Cleaned out Freezer...Avoided waste...Started Batch of Wine...

[palmcity]

Black mulberry season is on and Mango is around the corner.

Wife & I removed all the frozen bags of Mulberry this morning from last year and organized the remaining bags of frozen mango for consumption before the mangos start in my yard I'm guessing middle of May (later this year). We will not freeze mulberry again as only used about 2 bags to make some mulberry muffins and many many more were left from the freezer. I tasted a few and they were not good compared to the fresh ones on the trees now.

I filled half of 3 five gallon must buckets with slightly thawed mulberry and added enough hot water to cover them with about 4 lbs of sugar in each. I have also added about 1/8 tsp. of potassium metabisulphite and I tried to stick my hands in and squish them a little like squishing grapes; but presently it is just too cold....  So I told my wife I guess it's about 40 degrees... Wrong... Checked & 32 F.

Tomorrow or late tonight I will finish squishing them and will then inoculate the wine yeast strain into the buckets and start the yeasts happy little growth spurt. Sampling will be mandatory beginning 7 days into the experiment prior to racking and I will gladly volunteer

I personally prefer my mulberry wines to my mango wines; but both are good for a nighttime glass and not to be turned down.

The taste of frozen mulberry in my opinion is way inferior to off the tree mulberry and only good for cooking/wine etc. 

The taste of many of my frozen mango in my opinion are like eating peaches if you let them warm to room temperature and very good.

Soooo, if you have a freezer it's probably time to rotate/use/discard many items as fruit season is near/here...

[Mark in Texas]

Black mulberry season is on and Mango is around the corner.

Wife & I removed all the frozen bags of Mulberry this morning from last year and organized the remaining bags of frozen mango for consumption before the mangos start in my yard I'm guessing middle of May (later this year). We will not freeze mulberry again as only used about 2 bags to make some mulberry muffins and many many more were left from the freezer. I tasted a few and they were not good compared to the fresh ones on the trees now.

I filled half of 3 five gallon must buckets with slightly thawed mulberry and added enough hot water to cover them with about 4 lbs of sugar in each. I have also added about 1/8 tsp. of potassium metabisulphite and I tried to stick my hands in and squish them a little like squishing grapes; but presently it is just too cold....  So I told my wife I guess it's about 40 degrees... Wrong... Checked & 32 F.

Tomorrow or late tonight I will finish squishing them and will then inoculate the wine yeast strain into the buckets and start the yeasts happy little growth spurt. Sampling will be mandatory beginning 7 days into the experiment prior to racking and I will gladly volunteer

I personally prefer my mulberry wines to my mango wines; but both are good for a nighttime glass and not to be turned down.

The taste of frozen mulberry in my opinion is way inferior to off the tree mulberry and only good for cooking/wine etc. 

The taste of many of my frozen mango in my opinion are like eating peaches if you let them warm to room temperature and very good.

Soooo, if you have a freezer it's probably time to rotate/use/discard many items as fruit season is near/here...

Sounds like a hoot.  I'm a winemaker and grow wine grapes, so, if I may......  Don't pitch the yeast until the must temp is around 70F, depends on the strain. I like Pasteur Red yeast for reds.   A champagne yeast for the mango would be fine.   At least get your pH adjusted to 3.65 for reds, about 3.35 for white dry.   Add a yeast nutrient.  Adjust starting brix from 22 to 25.

Have fun!

Best of Show with my dry 2014 merlot recently, yay.
 

[baccarat0809]

Mark - not only did you get the ribbon, you're having a GREAT HAIR DAY !!!

I made a very, very strong loquat aperitif last year that was fantastic.  Tasted just like strong amaretto.  Was just wonderful.  Have to give credit to one of the forum members as I read about doing that here.

I love all sorts of home brews - its pretty amazing what we can make when we put our mind to it.

[pineislander]

I just bottled 1-1/2 cases of Caramabola wine. It was the strangest wine to make but came out fine. I started it in September before Hurricane Irma and it bubbled for over 4 months with champagne yeast. I was afraid to bottle it till now, six months later.
I've now got 1-1/2 case of Passionfruit wine settling in the secondary. So this year made Mombin, Mango, and the other two.

