Lets make a batch...?

[mrchaos101]

I did my invintory. I have the following:

22 cans of grape frozen consontrate juice.

4 bottels welches farmers choice black berry juice 48oz each

30 lbs sugar

5 bags 1lb frozen black berries

Pectin enzyme

Campdin tabs

Potassium sorbate

No other adutives.


This is screaming blackberry/grape to me...but i have no yeast nutrient or tannen or any other additives.

Should we go for it or wait.....perhaps order some oak chips?

Could do 2 batches....one welches straight grape and one blackberry/grape...

Thoughts my fellow winer's?

 

[DoctorCAD]

No oak, one batch. Need to overpower the Welches grape juice taste with the blackberry!

 

[mrchaos101]

No oak, one batch. Need to overpower the Welches grape juice taste with the blackberry!

So you agree. Blackberry/Grape. Do youthink I have enough to do it with the jucie I have and the 5 lbs of berries? Should I buy more blackberries?

Ok... no oak.

 

[DoctorCAD]

So you agree. Blackberry/Grape. Do youthink I have enough to do it with the jucie I have and the 5 lbs of berries? Should I buy more blackberries?

Ok... no oak.

Depends on how much you are going to make...

 

[mrchaos101]

5-6 gallons

 

[mgonbrewlab]

Seems you have enough to do a rich bodied 3 gallon that is heavy on the blackberry or 5 gallons of a lighter red where the blackberry contributes extra body to a mostly grape wine.

Your choice. If it were me I would do a couple small batches - one mostly blackberry, one mostly grape, so I could compare.

Is it Welch's red or white? I guess that plays an important factor too.

 

[mrchaos101]

Red

 

[mrchaos101]

Was thinking 12 cans red grape. 4 bottels of tge blackberry and 5 lbs of berries.....and like 3 or 4lbs sugar? Im guessing.

 

[mgonbrewlab]

That sounds about right in terms of fruit and juice for 5 gal. If you are doing 4 cans of juice per gallon you will probably only need to make up the deficiencies from the blackberry. Use your hydrometer and aim for a 12% starting PA.

You might have a slow fermentation with the lack of yeast nutrients, but the yeast may also just plow through your grape juice. Add some sugar to the water you rehydrate your yeast in and pitch it when it starts foaming.

 

[mrchaos101]

I do have yeast nutrient i can add. Was looking at doing 6 gallons with that recipe. Should I add 2 more cans grape juice,

 

[mgonbrewlab]

I assumed you were going for 4 cans per gallon and no sugar for grape.

Disclousure - I have never tried this so I would wait for validation before proceeding:

If you prefer fuller bodied dry reds I would go for 16 cans of grape juice, all your blackberry juice, all your blackberries (crushed), water to get your liquid volume to 6.25 gal (assuming you have a 6 gal carboy for a secondary. If your secondary is 5 gal keep primary at 6 and plan on setting aside some wine in a couple mason jars for topping up) and sugar to 12% PA - 4 lbs might be enough but I am entirely guessing.

If you like dark roses or sweet reds, keep your grape juice as is, and set some of your blackberry juice w a can of grape for back sweetening after fermentation is done and you have stabalized. You may need to up your sugar at 6 gal to hit a sufficient starting PA.