Welch's Grape Juice Wine

I put a grape juice wine together tonight with what I found locally.
4 containers of 100% grape cocktail
1.5 cups of table sugar
1 tsp of go ferm
activated ec1118
spring water to top off to 2.6gallons
sg was over 1075 a bit.
in a few days I plan to top off with frozen concentrate and some fermaid-k

 

Would fermenting 6 gallons in a 6.5 gallon carboy be asking for a volcano problem or do you think the .5 gallon headspace would be enough?

 

as to the "regular juice Welches" be careful as to the preservatives in the liquid juices. they will inhibit the yeast . the Frozen has no preservatives , hence will allow your pricey yeast to do its J O B.
I really like the White for a great table wine. also, not a bad topper upper, as its lo budget.
Slim49

 

Should be fine, these wines don't usually do more than bubble up a bit, only time I ever got anything into an airlock is when I tried one of those packs of "turbo yeast" (save your money, EC1118 is the bomb and like a buck a pack). It actually took LONGER to ferment but it started off so hard it did actually spill out. Normal yeast (EC1118) did it faster but didn't hit so hard at the beginning and I've never had a boil over with it.

 

How many gallons can I make with 3 cans?

Dumb question, better one, could I make 2 batches using 1.5 cans per gal if I up the sugar to 1/2?

 

The question really is... Why would you try to take all the time and effort of making a drinkable wine, only to try to be cheap over a less than $2 can of juice?

Many use 2 cans per gallon, but I use them as the can's instructions, with 3 cans of water for each juice. 1 lb of sugar with my favorite wine yeast, 71B-1122 makes a semi-dry wine and 1.25 lbs sugar makes a sweeter wine. 1.5 lbs for a desert wine.

 

For 1, I'm brewing on an incredibly limited budget.

I'll have to try the 1.25 with the 1 can, with one, and the 2 with the other. Find out what I want to make my 5 gallon batch with.

 

Just do 1 batch!!
if you split it up into 2 your getting a VERY light bodied wine, may as well not waste the time!!
that is NOT any way to get a test batch . welsch's is a light bodied wine already!!
SLIM49

 

Do a new small batch each time you bottle. Then you only have to buy the stuff every month or two and you'll have wines to age.

 

In the OP it says something about using a napkin as a temporary airlock. I have some just pisswash sugar wine in 2 liter bottles, and was wondering can I use the napkin thing on them so I dont have to burp the bottle every day?

 

Holy 81 pages lol. I didn't read the entire thread but has anyone used oak chips with this? If so how much and when do you add them? I just picked up a bag at my homebrew store and have never used it before. I'm starting this batch in about an hour

 

after two months this is the results of my wine. I coldcrashed it but other than that I didn't use any fining agents or acid blend/pectic enzyme. I racked 2.5 gallons on two crushed campden tablets and 2.5 tsps of potassium sorbate and i'll backsweeten with one frozen grape concentrate in 7 days.

 

Never mind, spammer was deleted.


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the oak chips will add a nice taste, but it takes months in the bottle to really hit its stride!
hold 1 bottle for a year. And you will see!!
put them in the wine at final racking. should wet them in boiling H2O 1st.
It looks really good.
Slim

 

Just racked my 3 gallon batch to secondary, after 1-1/2 months in primary. Gravity was down to 0.987! Hard to believe it would attenuate that low, but going from 1.106 to that makes it around 16% if my math is correct. I used EC-1118, which is tolerant to 18%, so the yeast ate it all with no problems. I had used a 4lb. bag of table sugar for the batch, so a little more sugar than the original recipe calls for. Hydro sample tasted good, and not much alcohol burn in there. I can't wait to bottle this in a couple months.

Anyone carbonate this? I am thinking of doing that but not sure if that might add a bit too much "bite" to the flavor.

 

Anyone tried this with 3 cans of welches per gallon? I just saw that on some other forum. If so, any better than 2 cans per gallon?

 

I just put this together, and discovered I don't have any pectic Enzyme. Can this be left out, and what does this do? Sorry for all the questions, first time I have tried anything other than a kit.

 

So I just tasted my 5 gal. Batch after exactly 30 days. It has a heck of a kick AND is still pretty darn sweet. It is really good but a tiny bit sweet for my taste. I am thinking I scaled up the recipe wrong. No OG or FG readings, haven't really worried about all of that. This is only my 2nd batch of wine. Made an afelwein that turned out great. I am hoping this drys out a touch more but after a month and as much of a kick as it has I think the yeast might be done. I used the red star red yeast. This batch is FAR from ruined. It tates really good and I am sure the bite is going to mellow a bit upon aging.

