Odor of finished Watermelon Wine

Greg,

My very second batch of wine ever was a large batch (6 gal) of watermelon. The must the entire time was on he rotten smelling side, kinda like you would expect from a very overripe watermelon. The fruit was fresh and sweet when I started, and I kept with it. It actually is a higher alcohol batch than usual, about 15%, and I racked after primary, and a month after that. I had a little leftover at this time and the smell was still strong, almost bad. I refrigerated it for two weeks and tried it. The color at this time was still a soft pink, and the stabilizing in the fridge did let the smell rest, and the taste was rough, but not bad. I could tell it needed to age, but had potential. On the bright side, it packed a very quick kick that would tell me that this is strong stuff.

It cleared a little, but had a wee bit of haze to the pink color. I finally cleared it with superkleer and within a day it was pee yellow, all of the pink was sediment at the bottom. I racked to bottles 3 days later. I sweetened half and left half dry, stabilizing both.

I am holding my hope that this turns out very mellow for next summer.

Greg, Erie, PA

Hoss, Watermelon wine does smell "odd"; that's the only way I can describe it. I've made it 2 times, it just has a unique smell. I had trouble my first time to, it wouldn't clear, and then the bottles started to pop. Anyway, I looked at my first batch as a learning experiment. After making some adjustments, I started my second 1 gallon batch in July 2003. And yes, this batch turned out to have a 15% alcohol level too. My taste buds prefer it sweeter, especially to offset the rocket fuel taste; so I sweetened and added sorbate. I think this wine needs time to mature, so I have not opened a bottle yet. You're right, it does not come out pink, but sort of yellow. Hang in there. Darlene Wisconsin

Well, from what everyone has described, it looks like my watermelon wine may be on track. It definitely has that very, very overripe smell, with a high alcohol content. It also has the pinkish, redish, orangy color, with a slight haze.

I just bottled an elderberry a couple of weeks ago. It was delicious, without the age. I hope we can stay away from the bottled ones for a few months :) Up to be bottled in a few weeks is muscadine. During racking, it had a good taste, too.

Thanks for the feedback on the watermelon. It's been spared the drain for a year or so.

Greg, It is always interesting when making a wine for the first time...I was ready to dump my watermelon the first time around too - the smell was just so odd. So when I made it the second time, avoiding what I thought were the negatives during the first time, and it still smelled the same...heck, this must be how it smells. I'm glad I didn't throw the batch out, because I learned a lot from it. Sometimes though, it is hard to know if you're on the right track - how something smells and tastes is a hard thing to tell others about, Darlene

Ok here comes the KID in me...

Have any of you ever though about using some of the watermelon wine to make jello or something else fun for the weekend?

David

Lol. Sure, but I'm over 21 (well a bit more than that) and I like to try new things. Believe me there was a watermelon around my house to eat. Darlene ;o)

I'm making brussel sprout wine (it was a dare! I'll get £50 if it's drinkable, nothing to pay out if it isn't!). My place smelled like a dead donkey had farted while it was in the must bucket. It still smells like flatulence when I unbung the airlock for checking (haven't dared taste it), but is slowly losing the bad odors. I hope it loses all, that £50 will be useful in buying more equipment.

Good for you! I think it is always good to try something new each year. Darlene

Sure, I'm over 21 too and love to try new things. One thing I have never tried is watermelon wine Jell-O.

Bet it would be good. :-)

David

I got to thinking about this post last night. I have a batch of Welch's that I put way to much sugar in. It fermented all it could and the remaining gravity was still 1050. I used Lalvin K1V-1116 too so it's probably about 16-18 percent. It actually tastes like a liquour and not to bad really but I don't care for sweet stuff.

Well I didn't want to pitch it and didn't want to drink it. So I made Jell-O with it. Took 2 cups of the wine and added a pack of sugar free Jell-O. I did of course add a little water because you are supposed to mix the Jell-O with boiled water first. It worked great, made nice firm Jell-O. I'll try it tonight. Fiancé doesn't know it has the wine in it maybe I'll offer her a bowl and see if she likes it.

David

same...heck,

Hmmm - could be the next best thing to liquid panty hose remover :) Let us know how she liked it.

Interesting.... What kind of Welch's?

I am drinking a very young 35 day old niagara as we speak.

It's not too bad either.

I have a case of concord that I am preparing to start....

And a batch of strawberry-niagara that will be ready to drink just after the new year, and a batch of Niagara Raspberry that will be ready by this christmas....

Yeah, a bit too sweet on tha last one....I'd be afraid my son would think it was regular grape juice and end up with alcohol poison... LOL.

greg, erie.

(It helps hav>I got to thinking about this post last night. I have a batch of Welch's

Well, she smelled it and said "What the hell is in that, vodka?" She hast tried it yet though. I have and it s pretty good. But no panty hose removed tonight, perhaps tomorrow. David

This was a red Welch's grape cocktail. I have tried the concord too which is better. I actually picked up the cocktail by mistake but decided to ferment it anyway. I Kind of just did the Welch's as experiments. I tried the juice form a kit once and thought to myself "this tastes like Welch's". I have heard good things about the Niagara and will probably try it eventually.

David