Nasty Welch's grape wine

yeastluvr · 03-23-2009, 06:16 AM

Hmmm...I dont think I'll be making this anytime soon. I thought I'd try a cheap experiment and since a co-worker really wanted me to make some grape wine, I thought I'd try it.

1/2 gallon Welch's Concord grape juice
1/4 cup sugar "brought PA to exactly 10%"
Lalvin EC-1118 yeast
and a balloon "I do have airlocks....I just wanted to try this"

Well after two weeks fermenting and being cloudy, it actually cleared nicely. Sampled it today with co-worker. I made him drink a tall glass of it since he wanted me to make it. Man was it sour....we tried a little sugar and it helped, but it did not help the slight rubber taste that I believe was from the balloon "which I did wash and sanitize". No, I did not age this like I should have, however after tasting, I dont think aging is going to help this swill out much. If anyone else has had good luck with Welch's concord grape wine let me know....

llazy_llama · 03-23-2009, 06:18 AM

In wine, as with most things, just do what Yooper says and you won't get hurt.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f79/welchs-grape-juice-wine-21093/

Tusch · 03-23-2009, 12:54 PM

When in doubt Yooper up!

Firstnten · 03-23-2009, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yeastluvr

Hmmm...I dont think I'll be making this anytime soon. I thought I'd try a cheap experiment and since a co-worker really wanted me to make some grape wine, I thought I'd try it.

1/2 gallon Welch's Concord grape juice
1/4 cup sugar "brought PA to exactly 10%"
Lalvin EC-1118 yeast
and a balloon "I do have airlocks....I just wanted to try this"

Well after two weeks fermenting and being cloudy, it actually cleared nicely. Sampled it today with co-worker. I made him drink a tall glass of it since he wanted me to make it. Man was it sour....we tried a little sugar and it helped, but it did not help the slight rubber taste that I believe was from the balloon "which I did wash and sanitize". No, I did not age this like I should have, however after tasting, I dont think aging is going to help this swill out much. If anyone else has had good luck with Welch's concord grape wine let me know....

Yeah I have made 20 gallons of this stuff so far. And out of that have consumed 10 gallons.

I have two batches going right now one red and the other white.

the red I used White Labs merlot yeast. Red star Champ on the other.

Mr. Nice Guy · 03-23-2009, 06:28 PM

Age it, maybe that will help. I have used plenty of balloons for "airlocks" and have recently stepped up to tinfoil! The balloons had no noticable taste in my opinion, but maybe the balloon contributed, they are all different.

I have heard about stressed yeasties producing a rubber taste, was your temperature high?

(just trying to help I have very little experience but read a lot)

birch · 03-30-2009, 12:15 AM

After a lot of experimenting, I usually get the best results with Welch's by using Premier Curvee yeast and doing an open ferment (bucket covered with sanitized napkin) for the first 5 days until it's down to about 1.030 or so, stirring daily.

In my experience, I've gotten the sour and rubbery tastes too with Welch's if I do a completely closed fermentation. Especially with the white niagara. Also, for the white, toss in an ounce of oak chips per gallon with your must, it really helps even it out and take away some of the sourness.

DShoaf · 03-31-2009, 03:35 AM

I have made 2 versions of niagra and concord. One with 2 cans concentrate and the other with 1 can. I must say that the white niagra is by far superior, and the 2 can version is tastier than the 1. It is not an award winning wine you're right... but its cheap easy and can produce something drinkable. The aging is important and I found that both aren't really palatable until 8 months after fermentation. I can only imagin that it gets better with more age. Not something I plan on doing anymore, but it was good to start on and learn steril technique ect.. Good for a beginer to try out.