Country Jelly Wine

Someone had a question in another thread about making wine from Jelly. I made this 3-4 years ago and it turned out pretty good.


Country Jelly Wine

1 gallon

3# lbs jelly or jam (I used a combination of fresh home made jellies purchased at the local farmer's market. apple/apricot, raspberry, wild plum, wild mulberry, rhubarb)

6 pts water
1 lb sugar
2 tsp acid blend
1/8 tsp tannin
1 tsp nutrient
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 campden tablet
1 tsp bentonite
1 pkg Montrachet yeast
OG 1.00 +-.05

Mix jam or jelly with cool water and all ingredients except yeast. Be sure to use hydrometer because this recipe proved too sweet and I had to add water to get the SG down 1.05. After 24 hours add hydrated yeast then cover primary fermentor. When SG reaches 1.040 (5 days or so) rack over 1 tsp bentonite into a one-gallon carboy (I also added a small amount of red grape concentrate mixed with water to top off secondary at this point). Attach airlock.

I allowed mine to sit for 5 weeks before racking again on another campden tablet and more water to top off. Bottled two months later when it cleared.

I am quite excited by all of Summersolstice's recipes....I am a relative noob with regards to wine and mead (though I DID know enough to make the distinction ;-) I have brewed a couple of "kit" wines and JAOM once back in August '09......wasn't really too drinkable for a while...but just tried some last week.....NICE!! I also tried some "supermarket" brewing of a pineapple wine.....did NOT turn out well...............anyway, I'm mostly (so far) a beer brewer.

Summer... how did this turn out? Also, do you use a hydrometer or a refractometer when taking readings from any, but especially, your one-gal batches?

And, I tend to let my house be fairly cool in the Winter (i.e., ~mid 50's in basement...very low 60's in upstairs level).....is this too cold to get good results?

AND....how did this jelly--wine turn out?

Thanks!