Welch's Concord Grape Wine (yeast activity question)

[CanadianJesus]

So I made a must consisting of 6 1.3L bottles of Welch's Concord grape juice, 5kg sugar, 16L of water and a bunch of white grapes and red table grapes crushed, with the juice added to the must and the grapes themselves tied into cheese cloth and immersed in the wine.

The yeast I used is Lalvin EC-1118 as I want a high ABV. I got the two packs from my LHBS. I re hydrated one pack (forgot to use go ferm, but the package doesn't say to use any nutrients). I re hydrated using the instructions on the pack. 24 hours later I took a gravity reading, and the gravity went up by 3 points, probably due to added sugar from the grapes and the cane sugar full dissolving. Meaning no fermentation after 24 hours. I thought maybe I ****ed up the re hydration, so I used my second pack, as well as an old pack I had laying around that is due to expire next month. I still see no activity in the airlock. I will take a gravity reading tonight (48 hours after I pitched the second round of yeast). I'm hoping to see a drop in gravity.

Is it normal for EC-1118 to take off slow in grape wine? I remember for my first mead I used the same yeast and fermentation seemed to kick off within a day...

Is it possible my shop sold me dead yeast (expiry date on the package isn't until 2019). I did notice that the shop doesn't keep yeast in a refrigerator though... But then again, I had a bag of liquid WYeast 1388 un refrigerated for over a year and used it for mead and had no issues whatsoever.

Is it just that this strain of yeast takes a little time to kick off fermentation or do you guys think I used dead yeast?

Oh yea, my OG is 1.090, raised to 1.093 on day two..

 

[CanadianJesus]

Oh yea, I also used 3tsp of DAP and 1 tsp of White Labs yeast nutrient in the must. I plan to add half that amount again halfway through fermentation (I expect it to ferment dry to 0.990 or so)

 

[CanadianJesus]

Ok, well my issue resolved itself. Fermentation has taken off like a rocket. I guess there was a little lag time due to the yeast being old and not stored correctly. CO2 is basically blowing straight through the airlock now. I'll keep checking gravity over the next few days while degassing and add the rest of my nutrients half way through fermentation.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I love it when threads answer themselves.

 

[CanadianJesus]

Well, somebody will have the same question one day and hopefully stumble upon this and hopefully get the answer they're looking for.

 

[Hanks]

Well, somebody will have the same question one day and hopefully stumble upon this and hopefully get the answer they're looking for.

And you are correct

 

[Redeemer]

And you are correct

I'd like to know how this turned out, or if it has been sampled yet. I'm starting a simple 3 gallon batch of concord grape wine today, using EC-1118. I've used it a few times in the past and have been mostly pleased with the results.

This is really a batch about practicing proper SNA, and using grape juice concentrate to prime because I want it carbonated.

I would love to know how similar recipes have turned out.

 

[dwhite60]

I'd like to know how this turned out, or if it has been sampled yet.

Five KILOS of sugar in about 1-3/4 gallons? It may still be fermenting. Surely they diluted this.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[bucketnative]

Five KILOS of sugar in about 1-3/4 gallons? It may still be fermenting. Surely they diluted this.

All the Best,
D. White

You missed the 16 L of water in OP's recipe

 

[RPh_Guy]

Right, it's ~6 gallons.

With proper rehydration you should see active within 12 hours.

 

[Hanks]

I did this:
8 containers Concorde Welch’s
6 lbs unrefined sugar
3 tsp Pectic Enzyme
4 tsp Yeast Nutrient
EC 1118 Yeast packet
Started this off in a 6gal ferment bucket 9/28
Syphoned to a 5gal Carboy 10/12
Had some issues with disturbing the sediment (guest dogs in the house while I was working... added a bit more Camden and a little potassium sorbate!)
11/10 I got around to bottling... interesting bi product during the process was a mixed bottle of black currant and Concorde grape... really nice!!

 

[Seamonkey84]

One of my next batch is going to be concord and black currant, hope it turns out nice.

 

[Hanks]

One of my next batch is going to be concord and black currant, hope it turns out nice.

Share your process! Mine was Concorde from Welch’s and Blackcurrant separately. Mixing post-fermentation in that one bottle but we just opened one of each to try again lol

the black currant was sweetened with “wine conditioner” (whatever that is!)

 

[Seamonkey84]

I will when the time comes, I still have to empty some carboys before I have room to start more batches.

 

[Redeemer]

I seriously hate concord grapes, for eating. I love grape soda though and am on my 2nd concord ferment. Quite happy so far.

OP how did it taste?

 

[Hanks]

Bottled all the Concorde - so good. Started a Vintners best Rhubarb in a brew bucket. Had just a little too much to go into the carboy on Sunday (about a half a bottle).

Also had a gallon of Farmers Apple Cider (juice, no preservatives beyond ascorbic acid) so poured out a glass of apple juice and poured in some of the overage of fermenting rhubarb and stuck an airlock in the top. Wild experimentation