Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

[NZChris]

For years I religiously kept notes on everything I fermented. I got offered a large amount of grapefruit, made wine, wasn't happy with it, added sugar and made a fabulous wine that all of our family loved.

When we were finishing off the last bottle I realized that this was the first time that I hadn't kept a single note.

[stillanoob]

For years I religiously kept notes on everything I fermented. I got offered a large amount of grapefruit, made wine, wasn't happy with it, added sugar and made a fabulous wine that all of our family loved.

When we were finishing off the last bottle I realized that this was the first time that I hadn't kept a single note.

I'd be interested to hear what you do remember of it. Grapefruit wine sounds intriguing.

[cranky]

Fruit season is starting here but it's not going well. It has been cold and wet so far this year and is really effecting the fruit. They say the cherry crop is going to be late and small this year. My own cherry trees show the same. My cherries are trying to produce this year but the fruit is smaller than usual and seems to start rotting as soon as they starts to turn red. I was hoping to get enough this year to add to last year and make a proper Kiersch but doubt that will happen.

My strawberries are actually doing well and have started ripening

I got a 5 gallon bucket of strawberry plants last year that had runners extending far outside of the bucket so I planted the runners in a pot and once they were established I snipped them free with some scissors. They are doing extremely well this year and have even begun sending out more runners which I plan to do the same thing with, so next year I should have 3 or maybe 4 buckets of strawberry plants

The pears started out looking real promising but now seem to have lost most of their fruit but the European plums are doing well.

I think those are the Sugar plums but may be ordinary Italian plums. Either way they are looking very good.

Most of the apple trees aren't looking great but the Karen's Delight is. I'll try to get a picture later.

That's about all that's going on in my little world.

[Bryan1]

The weekend before last I was doing the brakes on SWMBO's car and she came up to the shed saying would you like to do another quince brandy. So went down to the house to see and a full crate of quinces and 2 large bag's aswell.

It took 4 off 15 litre stockpot runs to stew the quinces and I added some all spices for that extra flavour, no joke it took 2 full days on & off peeling, coring and slicing the fruit nice and thin so it broke down easily.

I put in some AMG enzymes and found by keeping the quince stew to 70 C for an hour did raise the brix a good 30% then to get a 60 litre ferment going only 6kg's of inverted sugar was needed to get a 1069 SG.

Last weekend I was doing a shed cleanout and man the smell of Quince was right thru the shed and it was a pretty nice smell too. Now with all the fruit ferments I've done none have produced such a nice scent but then again about 1/3 of the 60 litre fermenter was the stewed Quince.

Wrapped it up in 5 blankets as it is full winter here and by next weekend I reckon I'll be running it.

[The Baker]

I wonder if the quinces would be fine, maybe NOT peeled.
And maybe NOT cored.

A lot less work.
And possibly more flavour.


Geoff

[CoogeeBoy]

I wonder if the quinces would be fine, maybe NOT peeled.
And maybe NOT cored.

A lot less work.
And possibly more flavour.


Geoff

I was thinking the same, I core my pears but didn't peel them, only cut them into quarters and I didn't stew them, a bit of pectinase and off we went!
Round 2 coming soon.

[EricTheRed]

I wonder if the quinces would be fine, maybe NOT peeled.
And maybe NOT cored.

A lot less work.
And possibly more flavour.


Geoff

I take my quince, whole, into a large pot with enough water to cover.
Boil for a good 45 - 60 minutes
Let it cool a bit, then simply squeeze the pips out
back into pot
up to pectolaze temp
rest
alpha enzyme
rest
gluco
rest and cool to yeast temp
pitch

wait...........

it does get quite a raft doing it this way, so leave enough headroom

[CoogeeBoy]

I wonder if the quinces would be fine, maybe NOT peeled.
And maybe NOT cored.

A lot less work.
And possibly more flavour.


