Cranberry Fruit Wine Base -

For fermentation, there is no problem with fermenting 5 gal's in a 6 gallon carboy. The head space will be filled with CO2. After you rack it to bulk storage is where you will have to decide what to do. You will need to put it in something that is close to it's volume. Probably get some one gallon jugs or a 3 and a couple of 1's.

Another option: Cranberry makes a great wine but it can be overpowering by itself. You might consider making it up to 6 gallons by adding 2 cans of frozen Welch's Niagara white grape juice (not more than that) in a gallon of water to make up the 6th gallon. This would add some vinuosity and slightly cut the sharpness of the cranberry without distracting from the cranberry character. Just a thought.

Ray

Hello

On a different note about cranberry, I made a gallon of cranberry-pomegranate wine a year ago and it shows to be promising. Yummy!

Marc

"DAve Allison" a écrit dans le message de news:ZBiUe.48$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews5.bellsouth.net...

Dave - Maybe I'm missing something obvious here, but wouldn't it be simpler to just buy a 5-gallon carboy? I have some of each -- I use the

Doug

I have started the cranberry wine from 2 - 96 oz cans of cranberries (juice and fruit) and making 6 gallons (doubled the 3 gallon recipe on the can). I added the two white grape concentrate cans as suggested below. The primary fermenter is bubbling nicely. I noticed in the instructions when the specific gravity reaches 1.010 or

learn> Thanks, Ray, for the ideas.

Here is the original 3 gallon recipe:

I created a 6 gallon by doubling most items.

Instructions on the juice can: Winemaking Process

1. Sanitize all equipment and utensils with bisulfite solution
2. Put straining bag in fermenter, add fruit and tie off bag
3. Add all ingredients above line and stir well to make sure sugar is dissolved
4. Cover with a damp cloth or fine mesh fabric and let sit over night to allow SO2 to be released.
5. Sprinkle yeast on top of must. Temperature should be between 70 and 80.
6. Next day, gently stir top half of “must” mindful not to stir sediment at bottom. Repeat daily until specific gravity lowers to 1.040 (4-5 days)
7. When gravity reaches 1.040, remove bag of fruit. Press and strain juice from pulp and discard pulp. Rack “must” into secondary vessel, top up with water to minimize air space. Attach fermentation lock.
8. Rack wine again in 3-4 weeks when gravity reads 1.010 to 1.000. Add 1 tsp bisulfite solution per gallon of must.
9. After wine is clear (2-3 months) stabilize to prevent renewed fermentation, sweeten to taste if too dry. Enhance flavor and aroma with natural fruit flavor at this time if desired. Bottle.
10. Wine can be consumed at this point, but will benefit with aging of

A. J. Rawls wrote:

Okay... Now it makes sense. You use the sulfite solution to sanitize. I cannot see what is above the line but use 1/4 tsp of potassium metabisulfite if you actually add it to the Must/Wine.

Use 1/4 tsp of potassium metabisulfite

Use 1/4 tsp of potassium metabisulfite

wow. thanks. 1/4 tsp for 6 gallons! I'd have messed up the must good with 6 tsp! The step 9 - "stablize to prevent renewed fermentation" - is there a chemical needed here? It says to stablize, but doesn't say how. I thought the 1/4 tsp of Potassium Metabisulfite was to stop fermentation.

(sorry for so many questi> Okay... Now it makes sense. You use the sulfite solution to

You need both the Pot Meta AND Potassium Sorbate to stabilize the wine. Just using Pot meta won't stabilize it.

I don't remember proprotions off the top of my head though.

Joel

One other comment, commercial wineries are not allowed to use Sodium Bisulfite as a wine addative. The must use Potasium Bisulfite. The difference is that we really do not need to add more Sodium to our diet. Sodium Bisulfite is a little cheaper but when you are only using 1/4 tsp per

Ray

Thanks, Joel and Ray. I am much smarter now. I am off to find proportion of Sorbate i will need. thanks to all.

DAve

Ray Calvert wrote:

Happy I could help.

And because user here is annoying me by continuing to whine, I took the time to find the answer for you, as I'd rather spend my time helping you than rushing down to help someone with an annoying habit of whining about stuff that isn't work related. :)

Jack suggest 1/2 tsp of Potassium Sorbate per gallon of wine. This needs to be added with potassium metabisulfite(or sodium metabisulfite).

Joel

Thanks so much, Joel. I am reading and re-reading the link below. Very very helpful. I am now set. Gosh, this is cool to know what it is I am doing. Not just doing kits!

the > Happy I could help.

One of the great things about this hoby (besides the wine that is) is that after 30 years you will still be learning. It never gets old.

Ray

That is true. I just realized I cut the oxygen off the must and the yeast has stopped - the hydrometer reading is staying at 1.080 and not dropping after 5 days (originally 1.100). I re-read the instructions to find I was to cover with a cloth, not a lid. sigh. So I am using Jack's website to "restart fermentation". I'll the newsgroup know how it goes. smile. DAve

Ray Calvert wrote: