Plums......

[Crystal_Ball]

With many of the plums ready to pick on the only plumtree I have in the garden I thought I'd make some plum jam tomorrow. Not quite emptied the tree and I have 14 kilos!!!! Anyone have some further suggestions how I can use them alcohol wise? I'm currently all grain brewing and never brewed anything other beer. I have just been given 8 demijohn.
Or non alcohol wise?

 

[IainM]

I've just put a plum wine on using a recipe I found online. I've never done it before, but the must tastes very good.

 

[Poochops]

I had a pint of plum porter by titanic brewery last week, it was lush! Something I'd like to try sometime.

 

[Crystal_Ball]

I've just put a plum wine on using a recipe I found online. I've never done it before, but the must tastes very good.

Save me searching do you have a link?

 

[Leon103]

I second a plum porter. My next brew is a porter split two ways, plum and a vanilla

 

[chewie]

2lbs of plums, 100-200g of sugar and a bottle of 40% vodka is on the cards for the proceeds of my tree.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
Plum Brandy.
http://www.jamesandtracy.co.uk/howto/making_plumbrandy.htm

 

[IainM]

Save me searching do you have a link?

I based it on the first and third recipe in this link, which seemed to make sense abv wise. I did a few changes for what I had plumb-wise and in the cupboard. I used 2.2kg of plums and topped to 7L, and upped the pectolase to 1tsp because of the extra fruit. I didn't use any acid as some of the plums were still a bit tart tart. I used 1kg sugar but also chucked in a tin of white wine enhancer as I had some lying around. I'm planning of letting it ferment out, stabilise and back-sweeten to make a medium wine. Hopefully some of the lovely plum flavour in the must will persist until it's conditioned.

I've still got a load of fruit on the tree, so I might do a 12L batch of plum porter using DME and some steeped grains.

 

[Honk]

Did plum wine last year but it wasn't great for the effort involved, maybe it's improving, will have to sample another bottle,like the look of the plum brandy, will give that a go this year.

 

[Honk]

maybe it's improving, will have to sample another bottle,like the look of the plum brandy, will give that a go this year.

Chilled a bottle of last year's plum wine and it has greatly improved from the last time I tried it maybe 2/3 months ago, nice colour too.

 

[Linalmeemow]

Plum porter as others have said. The Titanic plum porter is an absolute beaut.

 

[HLA91]

Plum wine gets my vote, but add some banana juice or 1lb of grain to the must to give it added body, that's the main complaint of plum wine, lack of body.


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[IainM]

Plum wine gets my vote, but add some banana juice or 1lb of grain to the must to give it added body, that's the main complaint of plum wine, lack of body.


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Good to know. I'll add some glycerine when racking.

 

[Spapro]

Plum wine gets my vote, but add some banana juice or 1lb of grain to the must to give it added body, that's the main complaint of plum wine, lack of body.


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I'm planning my first plum wine using plums off our little tree in back garden.

I brew ales so could add some grain - what do you need to do with the grain, does it need mashing prior to adding or just crushed and then added as is to the must ?

 

[HLA91]

@IainM I wouldn't be reluctant to add glycerine as in theory glycerine only needs to be added to juice wines as wines made from real fruit should hold there own in th mouthfeel dept. but if your going to sample it first then your best placed to judge wether to add it or not.

@Spapro no mashing needed, the grain usually used in winemaking is not crushed, merely cracked. I don't know if anyone has experience of using crushed grain in wine before, personally I've only ever used whole wheat or pearl barley. I'll let someone else chip in with there experience. Crushed grain could make the must very gloopy like a super thick mash whereas cracked/whole grain would merely add flavour without altering the consistency of the pulp (too much).


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[Spapro]

@Spapro no mashing needed, the grain usually used in winemaking is not crushed, merely cracked. I don't know if anyone has experience of using crushed grain in wine before, personally I've only ever used whole wheat or pearl barley. I'll let someone else chip in with there experience. Crushed grain could make the must very gloopy like a super thick mash whereas cracked/whole grain would merely add flavour without altering the consistency of the pulp (too much).

Thanks, I think I've got some whole wheat in my cupboard (started crushing small amounts of grain/adjuncts myself for ales).

If using whole grains of wheat, how much (as a ratio of plums used would be useful just for an idea) ?

 

[HLA91]

Thanks, I think I've got some whole wheat in my cupboard (started crushing small amounts of grain/adjuncts myself for ales).

If using whole grains of wheat, how much (as a ratio of plums used would be useful just for an idea) ?

1lb per gallon i believe. I'll double check though and come back if it's different.

 

[Spapro]

1lb per gallon i believe. I'll double check though and come back if it's different.

Thanks, thats great

 

[Spapro]

Nearly ready to buy some homebrew supplies (grain etc) and thinking about my upcoming plum wine - is there a good wine yeast which would be good for use on the plum wine ?

We tend to drink dry white wine when buying wine.

I am a newbie to wine making so any advice on yeast selection would be really welcome.

 

[HLA91]

I personally use a general purpose wine yeast such as Youngs Super Wine Yeast for 99% of my wines, but if I was to make a 'special' wine such as elderberry (rare I get elderberries) then I probably would stretch my wallet to a Red Wine yeast in an individual sachet from my LHBS.