# WELCHS GRAPE RECIPE



## LA-BOY (Mar 28, 2009)

I need a first batch recipe for welchs grape juice concentrate. This will be my maiden batch since it has been a very long time since I have made any wine. I have made apple and wild grape but this was my mom's old recipe that was hand written in a old cook book. I have purchased pretty much everything that is needed for wine making, according to the basic wine making books I have read. I plan on making a 5-6 gallon first batch, since welchs is not very expensive. If it goes south then I am not out the cost of fresh fruit. Thanks in advance for any help. LA-BOY


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## Waldo (Mar 29, 2009)

Here is one for a gallon batch. You can adjust ingrediants to make it a 6 gallon



<UL>
<LI>2 cans (11.5 oz) Welch's 100% frozen grape concentrate 
<LI>1-1/4 lbs granulated sugar 
<LI>2 tsp acid blend 
<LI>1 tsp pectic enzyme 
<LI>1 tsp yeast nutrient 
<LI>water to make 1 gallon 
<LI>wine yeast </LI>[/list]
As with ALL recipe's the canned or fresh ingredients you use will differ in there sugar content so you MUST check starting SG before adding sugar amounts listed. The goal is a starting SG of 1090 for alcohol content of 12%-13%. Bring 1 quart water to boil and dissolve the sugar in the water. Remove from heat and add frozen concentrate. Add additional water to make one gallon and pour into secondary. Add remaining ingredients except yeast. Cover with napkin fastened with rubber band and set aside 12 hours. Add activated wine yeast and recover with napkin. When active fermentation slows down (about 5 days), fit airlock. When clear, rack, top up and refit airlock. After additional 30 days, stabilize, sweeten if desired and rack into bottles.


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## LA-BOY (Mar 30, 2009)

Thanks for the help!!!


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## Underboss (May 27, 2009)

How do people drink this wine? I made a batch and it turned out fine but I liked it best served cold. I just wanted to know how most people drink it (meaning what temp?).


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## jcasaccio (May 28, 2009)

Is this sweet or dry? I prefer dry wines, so if sweet, how do I know how to adjust sugar for a dryer version?


Thx!
Jack


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## Underboss (May 28, 2009)

I didn't back sweeten mine. I thought it was just off dry. It was much better than I thought it would have been. I will be making another batch this weekend. I made the niagaraas well asthe concord. Both are pretty good but think I like the concord best.


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## jcasaccio (May 28, 2009)

Good to know, I want to try this one out!


How long from time of primary fermentation until you started drinking it? 


Again thanks!


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## Underboss (May 28, 2009)

I gave it 3 months. But from what I understand you can be drinking it in about 35 days.


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## LA-BOY (May 28, 2009)

I cracked my first bottle at 40 days. I will put up a few to age and try it in a couple years.


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## u01dtj6 (Jul 15, 2009)

Waldo, 


Having heard alot about Welch's, I've taken your recipe and made it this evening. SG 1.102, oops!













Dan


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## DrtDoctor (Jul 15, 2009)

to anyone who's made this recipe, does this wine make you sleepy? I know , I know, all wine makes you sleepy, but really, I made a six gallon batch from Welch's concentrate and it was like Ambian. I was still sleeply the next day after a few glasses. 

DrtDoctor


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## 2dmoore (Aug 15, 2009)

just bottled a gallon of welches concord and after three rackings and filtering thru doubled coffee filters am getting sediment forming in the bottles altho the wine looked clear. What did I do wrong?


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## pelican (Aug 16, 2009)

2dmoore, sometimes wine that 'seems clear' still drops sediment. 

How long was it from start of fermentation to bottling? 3 rackings could be done in the space of a very short time (I speak from experience! LOL) Wine takes time to clear, or it takes a short time with some help of Fining agents, but even when you think you have a nice clear wine, it can still throw sediment - even in the bottle.



Wine can even "look clear" and then when put through even the gravity-filter the before and after can be stunning. The paper coffee filters are designed to screen out the coffee grounds - you won't get the same degree of filtration that a wine specific filter pad can provide.


So - you didn't do anything wrong except to rush to bottling which is not all that wrong really. When you do open your sedimenty bottles, just set the bottle upright for a day or 1/2 a day before opening, open gently, and pour carefully.


