Home Distiller

My tangerine tree FULL of fruit and I have begun to juice them. Harvested 39 today and got about 42 oz of juice. So far I have about 1.5 gallons frozen and the tree is still FULL. Plan is to harvest and juice daily and freeze the juice until there is no fruit on the tree. Then I'll ferment and run thru my pot still. Not gonna add any thing on this run (well maybe some sugar) just to see what comes out. SG from today juice was about 1.045.

I'll try posting a picture of the tree tomorrow and then .....well I'll keep juicing.

Dont add any sugar.

Need to find a way to deal with the pH.

I've never fermented tangerines before, but I did a few tree's worth of oranges back when I first started messing around with fermentation. Oranges fermented faster than anything I've ever tried to ferment before. 55 gallon drum went from about 1.040 to .998 in less than 8 hours from pitch.

Nevertheless, I didn't like it. It was one of the nastiest tasting ferments I've ever done, and after being distilled, it was almost worse. I ended up distilling and diluting 3 times to get a flavor that was close to "drinkable".

Probably will never do a full citrus ferment again... I think I would attempt to find something to mix it with, like 50/50, but that's just my opinion.

I have done two citrus ferments.
One with brown sugar and the other one with molassas.

Both were very good. Neither tasted a damn thing like oranges.

If you want orange flavor, macerate orange zest in high proof neutral (sugar, grain, or rum base). It will pick up color and orange flavor quickly, like a week or two at most. But keep in mind that orange flavor is in the oils which are dissolved by the alcohol. So, as you dilute the spirit, especially below 45%ABV, it may become “cloudy” with a louche. But, you’ll get a very hearty orange flavor. However, it won’t be sweet unless you backsweeten the spirit.

So, as you’ve noted, it is very difficult to distill the orange flavor into your spirit. And the esters (fruitiness) are mixed in the foreshots and heads, so successful cuts is a very tricky proposition. If you’re experienced, you may be able to cut some of the flavor in, but it won’t be much. That’s why maceration is your best bet...especially if you want BIG orange flavor and aroma.
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I've only done Java Plumbs (Google that) for fruit.

So this time perhaps straight fruit to see what happens.

Here is a picture of part of the tree and a 1 gallon container w/about 100 oz in it. Got another w/about 60 oz I'm getting a little more than 1 oz per fruit so I should get at least 2 more gallons doing a little each day as they ripen.]

Plums and citrus are completely different fruits.

Personally I'd zest (no white pith) them and squeeze the juice for drinking or making cocktails with.
You can get BIG flavors from macerations as already said by others. That how limoncello is made and it's cousin arancello (from oranges).

You can use the zests for arancello, tripple sec, gran marnier, Curaçao and other "orange" type spirits or as one of the botanicals in gin.
The zests can be dried out as well and used in macerations.

Hillbilly Popstar wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 4:34 am Plums and citrus are completely different fruits.

I think I know that.

And Java Plums are not really plums. That's why I said Google them.

Juice has a SG of about 1.045

RidgeBack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 10:42 pm

Hillbilly Popstar wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 4:34 am Plums and citrus are completely different fruits.

I think I know that.

And Java Plums are not really plums. That's why I said Google them.

I did, they arent a citrus fruit either.

Hillbilly Popstar wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2019 1:08 pm

RidgeBack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 10:42 pm

Hillbilly Popstar wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 4:34 am Plums and citrus are completely different fruits.

I think I know that.

And Java Plums are not really plums. That's why I said Google them.

I did, they arent a citrus fruit either.

Not trying to be a wise guy, but what's your point? I'm not gonna mix them, but would that be bad?