[Mark in Texas]

Mark - not only did you get the ribbon, you're having a GREAT HAIR DAY !!!

I made a very, very strong loquat aperitif last year that was fantastic.  Tasted just like strong amaretto.  Was just wonderful.  Have to give credit to one of the forum members as I read about doing that here.

I love all sorts of home brews - its pretty amazing what we can make when we put our mind to it.

Sounds great.  I guess I need to put in a loquat or two.  They are very popular in Texas.  Never tasted one. 

Having a red eyes day too after judging a bunch of wines!   

Here's Jack Keller's website.  He's in our club - San Antonio Regional Wine Guild.  He's made wine out of about every thing including grass clippings (so I hear).  http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/recipes.asp

BTW, I live in Fredericksburg which is fast becoming the Napa of the south.  There is a new winery and vineyard going in every month. I can't keep up with them anymore.  And of course the spin offs are unreal, like 400+ B&B, wedding venues, restaurants, bars, 50 thousand wine shuttle vans, limos.... 

Have one row to go and then I'm thru with the pruning.  Right hand is sore from cutting!   
 

[Mark in Texas]

I just bottled 1-1/2 cases of Caramabola wine. It was the strangest wine to make but came out fine. I started it in September before Hurricane Irma and it bubbled for over 4 months with champagne yeast. I was afraid to bottle it till now, six months later.
I've now got 1-1/2 case of Passionfruit wine settling in the secondary. So this year made Mombin, Mango, and the other two.

Such fun, those sound great!  Enjoy the fruits of your labors.

[palmcity]

Sounds like a hoot.  I'm a winemaker and grow wine grapes, so, if I may.....

At least get your pH adjusted to 3.65 for reds, about 3.35 for white dry. 

Adjust starting brix from 22 to 25.

Best of Show with my dry 2014 merlot recently, yay.

Congratulations. Mark, your the connoisseur winemaker.  I'm the hillbilly winemaker that prefers quick burgers/fries from joints like Burger King & McDonalds vs. a trip to a restaurant.

Yep I've still got my first hydrometer from 1st batch in the 70's from my parents back yard concord grapes in another state. As a high school kid that was a lot of fun.

I do use citric acid or lemons, lalvin ec 1118 as I get 18% possible ETOH concentration etc. if available sugar & other substrates for yeast growth. Thats usually the extent of my research as it makes alcohol fine enough for this guy that just finished a glass. It is funny how little is needed and this guy on youtube is a real simplistic on wine making    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylq5GZITYCM  ...Now it's the luck of the draw if he inoculates additional wild yeast,bacteria, etc. as he does not mention the use of a sanitizer like potassium metabisulphite and of course regular cooking yeast will unlikely reach 18 percent ethyl alcohol concentrations... But, he seems quite happy drinking his home brew and I guess that's what matters..... Also he avoids airlocks by simply loosening tops.... little sediment as using grape cans already processed with solids primarily removed... But, less available substrate for yeast growth with more already removed by factory processing thus potential need for yeast nutrients or lower than expected alcohol concentrations. Another of his videos:::  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8sVCfGTTjA

I go a little fancier than the youtube guy... Just a little... We both like a sweet (dessert wine) My current starting hydrometer reading is 18 percent possible alcohol production from available sugar for my batch. I usually add more sugar near the end of secondary fermentation if I want a sweeter wine (and I usually do).

My batch testing begins as soon as a week into the fermentation process and continues throughout. The yeast can pass through the G.I. and produce a little extra gas if too much is consumed before fermentation ceases... I usually rack primary must  fermentation in 2 weeks and go anaerobic for about 3 months or more. I usually don't bother with special bottles and just put it into anything large and prefer storing in refrigerator and if not loosen top as the youtube guy does to prevent explosions  of wine... I usually finish it off within 1 year... No long term submissions for tasting... No fine aging needed 

I've only had one batch go bad. For me that was making 5 gallons of vinegar in college. It wasn't the brew I was wanting to party with so I poured it out as I was not into a lot of cooking back then. That occurred before I started using products like potassium metabisulphite to kill residual yeast/bacteria from prior batches & prevent current undesired inoculations.








