Cranberry wine for ocean spray?

[PTS_35]

I recently boughr a bottle of ocean spray cranberry juice cocktail. I really like the flavor and saw it only has absorbing acid. Has anyone ever tried making wine out of this juice? Was it successful? What was your recipe?

 

[jensmith]

Nope. Just used pure cranberry juice. However the flavor from the cocktail is more shuger then fruit. Once you ferment it out the flavor will not be the same.

 

[PTS_35]

Ok. I see what you're saying. I'd be fermenting sugar more than fermenting the cranberry juice. Now what if I would get the type that says 100 % juice. Not cranberry juice cocktail?

 

[theDREWery]

The stuff that's 100% juice is mixed with apple juice, grape, etc.

Regular cranberry juice is awful, just bitter and disgusting, without dilution and sweetening. Plan on stabilizing and backsweetening after fermentation.

 

[jensmith]

I like 100% cranberry wine. Its one of my best wines. I use whole cranberries and leave it dry. Keeps that nice cranberry bite.
You will be happeir with a wine frome the no suger added cranberry juice. Wether its got other fruit juices to offset the cranberry bite or not. Plan on backsweetning your wine when its done. If you like the cocktail type juices then you like the sugery sweetness. The wine will need backsweetning to bring it back close to the same flavor.

 

[PTS_35]

Seems a bit late in season, I can't seem to find the fresh cranberries you can around xmas. Thinking of trying the 100% juice. There is a place near me that sells wine supplies in terms of juices. Try that first. I like cranberry juice which is what led me to asking about it. Jensmith, would you care to share your recipe? I've seen some online that include the use of raisins. Not sure if it's good or not.

 

[Yooper]

Seems a bit late in season, I can't seem to find the fresh cranberries you can around xmas. Thinking of trying the 100% juice. There is a place near me that sells wine supplies in terms of juices. Try that first. I like cranberry juice which is what led me to asking about it. Jensmith, would you care to share your recipe? I've seen some online that include the use of raisins. Not sure if it's good or not.

One time, I was in the dollar store and saw a HUGE container of cranberry sauce. It was maybe 5(?) pounds.

I made a pretty decent cranberry wine with it! I'm not at home with my notes, so I don't have the particulars with me, but it was very much like this:
http://www.winepress.us/forums/index.php?/topic/14881-cranberry-from-a-can/#entry164937
http://www.winepress.us/forums/index.php?/topic/53169-cranberry-sauce-wine/?hl=+cranberry++sauce

 

[fuelish]

The stuff that's 100% juice is mixed with apple juice, grape, etc.

Perhaps from Ocean Spray ... I've used Knudsen's pure cran juice, and it's pure cran juice, nearly undrinkable on it's own, to my taste, but has worked well in a cran-wheat beer, in a cranberry cyser, and have a cranberry/raspberry mead ready to go to secondary

 

[jensmith]

Seems a bit late in season, I can't seem to find the fresh cranberries you can around xmas. Thinking of trying the 100% juice. There is a place near me that sells wine supplies in terms of juices. Try that first. I like cranberry juice which is what led me to asking about it. Jensmith, would you care to share your recipe? I've seen some online that include the use of raisins. Not sure if it's good or not.

I don't follow any recipe exactly.... Just in a sorta kinda fastion. However I have used between 11-18# of fresh or frozen cranberries per five galeon batch. Less is almost better then more. Especially if you do not plan on making a seconds wine. Rounded off I follow these guidlines.
12-15# halved cranberries. ( whole will not ferment)
10# white suger
1/8-1/4 tsp powbered grape tannin
2.5 tsp peptic enzyme. More if you heat the berries. (Instead of cutting them)
Nutriants and energizers for the yeast. I use a mix of the two for this wine. Nutriants for three galeons and energizer for two gal. Probely could just use the nutriants per label directions. Amounts depend on your brand.
Yeast of choice. I have used several types. They all make a nice wine.

Sometimes this ferments slow. I leave in the fruit untill 1.000 or so. No longer then ten days to two weeks. You can take out sooner, Sometimes makes a good seconds wine.
Starting sg can be adjusted as you want. Try not to have it over 1.100. If room temps are low make a yeast starter, cranberry can be slow to start, so give it a helping hand
If I have a few bananas on hand I often toss them in. Helps with clearing and mouthfeel. With or without skins. No raisons. You can add them if you like. I just don't bother.
If all you have is juice that is fine. It will make a nice wine. To make it better add some whole fruit. Dried cranberries with no sulfa will work. Or any other fruit you can find. Fermenting on the whole fruit is the best. Even a few up the quality of a juice wine. Whole cranberry sauce works too.

 

[Hluke40]

Ocean spray cranmango is basically the only thing I can make into wine that doesn't just turn tk straight acetone too quickly and I can't somehow actually age it without much issue

 

[lukebuz]

I disagree with many posters here. This product makes great CB wine. It's like 30% juice and some water and sugar. Just use that pure "juice", bump your SG up to 1.090, and ferment away. I, and everyone who has tried it, really likes it. You'll want to backsweeten to taste.

Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail , 64 fl oz​

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ocean-Spray-Cranberry-Juice-Cocktail-64-fl-oz/12166385