Post date: Nov 23, 2012 10:40:4 PM
I'm following the recipe from TJoHW for "Refined Elderberry Wine" without modifications (other than the suggestion about adding raisins. Got some dried elderberries from Beer & Wine Hobby in Woburn.
1 gallon water
2-1/2 lbs sugar
4 oz dried elderberries
4 oz raisins
1 tsp acid blend
1 tsp yeast nutrient (Fermax, also from Beer & Wine Hobby)
1 Campden tablet, crushed
1 tsp Montrachet yeast
11/23/12 5PM
Sanitize everything. Dissolve 2-1/2 lbs sugar in 6 cups boiling water (in a pyrex bowl, not on the stove). Put in primary. Rinse elderberries in a sieve under cold water, then put in mesh bag. Put into hot sugar water to soak. Pour about a cup of boiling water over the raisins in a food processor, pulse until cut up into little bits. Pour into mesh bag, rinse processor with boiling water into the bag. Pour another 6 cups or so of boiling water into the bag to rinse the bits down to the bottom and heat up the berries. Burn hands on the rising steam. Tie off bag, stir everything with a spoon, and top up to 1 gallon with cold water (with the bag out and dripped). Must is at about 121 degrees F. Cover with Saran Wrap.
11/23/12 6PM
Added yeast nutrient, acid blend, and Campden tablet. Must was 110 degrees F.
11/24/12 3:30PM
Took OG - 1.118 at 66 degrees. Pitched yeast.
11/25/12 8PM
Fermenter is bubbling, but not very fast.
12/1/12 6PM
Removed fruit bag (and squeezed). Wine has a nice flavor - still a bit sweet for my taste. Will take the gravity in a few days after it settles a bit. Fermentation is continuing, and I moved it out of the basement to the closet in the study, which may have a higher and steadier temperature.
12/14/12 5PM
Racked into secondary- it went almost all the way up the neck of the bottle. Yeast was compact and firm. FG is 0.999@70.0°F. That makes 16.2% ABV! It kind of tastes like that - but it tastes very nice, I must say. Very rich and red winey.
1/2/13 4:30PM
Racked. More yeast on the bottom, but wine is very clear now. Tastes great - I'd drink it now. Can be bottled.
1/17/13 8:30PM
Racked. More yeast on the bottom, but wine is very clear now. Tastes great - I'd drink it now. Can be bottled. (yes, I know the comment is the same, but all of this is still true).
2/2/13 9AM
Bottled. 3 750's, 4 375's, and about 10 extra ounces that I put in a vitamin water bottle. Tastes great, quite strong. Should have with food, I think.