Cherry wine

[Stu8706]

I have just found a recipe for cherry wine. I'm going to try this one next. I will keep you posted!

INGREDIENTS: CHERRY WINE

6 lbs / 2,700 grams ripe cherries
1 lb / 240 grams raisins
2 1/2 lbs / 1,100 grams sugar
3/4 teaspoon pectic enzyme
Juice of one large orange
Wine yeast
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient / energiser
8 pints / 1 gallon cooled, boiled water
1 campden tablet

METHOD - WHAT TO DO

Roughly crush of chop the cherries, taking care not to damage the stones. Add to fermentation bucket, together with enough cooled, boil water to cover fruit, Mix in campden table and pectic enzyme, allowing to stand for two days. Strain, squeezing the cherries to extract any remaining juice, and add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the wine yeast.

Add the wine yeast the following day and stir twice a day, for up to five days, or until the 'must' stops frothing as vigorously. Strain and pour fermenting wine mixture into sterilised winemaking demijohn, with an airlock. Rack in one month, and then again twice more at three month intervals. Bottle cherry wine at one year old and leave to stand for a minimum of six months.


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[Kirk]

6lbs of cherries seems a lot. It could also be a little sweet. Sugar level is fair but there is a lot of sugar in 1lb of raisins, and there is some in 6lbs of cherries.

Not sure why it says cooled boiled water.
The campden tablet is added to kill off wild yeasts.
Then it says to stand for 2 days which should be enough time for wild yeasts to get back in .

My approach would be to boil 2 pints of water,
Put sugar in a bucket and pour the boiling water over and stir to dissolve,
Then add cold/cool water to make up to 6 or 7 pints.
If you want to use the campden tablet method then add everything else except the pectic enzyme and the yeast.
Leave to stand for 24 hours, stir it several times.

Make up a yeast starter (warm water, teaspoon sugar and the yeast), wait for it to foam a little.

Add pectic enzyme and yeast starter to the bucket and cover.
Allow to ferment (with all the assorted fruit) and stir twice a day.

When it no longer goes mad at the stiring (depends on the wine yeast)(5-7 days) pour through a sieve to get the big stuff out, and into a DJ.
Top up to the top of the DJ if required.
Add airlock and leave.
Rack whenever you get bored and want to. (OK say 2-3 weeks after).
Wait then until it stops all bubbling.
Stabilise (=KILL) and if clear bottle.
If you do not bottle it then it will have to stand in the DJ with a big cork in the top, and you will need another DJ.

If you don't want to use the campden tablet then add pectic enzyme with the rest and make the yeast starter and add. <- My normal approach.

Get a hydrometer and take the reading at the start when you add the yeast. Write down the value, probably about 1.110 to 1.120. (utter guess work), 15-16%.

If not using the Youngs you could try Gervins Variental D or GV2 wine yeasts.
Do not be tempted by the high alcohol ones, been there tried them and ultimately not worth the trouble.

Still think 6lbs of cherries is a little over the top. Also expensive.
Think I would go with 4 lbs of cherries, in 2 lots of 2 lbs. Add the first 2 lbs of cherries at the start (no campden tablet), ferment for about 4 days, then add the second 2 lbs and leave to ferment for another 2-3 days, total of 6-7 days from the start.

Might do the same with the raisins.