The tartness I'm speaking of comes from the Sumac seed coverings themselves. I've made Sumac-aid before, and it'll sure make you pucker. I'm using a different technique than Jack uses. clusters, then rub the smaller cluster pieces together, and comb the seeds off the stems. The first batch, I just used too much water. I poured about a half gallon of water over the seeds, and it was tart then, but when I poured the second half gallon over the seeds, It didn't have that lemon taste. At that point it was too late.
After reading more about Sumac online, I learned that you can't really go by weight. The tartness depends on when you pick them, how much rain they got before you pick em etc. You just cover the seeds you have with water, and let them sit over night. I think I have enough seeds this time, so I can reuse the same water on several batches of seeds to get the tartness I want. If I have some seeds left over, I'll try hot water and the egg whites or whole milk, just to see if it works. I'm hoping the hot water will extract more color as well.
I don't have an acid kit, ph meter, tartaric, or ... It's just a hobby for now, and I've spent more than I should have on equipment already. I still need a Vinator or some sort of washer, floor corker, bottle tree... Stu
On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 17:02:37 GMT, "Ray Calvert"
Easiest homemade wineOK, I found a couple websites describing how to make super-easy homemade wine from your own fruit or grapes. I've made batches "scientifically" in the past but recently...
