# Fresh Concord & Niagara Juice



## Lucky Al (Sep 16, 2010)

Just came back from Presque Isle Winery with 12 gal of fresh Niagara &amp; 6 gal of Concord Juice. They are currently pressing it. Have a few recipes all slightly different for making a semi-sweet wine. Some call for diluting the juice a bit with water. Some call for adding a bit of Welches juice for flovor &amp; sweetening. I'll be starting the must tomorrow morning. Does anyone have a detailed recipe for either one or a combo of both that turned out really well? Please post it if you do...... Looking for 3 or 6 gal batche
Thanx..


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## Runningwolf (Sep 16, 2010)

Hey Alex, kinda funny I also just picked up 7 gallons each of Niagara and Concord from Presque Isle. I am only about twenty minutes from there and the Niagara was already fermenting by the time I got home. I added 5 pounds of sugar split the batch in half and pitched the yeast right away. I will start the concord in the morning after its warmed up (didn't matter much with the Niagara though). I plan on fermenting to dry, back sweeten and blend 50/50. 

Hope you didn't get caught up in the weather. Major storms and tornado warnings earlier tonight and a few twisters spotted in my area. No touchdowns though.


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## Lucky Al (Sep 17, 2010)

Dan:
We .had heavy rain all the way up, got there around noon, had a nice lunch at the restaurant they have. Juice was still ice cold when I got home. 
Got to keep the wife out of the store, she was buying Xmas gifts already for the kids!!
Bought 15 lbs sugar &amp; some Welches Juice tonight after looking at some of the recipes to see what I was short of. Juice looked fine, going to sanitize my buckets &amp; start in the morning. 
I basically make kits &amp; this will be the 3nd time for fresh juice. Thats why I have some questions, any start up help till its bubbling away will be appreciated. One of the recipes called for some of the Welches for additional flavor &amp; sweetness. 
I tasted some of their Niagara blend with Concord &amp; liked its taste. Maybe will try a small batch of that also........
Al


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## Runningwolf (Sep 17, 2010)

I am not sure why you would add anything at all. I added the recommended sugar and pitched the yeast right away on the Niagara because like I said it already started on its own. The Concord I will add the recommended sugar in the morning add some nutient and enegizer and the make a yeast starter and add that once it gets going. Once fermented dry, I will stabilize, back sweeten to taste and age. Before bottling I will blend the two together 50/50 or to taste. Since I had 7 gallons of each I am adding five pounds of sugar to each. This gave me an sg of about 1.076


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## Lucky Al (Sep 17, 2010)

Planning that for the morning... Been looking at too many different recipes that are all slightly different for the same juice. Do you add any benonite at the start?


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## Runningwolf (Sep 17, 2010)

Lucky Al said:


> Planning that for the morning... Been looking at too many different recipes that are all slightly different for the same juice. Do you add any benonite at the start?





I do not add any, not to say thats correct though. I just never have.


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## Lucky Al (Sep 17, 2010)

Dan:

Juice is very active this morning, getting my buckets set-up. Have to improvise a bit, they really filled my carrying containers to the top. Looks like about 3-4 gal more of juice than I counted for, but that's a good thing!
Will feed the sugar, mix well &amp; get the process started!! 
Since we both are doing basically the same, would appreciate any guidance along the way as I am a little green using fresh juice &amp; I can sort of mimic your steps.

Al


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## Runningwolf (Sep 17, 2010)

My primary buckets were filled withing 3/4" from the top. I split each of them up into two buckets for fermenting. I heated four cups of water to dissolve the sugar yesterday for the Niagara. This morning I heated six cups of Concord for dissolving the sugar for that. Let it cool add some nutrient and energizer and pitch hydrated yeast.


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## Lucky Al (Sep 17, 2010)

Set up my my buckets, added the sugar, 2 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient, 5 tsp pectic enzyme &amp; 1/2 tsp potassium metabisulfite. Following different recommendations from assorted recipes. Looking for the end result to be a medium sweet wine for all. 
Stirred well &amp; let sit for a while, took SG Concord was1.080, Niagara was 1.070 &amp; a blend of juices I had left was 1.070 also.
Will wait 24 hrs to pitch the yeast......


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