1.3Kg Damsons (thawed, previously fresh frozen) 250g Mixed Dried Fruit 1tsp Pectin Enzyme SB2 Burgundy Type Yeast 1tsp Yeast Nutrient 1Kg Sugar

DAY 1: 17-09-01
P.M. The mixed fruit was added to 1 litre of cold water in a blender and briefly blended to lightly chop the fruit. The resultant mixture was added to a large pan containing the damsons which had been crushed by hand.

3.5 litres water was added to the pan and brought just to the boil to sterilise the ingredients. A lengthy simmering was avoided to try and discourage the release of too much pectin which might prevent the wine clearing later. The pan was covered with a close fitting lid and left to cool over night.

DAY 2: 18-09-01
A.M. 1tsp Pectolase was dissolved into the cooled must, which was subsequently transferred to a fermenting bucket.
P.M. The mixture was stirred vigorously later in the day.

DAY 3: 19-09-01
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 4: 20-09-01
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 5: 21-09-01
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 6: 22-09-01
The yeast was re-hydrated with 1 tsp nutrient and 2 tsp sugar in 150ml lukewarm water (see also starter bottle). The container was covered whilst the fruit mixture was prepared.

The fruit mixture was strained firstly through a colander, through a fine sieve and then twice through muslin to remove the considerable quantity of solids. This yielded 3.5 litres of slightly cloudy bright red liquid. This was topped up to 4.5 litres with cooled boiled water, and the specific gravity measured at 20 with a hydrometer.

Using tables it was deduced that the 4.5 litres of liquid with a S.G. of 20 contained approximately 195g dissolved sugar (see note). The aim was for an initial S.G. of 1090 (giving a finished wine of upto 12.0% ABV). From tables 1200g of sugar must be added to 4.5l for a initial S.G. of 1090. Assuming the liquid contained 195g already, around further 1005g would be required.

The sugar was dissolved into the strained damson juice. To this the re-hydrated yeast & nutrient mixture was added, and the liquid use to fill a clean demijohn to the shoulder which was then corked with an airlock. The remaining liquid was put into a pop bottle ferment.

DAY 7: 23-09-01
Fermentation was well under way with a 20mm foam on the top of the liquid in the demijohn, and a rapid stream of bubbles from the airlock.

WEEK 2: 02-10-01
Fermentation lively but steady. It was considered safe to add the pop bottle ferment to the bulk to fill the demijohn to the neck.

Note: It was realised at this stage that the tables used to calculate the initial amount of sugar were somewhat inaccurate, and rather overstated the quantity required. This means that the initial gravity was probably somewhat over 1090, and the final alcohol content  greater than originally expected.

WEEK 3: 10-10-01
Still fermenting. A bubble every minute or so from the airlock.

WEEK 8: 14-11-01
Despite having ceased fermentation some time ago, there is no sign what-so-ever of the wine clearing. It was racked off it's yeast into a clean demijohn, and half a sachet of Harris VinClear finings added and a little topping up solution added to completely fill the bottle.

WEEK 11: 09-12-01
After another month with no change, the wine was removed from the storage cupboard with the intention of assisting the stalled clearing process by filtering. The demijohn was left in a warm room overnight. In the morning bubbles had started rising once more! Clearly the temperature in the storage cabinet was too cold for this brew (around 16 degrees). The wine was left in the warm to hopefully ferment out. The temperature in the cupboard was increased to 19 degrees to try and stop a repeat performance with other brews.

WEEK 13: 22-12-01
The bubbling had now stopped completely, and the wine was passed through the VinBrite which gave a moderate improvement to its appearance. 1 rounded teaspoon of Bentonite was added in the hope of further clearing the wine, the bottle was sealed with a safety stopper and left to settle in a cool place. If necessary VinClear will be tried again at a later stage, though I suspect that this brew will have to be drunk cloudy.

WEEK 18 : 21-01-02
The Bentonite had settled completely, but had made little impact on the stubborn cloudiness. The wine was passed again through the VinBrite and two teaspoons of pectolase and one of amylase added, as it seems likely that the haze was pectin related. The filtering and racking losses meant that there would be a good shortfall on the intended six bottle yield. To resolve this the bottle was topped back upto the neck with O.G. 1110 topping up solution (190g sugar added to 500ml water at 20^oC) to which yeast and nutrient had been added. The bottle was returned to the warm place to resume fermentation, and hopefully clear.

WEEK 31 : 27-04-02
Finally the wine had stopped fermenting and had dropped more or less clear. It was given one last polish with the VinBrite onto a crushed campden tabled and a tea spoon and a half of potassium sorbate. The wine was then bottled into green glass. The deep red was one again compromised by the sulphate, turning the wine altogether more orange.

Blending ingredients may save time in the short term, but the minute particles which result ultimately take longer to clear. Perhaps best to stick to a good mashing instead! Damson's are notorious for their pectin content (hence their frequent use in jam making). A cold mash may be preferable to boiling to reduce the release of pectin, and a greater amount of pectin destroying enzyme from the outset may have speeded things up.

A very pleasant tasting brew at the time of bottling, which improved further with 6 months storage. The final bottle was drunk in Jan 2003, and was extremely good indeed. It could arguably hold it's own against professionally brewed wine!