Im looking for a good, no water watermelon wine. I grow a good many crimson sweet watermelons. They are so sweet its about like eating candy. I hear its a tough wine to make due to watermelons spoiling but ill give it a try
Watermelon wine recipe
- Thread starter Bnew17
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I have been eyeing the watermelons at the store recently. I have about 6 gallons of mead I am bottling soon. If watermelon wins the coin toss then here is what I will do for mine:
12 hours before making the must I'll make a 2 cup yeast starter of Lalvin RC-212. That yeast is good at color and aroma retention and will do well to help retain a good watermellon flavor.
1 gallon watermellon recipe:
100% watermellon juice topped up to the 1 gallon mark
1 can Welche's white grape concentrate
Sugar to a gravity of 1.080
2 tsp yeast nutrient and 1 tsp yeast energizer blended together.
1 Camden tablet
Basically mix all the liquid together. I'll add 1 1/2 tsp of the nutrient blend up front. The rest will be split into two 3/4 additions to be added at the 1/3 & 2/3 sugar break marks. The Camden will be crushed and added and then the jug placed in the fridge over night. The next day I'll bring the jug out and let warm to room temp. Give it a good mixing then add the yeast starter. I'll remove any must needed to make room for the starter and freeze that must to be thawed and used to top up after any future racking. Once fermentation completes and I have a good layer of lees I'll rack and then re-rack every 30 days till clear.
12 hours before making the must I'll make a 2 cup yeast starter of Lalvin RC-212. That yeast is good at color and aroma retention and will do well to help retain a good watermellon flavor.
1 gallon watermellon recipe:
100% watermellon juice topped up to the 1 gallon mark
1 can Welche's white grape concentrate
Sugar to a gravity of 1.080
2 tsp yeast nutrient and 1 tsp yeast energizer blended together.
1 Camden tablet
Basically mix all the liquid together. I'll add 1 1/2 tsp of the nutrient blend up front. The rest will be split into two 3/4 additions to be added at the 1/3 & 2/3 sugar break marks. The Camden will be crushed and added and then the jug placed in the fridge over night. The next day I'll bring the jug out and let warm to room temp. Give it a good mixing then add the yeast starter. I'll remove any must needed to make room for the starter and freeze that must to be thawed and used to top up after any future racking. Once fermentation completes and I have a good layer of lees I'll rack and then re-rack every 30 days till clear.
gratus fermentatio
Well-Known Member
I'd remove the seeds, chop the melons & put them thru a freeze/thaw, freeze/thaw (in ziploc bags of course). The freeze/thaw cycles will help to break down cell walls in the fruit, allowing for better juice extraction. Then I'd juice the melon chunks & ferment the juice just like any other juice. I might add a can or 2 of white grape juice concentrate or chopped raisins for some added body. Here's a couple recipes from Jack Keller:
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques11.asp
Regards, GF.
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques11.asp
Regards, GF.
