# Creating a Wine from scratch



## gaudet (Dec 27, 2008)

I have 4 quarts of steamed juice left from my last steam juicing session. I want to use it to make a batch and pitch yeast on New Years Day.

I have

3 quarts of cranberry / carlos muscadine
1 quart of pure cranberry

Help me add to the recipe.

I plan to use some welches niagra concentrate to make up for the difference to make a 5 or 6 gallon batch.

All suggestions are welcome. I have all the basic ingredients to accomplish this task.


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## PolishWineP (Dec 27, 2008)

Here's a recipe for 1 gallon Cranberry, made w/juice.
2 qts *juice*
2 qts *water*
1 3/4 pounds *sugar*
2/1/2 tsp *Acid Blend*
1/2 tsp *Pectic Enzyme*
1/2 tsp *Energizer*
1 *Campden tablet*, crushed
1 pkg *yeast*

If you increase everything but the yeast by 5 or 6, depending on your batch size, you've got your start. 


*I* would add some bentonite to aid in the clearing. Don't everyone out there boo me. I didn't say he should, I just said that I would.


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## Wade E (Dec 27, 2008)

I typically add bentonite during primary to aid in the clearing also. I would use nutrient also.


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## K&GB (Dec 27, 2008)

When I made cranberry wine from juice, it was very acidic. Acid was up around 1.00%, and PH was very low. Instead of adding acid blend, I had to add calcium carbonate.



I recommend checking the acid content first.


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## PolishWineP (Dec 27, 2008)

It's something that should be checked, but there's going to be more grape than cranberry, so I don't think it should be too much of an issue.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 27, 2008)

Are Muscadines acidic????

The Niagara will be nice in the Cranberry blend, it will boost the sweetness and add a bit of body.

Keep your hydrometer handy..
And, Post your adventure here for us to share.


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## jobe05 (Dec 27, 2008)

Northern Winos said:


> Are Muscadines acidic????



Muscadines and Scuppernongs are very acidic.

I get heart burn terribly from a couple of glasses of either of them. My last batch of scuppernong I used bicarbonate (don't have bottle in front of me so don't have exact name), and it cut the acid just right. Had 2 bottles last night and no ill effects........... well..... except the headache in the morning thing ..........


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## gaudet (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks for the input from all.

I've already got a 6 gallon batch of cranberry rolling since Dec 8. I posted it under Oceanspray Cranberry in the fruit wines section. The day I made that juice, I decided to steam some muscadines over the pulp of the cranberries. I never tasted that juice, so it might taste horrible, but I'm betting its going to be pretty nice. My thoughts for this recipe

I was told by someone that you should use a quart of pure juice per gallon 

I have 3 quarts of the cran/musc and 1 quart of cran using the niagra or maybe some other red grape concentrate if I can find any locally. To make up a 5 gallon batch (since thats the largest carboy I have available at the moment.

Back to my first idea of my recipe

4 quarts juice
4 cans 100% grape concentrate
sugar to 1.085 - 1.090
pectic enzyme
nutrient
energizer
tannin (if needed since the juice is predominately grape)
water to 6 gallons

I will add bentonite to the primary (PWP, I think it works pretty well too)

Not sure what yeast I will use. I have lalvin d47, montrachet, lalvin k1-v1116, &amp; redstar pasteur champagne to chose from.


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## gaudet (Dec 28, 2008)

If the consensus is that I don't have enough juice, then I could always shoot for a 3 or 4 gallon batch, I have no 3 gallon carboy (yet) but could ferment in primary and use 3 gallon jugs and the extra in a 1/2 gallon


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## gaudet (Dec 30, 2008)

Started prepping the must today

3 quarts cranberry muscadine
1 quart cranberry
4 11.5 oz cans welches niagra grape concentrate
hot water to 5 gallons
sugar to bring the sg to 1.080 (Appleman, I'm pretty sure its all dissolved. been stirring it over the last 3 hours and taking periodic readings)
1/4 tsp k-meta

Will do an acid test and report the results next.

13:13
Acid test done it took 3 cc NaOH to neutralize, so I have .3 TA, need to bring that up to .6 with some acid blend

13:35

After adding 2 TBS acid blend and stirring well, repeated the TA and came out with .45 TA I will add 2 more TBS into the must and that will be my stopping point for acid. I expect to test it again tomorrow and it should be right at .6 TA

Next to add tannin 2.5 tsp per recommended addition of the package.


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## Wade E (Dec 30, 2008)

Sounds good, you are adding pectic enzyme, nutrient and other usual suspects right?


