If I modify a Peach Wine recipe to add Mango ...

Newbie question. I'm getting brave, after 2 kits and then 2 from just concentrates, then 1 from real fruit (pumpkin), I'm ready now to experiment with a flavor I like: Peach and Mango.

I have purchased peach concentrate that has a recipe with it, but I want to add mango. So I went to Jack Keller's website and got a mango recipe to see how you prepare the mango. Looks like I would peel and remove seed, mash and then pour the peach concentrate and water over it and then go from there. The question is: if I add 4-5 pounds of mango mash -- should I reduce the sugar? A straight peach wine calls for 6 pounds of sugar for 3 gallon batch. By adding this mango, should I start out with less sugar?

I'm guessing I should always try for 1.950 or something like that on the hydrometer - so could add more sugar upon the initial mix if need be... I'm just thinking if I go too high the yeast won't "take".

Any thoughts? DAve

Reply to
DAve Allison
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hi dave- in our experience w/ stone fruit wines we've observed that a little more sugar isn't neccessarily a bad thing. We've found that if you add more fruit, add proportionately more of everything. If you're substituting mango for peach product, then keep the same ratios. When we find real fruit to be sweeter than a bought product (more or less, vice versa, & subjective to say the least) tweaking the sugar by a 1/2 lb or so ain't a big deal. 12 lbs (poor transcription!) was a big deal (going on 4 weeks in the primary.) Red Star's pasteur champagne & premier cuvee as well as lalvin ec-1116 & 1118 are pretty tenatious at upper levels % alcohol. you can massage them with yeast enhancers &/or nutrient to keep them going if they appear to be stalling (1st hand experience.) We've started stone fruit wines as high as 1.130 & wrangled them into mighty tasty product. Of course they kick like a bee-stung mule but, winter is soon upon us... So we say keep the sugar & learn from the experience!. hope this helps. regards, bobdrob

"DAve Allison" wrote in message news:Ma6ef.29204$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

Reply to
bobdrob

I hope there was a slip of a digit (numerical or appendage to a hand) as an SG of 1.950 would have no chance of fermenting. Now if you meant 1.095 then everything would be fine.

When making wine with fruit, don't follow exactly a recipe that says to ad a certain amount of sugar. Instead, add the fruit you want. Add the water and then add enough sugar or honey to bring the SG up to the level that will yield the alcohol you want. If you are really getting brave, use honey instead of sugar and turn it into a melomel (mead with fruit) instead of a wine.

Ray

Reply to
Ray Calvert

oops. Yes. I meant 1.095. Thanks Ray for the advice, this looks like a good approach. I'm not a honey lover, so probably won't try that (ever since I found out honey is just what the bees spit up) - (however, maple syrup I might try sometime to sweeten a wine (read that on another of your posts).

I tried to take a reading when I made the pumpkin wine to get 1.095, but the must was soo dense with pulp that I couldn't get it into the wine thief to do a hydrometer. So I am guessing the peach recipe amount of sugar is my best guess, minus some for the mango, and then if for some reason I can't get the must into the wine thief, at least I'm close.

thanks, DAve

Ray Calvert wrote:

Reply to
DAve Allison

ah, nothing like experience. thanks. I picked up a few pointers in this post. DAve

bobdrob wrote:

Reply to
DAve Allison

Dave, I agree with Ray. If you're playing with a recipe, I usually start off adding less sugar, and then adding more if I need too. I've played with enough recipes, that adding too much sugar in the beginning can come back to haunt you. Since I always shoot for 11-12% with my fruit wines, I like to play it safe when I'm creating a recipe. It is up to you of course, and what you like, but you can always add sugar, you can't take it away. Or you have to wait awhile for the alcohol content to smooth out before you can enjoy it. Good-luck. Darlene

Reply to
Dar V

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