How long does it take to make plum wine?
The short answer is about 3 months.
To make plum wine, you will need:
-30-35 lbs of ripe plums
-A food-grade plastic bucket
-A primary and secondary fermenter
-An airlock
-Stirring spoon
-Muslin cloth
-Large rubber band
-Wine yeast
-Yeast nutrient
-Pectic enzyme
-Campden tablets
-Siphon
-Funnel
-Bottles
-Corks
-Wine bottle filler
The first step is to sanitize all of your equipment. You can do this by boiling everything that will come into contact with your wine or by using a no-rinse sanitizer.
Next, wash your plums and remove any stems. Cut the plums in half and remove the stones. You can do this by hand or with a food processor.
Once the plums are halved and stone-free, place them in your primary fermenter. You should have about 5 gallons of fruit.
Now it’s time to add water. You want to add enough water to cover the fruit, but not so much that it will dilute the finished wine. Usually, this is about 2.5 gallons.
Next, add sugar. You can do this by dissolving sugar in hot water and adding it to the fermenter. The amount of sugar you add will depend on the sweetness of your plums.
Once the sugar is added, it’s time to add the yeast. You can do this by sprinkling it on top of the must or by dissolving it in a small amount of water.
Now, cover the fermenter with a muslin cloth and secure it with a rubber band. This will allow the wine to breathe while keeping out fruit flies and other pests.
Let the must ferment for 7-10 days. You will know it is ready when the bubbling slows and the specific gravity is below 1.010.
Once the fermentation is complete, it’s time to rack the wine. This means transferring it from the primary fermenter to the secondary fermenter. You will want to use a siphon and a funnel to do this.
Racking the wine will help to clarify it and improve the flavor.
After racking, add a teaspoon of pectic enzyme and a crushed Campden tablet to the wine. These will help to further clarify the wine.
Let the wine age in the secondary fermenter for 2-3 months. During this time, you will want to check on it periodically to make sure the airlock is still in place and that there is no wine leaking out.
After 2-3 months, the wine should be clear and ready to bottle.
To bottle the wine, you will need to siphon it into a clean container. Then, use a wine bottle filler to fill the bottles.
Once the bottles are filled, cork them and store them in a cool, dark place.
Your plum wine will be ready to drink in about 3 months. Enjoy!
What is the difference between plum wine and other fruit wines?
There are many types of fruit wine, each with its own unique flavor. Plum wine is made from plums, and while the taste will vary depending on the specific type of plum used, it is generally sweeter and less tart than other fruit wines. Plum wine can be made dry or sweet, and the alcohol content can vary from 6-18%.
Visit howtomakewinefromgrapes.com to learn more about plum wine recipe. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.