Port?

[Jonnyv]

Has anyone had a go at making port?

I believe it's done commerically like this:

1. Mash your grapes up as you would with wine.
2. Leave to ferment
3. When the gravity is half what it started, add brandy to bring the gravity up to 20% ABV
4. Bottle/cask & age for a long time

There's an interesting port recipe that uses a slightly different technique.

Aging appears to play an important factor - leaving the wine at least a year to mature.

So has anyone ever tried making it?

 

[MEB]

Has anyone had a go at making port?

Yes, i 'make port' every day. :lol:

 

[BrewStew]

my mum made port by accident when i were a lad.

she was just about to chuck a demi full of wine with furry stuff on the surface (looked infected) down the drain, when her other half at the time screamed NOOOO. he said to taste it first and as it turned out, it was a lovely port.. i was allowed a sample as i was partial to Cockburn's at the age of 8 :shock: :lol: so can concur.

i do believe some old school methods were to deliberately infect it with some particular strain of bacteria, but cant remember where i read the source :wha:

 

[Jonnyv]

Yes, i 'make port' every day. :lol:

You and your useless replies MEB :lol:

i do believe some old school methods were to deliberately infect it with some particular strain of bacteria, but cant remember where i read the source :wha:

Cheers for the info - I might give it a try if I screw up any of my red wine kits - chuck a load of brandy in, hope it clears the infection up & mature for a while. Worth a shot I suppose!

 

[BrewStew]

this caught my eye on a quick google

http://makinghomemadewineandbeer.blogspot.com/2006/05/port-wine-recipe.html

i cant find anything on controlled infection though. perhaps it was a complete fluke but i wouldn't recommend wasting brandy if you're getting something that tastes like vinegar :lol:

it appears you stop the ferment about halfway, then add brandy to 18%abv, age, then top up with brandy to 20-22%. so you'd need to work out the yeast attenuation to know what gravity to stop at, but you knew that anyways

from my searches, cask aged port loses it's flavour very quickly, while bottle aged port lasts years, and i bet you'll need to let it mature for a good year before having a sip :sick:

i might grow some red grapes and give this a go one day cos i do prefer port to wine :thumb:

 

[BrewStew]

from that link for easy reference (and i might give this a go if i can get some grape juice)

PORT WINE

* 1 gallon can California Red Grape Concentrate
* 12 lbs fine granulated sugar
* 5 gallons warm water
* 6 oz dried elderberries
* 16 oz dried, non-glazed, banana chips
* 2 tsp yeast energizer
* 3 oz acid blend
* 5 crushed Campden tablets
* 1 pkg Port wine yeast

Prepare yeast starter 3 days in advance according to instructions on yeast packet.

Separate banana chips in primary, add elderberries, grape concentrate, water, 1/2 sugar (6 lbs), yeast energizer, acid blend, and crushed Campden tablets.

Stir well to dissolve sugar, cover well, and wait 24 hours. Add yeast starter and stir gently once a day.

When specific gravity is 1.040, draw off 4-6 cups of must, slowly dissolve additional 3 lbs of sugar into it, then stir it into primary.

When S.G. is at 1.030, strain out elderberries and banana chips and siphon wine into secondary. Attach air lock and check S.G. daily.

When S.G. is at 1.010, draw off another 4-6 cups of must and slowly dissolve remaining 3 lbs of sugar into it. Gently add this back into secondary.

Rack as deposits form, but not more often that every three weeks. When no more deposits form, allow one month for wine to clear. If wine fails to clear, stabilize wine and add fining according to instructions for particular fining agent. Wait 10 days, rack wine one last time, sweeten to taste, then add 60 oz brandy and bottle wine.

Age one year before tasting or using for cooking.

 

[Jonnyv]

Excellent info - thanks :thumb:

So if I make it now, it might be ready for next xmas - worth a try at least once I guess!

 

[Frisp]

Why not just buy some cheap port. Drink 6 pints of Genius / tard / Duh. Then wolf into the port... Classic and no faffing around waiting for a year. :thumb:

 

[BrewStew]

:lol: :thumb:

 

[MEB]

Yes, i 'make port' every day. :lol:

You and your useless replies MEB :lol:

I thought that was quite a good reply myself... :whistle: