sultanas and rasins

[sforeman]

before adding sultanas or raisins to a brew is there anything you need to do before chopping/mincing and adding?
do I need to wash in cold or hot water or just chop and add?

 

[rosie]

I once had a gift of a boxed Merlot the taste of raisins was so powerful it put me off dried fruit additions for ever - Is there another way?

 

[bobsbeer]

Sultanas and raisins can help to add vinosity, but they do need to be rinsed in boiling water. When I use them I throw them in in the pan with the sugar and bring the whole lot to the boil to dissolve the sugar. I use about 100g in a 25lt brew. In a white wine they add a degree of golden hue. Which may or may not be wanted for the style you are making. So use with caution.

 

[Brewtrog]

Before using either you should rinse them thoroughly as they a sprayed with a veg/mineral oil when packaged to stop them from clumping and to make them look pretty, you notice this oil when you first start to rinse them because the water turns a milky colour.

I once had a gift of a boxed Merlot the taste of raisins was so powerful it put me off dried fruit additions for ever - Is there another way?

Sounds like a few too many raisins were used. If used in small amounts they shouldn't be overpowering, but you could use grape juice or concentrate instead. Also you don't have to put them in your wines, they're just supposed to add vinosity to it.

 

[tonyhibbett]

I simply put them in the food processor until I get a sticky ball and add to the must, at the rate of 250 g per gallon. There is a big range out there, as I discovered when I went to an Indian supermarket. Sultanas have a less pronounced flavour. The best raisins I came across, in terms of flavour, were from the flame seedless grape, but expensive.

 

[rosie]

Thanks for the information.

 

[tonyhibbett]

Aldi do good Californian sultanas cheap. I have used them with good results.

 

[narmour]

If you put a few tablespoonfuls of your measured quantity of sugar in with the raisins in the blender, they don't clump up nearly as bad and you get a nice smooth paste to add to the must!

:hat:

 

[tonyhibbett]

A useful tip, thanks. But I quite liked the sticky ball. Something poetic about the way that the sultanas had formed themselves into a giant form of the original grape!