Question for Saramac

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Dec 30, 2012

Sara on the chocolate covered cherry recipe it calls for 8 one lb boxes per gallon. I was wondering if that is a true pound. All I seem to find are the Queen Anne brand that contains two layers with ten pieces. They weigh 8.6 oz. Any how they are on sale for 64 cents each and I bought 40 thinking that would do a five gallon run. I didn't notice the one lb call till I re read. Hoping I don't need 40 more I don't think they had but about 15 left. Mike

saramc · Dec 30, 2012

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:
Sara on the chocolate covered cherry recipe it calls for 8 one lb boxes per gallon. I was wondering if that is a true pound. All I seem to find are the Queen Anne brand that contains two layers with ten pieces. They weigh 8.6 oz. Any how they are on sale for 64 cents each and I bought 40 thinking that would do a five gallon run. I didn't notice the one lb call till I re read. Hoping I don't need 40 more I don't think they had but about 15 left. Mike

You ideally want 16oz per pound. I looked at what I used last year and had right at six pounds per gallon and the wine is incredible. I did buy eight pounds for the batch this year. You could find some frozen dark sweet cherries and augment or a few quarts dark cherry juice, or a blend of dark cherry/tart cherry.

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Dec 31, 2012

What brand did you find that came in one lb boxes? Mike

saramc · Dec 31, 2012

I think they were Queen Anne's, whatever brand has the chocolate covered blueberry cordials. I seem to recall I bought three different sizes last year, since I had to buy what was available. This year I grabbed 13.8 ounce boxes pre-holiday at post-holiday price of 75 cents since the boxes were damaged when a shelf collapsed. Was cosmetic damage to the box, but a loss to the store, so I made an offer.

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Dec 31, 2012

Thanks I have 52 boxes now for a total of a little over 26 lbs. Any idea what kind of gravity this would be if mixed in with enough water for a five gallon run. Also wondering about maybe using part white grape juice instead of all water. Like maybe a 50/50 mix. I have bought all the candy they have in our town so if it is not enough I could use some ideas on how to improvise the recipe to make up the difference. I have three qts of black cherry just juice RW Knudsen juice I could use. Mike

saramc · Dec 31, 2012

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:
Thanks I have 52 boxes now for a total of a little over 26 lbs. Any idea what kind of gravity this would be if mixed in with enough water for a five gallon run. Also wondering about maybe using part white grape juice instead of all water. Like maybe a 50/50 mix. I have bought all the candy they have in our town so if it is not enough I could use some ideas on how to improvise the recipe to make up the difference. I have three qts of black cherry just juice RW Knudsen juice I could use. Mike

My OG was 1.126 after twenty four hours. So that would give you an idea of what to shoot for. I know people have made this using as few as five pounds per gallon and been quite happy with it.

saramc · Jan 1, 2013

Mike....here is an early photo of the CCCC-choc covered cherry cordial wine. I was just getting ready to top it up. I actually had enough for topping up, per gallon, stashed in a 750ml bottle. The foamy layer seemed to always be showing up, so it was always interesting as you racked, trying to get below the foam and stay above the lees. The foam was quite tasty, probably residual of the fondant filling.

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Jan 1, 2013

Thanks for the help. Here is what I came up with.
52 boxes of 8.3 CCC
1 lb of left over homemade fudge and pecan turtles
3 kudsen just juice black cherry juice qt size
5 c tabs
1/2 tsp tannin
6 tsp acid blend
6 tsp nutrient
6 tsp energizer 4tsp pectin enzyme
1116 yeast
One gallon welch's 100 percent white grape

Boiled some water and dissolved home made candy to strain pecans out. Boiled more water to dissolve the Cherry candy. Poured of chocolate and left cherries in the pan. Crushed the cherries and added to the mix. Top with water to five gallon mark. Stir like crazy and got a sample. Sample read 1135. A little more than I wanted so I added two welchs 100 percent white grape and stirred like crazy. Fetched up another sample and it read 1115. I figured that should work out okay. I will fill a five gallon and a one gallon with it. I will use the one gallon for topping up. Probably will pitch yeast this afternoon sometime.Thanks Mike

saramc · Jan 1, 2013

Sounds great. FWIW, I threw the cherries in a nylon stocking and that way they were easily removed between day 5-10. I just watched for them to get that spent appearance. Be prepared to pitch a second packet of yeast. I had no issues, but I did make a rolling starter. Enjoy!

