Let's Make Fruit Wine

I’ve been making wine for years but was intrigued by making fresh fruit wine.  My first batch was a Blueberry Watermelon wine.  This time I’m trying Pineapple. 

I used our 5 gallon bucket for the primary fermentation, Wine Makers Jump Start kit  and our mesh straining bag.

I used 2 fresh pineapples that were about 2 lbs each. To get started you will also need:
3 ½ quarts water
2 lbs sugar
2 Campden tablets

Add the sugar and water to a stock pot and boil.  While waiting, clean the bucket and lid and sterilize them.  I used Potassium Metabisulfite but you can also use B-Brite.  Place your mesh bag into your clean and sterilized bucket. I cut the top and bottom off my pineapple, and then trimmed down the sides taking off most of the skin.  I found that using my blender and making a chunky mix was easier than using a potato masher to try and crush the fruit. Pour the chunky mixture into the mesh bag in the bucket along with a one crushed Campden tablet.  All the extra juice I had from cutting the pineapple was also added.

Add the water to the pineapple in the bucket and as long as it is cooled you can add:

½ teaspoon acid blend
¼ teaspoon tannin
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
1 Campden tablet 

Put the lid on the bucket but remember to vent it.  If you have a large vent, cover that with cheese cloth to keep the fruit flies out.  After about 12 hours add 1/2 teaspoon Pectic Enzyme and 24 hours after that add the yeast.  Everyday I gently swirled the bucket to mix it.

I am going to taste test the Blueberry Watermelon this fall and try making apple wine!  The batches of fruit wine I have been making are 1 gallon each.  We have a 1 gallon kit here.

To be continued next week...