# Welch's Wine



## jcook5003 (Aug 23, 2011)

So here goes guys.

Documenting my wine making here for the first time.

The 5 Gallon Recipe:

17.5 Cans of Welch's 100% Concord Grape Juice (Yellow lid, 3.5 cans per gallon)
5 Pounds Sugar
2 Tbsp. Yeast Nutrient
3/4 Tsp. Pectic Enzyme
1 Tbsp. Acid Blend
Water to make 5.5 Gallons

I poured all the juice concentrate into the primary, then added a gallon or so of water and added all the wine nutrients. I put a gallon of water on the stove and heated to just below boiling and added the five pounds of sugar slowly until it dissolved and then left at that temp for 10 minutes. I then added this to the must and topped it up with water. 

I then checked the starting SG and it was 1.130 so it would appear my potential alcohol is somewhere around 17.5% A little higher than I wanted but I wanted to experiment with a super easy to make high alcohol sweet wine. I plan to back sweeten with concord grape juice and sugar.

I then crushed five campden tablets and added to the must and stirred and covered it with a towel. I will pitch the yeast tomorrow. Thinking about EC-1118, any other suggestions?

Will keep you all posted.


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## docanddeb (Aug 23, 2011)

Make sure you try White Grape Peach too. Add a can back during backsweetening and it's fantastic. Make sure to get the acid balanced so it's not flabby, though. I've made lots of frozen juice wines with good results. There are many interesting flavors out there. Old Orchard works too. Just make sure it's 100% juice!

Have Fun!

Debbie


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## jcook5003 (Aug 28, 2011)

Pitched yeast on Wednesday and went out of town. Got back today and it's bubbling like crazy in the primary. Looks like a success, just wait for that yeast to work it's magic.

Stay Tuned.


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## kk1224kelley (Sep 27, 2011)

I tried my first batch ever with the Welches white grape peach(one and only batch so far), and it came out better than i had expected. I can give the bottles away fast enough and getting great feedback. I felt that i was cheating with using welches over fresh fruit but i am glad i did. I learned alot, now im ready to give it a shot all from scratch. im just not so sure about the acid testing and f-pack, i need to study up on all that a little more. What do yall think about just going to H-E-B and buy 15-16 pounds of strawberries to make a batch or do they need to be right off the plant?
good luck with your batch and enjoy


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## Julie (Sep 27, 2011)

jcook5003 said:


> So here goes guys.
> 
> Documenting my wine making here for the first time.
> 
> ...



1118 will get you to dry and a high alcohol, to be honest i don't know how well this will taste, the high alcohol will take overpower the fruit. In the future do not blindly add sugar, take a reading first then calculate how much sugar you will need. take your sg to between 1.080 to no higher than 1.090


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## Arne (Sep 28, 2011)

If you are going to try strawberry, go to your local grocery stores and see if you can buy a 30 lb bucket of frozen strawberries. You will wind up with about 20 lb. of berries and 10 lb juice. Seperate the juice and berries, ferment the berries and freeze the juice to make a f=pac. When ready for the f-pac simmer the juice down by half or so and add to your wine. Brings the strawberry flavor way up. This has made 5 gal. for me. Good luck with it , Arne.


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## UglyBhamGuy (Sep 28, 2011)

Arne said:


> If you are going to try strawberry, go to your local grocery stores and see if you can buy a 30 lb bucket of frozen strawberries. You will wind up with about 20 lb. of berries and 10 lb juice. Seperate the juice and berries, ferment the berries and freeze the juice to make a f=pac. When ready for the f-pac simmer the juice down by half or so and add to your wine. Brings the strawberry flavor way up. This has made 5 gal. for me. Good luck with it , Arne.



What "local grocery" carries 30lb buckets of frozen strawberries?
i might be down for that.


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## Arne (Sep 29, 2011)

Ours came from a local distributer that caters to the smaller stores. Last year I got the bucket from Hi Vee. this year it was from the local affiliated food store. Ask around at the different stores. A quick hint, at the bigger store I started at produce. Finally was told to check with the frozen foods manager. Arne.


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## xoxxx (Sep 30, 2011)

go to farmers market and haggle with a big distributor. You might be able to get a "u-pick" strawberry deal at $1.00 / lb.


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## docanddeb (Sep 30, 2011)

Our small local store takes orders for cherries and strawberries in buckets. If they are sweetened... you're half way there!

Debbie


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