As I mentioned, I like quick foods/sugar/& many other vices. However I counter balance those vices with a lot of exercising.... I walk 5 to 7 days a week on the treadmill etc. and average 15 - 21 miles per week. I try to do at least 3 miles per walk but occasionally available time does not permit. But that doesn't include the yard walking and maintaining my small orchard.

[palmcity]

Today, after completing my treadmill walk,  I went outside and am now enjoying a few mulberries under the mulberry tree canopy.

My wife made some mulberry juice from a few extra bags removed from the freezer. I was surprised that the freezer taste had disappeared and it was good.

I still prefer eating fresh over frozen.

[zands]

Today, after completing my treadmill walk,  I went outside and am now enjoying a few mulberries under the mulberry tree canopy.

My wife made some mulberry juice from a few extra bags removed from the freezer. I was surprised that the freezer taste had disappeared and it was good.

I still prefer eating fresh over frozen.

Why treadmill? I do a 4 mile fast walk outside every morning. My goal is 72 minutes. I figure I do a mile in 17.5 to 18 minutes. I bring my mp3 player but only listen in the last 1/3rd of my walk.
Today I did 74 minutes. Sometimes I am below, sometimes above my 72min goal.

On mp3 player is not just music but talk by various people such as Jordan Peterson. You can "grab" all this off of youtube. My fave mp3 player is agptek 8MB you can find ebay and amazon. I have a sansa 8MB Jam too but battery is failing. I like agptek more better.

I still prefer eating fresh over frozen.

Fresh and backyard ripe is why I don't mess around with smoothies. Each fruit evaluated unadulterated and on its own.

[palmcity]

Why treadmill? I do a 4 mile fast walk outside every morning.

Well, it's good to see you enjoy walking also... I hope many more on the forum walk a lot as the leg muscles are the quickest way to get an aerobic workout vs. smaller muscle groups like the arms but a combo would also be great.

Reply to your question:
1.The treadmill has some flex to it vs. concrete. (less stress on joints/ligaments/tendons)
2. Almost zero chance of turning an ankle vs. over grass or unknown concrete cracks/roots/rocks/etc.
3. Able to better ignore where I'm going and what I'm traversing
4. I'm better able to forget the present activity      a. Visually and b. Audibly focus on T.V. etc. I enjoy the HGVT, Travel Channel, Animal Planet, PBS, cnbc, etc. vs. Audibly only on headphones alone. Thus time seems to pass faster imo when on the treadmill at home.
5. Turn the a/c on if needed, turn the fan on if needed vs. pot luck outside for elements heat,rain, sun, etc.
6. Decrease an hour accumulation of sun damage to skin as I already spend so much time outdoors in the sun with the fruit trees.
7. Pick up a water bottle on the treadmill to swig a drink easily vs. carrying in hand while walking outdoors.

None of the other multitude of reasons are of much concern to me like decrease chance of:::  a. drive by shooting victum,  b. other attacks on the street,   c. dog bites, d. snake bite,  or e. car hitting you while driver is having a stroke/heart attack/seizure, etc. etc. etc.

[zands]

Why treadmill? I do a 4 mile fast walk outside every morning.

1.The treadmill has some flex to it vs. concrete. (less stress on joints/ligaments/tendons)
2. Almost zero chance of turning an ankle vs. over grass or unknown concrete cracks/roots/rocks/etc.
3. Able to better ignore where I'm going and what I'm traversing
4. I'm better able to forget the present activity      a. Visually and b. Audibly focus on T.V. etc. I enjoy the HGVT, Travel Channel, Animal Planet, PBS, cnbc, etc. vs. Audibly only on headphones alone. Thus time seems to pass faster imo when on the treadmill at home.
5. Turn the a/c on if needed, turn the fan on if needed vs. pot luck outside for elements heat,rain, sun, etc.
6. Decrease an hour accumulation of sun damage to skin as I already spend so much time outdoors in the sun with the fruit trees.
7. Pick up a water bottle on the treadmill to swig a drink easily vs. carrying in hand while walking outdoors.