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## gaudet (Dec 30, 2008)

I will add the pectic enzyme tonight. Should I add the nutrient and energizer at the same time? I plan to pitch yeast tomorrow or quite possibly ceremoniously Jan 1. I should have taken pictures of the must when I tested the TA, its going to be a blush color, but I think its going to be a nice light flavor.


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## Wade E (Dec 30, 2008)

I always add everything except the pectic enzyme and yeast in the very beginning and wait 12 hours before adding pectic and then another 12 before the yeast.


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## gaudet (Dec 30, 2008)

Then I will add the pectic, energizer, and nutrient tonight. Will pitch tomorrow afternoon or at midnight whichever strikes my fancy


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## gaudet (Dec 31, 2008)

Just added the Nutrient, energizer and pectic enzyme. Gave it a good stir. I added the amount for 6 gallons since this is between a 5-6 gallon batch. Plan to pitch the yeast tonight.


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## gaudet (Dec 31, 2008)

Official Recipe:

Must prep (12-30-08)
3 quarts of Cranberry / Carlos muscadine juice (this is primarily muscadine steam juiced over cranberry pulp)
1 quart Pure cranberry juice
4 cans 100% Welches White grape (niagra)
Water to 5 gallon mark
Sugar to bring the sg to 1.082 (about 6 pounds)
¼ tsp potassium metabisulfite
4 tbs acid blend (TA was .30)
2 ½ tsp wine tannin

Must (12-31-08)
Added
• 1 tbs Pectic enzyme
• 2 tbs Yeast Nutrient
• 1 tbs yeast energizer

SG 1.086
TA .65

I will probably pitch yeast this afternoon since we are attending a New Years party at a friends house and won't be here to toss it exactly at midnight.


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## Wade E (Dec 31, 2008)

Looks good buddy!


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## gaudet (Dec 31, 2008)

And todays lucky yeast strain is.......................

Lalvin K1-v1116 lets hear it for those hungry little fellas..............


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## Wade E (Dec 31, 2008)

Yeee hawwww!


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## PolishWineP (Jan 3, 2009)

Gaudet, how's the wine going?


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## gaudet (Jan 3, 2009)

Looking good so far. Will post pics when I get the chance. But it is actively fermenting got a nice little head of foam when I opened it this morning, I need to take a sg as well.


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## gaudet (Jan 3, 2009)

There ya go your highness PWP


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 3, 2009)

You have that primary fermenter sitting in the cat box?????


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## gaudet (Jan 3, 2009)

No, its a bus tray like they use in restaurants silly.......


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## gaudet (Jan 4, 2009)

tried to take sg last night, there was so much foam it was hard to tell. But I think it was between 1.030 and 1.040 best guesstimate......... Perhaps better luck tonight. I will probably rack it tonight or tomorrow based on the sg tonight. Might get to do my first racking with the vacuum pump.


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## Wade E (Jan 4, 2009)

Its so much fun now!


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## gaudet (Jan 4, 2009)

You might have to get creative and make tubes to wrap your lines around to make it more interesting. Mad scientist like


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## gaudet (Jan 5, 2009)

Racked this to glass last night. The sg was 1.024 and I decided I couldn't wait to use the vacuum pump to transfer. Made it a breeze. I tasted a half glass of it, its kind of hard to describe. It was almost like a grapefruit/cranberry flavor. I think it will be a pretty good wine.


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## Wade E (Jan 5, 2009)

Dont tell me you dint take any pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## gaudet (Jan 5, 2009)

wade said:


> Dont tell me you dint take any pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ok I won't tell you.....





It was exactly what you did already. I couldn't improve on it so I didn't try.


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## gaudet (Jan 20, 2009)

Racked, stabilized, and degassed. Put to bed with an airlock full of k-meta.



I took a sg on this one and it dropped below what my hydrometer could read. This is &lt;0.992

Since it is dry as a desert, it had very little flavor at the moment. You could taste some fruit, but really couldn't say what the heck it was. I figured its abv will be between 11%-12%


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## gaudet (Feb 13, 2009)

Racked off the lees again yesterday. I also put it on the vacuum pump to see if it needed more degassing. I had it at -25 and was barely getting any bubbles, so I shut it down after two minutes and put it back under airlock. This one will get racked again in a month or so and back sweetened slightly as it was a tad on the dry side for my liking.


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## gaudet (Mar 13, 2009)

Racked to primary bucket. SG was 0.990. Back sweetened to 1.004, I'll call it semi sweet. It really lacks in color, I'd have to call it a rose' at best. I'll bottle it in a couple weeks and take pictures then. It has great legs, and by my calculation 13% abv


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