I have great memories of climbing Java Plums in the tropics with my schoolmates and stuffing ourselves with them and getting stained with the juice. I'd love to have a try at distilling them, but they don't grow in here NZ AFAIK. Please let us know how it goes, as I might get an opportunity to play with them on my next trip to the tropics. It wouldn't be the first time I've brought a home made exotic likker back in my Duty Free allowance

NZChris wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2019 11:59 pm I have great memories of climbing Java Plums in the tropics with my schoolmates and stuffing ourselves with them and getting stained with the juice. I'd love to have a try at distilling them, but they don't grow in here NZ AFAIK. Please let us know how it goes, as I might get an opportunity to play with them on my next trip to the tropics. It wouldn't be the first time I've brought a home made exotic likker back in my Duty Free allowance

Aloha Chris,
I have a lady friend, (local term for a female friend w/no romantic relation unlike "girl friend") who comes from the Czech Republic where they make (sp) Slivawich from "real plums". Her husband made some w/store bought plums and that gave me the idea to try using Java Plums. It came out ok and I called it Javawich. LOL

I'm getting a bout 32 oz a day from the tangerine tree. Spreads the bordum of doing more that say 30 at time. LOL I hope to get at least 4 gal of juice.

I'm not surprised you managed to make a decent Javawich. Thanks for doing some of my research for me

OK I now have 6 gallons of juice and pulp frozen w/more fruit on the tree. Haven't used the pot still in a few years so last week I ran some vinegar thru it for a few hours. Plan is to next thaw out 5 gallons and get ready to ferment it. Do I need to do anything to the still before the run or should the vinegar run be enough to clean it?

The still should be fine as long as you keep it dry.

Ok, finally got off my butt and thawed out about 4.5 gallons of juice and pulp. This morning I decided to get another out of the freezer and add it to the batch. Should give me about 5.5 gallons total. Here is a photo of the first 5 that thawed over night. The other is sitting outside in the sun and about 1/2 thawed.

Brix is 11....SG is 1.0442 Potential % alcohol is 5.8.

Tempted to add sugar but really want to find out what pure fruit will produce.

What ya think?

I do not have an informed opinion on the subject of fermenting and distilling citrus. But, I think you have to do your first run at it without adding sugar as a good baseline.

Yup, exactly my thoughs. Fermenter is sitting outside where temps can be anywhere between 65 at night to 85 during the day. Woke up this morning to a few bubbles. Fingers crossed for low finish.

Short update. Fermentation going strong see short video Oops, I guess you/I can't upload video. Have to settle for this.

Began first run this morning. 4.7 gallons in to my 6 gal pot-still. Fg was 1.01, ABV 4.49%.

Lets see what happens by the end of the day,

I did a prickly pear brandy and probably doubled the volume by adding sugar, and I regret it. If we're aiming to make the best booze we can, why cut flavorful fruit with something flavorless? I'm glad you didn't add sugar.

Did you save any zest? I'm curious how this turns out but it'd be great to steep it in zest afterward and either strain it or strain and re-distill. Or re-run it with zest in the column or something similar.

My taste buds are really shot w/old age. I taste, sweet, sour, hot(spicy) good n bad as well as stuff like what food tastes like. But I really can't tell any difference between my cuts...same comments when I light up a cigar. People talk about all sorts of flavors they taste. I have no idea what they are talking about. Some cigars have a spicy taste before I light them, but then most taste the same after that..so....

I mixed all the hearts together in one bottle and got about 50 oz of 70 proof. Taste is good by my standards but no tangerine flavor that I can notice....so....

I added 4 shots of the "wine" left over in the still which has a nice flavor. Now my hooch has some color and flavor and I guess a bit less than 70 proof. I'm happy and will do again next year probably w/out adding sugar again. Not sure how much of the 4+ gallons of the "wine" to save.

You're cutting down to ~30-40% and tasting? Spit between don't drink it or your senses will dull too quick from the booze. Start stone sober, everything tastes good after a little liquor, even a few spoonfuls from tasting. I keep a spittoon cup and a water cup and dip a spoon, dilute, smell/taste, spit, rinse, repeat.

Did that all on Sat. Good advise though.

Does the "wine" need to be chilled to keep? It's so mellow I was thinking of using it to wash down my pills in the morning. LOL

Sometimes I tack on advice just in case someone combs the thread years from now. I'm rusty on my winemaking knowledge but below a certain percent, spoilage is an issue and above a certain percent oxidation is the issue. Acidity plays a role too. Whats the wine's abv?

About 4% but full of flavor.

Fridge for sure.

*saw the other thread on the 'wine', sounds like this is backset, I'd toss it. If you like it by all means keep it, but be careful as what you've got there is a concentrated amount of tails, stone fruit ferments concentrate methanol in the tails, not sure what happens with citrus fruit.