Geoff

I take my quince, whole, into a large pot with enough water to cover.
Boil for a good 45 - 60 minutes
Let it cool a bit, then simply squeeze the pips out
back into pot
up to pectolaze temp
rest
alpha enzyme
rest
gluco
rest and cool to yeast temp
pitch

wait...........

it does get quite a raft doing it this way, so leave enough headroom

Ok, have you compared the results against not using alpha and gluco? I just used pectinase, would be interesting to see how much the yield increased as a result of using enzymes but maybe quince has more starch than other fruits (I have only done pear and plums)

[EricTheRed]

Seems to give another point or 2.
Done several with out alpha and beta.
Both give good og

[stillanoob]

Well, we got carries away with fruity goodness again...

Picked up somewhere around 200 pounds of plums. Used a paint mixer to give 'em a smash up. Ended up with a little north of 15 gallons of must. Hope to be able to double or more that this week. Sucks that the plums are all coming on this week. I am trying to get the tiny house ready to move to the high desert off grid homestead of my stepson this week. Next week we go down there and install solar panels. I was hoping to get some insulation in the van this week because it is flipping hot down there but if anything has to give it will be that. Anyway, fermenting the plums on the stones and plan to try stripping on the pulp and stones too. Added a little pectinase.

[cranky]

Well, we got carries away with fruity goodness again...

Picked up somewhere around 200 pounds of plums. Used a paint mixer to give 'em a smash up. Ended up with a little north of 15 gallons of must. Hope to be able to double or more that this week. Sucks that the plums are all coming on this week. I am trying to get the tiny house ready to move to the high desert off grid homestead of my stepson this week. Next week we go down there and install solar panels. I was hoping to get some insulation in the van this week because it is flipping hot down there but if anything has to give it will be that. Anyway, fermenting the plums on the stones and plan to try stripping on the pulp and stones too. Added a little pectinase.

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Nice

Plums are still a ways from ripening here. Apples too. Normally I'd have already begun picking the transparents and probably already missed the Vista Bellas but I've been watching them and they aren't anywhere beer ripe.

[cranky]

Speaking of fruity goodness the blueberries are coming ripe. Mrs Cranky and I planned on beginning to pick them this week but more pressing things have come up so hopefully we can make it next week. We are hoping we can make enough trips to the blueberry park to load up the freezer again this year.

There is also a closer free blueberry park that we might try to hit but it's considerably smaller so fewer plants and only a small amount of competition could result in very little yield.

Of course this is also the time of year where I swear I'm not going to pick apples and then pick 600 lbs of them but I think I'm honestly going to try to take a break from them this year. I still have 8 or 10 gallons of cider that need stripped from last year and a spirit run to do plus 10 gallons of cider to bottle for Christmas and 10 gallons of "Cranberry cocktail" wine (that I still haven't really named) and at least 5 gallons of Sugarplum Fairy to bottle and a couple gallons of condensed juice from Cousin It in the freezer that will some day be made into iced cider. Not to mention all the fermentables that are probably going to go to waste like the 25-30lbs of malt I have just sitting on a shelf Life is being just too much of a pain in the ass lately

I miss the days when I had the time to go metal detecting and stop and pick a bucket of blackberries...or raspberries or whatever the fruit of the day was and still have time to make wine, jelly or distill it and sit out at night with Mrs Cranky and a fire and just enjoy the simple things.

[stillanoob]

Well, it's plum season by golly! After my last post we went and got some more plums from another source and added 5 gallons to the first ferment. Most of the plums there weren't ready yet. Yesterday we went back and got the rest from the first source and hit the second source and wound up with another 20 gallons.

Muhahaha! We now have around 40 gallons of must. The new ferment is doing well this morning. The first is getting close to the finish line. The plan is to run it on 8/4 when I am back from the socal high desert solar installation trip.

[NormandieStill]

Was looking through the local wanted ads and found someone not far from me giving away cassis berries (black currants). Just had to go and pick them. I went for an hour yesterday afternoon and got 1.2kg. If I can convince the other half I'll take the kids tomorrow morning and try and strip the bush. They've had enough and are happy for them not to go to waste.

Cranky, you're right... the best fruit is free fruit (Even if I did have to pick this myself).