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Jan 1, 2013

I ended up using two buckets for the primary. The seven gallon only had an inch or so of head space. I put a pack of the 1116 in each one. It is suppose to be a good choice for high sugar and poor ferment conditions. Also good for an aged red it say's. So I hope it just kicks off and bubbles merrily to completion. I know it is going t be a mess with racking and such. The wax in the candy plus the extra stickiness seems to be a pita already. I sure was glad when we got all the candy opened. Mike

saramc · Jan 1, 2013

Love the photo. If you have an extra small primary you may want to use it. You may want more than one inch head space in that seven gallon. I would hate to see chocolate lava volcano and wine loss. Yeah, the wax is what creates the lovely vanilla foam layer with each successive racking, but the chocolate sludge is no biggie to deal with when racking-- just lees. But be sure to stir your primaries twice a day until you transfer to carboys otherwise the chocolate just settles out.

Looking good. Will smell amazing!!

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Jan 2, 2013

Here's what it looks like today. Really good fermentation going. I have stirred it at least four times today. Last stirring was about two hrs ago. Notice the volcano hole in the five gallon bucket. Talk about a cap, when you poke a big hole in it with wood spoon it makes a big hissss. This is six gallon total but looks like nine. Smells good. Mike

saramc · Jan 2, 2013

Oh you are going to have fun. When I finally transferred I literally scooped the foam into a bucket and chilled it, to collect residual liquid and left the foam behind.

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Jan 2, 2013

Excellent. That was going to be my next ?. I figured on doing that very thing. Also thought about maybe running thru a clean sanitized towel after scooping the foam off. Mike

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Jan 3, 2013

Just wanted to share these. It is what I would call explosive! I have it in warm water bath to bump the temp a little. They have over spilled twice already. I just have to punch it down about every two hrs or it will go over again. Mike

saramc · Jan 4, 2013

Looking good...and normal!

Pomylka22 · Mar 23, 2013

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:
Thanks for the help. Here is what I came up with.
52 boxes of 8.3 CCC
1 lb of left over homemade fudge and pecan turtles
3 kudsen just juice black cherry juice qt size
5 c tabs
1/2 tsp tannin
6 tsp acid blend
6 tsp nutrient
6 tsp energizer 4tsp pectin enzyme
1116 yeast
One gallon welch's 100 percent white grape

Boiled some water and dissolved home made candy to strain pecans out. Boiled more water to dissolve the Cherry candy. Poured of chocolate and left cherries in the pan. Crushed the cherries and added to the mix. Top with water to five gallon mark. Stir like crazy and got a sample. Sample read 1135. A little more than I wanted so I added two welchs 100 percent white grape and stirred like crazy. Fetched up another sample and it read 1115. I figured that should work out okay. I will fill a five gallon and a one gallon with it. I will use the one gallon for topping up. Probably will pitch yeast this afternoon sometime.Thanks Mike

Mike,

How is your chocolate covered cherry recipe coming along? I bought a lot of boxes post Christmas for a quarter a box and have yet to pull the trigger on making a batch. Any suggestions or things you would change on a future batch?

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Mar 24, 2013

Good question. Since my last racking over two months ago I haven't touched it. It was still bubbling away then and I have lost almost all of the foam cap. I suppose it is about ready for a racking when I get to it. As far as changes go I can't say as I have not sampled any or do I even have a clue as to how it will taste. I probably would stick to the original until I get an idea of what I have. Mike

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer · Apr 10, 2013

Okay here are a couple pics. The middle is pretty clear nice red color. Have about an inch of solids on bottom and just a thin ring of waxy film on top. Going to try and rack in the next few days,

Revvy · Apr 10, 2013

Oh my god. How did I miss this? WOW!

saramc · Apr 10, 2013

oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer said:
Okay here are a couple pics. The middle is pretty clear nice red color. Have about an inch of solids on bottom and just a thin ring of waxy film on top. Going to try and rack in the next few days,

Wow, looks pretty familiar. You must sample when you rack.

Question for Saramac

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Well-Known Member

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!