Potato Wine

2 Lbs Potatoes
1 Cup White Grape Juice (concentrate is okay)
7 Pints Water
2.25 LB Sugar
3 TSP Acid Blend
1/2 TSP Tannin
1 TSP Nutrient
1 TSP Wine Yeast

1. Clean Potatoes, slice and biol just under tender. Strain water into the Primary.

2. Stir in All other ingredients EXCEPT YEAST, cover. Once temperature is below 85 F, add yeast, cover.

3. Stir daily, check gravity daily. After about 3-5 days when gravity reaches ~1.040 siphon to secondary. Attach airlock.

4. After about 3 weeks when gravity reaches ~1.000 siphon to secondary, reattach airlock.

5. To help clear, siphon again in 2 months and again if needed before bottling.

If you wanna sweeten at bottling, add 1/2 tsp stabilizer, then stir 1/4 lb dissolved sugar per gallon.

Muph said:

It's not bad at all, gets you drunk faster than other root wines I've tried. Earthy/Herbal flavor

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We need the tasting notes filled out. Thanks!

Yooper said:

We need the tasting notes filled out. Thanks!

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It won't let me edit, but here are some taste notes..

Muph said:

It's not bad at all, gets you drunk faster than other root wines I've tried. Earthy/Herbal flavor

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Might be nice to experiment with adding teas/coffees while making with this one.. To go with the earthy/herbal flavor.

what are Acid blend and tannin for?, are they important?

If you wanna drink it pretty quick after it's done and don't care too much about it tasting the best then you can do without, for optimum results I'd use them though. Here's some more info on both of those ingredients if you wanna read more...


Acid blend may affect the taste, many fruits contain acids but guess work may be a bit more difficult. Here is a link with a lot of info about acid and winemaking

Winemaking: Acidity in Wines



Tannins are a family of natural organic compounds that are found in grape skins, seeds, and stems. They are an excellent antioxidant and natural preservative; Also they can affect the color, aging ability and texture of the wine.

While tannins can not be smelled or tasted, they can be perceived during wine tasting by the tactile drying sensation and sense of bitterness that they can leave in the mouth.
This is due to the tendency of tannins to react with proteins, such as the ones found in saliva. In food and wine pairing, foods that are high in proteins (such as red meat) are often paired with tannic wines to minimize the astringency of tannins.

However, many wine drinkers find the perception of tannins to be a positive trait—especially as it relates to mouthfeel. The management of tannins in the winemaking process is a key component in the resulting quality.


Phenolic content (tannin) in wine
Wine Tannin - What is It?

What kind of potatoes?

Regular (Happen to be the cheapest too ) I've heard of people using sweet potatoes too but I've never tried it, I wouldn't doubt if you could use any kind. On a separate note, you may want to plan a meal of mashed potatoes after making this, unless you don't mind tossing good food. Learned that after my first time lol. I might have wanted to add salt and butter to the ingredients just to be used separately for this post preparation meal, lol.

I assumed russet is everyone's regular potato. Buying steaks today, good call on using them to make a meal. You're tasting notes are very vague, any chance on elaborating just a bit? Still going to make it today regardless =)

Edit: A picture is worth a thousand words

I started it, but I've changed the recipe. I used 5 lbs of russet potatoes, 2 lemons and 2 oranges worth of rines, 1/2 of thinly sliced ginger, and 2 lbs of Imperial Cane Sugar (local sugar for me). Smells bomb, and is fermenting like a champ with some lavlin D-47 yeast. Nice yellowish hue

Haha -- my parents still live in Sugar Land. I might have to come down there to try this in a month or so

smallkiller said:

I started it, but I've changed the recipe. I used 5 lbs of russet potatoes, 2 lemons and 2 oranges worth of rines, 1/2 of thinly sliced ginger, and 2 lbs of Imperial Cane Sugar (local sugar for me). Smells bomb, and is fermenting like a champ with some lavlin D-47 yeast. Nice yellowish hue

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Nice. That's the same yeast I usually use too. If you get the chance to post it, it'd be cool to hear how that goes! Sounds pretty damn good though.

I've started using PDB (Potato Dextrose Broth) in place of water in all my wine recipes, that potato broth gives the yeast a real kick in the ass! I think it changes the flavor for the better as well IMO, less sour. This recipe (in link) has some real kick, I actually use PDB for 100% of the water now though.

Bottled today. Many months until it will be ready

Is the potato water part of the 7 pints?

I am wanting to try to start this tomorrow night as we are planning a meal with mashed potatoes, but i am wondering if this recipe is for 1 gallon? I only have 5 gallon carboys/fermenters, so if i try to do a 1 gallon recipe in a 5 gal carboy will it fail miserably because of too much headspace?

waxhaw-new-brew said:

I am wanting to try to start this tomorrow night as we are planning a meal with mashed potatoes, but i am wondering if this recipe is for 1 gallon? I only have 5 gallon carboys/fermenters, so if i try to do a 1 gallon recipe in a 5 gal carboy will it fail miserably because of too much headspace?

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What did you do? I would x5 to fill the carboy better. Except the yeast. No need to use more yeast at the start really.

In my limited experience, potato wine has a very broad, but bland flavor to it. I tend to blend potatoes into other wines. The best so far has been potato-mint. Mint wine has a very thin, but distinct flavor. The two blended are more than their sum.

So do you use the potato as a base and add flavors to make the wines profile? Please share a basic recipe.

Lijowa said:

So do you use the potato as a base and add flavors to make the wines profile? Please share a basic recipe.

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The recipe is in the first post!

This used to be called "Sneaky Pete's" if ypu live in NZ in can be used as the base for a really good vodka.