[stillanoob]

Did the first two stripping runs of our plum must yesterday. We wanted to be able to run with the stones and pulp on our gas fired still. In the embarrassing admissions department, we decided to try putting a layer of sand in the bottom of an aluminum pot and put the still in on top. Despite trying to keep an eye on it for signs of overheat it got away from us and by the time we noticed the flame going yellow it was too late. Go ahead, pile on. Have fun and enjoy, I earned it. It was really, really dumb. Think I can fix it with some aluminum foil?

So it was time for plan B. We did a three hour drive to pick up some propylene glycol from Tractor Supply. Luckily I had another aluminum pot of the same size. We put the glycol and the still in and loaded it up. It usually takes about 40 minutes to get the still running but with the glycol bath it took 70 minutes. Ran well and the flavor was awesome! You could taste the almond and bitter from the stone. If you want to taste the flavor profile we are looking for, get a bottle of Jelinek slivovtz, the 5 year white. After the run we measure the glycol we had left and were disappointed to find that we had lost a little over 25%. That stuff is expensive, so that makes this the most expensive stripping run of all time. I should note that we run in a very well ventilated area and there is a ceiling fan right above the still. EDIT: Correction. I had estimated the glycol loss by measuring the glycol left in the pot with a tape measure and the diameter. Turns out we lost maybe 10% or maybe less when I emptied it back out into the gallon jugs. Did another run today, turned out well.

[subbrew]

Next time try veggie oil. I am sure you won't have to travel as far to find it. I use it in my small still and it works fine, a bit slow but transfers heat well.

[stillanoob]

Next time try veggie oil. I am sure you won't have to travel as far to find it. I use it in my small still and it works fine, a bit slow but transfers heat well.

We considered oil but with an open flame were a little concerned with the possibility of fire. Nice thing about the glycol is that if you get it too hot it just boils. With the oil you are going to have to watch your flame management to keep it below the smoke point. And if a few drops of liquid get in there, look out.

Since I found out that the glycol isn't evaporating like I thought at least the cost isn't prohibitive. So maybe we will run with glycol next week. Or maybe we will hold off and get the thumper together. However, I am a little worried about letting the must sit that long.

[Bushman]

Looks like the orchards on Stuart Island are not going to produce many apples this year so I am hoping my other sources come through.

[cranky]

Next time try veggie oil. I am sure you won't have to travel as far to find it. I use it in my small still and it works fine, a bit slow but transfers heat well.

We considered oil but with an open flame were a little concerned with the possibility of fire. Nice thing about the glycol is that if you get it too hot it just boils. With the oil you are going to have to watch your flame management to keep it below the smoke point. And if a few drops of liquid get in there, look out.

Since I found out that the glycol isn't evaporating like I thought at least the cost isn't prohibitive. So maybe we will run with glycol next week. Or maybe we will hold off and get the thumper together. However, I am a little worried about letting the must sit that long.

According to flammablefacts.com "Yes, antifreeze is flammable. According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), both ethylene glycol and propylene glycol antifreeze are flammable..." with an auto ignition temp of 752f (400c).

Vegetable oil has a flash point of 600f (315c)

Neither should be used with open flame.

[cranky]

Looks like the orchards on Stuart Island are not going to produce many apples this year so I am hoping my other sources come through.

I got a phone call today from the guy with the yellow transparent tree asking me to come pick because they are finally ready to be picked. This is an entire month late but he says both trees are loaded and I need to come pick now.

Unfortunately I had to tell him I won't be making it this year and actually suggested he contact cityfruit. I really hated doing that because I hate that group. Last year they plundered the blacks before they were completely ready and only took the easy to reach apples but I'm only going to pick the very late apples this year for apple butter. I'm considering giving all things fermented a break for a while as well.

I've noticed that most apples are running very late and not producing well at all.

[stillanoob]

According to flammablefacts.com "Yes, antifreeze is flammable. According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), both ethylene glycol and propylene glycol antifreeze are flammable..." with an auto ignition temp of 752f (400c).

Vegetable oil has a flash point of 600f (315c)

Neither should be used with open flame.

Shite. I knew that anti-freeze is flammable but somehow managed to forget and not figure out that polyethylene glocol would be the same.

Gonna have to get the thumper together.

