Welch's wine

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GeneDaniels1963

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I just made a batch of regular welch's wine. Even right after racking it is quite good. Here is what I did:

1/2 gal Welch's
1 can Welch's concentrate
20 chopped raisins
red star white yeast (its all I had on hand)

It started out at 1.108 and fermented out to 14.5abv in 21 days. At this point it tasted just like any $10 bottle of table wine. But I back sweetened with 1/2 cup of concentrate and it is great!

I can't believe how easy it was to make a decent wine. I am making a gal right now, just to make sure it was not a fluke. If all goes as well, I will make a larger batch and age it. I bet it will be outstanding :ban:
 
What are the raisins for? I've seen them in a lot of wine recipes (especially country wines) and I'm not sure what they do.

Did you use red Welch's or white? :) (I assume red since you didn't say)
 
Did you use red Welch's or white? :) (I assume red since you didn't say)

This batch was red. I made a Welch's white that tasted like rocket fuel (16% ABV), so that one needs to age a while. The guy at the local brew shop said I would probably like it in 6 months.

But this Welch's red is ready to go right now, esp. back sweetened a little.
 
What are the raisins for? I've seen them in a lot of wine recipes (especially country wines) and I'm not sure what they do.

Did you use red Welch's or white? :) (I assume red since you didn't say)

Raisins are used for body mostly, as well as some depth of flavor. Bananas (believe it or not) are also used for body in very thin feeling wines.
 
I just opened my first bottle of this stuff. 15% ABV and aged a little more than 6 months. It is good, but still just a little hot tasting. I will let the rest age 6 more months. But this is good enough to start another batch.
 
I just opened a bottle of white Welches, almost 2 years in the bottle. It is 16% and as good as any wine I have bought.

I don't know what really expensive wines taste line, but this one is very smooth. I am more than pleased with it. I think I need to make another batch just so it will start aging.
 
Raisins are used for body mostly, as well as some depth of flavor. Bananas (believe it or not) are also used for body in very thin feeling wines.
How much raisins per gal? How long do ya let em sit? Thx!
 
I just opened a bottle of white Welches, almost 2 years in the bottle. It is 16% and as good as any wine I have bought.

I don't know what really expensive wines taste line, but this one is very smooth. I am more than pleased with it. I think I need to make another batch just so it will start aging.
Curious what ur typical recipe & protocol are? (Gonna fire off my 1st batch of Welches vino in a few weeks.) Cheers [emoji111]
 
Curious what ur typical recipe & protocol are? (Gonna fire off my 1st batch of Welches vino in a few weeks.) Cheers [emoji111]

I just put the ingredients together, shake like crazy for a few min. Then slap under an airlock. I rack around 30 days. When it finishes (2-3 months to be sure) I add Camden and Potassium Sorbate, then backsweeten. Really dead simple.

It tastes OK at bottling time, good after 6 months, and great after 2 years. Since I fly internationally a lot, I always compare my wines to what they serve in coach. And my wines are far better tasting after 8-12 months than the stuff they serve. I know that is not a very technical description, but coach class airline wine is standard table wine, and mine is much better.
 
I just put the ingredients together, shake like crazy for a few min. Then slap under an airlock. I rack around 30 days. When it finishes (2-3 months to be sure) I add Camden and Potassium Sorbate, then backsweeten. Really dead simple.

It tastes OK at bottling time, good after 6 months, and great after 2 years. Since I fly internationally a lot, I always compare my wines to what they serve in coach. And my wines are far better tasting after 8-12 months than the stuff they serve. I know that is not a very technical description, but coach class airline wine is standard table wine, and mine is much better.
Do ya use straight concord or mix with Niagara(white)? What SG do ya shoot 4 after backsweetening? Thx & Cheers [emoji111]
 
Straight Welches purple. And I aim for a starting gravity of BRIX 25 and it ferments down to 10 BRIX which gives me about 14.5%. Then I backsweeten with 1/2 cup concentrate to the gal.
 
Straight Welches purple. And I aim for a starting gravity of BRIX 25 and it ferments down to 10 BRIX which gives me about 14.5%. Then I backsweeten with 1/2 cup concentrate to the gal.
Do I need to add sulfites prior to bottling? (I never do for any of my ciders...and my preference would be NO for this too [emoji2])

My plan is to use D47, raise SG to the 1.13 range using only FGJC & let it ferment till the yeast reaches its alcohol tolerance around 14%...which is where my faux ice ciders stop on their own.

