Looking for a recipe..

[mstef]

Hey,

First-time brewer here - new to HBT...

For my first batch I'm doing Edwort's Apfelwein. That should be done in about 10 days. So, I'm trying to plan out what's going to fill my 5-gal next.

Looking for:

• Fruitless (just juices or something easily bought from the store)
• Not expensive ($20-30 max)
• High abv - at least 13-14%
• No more than 6 weeks to become drinkable

I think that's it. Anyone have any recipes that would work?

Thanks

 

[Jewrican]

i dont know much about making wine but you are contradicting yourself on the drinkable in 6 weeks and 13% alcohol. i dont think there is anything that will fit that description.

 

[Bush_84]

Your best bet would be something like Brandon O'Graff's Cider. It's not a wine, think of it like a cider beer. It has hops, malt, cider basically. I think the link is in my sig as Graff.

 

[Yooper]

As was mentioned, "high ABV" and "ready in 6 weeks" just don't go together. You might be able to make a lower ABV cider that may not suck at 6 weeks, but it won't be really great at 6 weeks and it definitely won't be high ABV. In general, the higher the ABV, the longer the time and aging it takes.

You could make some 6-7% fruit juice wines in less than two months, probably.

 

[mstef]

Thanks for the responses. I'm clearly new to this. What's the closest I can get to my *requirements*? If I have to sacrifice, so be it...

Any suggestions? Any good recipes?

Thanks

 

[Yooper]

Check out my "Welch's" recipe. You can use 100% concord grape juice, or the 100% Niagara white grape juice. You can also trade out the grape juice for a apple-cranberry mix, or just about any fruit combo. Just make sure the juices don't have potassium sorbate or benzoate. You can use the same recipe, just try leaving out the tannin, for each different juice.

That recipe is about 12.5% or so ABV.

 

[brazedowl]

Most of my recipes cost $20-30 and are pretty much fruit juice concentrate, sugar, yeast and water. The exception being the cherry pie wine... that one takes canned cherry pie filling. The recipes are all on my profile page.

I've only posted recipes that people liked well enough for me to make them again.

 

[mstef]

Thanks a lot everyone. I'll definitely try these out.

 

[brazedowl]

Let us know how it works out!

 

[mstef]

@brazedowl: I think I like your recipe for Cranberry grape but have a few questions.

You say 5 containers of Cranberry concentrate - do those usually come in the same size containers? Anything without preservatives will do?

You say 7 containers of Grape juice - what size? Juice or concentrate; because 7 containers sounds pretty high.

By started yeast in the mason jar, what exactly do you mean? (remember, i'm new to this). Is this necessary?

I only have a 5gal better bottle - will that do? You mentioned bringing it to 6 gal despite the recipe calling for 5. I also don't have anything to use for a secondary. That okay?

I think that's it.

Thanks!

 

[brazedowl]

A) I use welches frozen cranberry juice concentrate. They're all the same size that I noticed.

B) Same size as the cranberry. Frozen. I've used off brand (wallmart great value) and welches without noticing a difference. Also noticed no difference between 100% juice and "grape juice cocktail".

C) Once I get all the liquids into the primary I take out a sample (just using a sanitized ladle) and mix it with the yeast in a mason jar until it gets all bubbly and restarted. Then I pitch it in. Maybe 10-20 min depending on the temperature of the liquid. You want to do this to make sure the yeast packet is good, and to give the yeast a head start before throwing it into the primary.

D) I use a 6.5gal brew bucket (ale pale). For my secondary I use pretty much the same thing as a better bottle. One of the blue plastic water cooler bottles you can get at walmart or lowes.

E) I would consider keeping an eye open for something else you can use for a secondary.

F) I fill my primary to close to 5.5 or 6 gallons so that when I rerack I can fill it to the brim because you always have a small amount of loss at rerack. When you add 5 gallons to all that concentrate you get about nearly 6 gallons.

G) It finishes quite sweet and smooth so if you like it drier add less sugar.