Plum wine recipe please

[Bramble_killer]

We have lots of plums and I am sick of making jam (although will be making a load for presents). we bought a wine making kit off ebay, can someone point out a good recipe that's been used?

Preferably one with nice step by step instructions as this will be our first foray into this.

Also, where are the best places to buy the chemicals, the person selling them thinks theirs are quite old.

[Hilary B]

You can buy chemicals online, or there is always Wilkinsons.
DON'T get to the demijohn stage without having read a good book about the general approach to the later part (which tends to be pretty much the same for any wine, just some take longer in any given stage than others do).
Sterilize all equipment (Milton is as good as the stuff sold for wine making, and may be kinder on the nose!)
If you want to be extra cautious, wash the fruit with Milton or similar before starting as well (I never use those things, but I used to when I was starting out, it's reassuring to KNOW you've killed off any unwanted wild yeasts etc).
I made a 'blue plum' wine 2 years ago now. Turned out a not-bad claret.
3lb blue plums, 2½lb sugar, bruise plums slightly, put in lidded bucket with sugar, leave 24 hours.
Add 1 kettle (3pints) boiling water, stir until sugar is mostly dissolved, add 3 pints cold water, keep stirring if any sugar remains undissolved.
Leave until only vaguely warm, then add yeast nutrient (½ teaspoon) pectic enzyme (1 teaspoon) and yeast (1 teaspoon, or a sachet).
Yeast Nutrient doesn't 'go off', but enzymes and yeast may.
After 3 days, strain and put in demijohn with airlock on top.
If you want to squeeze the straining bag, it will do no harm (unless the bag bursts) and you may get a bit more flavour etc.
If you like dry wine, top up the demijohn with water. If you want it sweet, use a sugar syrup (4oz sugar made up to ½ pint with hot water, make sure it is fully dissolved, max of 1 pint of this, for a definitely sweet wine).
Leave it to ferment in a not-too-cold place (ours is in the sitting room).
Rack when it clears, if it hasn't stopped fermenting, put the airlock back on.
Once it has definitely finished (this is why you need the book) bottle, and store for at least 6 months before drinking (but there will never be exactly a whole number of bottlesful, so you drink the 'odd bit' soon after bottling). Some people keep it in a demijohn (with a solid bung, instead of an airlock) until it is ready for drinking, and only bottle it when they decide to drink some.

[janeyo]

I would add rasins or sultanas to the mixture to give it a vit more of something.
I've got 2 lots of plum on the go,, cheery plum and an unknown variety. Looking good they are.

There was a lot of mould on ours after 3 days even with daily stirring so be aware this might happen!

[Bramble_killer]

woo hoo....
Guess what I'll be doing this weekend.

What happens if I get mould in the fermenting bucket? Do I bin the whole thing and start again?

[Hilary B]

woo hoo....
Guess what I'll be doing this weekend.

What happens if I get mould in the fermenting bucket? Do I bin the whole thing and start again?

The fruit in the bucket tends to float, and may go mouldy on top. Sometimes this layer of mouldy fruit can be removed 'whole', and the rest is fine (make the attempt just before straining into demijohn).
If it breaks up, strain anyway, add enough campden tablets to kill off any mould, yeast ANYTHING. Put in demijohn, and when the campden tablet has had time to disperse (24 hours) add another batch of yeast.
If the mould isn't that sort, I would ditch the lot.

[Bramble_killer]

what sort of yeast are we talking about here? normal wine yeast?

[janeyo]

ditto what she said!
I use wilkos wine yeast.

[Bramble_killer]

The experiment begins. Fermenting bucket sterilised with boots own sterilising tablets, 3lb plums and 2.5lb sugar. Fingers crossed.

Now have 16 demijohns floating around the house :O

[Two_Sheds]

Judith Irwin's Plum Wine

a not-bad claret.
3lb blue plums, 2½lb sugar

After the unexpected success of my elderberry wines, I'm going to make a wine with the frozen plums I have:

3lb plums (frozen, thawed, stoned)
285ml grape concentrate (I use white grape juice instead, and less water)
1.5lb sugar (I might not need all this, I'll take the SG and see what I need)
1 tsp citric acid
1 cup strong black tea (tannin)
1 tsp pectolase
1 tsp yeast nutrient
white wine yeast

Makes a light, dry white wine. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar (or fruit juice) during the secondary fermentation