Maple wine

[kl Roosevelt brewer]

My cousin has a Sugar Shack and sent me 5 gallons of maple syrup that he made using the last Sapp he pulled from the tree. Yep maple syrup wine is what I'm going to try. The first thing I'm going to have to discover is how much syrup per water ratio is going to give me my starting gravity at about 15% potential alcohol by volume. I am kind of leaning towards d47 yeast but I do have the Good Old Faithful standby k1v 1116 and also some 71b that I use in my Meads. My Approach is going to be similar to making a traditional mead with 02 additions and step feeding processes. Does anybody have experience with using maple syrup only to make a wine?

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[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum, I cannot remember it being discussed but I am sure members will be interested to see how this goes.

 

[kl Roosevelt brewer]

Well the first thing I discovered is that one part syrup in two parts water equal right at 1.116 just a little over 15 percent ABV so that's what I went with and made a 3 gallon batch. I added one teaspoon of dap and two teaspoons of yeast Energizer and 1 teaspoon peptic enzyme not sure if I needed that or not but through it in anyways. I hit it with O2 using aviation oxygen through a 5 Micron stone for 2 minutes at seven pounds of pressure. I went ahead and chose d47 since I have a little chest freezer hooked up in the garage to an inkbird controller and have it set at 65 degrees. I followed the normal hydration protocols and pitch my yeast. The one thing I forgot to do is check the pH and I'll do that this morning when I pop the lid and feed it a little fermaid K. I kind of wonder if maybe I should throw some orange peel in or something I guess I'll be the guinea pig in give this a whirl

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[Tau]

Well the first thing I discovered is that one part syrup in two parts water equal right at 1.116 just a little over 15 percent ABV so that's what I went with and made a 3 gallon batch. I added one teaspoon of dap and two teaspoons of yeast Energizer and 1 teaspoon peptic enzyme not sure if I needed that or not but through it in anyways. I hit it with O2 using aviation oxygen through a 5 Micron stone for 2 minutes at seven pounds of pressure. I went ahead and chose d47 since I have a little chest freezer hooked up in the garage to an inkbird controller and have it set at 65 degrees. I followed the normal hydration protocols and pitch my yeast. The one thing I forgot to do is check the pH and I'll do that this morning when I pop the lid and feed it a little fermaid K. I kind of wonder if maybe I should throw some orange peel in or something I guess I'll be the guinea pig in give this a whirl

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Seems a lot of work for a drop of wine. Could have just vigourously stirred it with a spoon...lol

Besides ph and temperature control especially in warmer climates, a lot of gadgets seem excessive these days. Stick it in the fermenter give it a shake, taste the maple for a rough ph adjust to taste it's a bit like cooking really.

 

[brumbrew]

I've done maple syrup wine before. Years ago when someone gifted me a load of the stuff.

Didn't turn out too bad if I recall.

 

[kl Roosevelt brewer]

Well I took it out of my fermenter bucket and put it in my 3 gallon glass carboy yesterday took all the Lee's with it because I'm using d47 yeast and of course I got a little taster of it sucking on the siphon hose and I am impressed. Kind of surprised at the color kind of an orange juice color. I got it in my freezer with my ink bird temperature controller set at 64 degrees and let it do its thing I wonder what color it's going to be when it finishes I'll keep you guys posted

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[brumbrew]

I never went through that much of temp control routine. But I looked back through my posts and I did make a comment about it in experimental wines thread.

It jonked my memory and I now remember a couple of bottles didn't stabilise correctly and one or two were maple champagne. Which was also nice.

I suppose killing the yeast will be the hardest part from my memories.

 

[kl Roosevelt brewer]

I know d47 yeast ferments between 59 and 68 degrees. I have that little chest freezer aforementioned with my inkbird controller set at 64 degrees and seems to be working fine. By the time June 3rd rolls around it will have been 3 weeks of fermenting and the gravity should be getting down pretty low I'll have to check it. Problem I'm having now is that I want to make some beer and am definitely going to have to use my control temperature freezer and there's not room for only one carboy. I can keep my downstairs at around 70 degrees cooling off to 58 at night with the windows open and turn the air conditioner on during the day. I am currently reading 70.2 degrees next to my Mead down here under the sink in the kitchen. My plan is to take that Maple wine and put it under the sink next to my Mead next week and I'm pretty sure most of the fermentation is going to be done. it's obviously going to be a little above the parameters for d47 as it sets another month or two waiting for it to clear before I bottle it. My question is do you think it's going to hurt being above 68 degrees as it clears in the carboy? I got a free up that freezer so I can make me some beer. I should have used some 71b which has a wider range in temperature

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[brumbrew]

To be honest I'm only just getting into experimenting with yeasts myself. Built a stir plate to harvest from bottled beer and slurry from the FV.

I'm sure if you have somewhere cool enough. Like under the sink as you say. It will be fine.

Many a time I've juggled demijohns and FVs around the house as I don't have a brew fridge. Yet.

Much to my wife's dismay

 

[kl Roosevelt brewer]

The maple wine turned out awesome by the way

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