I have 2 questions. One is there an easy way to cut the sweetness a little? And will it be OK to bottle as is with all that residual sugar? I know I might have to break out the hydrometer and take a reading when I rack into secondary and then in a few weeks to see if it's done. I was prefer not to use the campden or other additives to kill the yeast.

Like I said, I like it. I will just have to be a little more careful next time I make it to not use too much sugar or concentrate. Thanks for the great recipe!

 

So I racked into secondary last night. Measured the sg and it looked to be about exactly 1.00. Yes it sweet and a bit strong right now but it has a nice taste to it. I ended up topping it off with spring water after I racked to secondary, only about 1/4 gallon. I think k it's going to mellow out nice and be amazing.

 

I just ran across this Welches recipe. I started a Welch grape juice wine about 10 days ago but was just winging it to see if it worked before I scaled up my batch. I only added sugar, yeast nutrient and the yeast. No acid blend or tannin. Is it too late to add this now. Not impressed with the flavor although not finished. SG: 1.006 right now. Im guessing at least a couple more days to get below 1.000. Next time would raisins give it more body? I don't have welches concentrate available but found the straight 100% juice in gallon bottles. I was thinking about starting a 5 gallon batch but I don't want to scale it up till I get the recipe fine tuned and I am happy with the flavor.

 

I mixed my grape concentrate with a cranberry juice blend. I also used raisins in mine for body. I always use some dried fruit in my wines, meads, and ciders for that purpose. I added no acid blend or tannin.

I wasn't impressed with mine for about 1.5 years. It was a bit sulfury and the cranberry was very tart. But after 1.5 years it became a pleasant table wine, which is what I was shooting for.

 

Hi All, first post here. I just starting being interested in making my own wine and had no idea where to begin. I have been reading for the last 24 hours. This is a great thread. A ton of information here but its all over the place. I created a memo of ingredients and instructions. Please let me know what else I need to know or missed. I've read about 3/4 of this thread but wasnt taking notes until later on. I created this memo as Im sure a lot of people who are starting out are having a hard time understanding all of the steps. Maybe these steps can be included in the first post??

I plan on making 1 Gallon on my first batch, then if I like it ramp up to 6 Gallons.

Is there an issue fermenting 1 Gallon in an 8 Gallon Bucket?? Ive read head space is not an issue in Primary, but 7 gallon head space create issues?

Also, what are your thoughts of adding Sparkolloid Powder to help clear the wine prior to racking into the Campden Carboy???? Not in my plans, but just a thought.

Here is what I came up with and changed the Ingredients slightly. What are your thoughts on adding Wine Tannin?

Ingredients to Make 1 Gallon
- 2 Cans (11.5oz Each) of Welch’s Frozen Grape Juice
- 1 ¼ Pounds of Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tsp Pectic Enzyme
- 1 Tsp Yeast Nutrient
- ¼ Tsp Wine Tannin
- Water to make 1 Gallon

- 1 Package of Wine Yeast
- Campden Tablets
- Potassium Sorbate

Original Gravity – shoot for 1.095

STEPS TO MAKE THE WINE
Step 1 – Sanitize everything in the Primary Bucket

Step 2 – Boil some water and add 90% of the sugar to dissolve the sugar. In the Primary Bucket, Add all of the ingredients except the yeast. Add enough water to make a little more than 1 Gallon (To make sure you will have a full secondary) and stir.

Step 3 – Take an original Gravity Reading and Add sugar to get to 1.095 Reading.

Step 4 - Add 1 pack of Yeast to Primary Bucket. Place Lid on Bucket and fit the Air Lock on the Lid.

Step 5 - After 5-10 Days of Fermenting, check the Gravity Reading, if Reading shows 1.010 or less, rack into Secondary Carboy with Air Lock making sure to leave the bottom sediments behind. There should be very little room at the top of the Carboy.

Step 6 – Leave in Secondary with Air Lock (make sure to check Air Lock if water in needed during this time) for 30 Days or until Fermentation is complete. Take a Gravity Reading and calculate your ABV. Taste the wine to determine if backsweetening is required.

Step 6a – If NOT Backsweetening – You can Bottle from here, OR if you want to age it, put a dissolved Campden Tablet into a new Carboy and rack it again. You can bottle it whenever you want.

Step 6b – If Backsweetening – To make sure Fermentation is complete, add a dissolved tablet of Campden and ½ Teaspoon of Potassium Sorbate for every gallon into a new Carboy and Rack into the solution. Wait 3 Days after racking, and add a sugar water mix to sweeten to your liking. Then wait another 3 days to make sure no more fermentation (Bubbling) is occurring. At this point you can let it sit to age or it can go to bottles to age.

