Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Peach Wine

Let me start my first post on my new blog with a statement. I'm a beer brewer. However, my current living situation makes it difficult for me to find time to brew. To continue my fermentation-based hobby, I'm making fruit wines (and beer when I have time) at my dad's house. We just bottled a fantastic blackberry wine, and since peach season is wrapping up here in Texas, we decided that would be an interesting country wine to try and make. 

There is an orchard (Henrietta Creek) close to where I live. The season was ending sooner than we expected, and was essentially over. They had a half dozen trees still producing, and what they had left was very small. I got around 3 pounds of peaches at 80 cents a pound though, so I wasn't complaining. 


I topped this off with a few pounds of white peaches from Sprouts, and a few pounds of yellow peaches from Central Market. I didn't realize how overpriced CM is (we went there first). I probably wont be going there for fruit again.



I'm not sure why I wanted to mix varieties of peaches. I just couldn't decide what I wanted to get. I have heard that peach wine often lacks in body, so I'm hoping that the variety can add some complexity that it might otherwise lack. I de-stoned and chopped the peaches into small chunks. Then they went into the blender with a little bit of water. To the peach mush, I added sugar and topped up to 3-1/2 gallons. (The volume was determined by how many pounds of peaches I had.) Additives went in, and a lot of stirring to aerate. Pitched 1 packet of Lalvin EC-1118 as recommended by the LHBS.

I followed the basic recipe in the "Enjoy Home Winemaking" book/pamphlet given to me at my LHBS. 

Indecisive Peach Wine

Must
2.678 lbs Henrietta Farms Yellow Peaches 
3.428 lbs Central Market Yellow Peaches
2.266 lbs Sprouts White Peaches
7.5 lbs white table sugar

Additives
3.5 tsp Yeast Nutrient
5.25 tsp Acid Blend
7 tsp Pectic Enzyme
.75 tsp Wine Tannin
4 Campden Tablets

Yeast
1 packet Lalvin EC-1118 

Notes
Brewed 7/24/12

Collected 3.5 gallons total must

OG 1.100
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