None of the other multitude of reasons are of much concern to me like decrease chance of:::  a. drive by shooting victum,  b. other attacks on the street,   c. dog bites, or d. car hitting you while driver is having a stroke/heart attack/seizure, etc. etc. etc.

Interesting what your outdoor walking negatives are. None would be a factor for me. BUT what would be a factor if I lived in a rural situation (like it seems you are) is that the roads are more dangerous for walking than in the suburbs where I am. As in rural roads will have more speeders. No sidewalks.       And more reckless and or drunk speeders. Add drivers on legal and illegal drugs to the mix.    Me remembering when Steven King the novelist was out for a walk on a rural road and got severely injured by a van driver in broad daylight. The driver claimed his dog distracted him.

[Mark in Texas]

1 pound of sugar per gallon = 6% alc.   The natural brix of my grapes is such that we usually harvest around 22-26 Brix.  I aim at 24-25 brix which gives about 14.5% alcohol.  Some happy customers.......



Most of my customers use my crusher/destemmer, add pot. metabisulfite, pectin enzyme, stir in dry ice for the trip home and use a Brute garbage can with a lock lid.  Hauling in the back of a pickup works well.



....break time around noon - sandwiches, beer or wine and perhaps a shot of fine tequila.



Florida growers might think about putting some Victoria Red grapes in. They are PD resistant, have 1-3 seeds making for good eating and surprisingly make a damn good white wine.



Salud!

[palmcity]

In case someone wants to try making a wine brew, I thought I would show the progress of the 3 x 5 gallon must buckets mulberry + Sugar at 72 hour mark after adding yeast and just completed stirring. This is considered the aerobic phase when most of the alcohol is produced and the yeast are peaking in activity. I stirred it with a long wooden handle knife and it's enough solids to still stand up in the solution with the mulberries surrounding it. Hydrometer is also present in the must floating to a degree. I just place a linen cloth over the 3 buckets to help keep bacteria, other yeast, etc. from falling in the buckets. This will proceed for another about week and 1/2 and then remove most of the sediment/dead yeast/ etc. that will be left on the bottom and place in air lock (or you could put in any bottle with loose top if doing like the guy in the youtube video) bottle and rack multiple times for improved clarity and decrease chance of sediment from altering taste or drink when ever you desire including the sediment as it will not hurt most like me except for increase chance of passing gas forming yeast through the intestine. ha. Also, most of the alcohol will be made before 14 days from yeast inoculation.

https://www.ttb.gov/wine/24_75.htm
Sec. 24.75 Wine for personal or family use.

(a) General. Any adult may, without payment of tax, produce wine for personal or family use and not for sale.

(b) Quantity. The aggregate amount of wine that may be produced exempt from tax with respect to any household may not exceed:

(1) 200 gallons per calendar year for a household in which two or more adults reside, or

(2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only one adult residing in the household.

(c) Definition of an adult. For the purposes of this section, an adult is any individual who is 18 years of age or older. However, if the locality in which the household is located has established by law a greater minimum age at which wine may be sold to individuals, the term ``adult'' will mean an individual who has attained that age.

(d) Proprietors of bonded wine premises. Any adult, defined in Sec. 24.75(c), who operates a bonded wine premises as an individual owner or in partnership with others, may produce wine and remove it from the bonded wine premises free of tax for personal or family use, subject to the limitations in Sec. 24.75(b).

(e) Limitation. This exemption should not in any manner be construed as authorizing the production of wine in violation of applicable State or local law. Except as provided in Sec. 24.75(d), this exemption does not otherwise apply to partnerships, corporations, or associations.

(f) Removal. Wine produced under this section may be removed from the premises where made for personal or family use including use at organized affairs, exhibitions or competitions, such as home winemaker's contests, tastings or judgings, but may not under any circumstances be sold or offered for sale. The proprietor of a bonded wine premises shall pay the tax on any wine removed for personal or family use in excess of the limitations provided in this section and shall also enter all quantities removed for personal or family use on TTB F 5120.17, Report of Bonded Wine Premises Operations. (Sec. 201, Pub. L. 85-859, 72 Stat. 1331, as amended (26 U.S.C. 5042))