Using wine-grape juice in brewing

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eddie884

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I've been homebrewing for some time and want to experiment with adding wine varietal grape juice to my brews. Dogfish Head's "Red and White" got me thinking in this direction along with the port flavors in Corsendonk. I will most likely add the grape juice at the end of the boil (last 15 minutes).

For calculations, I would just use a barometer for the initial SG of the grape juice, correct?

Would efficiency be 100% for wine-grape juice like it is with honey or other common non-grain additives?

Are there other calculations when using grape juice that have to be considered that I'm missing (besides color)?

This will be an experiment, any other ideas on how to use wine flavors in beer?
 
I'd probley consider throwing it in at the end of the boil. Heard something about cooked grape juice messes with the taste were use to in wine.
 
Grape juice will probably ferment out to 100% much like any other simple sugar.
Boiling fruit will both weaken the flavor and coagulate the pectin to make a hazy end result.

I just made a Midas Touch clone and it called for adding muscat grape concentrate three days into primary. I'd suggest something similar. If it's a concentrate or bottled juice it's going to be pasteurized already. If you're using fresh-pressed grape juice, use some campden to sanitize it before adding it to primary.
 
Grape juice will probably ferment out to 100% much like any other simple sugar.
Boiling fruit will both weaken the flavor and coagulate the pectin to make a hazy end result.

I just made a Midas Touch clone and it called for adding muscat grape concentrate three days into primary. I'd suggest something similar. If it's a concentrate or bottled juice it's going to be pasteurized already. If you're using fresh-pressed grape juice, use some campden to sanitize it before adding it to primary.


i came in here to post about the muscat grape concentrate in midas touch :mug: i'm probably going to do this shortly as well... seems pretty simple
 
Excellent call re:add 3 days into primary.

If I add a camden tablet, should I let that mixture sit for 24 hours before adding to the beer? I don't want the camden interferring with the yeast's fermentation.
 
i came in here to post about the muscat grape concentrate in midas touch :mug: i'm probably going to do this shortly as well... seems pretty simple

It wasn't hard at all. I sanitized the top of the can, the can opener, and the measuring cup, but I just dumped it right in. The honey went at flameout, but it was unpasteurized so I wanted to make sure it saw some heat to kill any wild yeast spores.

As for adding the campden, I imagine letting it sit a day couldn't hurt, as long as it's sealed up.
 
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