“While the good masters of Astapor conferred among themselves in low voices, Dany sipped tart persimmon wine from a tall silver flute…” (Storm of Swords)
Tart Persimmon Wine, on the right
Our Thoughts:
This was our first foray into home brewing, and we’re totally hooked now. You would have been amused to see us come home and rush to the kitchen to watch the airlock bubble as the yeast did its work. After following the process below, we let our bottles sit for about 3 months, then cracked open a bottle for sampling.
It is indeed very tart, and toes the edge of being just a bit too dry. It’s fresh and crisp, with only a hint of the fruit it started as. Vote? A very fun project, with a nice, drinkable result. Dany would drink it, and so would we. Try serving very chilled, with a swirl of honey, in a tall flute.
*FURTHER UPDATE*
It’s good! Several months after bottling, we cracked a bottle open to taste, and found that the flavors are mellowing beautifully. It still has the characteristic tartness for the wine Dany drinks, but is now downright pleasant to drink.
Tart Persimmon Wine Recipe
Makes 1 gallon
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. ripe persimmons
- 7 pints Water (enough to fill)
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoons Pectic Enzyme
- 1 tsp Yeast Nutrient (optional)
- 1 pkg wine yeast
- 1 Tbs. saffron (optional)
- 1 large glass jug, at least 1/5 gal. (two jugs are ideal, for moving wine back and forth between them.
- airlock
- cheesecloth
That much sugar? Hm..
I wouldn’t be able to resist turning it into persimmon brandy myself. (;
The yeast consumes the sugar during the fermentation process – hence 3 cups of sugar does not result in a sweet wine.
My wife of nearly 55 years just passed away 3 weeks ago and I am picking up Persimmons which were her favorite wild fruit from our yard. How can I make the wine as sweet as the fruit. Ripe Persimmons are very sweet. (Just like my wonderful deceased wife who used to smile so big when I’d bring her a handful of Persimmons in the Fall.) I am so sorry she missed this Fall; it would have been our 55th year of Happiness. One girl, One Boy = One wonderful life and 3 Wonderful Children + 35 Wonderful Foster Children. One full lifetime of love. How can I make my Persimmon wine as sweet as the fruit she used to love? I would appreciate an email reply
Ah, another one sucked into the life-morass of home-brewing…Welcome!
So, which yeast did you use? That can make a tremendous difference in the outcome. And I’m a little surprised this is your first–with a name like “needsmead”, I should think you would have long since gone that route when meadmaking is so easy (and it’s as a rule FAR better than the stuff you can buy)
Well, the other bottles next to the persimmon wine are both meads. And as in love as I am with home brewing, I’m also a honey fiend, so it’s hard to keep enough honey in the house long enough to use it for mead… :) As for the yeast, I believe it was a Red Star Cotes de Blancs.
Hey, thanks for the recipe. My neighbor makes wine. I drink wine and save the bottles for him, so I feel like part of the process. Now, If I can just find some perrsimmons …
Persimmons are falling right now (Sept 13) they are hard to find unless you know where the tree is. They are about 1″ around, not like the Asian ones that are bigger than apples. The wild ones fall under the trees in the leaves of fall and your first indication that they are there is to look for bees and ants on the ground under the tree, they are eating the split ripe fruit that has fallen; you have to pick up the ones that just fell and are not split yet. They are soft but not mushy. If you happen to find a hard one, it is green and will turn your mouth inside out. You want the peachy colored slightly soft ones. For a real treat pop one in your mouth (after removing the top leaf and bottom spike, and just mash it in your mouth, it will be Sooooo sweet, spit out the seeds (usually around six watermelon size seeds) but I found one yesterday that either had no seeds or they slipped down my throat unknown to me. I want to make Sweet Persimmon Wine in honor of my recently deceased wife who used to love for me to bring her a handful of sweet persimmons this time of year. So far I have picked up 3 19 oz drink cups of fruit but I don’t know what it weighs, I am storing it in refrigerator, hoping to find some clean 1 gallon glass jars with lids I can leave loose for the gas to escape. I made wine about 40 years ago from blackberries and grapes but have never made Persimmon Wine. If you don’t leave the lids loose, it will explode.
About how much volume did your persimmons yield on their own. I don’t harvest my persimmons until they are VERY ripe and basically mush. I put them through a food mill and freeze the pulp in quart jars. At this point, I have several gallons and this would be a great way to help the supply dwindle before the new crop comes in.
First of all, terribly jealous. We have to hunt and gather our quirky fruits from the local grocery stores!
If I recall correctly, ours yielded probably about a half gallon of fruit mush. Good luck, and let us know how yours turns out!
Does your “food mill” (Is that a blender?) grind up seeds and all?
How did you afford 1 tablespoon of saffron?
Spanish Saffron is somewhat less expensive, and you can buy 1 gram for about $10.00. I buy mine at http://www.bulkfoods.com/spices.asp (1.43 tsp = 1 gram, or approximately 500 threads per gram) Since 1Tbs = 3 tsp, you might spend around $20.00.
Since heat releases saffron’s flavor essence, the preferred method is to steep the threads in hot water, broth, citrus juice or even alcohol before being added to food. Remember the saffron flavor will be stronger in your recipe on the second day.
Many recipes that traditionally use saffron recommend toasting the threads before use, but be very careful when doing so, as singed or burnt threads are not usable.
I have just done the first ferment and added half a can of frozen orange juice concentrate. I really like the flavor and can’t wait to taste how this concoction will age.Thank you so much for posting.