How to Brew Pin Cherry Wine

This week I show you how I make wine with Pin Cherries. Thank you to my Grand Parents who provided the reduction!

Brewing wine does not have to be complected or expensive. in order to make the reduction you will want to collect and clean the pin cherries and juice them. Be careful not to use a mechanical juicer as that will break the seed pods releasing a bitter flavor. Once juiced filter the juice.

Below is the recipe I used this year. It is important to note that I have scaled everything up based on the volume of fruit I had.

Please note cleaning and sterilizing your equipment before use is a KEY in producing a consistent and good product.

Pin Cherry recipe 2013

12 liters or 3 gallons (approx 15 500ml bottles)
6 liters or 1.58 gallons of Pin Cherry juice
6 liters or 1.58 gallons water
Juice from one can of maraschino cherries
6.o liters or 25 US cups White granulated sugar
2.00 ea Campden tablets
1pk Montrachet wine yeast

Starting specific gravity should be 1.090-1.095, Acid .60%.

1. When ready for brewing place frozen fruit juice in primary fermenter and weigh. If the fruit weighs more then 5.66kg or 12.5lbs you can either leave it in the batch and split the batch at step 6 or move additional to another primary fermenter and begin a second batch.

2. Pour dry sugar over the frozen fruit juice. Cover with plastic sheet and allow to stand 24 hours.

3. Add the the water (bottled is my preference over tap water). Add 1-2 Campden tablets per gallon (3.7 Liters). Mix well and wait 24 hours.

4. Add the yeast Cover again loosely with a cloth or lid. let stand for 48 hours.

5. Stir and transfer liquid content from primary fermenter to carboy. If splitting the batch attempt to distribute equally. If there is pulp coming through use a straining bag using sterile gloved squeeze the bag to allow the remaining fruit juice out. IF you do not a colander and metal bowl can work to complete the same thing. When finished you can top up the carboy if you wish.

6. Seal the carboy with a stopper and blowout tube. It is not recommended with fruit wine to use an airlock. The pulp from the fruit can cause blow outs. Place one end of the blowout tube in a red solo cup half filled with sterilizing agent. The other end in the stoppers hole.

7. Rack the carboy after 3-4 weeks to help clear the batch of sediment. If desired you can rack again after 3 months.

8. When the wine has cleared you can bottled. Prior to bottling you can add campden tablets to stop the yeast however I choose not to.

9. You may sweeten if required. This wine should not need additional sweetening as it is a desert wine. You will want to use the campden tablets prior to adding any additional sugar. You can use white sugar, brown sugar, honey or any product that adds sweetness.

10. Age for 6-9 months following bottling. The flavors will greatly benefit from the aging. if you use corks store bottles on the side to prevent drying out and cracking.

If you would like to see how I did it this year please check out the following video!

About Stephen

The Alberta Urban Garden Channel hopes to promote organic gardening that is simple, sustainable and does not have to cost a lot. We do this by investigating the Science behind gardening, methods, practices and products to make sure that you will have the best chance of successfully growing your own food at home.

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