Suggestions on what to do next...

I am at the last stage of my 3 batches per my recipe... Pear, Apple, Peach...

I'm kind of unsure what to do next since 2 of the three batches don't taste as they should. The Peach is decent (but not as good as the last batch) the Apple and Pear aren't that great at all ! At this stage, I am to empty the contents (currently in 5gal buckets) into 1gal jugs to sit for another week before bottling (I've been bottling in mason jars, as that's what the ol' family recipe call for...never been an issue because it always goes so fast !)

I actually ponied up and bought a corker and drying tree and getting wine bottles so I can try this route. I would like this stuff to have a bit of a shelf life...I'd like to try and age it. My buddy still had a jar from last year and said it had sediment at the bottom (yeast)...He said it was still quite good, though. Can anyone give me some tips on what to do next ? I have all the siphon stuff to "rack" it, which isn't included in the recipe....just sit in the 1gal jars for a week and transfer to mason jars.

Sorry if my method seems pre-historic...but that's the family way lol

Thanks !

Scott

It will probably need to sit longer than 1 week to settle out.

"Racking" really is necessary to get clear wine.

Also, not to poop on your family tradition, but you shouldn't leave the wine in the 5 gallon buckets after the first week or 10 days. Too much liquid in contact with air, not a good thing for good taste.

No worries about pooping on the ol' family recipe...I can make it the old way anytime if I want. However, I would like to improve on it and see how to get a long shelf life and minimal residue from sitting.

About how long should I let it sit before racking ? Is it too late to put lids w/ bubbler corks on the buckets ? This is the last time I try to tackle more than one batch at a time, so I plan to pick up a couple carboys for the next batch.

Thanks !

I leave my fruit wines sit 6 weeks, rack, sit 6 more weeks, rack then bottle

DoctorCAD said:

I leave my fruit wines sit 6 weeks, rack, sit 6 more weeks, rack then bottle

Click to expand...

I'm gonna give that a shot...I just racked them and will let them sit 6 more weeks and rack again. I'm disappointed in the taste of the pear and apple batches...we'll see how they turn out...


Scott

Good Morning, Scott
Any chance of sharing the recipe and process? I'm thinking fruit wines smooth out after a year of aging. The Dr. is on the right track with racking but a few more specifics may get a little more input! Good luck!

Sure,here's the recipe in a nutshell...well, in a 5 gal bucket, anyways.

4 qts. crushed fruit
10 lb. sugar
3 gal. water
4 lemons, quartered and squeezed (rind and all)
1 packet brewers' yeast
Keep covered with cheesecloth


Stir for 15 min. once a day for the first week. On the 8th day, add 4 lg. boxes of golden raisins and stir them in. Now let it sit for 4 weeks without stirring (this is where I found out to check on it daily so as to check for friggin fruit flies !)

At the end of the 4 weeks, strain the contents well and put into 1 gal. jugs. Let it sit for one more week and you're ready to bottle the brandy. My kin has just been putting them in mason jars and it usually gets consumed in short order, so I never knew what kinda shelf life it had....its REAL good !

I want to have this stuff be clear and have a long shelf life...using bottles instead of mason jars.

Thanks !

Scott