Schwan's Wine?

LoneTreeFarms · 05-16-2010, 01:37 AM

I've got a question for everyone out there, has anyone tried making wine out of the juice concentrate that schwan's sells? looking at the ingredients it does contain sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. would the pot. sorbate prevent the yeast from starting?

**Yooper** · 05-16-2010, 01:39 AM

Both benzoate and sorbate are preservatives. They won't ferment.

Emerald · 05-16-2010, 10:06 PM

So they will not dissipate like the Metabisulfate stuff that the Welch's white grape/peach (frozen only) has in it. Welch's just started putting that in the frozen concentrate and since it was the same as the Camden tablets I aerated it and let it sit in the fridge for about 36 hours and it fermented very well for me...
So now I have another thing to put in the "making wine" diary-- no ferment with sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate.
I learn so much from this site-- I am becoming dangerous!

petes · 05-16-2010, 10:47 PM

Suggestion - try searching. I have seen posts that claim preservatives used in such products can be negated by boiling. Or heating.
FWIW.

LoneTreeFarms · 05-16-2010, 11:38 PM

i have a batch of old orchard wine ready to bottle right now after two months but i tasted it tonight after stabilizing and it's very tart, i sweetened it with about a third of wine stabilizer and stirred a ton hoping to get her down a notch. is there any other suggestions? how do you remove tart?

petes · 05-17-2010, 10:02 AM

I don't really understand what you are saying when you say bottle after two months and sweeten with wine stabilizer....
Can only suggest time will lessen tart. I have a gooseberry that was absolutely astringent right from day one. Just stripped all moisture from tongue, mouth, throat all the way down...horrible crap. Left it for months between racking to put off what I thought would be a dump job. After 18 months it's still a bit drying in the mouth but has a choice aroma. Will give it a bit longer and if it doesn't tone down any more will backsweeten with stevia to remove the sharpness.

To go back to your original post I have seen postings, I think on this forum, regarding boiling or heating to nullify preservatives. I have boiled, simmered for a period, and have had success. So I say worth trying.

LoneTreeFarms · 05-18-2010, 09:26 PM

Sorry what i meant was that it's been in the secondary carboy for the past month and a half trying to get some age to it. this past weekend we stabilized and back sweetened because it was extremely tart, i'm just going to let this sit for a while longer and continue to sweeten until we've removed the paint thinner taste, haha. thanks everyone