to check them every so often for bad spots, but by the time the middle of the winter hits the squash and pumpkins are much sweeter and less starchy when you roast them...
If I do a pumpkin wine, I will be roasting them with the skins on to get a nice bit of light caramelizing on them which should make the wine richer (just my opinion tho)- When I do finally learn enuf to make a pumpkin wine I do plan on adding a few things to help with the flavor- golden raisins, cinnamon, maybe some cloves- most surly honey. Maybe even some nice apples and a bit of orange rind and ginger.
Wow, sounds like pie to me..

Should make a great holiday wine.