[subbrew]

Next time try veggie oil. I am sure you won't have to travel as far to find it. I use it in my small still and it works fine, a bit slow but transfers heat well.

We considered oil but with an open flame were a little concerned with the possibility of fire. Nice thing about the glycol is that if you get it too hot it just boils. With the oil you are going to have to watch your flame management to keep it below the smoke point. And if a few drops of liquid get in there, look out.

Since I found out that the glycol isn't evaporating like I thought at least the cost isn't prohibitive. So maybe we will run with glycol next week. Or maybe we will hold off and get the thumper together. However, I am a little worried about letting the must sit that long.

I take it you have never deep fat fried a turkey. Or even used a gas stove to fry chicken or eggs. And with a still of relatively cool liquid submerged in it, the highest temp I have seen the oil reach is 248 F.

Sorry Cranky, I will drop this subject now, derailing your thread

[Fredistiller]

I found the garden of eden!

Following the advice of Cranky I had, on my way to work, written down every places where I saw fruits. Here the most common wild fruits are elders, black berries and rowan.
A few days ago I stopped at a place with a few bushes where three of them are elders. This place is situated between two villages, surrounded by fields and meadows, and some houses here and there. I wandered a bit further along the fence and saw another place with an elder and some black berries. From there I saw something I couldn't see from the road: the garden of Eden!

It's an abandoned house whose garden turned wild. And it's full, but really full with fruits. Metres long blackberries bushes, maybe 10 or 15 elders and grapes! I didn't knew grapes could grow that long. It spreads maybe 20 metres long, and high in the cherry tree. The most are unreachable because of the blackberries, that's a pity.
But still, I can pick a lot of fruits and the place is peaceful and quiet. It's a pleasure to go there.


And now that my grinder is ready I'll start knocking on doors and ask for permission to pick the apples in people's garden.

[stillanoob]

I found the garden of eden!

Following the advice of Cranky I had, on my way to work, written down every places where I saw fruits. Here the most common wild fruits are elders, black berries and rowan.
A few days ago I stopped at a place with a few bushes where three of them are elders. This place is situated between two villages, surrounded by fields and meadows, and some houses here and there. I wandered a bit further along the fence and saw another place with an elder and some black berries. From there I saw something I couldn't see from the road: the garden of Eden!

It's an abandoned house whose garden turned wild. And it's full, but really full with fruits. Metres long blackberries bushes, maybe 10 or 15 elders and grapes! I didn't knew grapes could grow that long. It spreads maybe 20 metres long, and high in the cherry tree. The most are unreachable because of the blackberries, that's a pity.
But still, I can pick a lot of fruits and the place is peaceful and quiet. It's a pleasure to go there.


And now that my grinder is ready I'll start knocking on doors and ask for permission to pick the apples in people's garden.

Great find, Fred! My favorite abandoned house was finally bought after many years. I stopped by and left a note. They never answered and then a few months later when I drove by I noticed that they had cut down all the trees. Beautiful, 30 plus year old apple trees, pears and plums. They still have done nothing with the area, it just sits with the stumps and limbs just slowly rotting away.

[Fredistiller]

I found the garden of eden!

Following the advice of Cranky I had, on my way to work, written down every places where I saw fruits. Here the most common wild fruits are elders, black berries and rowan.
A few days ago I stopped at a place with a few bushes where three of them are elders. This place is situated between two villages, surrounded by fields and meadows, and some houses here and there. I wandered a bit further along the fence and saw another place with an elder and some black berries. From there I saw something I couldn't see from the road: the garden of Eden!

It's an abandoned house whose garden turned wild. And it's full, but really full with fruits. Metres long blackberries bushes, maybe 10 or 15 elders and grapes! I didn't knew grapes could grow that long. It spreads maybe 20 metres long, and high in the cherry tree. The most are unreachable because of the blackberries, that's a pity.
But still, I can pick a lot of fruits and the place is peaceful and quiet. It's a pleasure to go there.


And now that my grinder is ready I'll start knocking on doors and ask for permission to pick the apples in people's garden.

