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Use old concentrate, if you have any lying around, or buy
old concentrate at greatly reduced prices!
Sherry is normally made from Palomino grapes, but use some
old concentrate in Sherry-making instead of throwing it away. It is usually
drinkable in 2-3 years, though it will improve with much longer aging.
PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE, is the secret!
HOME SHERRY (This makes a
23 liter carboy)
- Prepare
yeast 24 hrs in advance (use Sherry Flor, 5 gr package);
- Mix: 5
liter white concentrate, 20 liter warm water, 6 lbs sugar, 1/3 tsp
sulphite crystals, 1/3 tbsp acid mixture 'B', 2 tsp nutrient;
- Adjust
acidity to 4.5 ppt (sulphuric) and Gravity to 115;
- Set
aside 2 cups of this prepared must and add 1/4 of the prepared yeast to
these 2 cups;
- Add
remaining ¾ yeast to remaining must and stir well;
- Cover
fermentor and keep near furnace (you need a place with high fluctuations
of temperature);
- After
fermentation has started, add the 2 cups set aside;
- On 3rd
day of fermentation 'feed the yeast' with 1.5 lbs sugar dissolved in 1
liter water;
- Allow
fermentation another 4-5 days, stirring twice a day;
- At
end, put 13 gr precipitated chalk per gallon, (I am not sure what this
is), put into gallon jugs and give them a good shake;
- Put on
air locks without water! Use cotton balls to allow some oxidation, and
keep at fluctuating temperature for 9-10 months UNDISTURBED (this allows a
'flor' to form on the surface within 4 months);
- If no
flor appears within 5 months, or as soon as flor drops into the wine,
rack, sweeten, and fortify with 1 cup of brandy;
- Age in
gallon jugs, 2-3 years before bottling. Don't worry about oxidization;
it's beneficial!
- Add 30
ml of natural oak essence, if desired, before bottling.
Good luck and enjoy.