Marrow Wine

[madderbat]

Hello Headfry, sorry I've not been on the vine for a few days.

I started the marrow wine on 4th April, and it has been going VERY slowly every since. It is still on a slow 'plop' at the bottom of the airing cupboard
It is clearing a bit, but quite cloudy, and the SG has gone from 180 to 0.994, so I hope it's nearly finished.
I'll decant it soon into another demijohn and leave it for a bit. It is a bit fizzy, but tastes ok and you can taste the ginger just abit.

The rhubarb and pear started on 24/4 at 180 SG has fermented down to 0.991 and is doing very well. I decanted it last week, so have high hopes of a summer picnic.

As for the marrow I'll keep you posted, but may not drink this one before Christmas at this rate. Hope yours goes well.

[Headfry]

I have problems we my marrow wine...
It tastes sweet and seems to have stopped working, added teaspoon of nutrient disolved in water, worked for about half a day and has now stopped again! (a friend said to do this)
please can anyone shed any light!
It did taste quiet nice when well chilled, have I trashed it by adding the nutrient?
what is nutrient any way?
Help please!

[madderbat]

Hi Headfry,
My marrow wine has been very slow, as I said, but is (just) still going.

Nutrient is what 'encourages' the yeast - nutrient = food and I usually add some with the yeast at the start, just to get it going.

If you need to restart, CJJ Berry recommends making a bottle of starter : yeast, sugar and some juice. Cream the yeast and sugar until it changes colour and (may) start bubbling. Add to the juice (preferably similar to wine liquid, but orange juice will do) and pour onto sugar. Leave in a warm place until it starts frothing. This is your starter.
I think he suggests adding a little to a small amount of wine, waiting until it starts frothing and then add more wine until it is all mixed. You can then continue as before.
Can't find my copy of the book at the moment, but will check to see I've got it right.
Brewer again may call by and put me right if need be.

[Headfry]

thanks MB..... what type of yeast should I use? can I use apple juice?
will I need to add even more nutrient? wine stopped working agin and is now somewhat cloudy. if I gently shake demi-john the wine seems somewhat 'fizzy'
so sorry for all the questions, I have never made wine before! it's all very new.
I have CJJ's book, but got very confused as to why the wine stopped working, he gave so many reasons.

[madderbat]

Hi Headfry
As far as I know, if it's fizzing, then it's still 'working', so just leave it for a bit. Gradually it will settle and clear and you can decant into another demijohn.

If you want to restart it, regarding yeast, you can get a wine yeast and nutrient from Wilkinsons these days about £1 or so.
Apple juice should be fine, try to get natural (unpastuerised) if you can.

CJJ has a section on making a starter, at the front of the book (still haven't found my copy yet!!) so please check what he says. Good luck

[Brewer-again]

re-starting

Hi ! Headfry, To restart a stuck wine it is important to make up a starter and let it really start working/frothing. This will take about 24hrs warm. Decant the wine off the sediment or rack it,
Pour starter into a clean container which you can air lock, then add same quantity of the stuck wine to the starter, leave for 24hrs. Then add equal quantity of stuck wine again. Continue on untill all mixed with starter and under air lock.
Good luck

[Headfry]

Hi, I have just started a brew of elderflower wine, is it possible to use this as a 're' starter for my marrow?
and is so how do it do that?
Thanks lots!

[Two_Sheds]

Marrow Wine - my recipe

This is adapted from CJJ Berry - his wines are all too sweet for me

Marrow Wine

5lb ripe marrow flesh, chopped (no skin?)
1 litre white grape juice
1kg white sugar (more may be needed, keep it handy)* dissolved in 3.5 litres of boiling water
4 tsp citric acid
2 oranges, sliced (no zest or pith)
1 tsp ginger powder (or 1oz bruised root ginger)
2 vitamin B tablets
yeast
nutrient
1 tsp pectolase


1. Put marrow, orange & ginger into sterilised fermenting bin. Add the sugary water.
2. When cool, add yeast, acid, pectolase, Vit B & nutrient. Take SG if you want.
3. Keep covered. Stir twice daily for 5 days
4. strain into DJ, top up with grape juice
5. Rack & ferment to dryness, as usual

* you want to start with an SG of 1090 thereabouts.

I'm going to attempt this today, with my 8 marrows

update 12.11.10: racked it. Tastes... odd. No trace of the ginger.