500g Pearl Barley SB1 Bordeaux Type Yeast 1 tsp Yeast Nutrient 2.75Kg Plums (inc skins and stones) 1 tsp Pectin Enzyme 1.2Kg Sugar 1 tsp Campden powder

DAY 1: 26-07-01
The 500g pearl barley was covered with 1 litre boiling of water and left to soak.

Meanwhile 2.75Kg of ripe plums had their skins slit with a knife and were then crushed by hand into the fermenting bucket (taking care as the plum stones can be quite sharp!). This yielded approximately 2.5 litres of pulp.

To this 4 litres of boiling water were added, followed by the strained barley. After vigorous stirring the mixture was allowed to cool over night.

DAY 2: 27-07-01
A.M. A teaspoon of pectin enzyme was dissolved in the cooled mixture the following morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred again later in the day.

DAY 3: 28-07-01
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 4: 29-07-01
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 5: 30-07-01
A.M. The bucket was stirred in the morning.
P.M. The bucket was stirred in the evening.

DAY 6: 31-07-01
P.M. The liquor was strained first through a sieve to remove the stones and then twice through muslin to remove threads of plum flesh. This yielded around 4.5 litres of clear deep purple/red liquid.

The S.G. of the liquid was measured to be 20 with a hydrometer. Using tables it was deduced that the 4.5 litres of liquid contained around 195g dissolved sugar (see note). The aim was for a initial S.G. of 1100 (giving a finished wine of upto 13.4% ABV). From tables around 1355g of sugar must be added to 4.5l for a initial S.G. of 1100. Assuming the liquid contained 195g already, a further 1160g would be required. The liquid was brought briefly to the boil to sterilise the solution, and the 1160g of sugar dissolved whilst still warm. It was then left over night to cool sufficiently to safely add the yeast.

DAY 7: 01-08-01
Having cooled, a sachet of yeast and a teaspoon of nutrient were mixed into to the liquid, this was then used to fill a demijohn to the shoulder which was corked with an airlock. The excess liquid was poured into a pop bottle ferment.

WEEK 2: 14-08-01
After a vigorous start the fermentation had slowed to a steady bubble every few seconds. The pop bottle ferment was added to the bulk of the must in the demijohn.

WEEK 7: 16-09-01
Fermentation had more or less ceased with only the occasional bubble several minutes apart, a firm 15mm sediment had settled at the bottom of the demijohn and the liquor had begun to clear. The S.G. was measured at 990, which suggested that all the sugar added at the beginning had turned to alcohol. 

Given that the likely alcohol content is given by:

this brew could be (1100-990)/7.36 = 14.9% (or there abouts). A quick taste of the rather warming brew suggested this might be the case.

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 1100, and the final alcohol content  greater than suggested below.

The wine was given it's first racking into a clean demijohn. An additional 350ml cold boiled water was added the fill the demijohn right to the neck to exclude as much air as possible. This would have the effect of diluting the alcohol content by around 1%, but as it was already reasonably strong this was considered preferable to adding syrup which would restart the fermentation. Subject to further tests before bottling an alcohol content of around 13.5% will be assumed.

WEEK 12 20-10-01
The wine was now quite clear, with another thin sediment at the bottom. It was racked for the second time into a clean demijohn, and 1 tsp campden powder added to stabilise the wine. This had the unfortunate effect of turning the deep ruby red colour of the wine to a less intense, more orange colour.

WEEK 14: 04-11-01
Half a sachet of Harris VinClear finings were added to speed the clearing of the still slightly hazy wine.

WEEK 16: 14-11-01
The wine was filtered through the VinBrite and bottled.

A good straightforward recipe with no real complications.
Perhaps try to avoid the colour destroying campden tablets next time, and use sugar solution rather than water for topping up to prevent dilution.

A pleasant brew, with a distinct taste of plums!