Adding fruit to wine kits

I'm about ready to make my first attempt at winemaking, using a wine kit from Brew King, a merlot. Looks like it should be fun. I read somewhere that adding fruit to a wine kit would be an interesting thing to do. I think the specific suggestions were dried grapes, cherries, etc. However I lost that recipe.

Is this really a good idea, or just a figment of my imagination? Do I add the fruit at the beginning of the primary? If this is a good idea, then how much? And what are things to consider ... and things to stay away from. I'm tempted to just go ahead and expirement ... but I'd also like this first batch to be moderately successful. Any advice would be appreciated.

Dave

Reply to
Dave
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Adding fruit helps, especially grapes or grape skins - but if this is your first attempt, I'd just go with the kit and it's instructions to get some experience and think about adding the next time around.

Hope it works out well!

Ed

Reply to
Ed Marks

One question.... should fruit be blanched or otherwise sterilized before being added? I've never added fruit, but with all the concerns over sanitizing equipment, it seems to me that this could all be ruined if your fruit is not clean.

I added some concentrated apple juice to a cheap white wine kit. It is clearing now. I may add some more before bottling to add more apple flavour. Not sure how it will turn out.

Reply to
Luap

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