# First Wine Making Attempt



## Lacinayia (Aug 9, 2003)

Hi guys =) 

I was wondering if I could get some wine making tips. I've never done it before but had a great plum harvest this year and don't want to make all jelly & syrup. So we thought wine. I googled it but didn't find anything as dependable as I know this forum is lol So any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Hi Lacinayia

Hewre a recipe that I got from http://grapestomper.com/recplum.html and it works great. hope If helps, I also Distill my own Vodka which I make Danish Plum Schnapps 40%ABL and Danish Plum Liquer 10 to 15% ABL, Nice drop. MM 

Easy Plum Wine Recipe (one gallon recipe) 

3 1/2 lb ripe plums
4lb-granulated sugar
1 pack yeast
1 gallon boiling water
Wash plums and pour on water.
Stir and mash with wooden spoon.
Leave for ten days.
Remove mould carefully. Strain off into another bowl and add sugar, yeast and stir.
Cover and stir daily for three days.
Ready to bottle use demijohn or gallon jug here.
Ready in six months. Better after nine. 

My only real concern with this recipe is that the wine would not be done fermenting when bottled. It may be a good idea to put on an airlock for a while to make sure it is done fermenting before final bottling and aging. Also, with no chemicals used, I wouldn't store too long before drinking. I would probably add a Campden tablet at final bottling to kill off any stray bacteria.
Let me know how it works out if you try it! 

Plum Schnapps
Plum schnapps - based on sweet and fully ripe plums - is one of my top favourites. It has a rich and wonderful liqueur-like taste, fine fruity flavours, and a great after-taste.

Use sweet and fully ripe plums - cultivated or wild cherry plums (Prunus cerasifera).

The plums must be fresh, firm, unwrinkled, smooth-skinned with no blemishes or soft spots.

You can make the schnapps in different ways. 

You can use either the whole fruits, the whole fruits with small holes in them, or the whole fruits cut into halves - with or without the pits.

Using different methods, you get different results. It's a matter of taste which method you may want to use.

Personally I prefer the method with whole plums with small holes in them - I use a thick needle to pierce the skin to the pit.

You can use frozen plums. Just remember to defrost them in the vodka.

Direction:


&#8226;Put 10-15 plums in a clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid.


&#8226;Cover well with clear, unflavoured vodka - 40% alcohol content (80 proof).


&#8226;Let steep for 3-6 months or more in a dark place at room temperature, 18-20Â°C (64-68Â°F).


&#8226;Shake lightly and taste it from time to time.


&#8226;Strain and filter your infusion into a clean glass bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid.


&#8226;Store (age) for at least 2 months in a dark place at room temperature before serving.

Note: If for some reason you are not satisfied with your infusion, there are ways to adjust both taste and flavours - click here to see how.

Serve your plum schnapps at room temperature in suitable glasses. And remember to keep your schnapps bottle tightly closed and in a dark place before and between servings.


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## stormrider27 (May 31, 2011)

I haven't made a plum wine but I use this guy's site for country wines and he hasn't let me down yet.
Plum wine recipe



> Plum wine can be very aggrevating to make, but once made, can well be one of your most satisfying vintages. It tends to lack body, and for that reason it is often made with raisins added. But if you use plenty of plums, the raisins are unnecessary. It is also notoriously slow to clear, but it does clear. The flavor, aroma and bouquet of finished plum wine is really a treat, so please don't be discouraged by my words of caution.
> 
> The first recipe below makes a dry table wine. The second one makes a high-alcohol sweet (dessert) wine. With both wines, sulfite initially and after every other racking.
> PLUM WINE (1)
> ...


Storm


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## Lacinayia (Aug 9, 2003)

Is it ok to make it from plums that have already been juiced with little pulp left in them? Basically we have the leftovers from making 5 gallons of jelly. We have 2 - 1 gallon jugs of the juice left. It's not clear juice. We extracted it from the plums using a boiler on the stove. 

I guess its worth a try anyway LOL my grandpa use to make it when I was a little girl but he has since passed away but I'd love to give it a try.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

If you are talking almost pure juice which I would have obtained via a steam juicer, use it 1 part juice to 2 parts water for a heavy wine or 1 to 4 for a light wine. Thus you have enough for either 6 or 10 gallons. You didn't mention what type of plums but figure on adding 2# of sugar per gallon. 

Martin


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## Lacinayia (Aug 9, 2003)

They are Santa Rosa plums. Thanks for all the tips! I'll get started on this today.


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## dixiegal62 (Aug 18, 2007)

No tips for you I'm making my first wines this year too, I have watermelon, peach and blackberry going. I just did the prison wine, fruit,sugar and water. Good luck with yours!


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## wvstuck (Sep 19, 2008)

A great discussion happened on this very subject not long ago in the S&EP section

Making Hootch: http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=402354


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## starlady (Sep 9, 2009)

Jack Keller's website (where stormrider got that recipe) is one of the best resources on the web for the home winemaker. His recipes tend to be on the sweet side, though, so test the sugar content with your hydrometer before adding the amount of sugar indicated in the recipe. Remember that you can always sweeten later - but you can't take sweet OUT of a wine.


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## deb_rn (Apr 16, 2010)

I make lots of wine from fruits. All wine, if done properly, is not sweet when finished. You stabalize to prevent refermentation, then add sugar to your taste. Most fruits taste best with at least a touch of sugar to enhance the fruit flavor.

Debbie


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