Fruit T bag wine

[chris]

I left mine too long, it went to more of a fortified wine. Looking forward to making it again though

[redser]

Enjoying strawberry and mango tonight Twinnings have a (new, as far as I can tell) blueberry and apple which is next on the list.
Tip - add some bentonite with the primary, ferments faster and more evenly and no need for the fining stage.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Despite rave reviews on here I have never tried fruit tea bag wine, so have given it a whirl this evening (should have made it one of my 52wk challenges!) - it's the cranberry, something and wotsit one. SG on 1098 even with just the 1kg bag of sugar - so the grape juice must be quite sweet.

Have added the bentonite per recommendation - although a true test would be to make a batch without as a control. Hmm.

[Hazel at the Hill]

You know these fruit T bags? Can you make wine out of any of them (or I suppose I'm asking is it worth making)?

I have a pack of Camomile, Honey & Vanilla tea bags in the cupboard and wondered whether to give those a whirl. And if so, I guess that you'd use white grape juice rather than red?

[redser]

Despite rave reviews on here I have never tried fruit tea bag wine, so have given it a whirl this evening (should have made it one of my 52wk challenges!) - it's the cranberry, something and wotsit one. SG on 1098 even with just the 1kg bag of sugar - so the grape juice must be quite sweet.

Have added the bentonite per recommendation - although a true test would be to make a batch without as a control. Hmm.

Hi Hazel - I imagine you'll notice the difference easily enough. I was amazed how clear the wine was dropping so early on. On one I actually kept some juice back till 1.010 for some added fruitiness in the final wine. The bentonite obviously stayed in suspension after racking as it cleared up the late juice too no problem. The raspberry, cranberry and elderflower came out lovely. As did the Blackberry and nettle. I've no idea how camomile, honey and vanilla would be like Could be a winner. Certainly using t bags really keeps the flavour and aroma in the final wine. Sounds like white juice would be more suitable alright. btw there seems to be a bit of a shortage going on after the bad grape crop last year. So if you find some buy it up!

btw - I wonder if 1098 is a little too high for 4.5 litres? You could maybe top up with water to 5 lts to bring it back to 1.090.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Well it's going like a steam train at the mo - set it off on Saturday in a bucket, and as it didn't seem to be going really frothy (like the rhubarb wine does) I transferred it to a demijohn yesterday, and it's been fizzing away today. Obviously not much sediment as yet - about quarter to half an inch.

I've no idea how camomile, honey and vanilla would be like Could be a winner. Certainly using t bags really keeps the flavour and aroma in the final wine. Sounds like white juice would be more suitable alright. btw there seems to be a bit of a shortage going on after the bad grape crop last year. So if you find some buy it up!

I'm going to give it a go as soon as I can get hold of some white grape juice - I can believe the shortage given that Aldi have a notice up saying they are all sold out. If all else fails, I could always use white wine concentrate from Wilko's wine making section, I guess.

btw - I wonder if 1098 is a little too high for 4.5 litres? You could maybe top up with water to 5 lts to bring it back to 1.090.

Possibly - although I keep a reasonable log, starting off tends to be a bit variable. I aim for anywhere between 1.080 and 1.090 as a starting SG but it's just how it turns out after the fruit or veg go in and a bag and a bit of sugar (Mind you, I did a couple at just over 1.100 once and was worried that it was too sweet for the yeast, but it was ok - one produced a strong and sweet jerulsalem artichoke wine, the other a blockbuster of a medium sweetness (but v strong) parsnip wine)

With regard to the volumes, I generally seem to start of with somewhere around 4.8l in the bucket, so when it gets into the dj I have a little bottle left over to top up with when I do the first racking. Then I have my demijohns marked up to 4.75l (and top up to that level if necessary after racking) so that when it comes to bottling there's a bit left for me!

[Hazel at the Hill]

.......one produced a strong and sweet jerulsalem artichoke wine.......

By the way, don't bother - I have made and drunk this, so you don't have to.

[redser]

A martyr for the cause, thanks I find they give very little sediment so it's a nice type of wine to make.
Been scratching around for wgj and actually my local tesco stocked up over the last couple of days, so might be worth a visit to yours

[redser]

How did you get on Hazel?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Aha - how appropriate that you ask, Redser!

I have this very evening bottled my Cranberry, Raspberry and Elderflower T bag wine! It certainly has been quick in the making - per the instructions on 26 Jan I boiled up the teabags in a litre of water, combined with 2l of red grape juice and 1kg of sugar, and made up to 1 gall in the dj (SG1098).

I racked & stabilised on 23 Feb (SG 990), and have bottled it this evening. It is not only clear as a bell, it is a dryish but fruitilicous 14%.

The plan is that wines get popped in the rack in the garage for 12 months, before swigging, but I might sneak a taster of this one out before then...

[redser]

Excellent! I think you should

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'm keen to get the next one underway - I have a choice of apple and blueberry t bags (with red grape juice) or lemon and ginger (with white grape juice).

Not sure about the lemon & ginger - anybody had a crack at that one??

[Ananke]

Just read through all 9 pages and I'm itching to get some T bags. This will be my 52 week challenge this week, seeing as I can't think of another one

I bought some cheap frozen summer fruits last week and strained it into the DJ today so while all the gear is all out I'll get cracking on this one tomorrow hopefully.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Just read through all 9 pages and I'm itching to get some T bags. This will be my 52 week challenge this week, seeing as I can't think of another one

I bought some cheap frozen summer fruits last week and strained it into the DJ today so while all the gear is all out I'll get cracking on this one tomorrow hopefully.

Excellent! If you've got an Aldi nearby, their fruit t bags are much cheaper than Twinings, btw.

[Ananke]

I do have an Aldi not far from here, thanks for the tip