Name: Plum Wine
Yield: 4.5 litres
Ingredients: 2 kg ripe plums; 1 kg sugar; 4.5 l water; 1 tsp acid blend; 1 tsp pectic enzyme; 1 campden tablet; 1 tsp yeast nutrient; 1 sachet Lalvin 71B

About this recipe

Easy homemade plum wine recipe for one demijohn (1 gallon). Victoria plums, sugar and a bit of patience. A good home for a glut you cannot eat fast enough.

Ingredients

ripe plums2 kg

sugar1 kg

water4.5 l

acid blend1 tsp

pectic enzyme1 tsp

campden tablet1

yeast nutrient1 tsp

sachet Lalvin 71B1

Method

1

Halve and stone the plums, keeping the skins on

2

Mash the fruit in a sterilised bucket

3

Dissolve the sugar in hot water, cool, and pour over the fruit

4

Add the acid blend, pectic enzyme and a crushed campden tablet, cover and leave 24 hours

5

Add the yeast and nutrient

6

Ferment 5 to 7 days, stirring daily

7

Strain into a demijohn, top up to 4.5 litres and fit an airlock

8

Ferment out for 2 to 5 weeks

9

Rack off the sediment, again after a month if it throws more

10

Age at least 6 months before drinking

Brewer's notes

Any ripe plums will do but Victorias are the classic. Stone them, the stones bring a bitter almond note you do not want, and leave the skins on for colour and body. Plums are heavy on pectin so do not skip the pectic enzyme unless you enjoy staring at a hazy demijohn. Even then it takes its time to clear, that is just plums. 71B suits the sharpness of stone fruit. It ferments dry; sweeten at bottling if you prefer. Resist adding more sugar, ripe plums carry plenty and it climbs to headache strength quickly.

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