Quick & Easy Plum Wine Recipe

I love experimenting with nature’s bounty in my kitchen, like crafting simple yet memorable plum wine using fresh plums, filtered water, and wine yeast. My approach to how to make plum wine at home brings together quality ingredients with a unique twist that promises an unexpected celebration of flavor.

I recently stumbled upon a way to make a really interesting and unique homemade alcohol by transforming fresh plums into a tasty, bubbly wine. This Quick and Easy Plum Wine recipe is perfect for anyone who loves DIY wine making and is curious on how to make plum wine at home.

I start with about 3 lbs of fresh plums, which are pitted and roughly chopped, then add 1 gallon of filtered water and 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar. Next, I mix in a packet of wine yeast (EC-1118 works great), 1 teaspoon pectic enzyme, 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient, 1/2 teaspoon acid blend and the juice of one lemon.

If you want to be extra safe, you may also add a crushed Campden tablet. I know it sounds a bit complicated at first but trust me, once you try this easy wine making DIY, you wont be disappointed with the results.

Enjoy exploring this homemade liquor journey!

Why I Like this Recipe

I love this recipe for a few reasons:

1. I really love how it uses fresh plums. It makes the wine taste natural and fruity.
2. I enjoy that the steps are so simple and straightforward, meaning I can really feel like I’m actually making my own wine.
3. I like that it uses everyday ingredients, so I dont have to go hunting for fancy stuff.
4. I dig the hands-on process of fermenting the wine—it feels like an experiment and a cool project all at once.

Quick and Easy Plum Wine | A step by step tutorial we can easily make! #pioneersettler

Okay so hear me out, first you gotta make sure all your equipment is really clean. If you’re using that Campden tablet for extra sanitizing, crush it up and keep it aside. Then you take about 3 lbs of fresh plums – roughly 12 medium ones that you pit and chop – and throw them in a big bowl.

Next, heat up one gallon of filtered water in a big pot until it’s warm enough and stir in 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar until its completely dissolved. Let it cool to room temp before you mix it all together in a sanitized fermenting container. After that, dump in your chopped plums along with the juice of one lemon, 1/2 teaspoon of acid blend, 1 teaspoon of pectic enzyme, and 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient into the container.

If you want that extra sanitization boost, stir in the crushed Campden tablet now and cover it up for 24 hours to kill off any wild yeast. After a day, sprinkle in the packet of wine yeast (EC-1118 or Champagne yeast work best) evenly over the mix. Give everything a gentle stir then cover with a loose lid or cloth so it can breathe but stays protected from dust.

Let it ferment at room temperature for about 5-7 days, stirring daily to keep the plums mixed up. Once the primary fermentation looks done, strain out the solids by pressing the pulp to get every bit of juice and then transfer the liquid into a clean container like a carboy or bottle. Let it sit and ferment for about 4 more weeks until it clears up. Then, when its ready, you can bottle your homemade plum wine and enjoy it.

Ingredients

• Fresh plums: They give natural sweetness and fiber, plus loads of juicy flavor thats hard to beat.
• Filtered water: This is the base, and its important for a clean fermentation process that really works.
• Granulated sugar: Adds a sweet kick and carbs which feed the yeast so it can turn sugars into alcohol.
• Wine yeast: Helps transform the sugars into alcohol fast, making the transformation possible.
• Lemon juice: Brings a tangy, sour note that balances the sweetness and adds a bit of zing.
• Pectic enzyme: Breaks down fruit pectin so the flavors come through clearer and with less cloudiness.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 lbs fresh plums (about 12 medium ones, pitted and roughly chopped)
• 1 gallon filtered water
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 packet wine yeast (EC-1118 or Champagne yeast works well)
• 1 teaspoon pectic enzyme
• 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
• 1/2 teaspoon acid blend
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 crushed Campden tablet (optional, for sanitizing)

How to Make this

1. First, make sure all your equipment is clean and sanitized. If you’re using a Campden tablet, crush it up and have it ready.

2. Pit and roughly chop about 3 lbs of fresh plums (around 12 medium ones) and set ’em aside.

3. In a big pot, heat one gallon of filtered water until it’s warm then stir in 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar until it dissolves completely. Let it cool to room temperature.

4. Pour the cooled sugar water into your sanitized fermentation container and add the chopped plums.

5. Add the juice of 1 lemon along with 1/2 teaspoon acid blend, 1 teaspoon pectic enzyme, and 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient to the mix.

6. If you want extra sanitization, stir in the crushed Campden tablet now and cover the container, letting it sit for 24 hours to kill any wild yeasts.

7. After 24 hours, sprinkle 1 packet of wine yeast (EC-1118 or Champagne yeast works well) evenly over the mixture.

8. Give everything a gentle stir, then cover your container with a loose lid or cloth so it can breathe but stays protected from dust.

9. Let the mixture ferment at room temperature for about 5-7 days, stirring daily to keep the plums well mixed.

10. Once the primary fermentation seems done, strain out the solids by pressing the pulp to extract more juice, then transfer the liquid into a clean carboy or bottle. Let it ferment for about 4 weeks more until it clears up, and then you’re ready to bottle your plum wine. Enjoy!

Equipment Needed

1. A clean cutting board and a sharp knife to pit and roughly chop the plums
2. A large pot to heat the water and dissolve the sugar
3. Measuring cups for accurately measuring the sugar and other ingredients
4. A fermentation container (like a sanitized glass carboy or food-grade bucket) for mixing and fermenting your plum wine
5. A stirring spoon for mixing the ingredients and stirring daily during fermentation
6. A mortar and pestle (or a similar tool) for crushing the Campden tablet if you’re using one
7. A cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer to filter out the pulp after primary fermentation
8. A funnel to help transfer the liquid into a clean carboy or bottles when you’re ready to bottle your wine

FAQ

Quick & Easy Plum Wine Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Try using peaches or apricots instead of fresh plums if they aren’t available; they give a slightly different but still tasty flavor.
• If you dont have granulated sugar on hand, you could substitute honey or even brown sugar; the flavor might change a bit so adjust to your taste.
• In place of wine yeast, you can usually work with a Champagne yeast like EC-1118 or Saccharomyces bayanus which are pretty similar in performance.
• If yeast nutrient isn’t available, a measured amount of diammonium phosphate (DAP) works as a good replacement.
• For the acid blend, if you cant find it, a mix of citric or tartaric acid in the same ratio will do the trick.

Pro Tips

1. Always make sure your equipment is extra clean and sanitized – even a little bit of leftover gunk can mess up your batch, trust me.
2. When you stir the mix each day, do it gently, so you mix up those plums but don’t break them down too much – you want a good juice extraction without making too much sediment.
3. Keep an eye on the temperature during fermentation; if it gets too warm or too cold, it could kill the yeast or prevent it from doing its job properly.
4. Be patient when you transition from primary to secondary fermentation – letting it sit longer usually means a clearer, smoother wine in the end.