 

Couple of points. 1) use another can of grape juice concentrate or two to I cease flavor and sugar content. This will allow you to cut back on the table sugR you will need to add. 2) don't boil the water, unless your using well water. Water contains dissolved O2 that boiling will drive out of suspension. Your yeast NEED that O2 when they are starting out. 3)I'd recommend one additional racking after you add the campden, but before you bottle. This should take care of any wispy sediment that remains.

Otherwise, your procedure seems good.

 

Thanks for the advice! I was thinking 3 cans of juice per gallon.

As far as adding another racking, I am going from secondary to campden tablet rack. Are you saying, the day I bottle, rack it again into a clean jug so no sediments get into the bottles? Or go from Campden jug into clean jug and keep the clean jug sitting for some time before bottling?

 

I'm not too familiar with making wine. The instructions say to pitch the activated yeast. What is the procedure for activating the yeast? Is it just rehydrating?

 

3 cans should be fine, I prefer using 4 cans for more body and less sugar needed. I'd rack to another jug the day before or at least a few hours before you're ready to bottle to give any wispy yeast a chance to settle back out. It's not necessary, but depending on the yeast, it can help prevent sediment in the bottle.

 

I just tried mine after 30 days in secondary--it was very good. The S.G. today was 1.000 (calibrated properly). I used 4.5 gallons of Welch's grape juice from Sam's Club; added 5 cups of sugar, 16 oz. of organic agave, 3 tsp of Pectic Enzyme, 6 tsp of acid blend, 3 tsp of yeast nutrient. Used Red Star champagne yeast. I moved it to secondary in 8 days and added a crushed campden tablet. After a week in secondary, I topped it up with the last .5 gallons of Welch's grape juice. Next time, I'll do it exactly the same way. I think the campden tablet slowed the fermentation down radically and then stopped it. That's why the S.G. was at 1.000 instead of lower. But the very small hint of sweetness is nice.
I'll definitely be making this again.

 

Alright so I made a 6.5 gallon batch of this.
12 11.5oz cans of concentrate
7lbs sugar (all I had at the time...)
6.5tsp yeast nutrient
2 1/3 tsp wine tannin
Lalvin 71b-1122 yeast
og ~1.090
It went through a 7 day primary with a (too) healthy primary fermentation. (too healthy as in.. it made a mess). I just racked it after 30 days in secondary and the gravity is still 1.014 and it doesn't appear to have clarified.

What do you guys think? Time to bottle, or let it sit a while longer? It still has a small bubble every 1min 30sec or so on an s-lock.

 

That yeast has a 14% alc tolerance, it should attenuate further. Leave it in another couple weeks and take another gravity reading.

 

How much headspace should you leave if using the 4 liter glass jug for primary?

 

It all depends on the strain of yeast you're using. I using a "no-foam" or "low-foam" yeast, I'l leave 3" or 4". If using a significant foaming yeast, I'd leave 5"+.

Hope this helps,
Dave

 

Or set up a blowoff tube.

 

Well said...that'll fix it even better than my suggestion.

 

Thanks for the replies akira7799 & MaxStout. I ended up leaving around 5 inches of headspace before I read this. Pitched Cote de Blanc yesterday, I'll see how it goes.

 

Why wait 12 hrs till you pitch your wine yeast? Can't you pitch if the temp is ideal?

 

RichCityFireGuy,

After adding 1 campden tablet (or 1/4 teaspoon of potassium metabisulfite) you need to let the must absorb and meld with the metabisulfite before pitching yeast.

If you pitch too soon, without an active starter, there's a very decent chance that the metabisulfite will impede yeast development and colonization (as that is metabisulfite's product description-preventing oxidation and spoilage from wild yeasts and bacteria).

As for temperature, you can pitch when the temp is ideal, however, if the metabisulfite levels are too "high" and "fresh" you might not get proper yeast colonization and growth.

Hope this explains it,
Dave

 

If you're using Welch's it's pasteurized with no preservatives but ascorbic acid--you can pitch your yeast as soon as the temp is within range--there's no need to add a campden tablet or other sulfite to a pasteurized juice.

 

Yooper stated the pectic enzyme doesn't work well with yeast, that's why she suggests pitching the yeast 12 hours after adding the enzyme.

 

Sorry if this has been answered

Instead of bottling after 30 days I placed it in tertiary. Any issue with letting it condition longer? Taste tart & I didnt add any Tannin. Will that fade?