Cheers[emoji111]
 
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For those that make vino using Welch's --- do you add any nutrients up front? Thanks & Cheers!
 
For those that make vino using Welch's --- do you add any nutrients up front? Thanks & Cheers!

Yes. Usually I add about 3/4 tsp of yeast nutrient per gallon. I started a batch a couple of days ago and I used 1/2 tsp of Fermax (has more stuff in it than just DAP and urea, like vitamins and yeast hulls) per gallon, and I'll add another 1/2 tsp after the gravity drops about 50%. This is the first time I've used Fermax and the first time I'm staging the nutrients.
 
Yes. Usually I add about 3/4 tsp of yeast nutrient per gallon. I started a batch a couple of days ago and I used 1/2 tsp of Fermax (has more stuff in it than just DAP and urea, like vitamins and yeast hulls) per gallon, and I'll add another 1/2 tsp after the gravity drops about 50%. This is the first time I've used Fermax and the first time I'm staging the nutrients.
I'm curious -- is the nutritional makeup of Grape juice/FGJC significantly different than AJ/FAJC ? Cheers [emoji111]
 
Do you guys tend to drink ur Welch's vino at room temp or chilled? [emoji111]
 
Do I need to add sulfites prior to bottling? (I never do for any of my ciders...and my preference would be NO for this too [emoji2])

My plan is to use D47, raise SG to the 1.13 range using only FGJC & let it ferment till the yeast reaches its alcohol tolerance around 14%...which is where my faux ice ciders stop on their own.

Cheers[emoji111]

You might get away with backsweetening without sulfides in this case, but you need to be very careful of bottle bombs. yeast are a funny thing, they can awaken later and cause some real damage. So I always go with sulfides when I back sweeten. But even then they sometimes keep going and carbonate the wine, esp if I am using a wild ferment.
 
Straight Welches purple. And I aim for a starting gravity of BRIX 25 and it ferments down to 10 BRIX which gives me about 14.5%. Then I backsweeten with 1/2 cup concentrate to the gal.
Is there an easy way to determine the Brix of FGJC -- if ya know the volume & total grams sugar?
 
Is there an easy way to determine the Brix of FGJC -- if ya know the volume & total grams sugar?
After some googling -- seems like total grams sugar in solution / total ml solution = brix


Reality checked it for 12oz/355ml can of FGJC which according to Old Orchard is 60brix --

216g sugar / 355ml = 60ish +/-
 
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You might get away with backsweetening without sulfides in this case, but you need to be very careful of bottle bombs. yeast are a funny thing, they can awaken later and cause some real damage. So I always go with sulfides when I back sweeten. But even then they sometimes keep going and carbonate the wine, esp if I am using a wild ferment.
Do you bulk or bottle age Most of your vinos?
 
Most are bottle aged, although I have two gallon bottles aging now. Can't really remember why I decided to do it that way. Maybe I was just too busy and a bit lazy. I plan to let those age for 2 years then bottle and enjoy.
 
After some googling -- seems like total grams sugar in solution / total ml solution = brix

Reality checked it for 12oz/355ml can of FGJC which according to Old Orchard is 60brix --

216g sugar / 355ml = 60ish +/-

Sounds about right. I just always use BRIX because I use a refractometer rather than a hydrometer. I have to use an online converter to change it so SG.
 
I have a shed behind the house. It is not ideal, the temp fluctuates too much, but its the best I have. And none of my wine is really lone term 2-3 years is about it.
 
Hm. I wanted higher alc content too. Should I NOT have added icing sugar before fermenting? At 1.062 SG now, would another dose of EC 1118 get it started?
 
Fired up my first batch of Welch's "hobo" vino --

3gals Sams 100% Concord GJ
15cans FGJC
OG 1.13
D47 rehydrated

Cheers[emoji111]
 
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That was supposed to read "NOT doing so well at" .

Yeah, I wish I had a cellar that would keep my wines cool. My shed gets pretty warm during July/Aug here in Arkansas. But I guess that will not make a huge difference since I am drinking or giving away my wines within 2-3 years at the most.
 
Yeah, I wish I had a cellar that would keep my wines cool. My shed gets pretty warm during July/Aug here in Arkansas. But I guess that will not make a huge difference since I am drinking or giving away my wines within 2-3 years at the most.
Good size basement storage area 4 moi....but need to add a kegerator to the mix [emoji111]
 
Looks like my mix is finally putt-puttering away! My Italian neighbor dug a hole and kept the wine bottle on a string to keep it cold while working in the yard. Maybe follow a similar idea?
 
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