Great find, Fred! My favorite abandoned house was finally bought after many years. I stopped by and left a note. They never answered and then a few months later when I drove by I noticed that they had cut down all the trees. Beautiful, 30 plus year old apple trees, pears and plums. They still have done nothing with the area, it just sits with the stumps and limbs just slowly rotting away.

That's a pity. Who would do such thing cut down fruit trees for nothing? No distillers for sure...

[cranky]

I found the garden of eden!

Following the advice of Cranky I had, on my way to work, written down every places where I saw fruits. Here the most common wild fruits are elders, black berries and rowan.
A few days ago I stopped at a place with a few bushes where three of them are elders. This place is situated between two villages, surrounded by fields and meadows, and some houses here and there. I wandered a bit further along the fence and saw another place with an elder and some black berries. From there I saw something I couldn't see from the road: the garden of Eden!

It's an abandoned house whose garden turned wild. And it's full, but really full with fruits. Metres long blackberries bushes, maybe 10 or 15 elders and grapes! I didn't knew grapes could grow that long. It spreads maybe 20 metres long, and high in the cherry tree. The most are unreachable because of the blackberries, that's a pity.
But still, I can pick a lot of fruits and the place is peaceful and quiet. It's a pleasure to go there.


And now that my grinder is ready I'll start knocking on doors and ask for permission to pick the apples in people's garden.

Great find, Fred! My favorite abandoned house was finally bought after many years. I stopped by and left a note. They never answered and then a few months later when I drove by I noticed that they had cut down all the trees. Beautiful, 30 plus year old apple trees, pears and plums. They still have done nothing with the area, it just sits with the stumps and limbs just slowly rotting away.

That's a pity. Who would do such thing cut down fruit trees for nothing? No distillers for sure...

It breaks my heart to see that happen. I'm still mourning my favorite pear tree and quince thicket

There is a property where I've often thought about stopping and asking to pick but ever did. The other day I passed it and everything is gone, the houses, the trees, even the land It's now a a giant hole in the ground It makes me truly sad.

The property Cousin It is on was sold early this year but nobody has done anything with the house yet so I don't know if I will be able to pick it this year or not. I may do a daily 2 minute apple grab like last year and see what I can do if I feel up to processing anything in a few more months.

[cranky]

Today Mrs Cranky and I finally made it to the blueberry park in Tacoma for the first time in a couple years. We were surprised to see how big the bushes have gotten since the last time we were there.

We were also surprised to see that apparently not many people are picking anymore because only the plants on the outside had been significantly picked over the weekend. In the past you could hardly expect to find any ripe ones on a Monday but there were plenty this day

but it looks like they may have a problem with volunteers because there were a lot of blackberries and honeysuckles that the volunteers usually keep at bay

I'm pretty sure this kept a lot of people at bay as well and left more for us.

Unfortunately we had gotten a late start and there were a few things that limited our time at the park so we only got a half to 3/4 of a gallon before we had to leave but we hope to go back next week, hopefully earlier and get more.

[Bushman]

This weekend looks like the blackberries are ready to pick so I will be making some more Blackberry Liqueur for dinner sipping. Apples on the island are almost nil this year and our plum tree is looking bare.

[cranky]

I should concentrate on blackberries...wish I had time. We have been trying to make it back to the blueberry park but every time we make plans something happens to change them

A few weeks ago I had another apple tree owner call me wanting me to pick and had to turn them down. I do still plan on picking the late season ones in another 5 or 6 weeks so I went around and checked on them. They aren't looking good. Cousin It was purchased by someone but the house is still just sitting there so I figured I can safely raid it again this year without permission but it barely produced anything. Same with the black and the other one at that house. At best I figure I can get Mrs Cranky enough to make apple butter to send out for the holidays but that is probably it.

[cranky]

I forgot to mention I cleaned out the freezer in the garage a couple days ago and found an entire 5 gallon bucket worth of cherries so I took them out, filled a bucket, dumped a couple packets of yeast on them and let them thaw. I plan on squishing them up by had in a day or two and adding a couple bottles of knudsen sour cherry juice that I bought on closeout and has been just sitting around. I might have to run it in the little pot but I figure I should be able to get at least a bottle of kiersch out of it