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5 gallons of Watermelon juice for nothing...

Discussion in 'Winemaking Forum' started by hmmmbeer, Sep 22, 2011.

 

  1. #1
    hmmmbeer

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 22, 2011
    I've been brewing beer for some time now and as of last year decided to try a few batches of wine.
    My last go was a watermelon wine. I pressed about 80lbs worth of watermelon, added a bit of tannin, about 5 cups of sugar, 1 can of white grape juice concentrate 5 cambden tablets but :(forgot to add the acid blend. I let it all sit for 24 hours then added the wine yeast and after about 3 weeks and a fresh rack to a new carboy and tasted it and it already has lost its watermelon taste.

    My SG was only about 6% alcohol and thats all I taste...

    What can I do next or next time I try this to keep that flavor I'm looking for or at least make it taste better then it does now?

    I'm letting it clear/age in hopes it is at least drinkable.

    Thanks for the input.
     
  2. #2
    Yooper

    Ale's What Cures You! Staff Member  

    Posted Sep 22, 2011
    Usually, for wine you check the SG and add enough simple sugar (usually table sugar) to bring up the OG to a wine level- most often 1.085-1.100.

    You can still do this- check out jackkeller.net's recipes for watermelon wine to get an idea of how to proceed with what you have. http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/watermel.asp
     
  3. #3
    hmmmbeer

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 22, 2011
    yeah, I went for a low SG just to make it a simple easy wine and in hopes it would keep the watermelon flavor too.

    Thanks for the input though
     
  4. #4
    WIP

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 22, 2011
    You can add acid after the fact, it doesn't have to be added early. Try it in a sample and see if it helps.
     
  5. #5
    hmmmbeer

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 22, 2011
    Thank you! I wasn't sure and didn't see anyone note this anywhere else. I'll give it a try... I'm afraid watermelon wine doesn't hold its flavor due to the "pulp" settling out of it. It was worth a try seeing how i got it for 15 cents a pound.
     
  6. #6
    rniles

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 22, 2011
    Yooper is correct. For a wine you need to bring the ABV up ... Otherwise it is something else (like a cider or perry).

    In either case, For more watermelon taste, let it ferment out then backsweeten with sweet watermelon juice. That will give you what you want.
     
  7. #7
    hmmmbeer

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 22, 2011
    Back sweeten, I thought of that but wondered if the fact that within 24 hours the "pulp" will settle so I figured I'd be in the same boat I'm in now. I'll at least try it.
     
  8. #8
    Insomniac

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 22, 2011
    Did you use pectic enzyme? Might help
     
    hmmmbeer likes this.
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