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Cranberry wines

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Soulpanda

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 24, 2012
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Hey guys, my Mom had a cranberry wine recently that reminded her of the sauce/relish. I was wondering if anyone had an idea of a recipe that would be close. I'd like to make a batch to try for next year, but I don't know exactly where to start, besides just adding a bunch of sugar to cranberry juice and going to town. Thanks for the help!

Andrew
 
Ok, think about it.

Unsweetened cranberry juice is quite sharp/acidic, yet the sauce is usually quite sweet, but often still has an underlying sharpness.

So I'd have thought that juice and sugar/honey would be a good start, then some fresh fruit into secondary, followed by stabilising and back sweetening, to taste.

Well that's how I'd attempt it anyway. If you over sweetened, then I suspect it'd be easily corrected with a little acid.....
 
Well, I thought that might be a bit simplistic. I mean, I also wasn't sure if there was some secondary flavor that I was forgetting about or wasn't aware of that made the sauce ... Sauce. Hmm, ok, I guess I'm over thinking things again. Let me work this out and then try posting a recipe. Then we can crowd source. I'm just still new to wines.
 
I've made cranberry wine before, even without backsweetening it's not too piquant. I used fresh/frozen whole cranberries for mine. I like taking the fruit bag and re-fermenting it with spices and brown sugar to make a mulled cranberry second run, that often ends up better than the wine :)

If you're ever looking for a good starting point on fruit wines, check out Jack Keller's website for things like amounts of fruit and sugar per gallon.
 
Add some zest and juice of an orange. 1 per gallon, I feel it really rounds the flavors of the cranberry out. (and my homemade sauce is Cranberries + Oranges ;D)
 
Ok, what does everyone think about this:

For one gallon

3.5 lbs Cranberries (or equivalent juice)
Sugar to ~1.115 SG
1 Orange(zest and juiced)
1 stick cinnamon
1 clove
water to one gallon

Lalvin EC-1118

I don't know about any chemical additions, but I figured I would crush and mix the juice, orange juice, zest, and sugar and pitch the yeast. Ferment it down, stabilize, back sweeten, and rack. Then add the spices for 1 -3 months, then rack/remove spices, then rack as needed over the next year, and then bottle.

Suggestions and comments please!
 
Hey Soulpanda, just wanted to tell you that this sounds awesome. I'll be following it closely, my wife and I have been wanting to start a Cranberry wine for a bit now. Good luck!
 
Thanks! When I finalize a recipe and start it up, I'll start a log so it is nice and tidy.
 
Soulpanda said:
Ok, what does everyone think about this:

For one gallon

3.5 lbs Cranberries (or equivalent juice)
Sugar to ~1.115 SG
1 Orange(zest and juiced)
1 stick cinnamon
1 clove
water to one gallon

Lalvin EC-1118

I don't know about any chemical additions, but I figured I would crush and mix the juice, orange juice, zest, and sugar and pitch the yeast. Ferment it down, stabilize, back sweeten, and rack. Then add the spices for 1 -3 months, then rack/remove spices, then rack as needed over the next year, and then bottle.

Suggestions and comments please!
Click to expand...
I'd go with K1-V1116 rather than EC-1118. It's a better yeast IMO and doesn't blow all the aromatics straight out the air lock like EC-1118 can.....
 
Ok, so no one thnks I need to do more than change the yeast to K1-V1116? Nothing else? Cause that is cool with me, but this is a new thing. I have only made one wine before and it is still aging, and I was flying blinder than I am now ;D
 
I'm starting to really like RC-212 for anything fruity but you pretty much have to use energizer and nutrients, it's a big whiny baby of a yeast during fermentation.

K1V is also a good choice, if you can keep the temps low it'll bring out hte lovely estery aromas that you can get with cranberries.

The amount of fruit looks good, orange zest and spices will be a nice touch, but you proably don't need the orange juice, don't want it to get too acidic.
 
Ok, I'll remember RC-212 for when I can control temps a bit better and I'll cut the juice this time. When I start a log, whenever I can get the berries themselves, I'll probably ask for opinions again. Thanks evryone!
 
Soulpanda said:
Ok, I'll remember RC-212 for when I can control temps a bit better and I'll cut the juice this time. When I start a log, whenever I can get the berries themselves, I'll probably ask for opinions again. Thanks evryone!
Click to expand...

I'll be looking for it, good luck!
 
It's D47 that gets pissy when it's too warm, RC-212 is the nutrient hog, I don't think it cares overmuch about temperatures, or at least my 22C temps have never bothered it.
 
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