Lazy brewer from mid Michigan

[magmag]

Hello I've Been making wild grape wine from foraged grapes and berries for almost a decade now. The last few years I've been experimenting. Made maple/boxelder syrup wine from my own syrup and recently successfully made some kefir beer. I just really enjoy the hobby and I've never taken it more seriously than that. hobbies are supposed to be fun not tedious right? I don't do a whole lot of measuring and even though I've got one I've never used my hydrometer but I get excited about sharing my crazy one of a kind creations even knowing I may never be able to duplicate the same batch ever again. I also love talking about it! Hopefully I'll find a few listening ears with like minds so I can give my poor wife a bit of respite. And hopefully I can do the same in return.

 

[fluketamer]

"wild grape wine" sounds interesting. could you share a little more info on your process and ingredients. do you use packaged yeast or wild?

 

[magmag]

"wild grape wine" sounds interesting. could you share a little more info on your process and ingredients. do you use packaged yeast or wild?

I'd love to try a wild ferment this year! I've never had the courage. I know I called myself lazy in the intro but I usually spend nearly two weeks roaming the neighborhood climbing ladders and risking the poison ivy for a measley bushel of on the stem pea sized tart grapes and after stemming I might get a gallon and a half of grapes and less than a gallon of juice! While I usually boil the grapes I do usually set aside a handful of raw grapes to throw in when I pitch with cultivated yeast. I doubt much of the wild stuff survives for long.

My process is simple I'll put all but a cup or two of my stemmed and cleaned grapes in a pot over medium heat and mash with a potato masher to around 165°f strain out the solids add 2-3 pounds of sugar and top up with cool water to a gallon add the raw grapes and pitch my yeast (I really like red star premier classique but I was debating on using cuvee this year if I don't go the wild yeast route. I've also used a champagne yeast to jumpstart a stalled ferment once or twice.came out really strong those years but good.)then I'll ferment with an airlock for 2-3 weeks add some gelatin finings let it settle out and bottle It filtering through cheese cloth. it usually doesn't last more than a month or two I usually give away more than I ever get to drink for myself