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## 2dmoore (Aug 16, 2009)

let it set a month between rackings and bottling. Thanks for the advice pelican. Will use the right filter next time


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## pelican (Aug 17, 2009)

I use the gravity filter (cost is neighborhood of $50 +/- depending on retailer). Pads are economical - 6 for $10 usually therabouts. I don't filter all my wines, but the ones that do defintely benefit.

I think my most common after-bottling note is "should have filtered" ! LOL

there are also higher-end filters, which can do a finer level of filtration but I've been happy with the gravity filter (and I like things that don't use electricity - I work in the electric utility industry and soooo many days I'm fantasizing about going back to candles and handpumping my water - it's the handpump part of the dream that wakes me up!! been there don't want to do that again!)


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## greham (Oct 3, 2009)

Blog with recipes http://blogwinemaker.blogspot.com/


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 3, 2009)

I just started using a gravity filter a few days ago and I agree that it's really worth the extra effort and expense. The finished wines have been beautiful.


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## andy123 (Dec 27, 2009)

This evening I'm starting a welches wine.I want it to be thick and smokey like my first wife.I combined bottled and frozen juice to total 5+ gals.I only watered it with a couple cups with the bentonite and a quart with the 4 lbs sugar.added some tannin and energiser and oaked it well with a charred stick from the smoker.Sg @ 1.093.I plan to fortify it with brandy and give it some time to mature.I hope my yeast doesnt crawl out and run away.


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## boozinsusan (Dec 29, 2009)

"I want it to be thick and smokey like my first wife"


Never heard this description of a wine before! ROTFLMAO


Anyway, I just started a frozen concentrate wine too - white grape and peach. I am making several that need aging, and thought this would be one that I could drink this spring, after picking strawberries, mulberries, cherries..... you get the idea.....


I used the same recipe as Waldo's here, but used the grape/peach concentrate instead of regular ole grape.....


I used one packet of yeast, and some recipes I see use two. I pitched the yeast last night, and it is fizzing, but not the atomic bomb-looking kind of fermentation. Is that OK? 


Also, it is clear on the bottom, and cloudy on top. This seems completely backwards (or upside down) than what I see in pics here normally. So, is this OK too?


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## vcasey (Dec 29, 2009)

No need for 2 yeast packets for this one. I only use 2 packets of yeast if its more then 6 gallons or I am making 3 gallons or more of a high gravity mead (cause honey can be stubborn). As long as you mixed everything up well no need to worry just enjoy the process.
VC


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## boozinsusan (Dec 29, 2009)

That is actually what I thought. Good to know I am getting to the point of anticipating the answer! 


And the clear/cloudy issue has passed. Went home during lunch and checked it - cloudy all over. Must have needed the yeast to get real active, since it was just pitched?


BTW - isn't my avatar cute?


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## burningalive (Jan 6, 2010)

Started a 5 gallon batch of welchs white grape last night! Can't wait to see how it turns out. I used the recipe from the 2nd post but only used 5 lbs of sugar to start with, good thing cause it was at 1.090 with the 5 lbs! Yeasted it this morning and can't wait to see it start bubbling. One quick question, at the end of the aging does anyone use a clearifier of these batches or should I just let it naturally clear through the racking process?


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## vcasey (Jan 6, 2010)

Clearing the wine is really your choice and depends on if you are in a hurry to get it to bottle or if you are willing to be patient and let the wine do its thing in its own time. You can always wait until about a month before you bottle and make the decision at that time.


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## burningalive (Jan 6, 2010)

Thanks VC. I kinda figured as much, I plan on being patient with this one since I just had a spare 5 gallon carboy that I wanted to use and really don't need it for anything else. I'll see how it goes.


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## burningalive (Jan 11, 2010)

Question, The welchs has been fermenting for about 5 days now, gone from 1.090 to 1.024 or so now. I planned on racking tonight to a 5 gallon carboy, is that ok? Then I will leave it for about a month before racking again and then planned to bulk age for a few months for clearing. Does this sound alright?


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## vcasey (Jan 11, 2010)

I would try and wait until the SG has dropped to the 1010 range, but if you need to rack early just keep an eye on it. The racking will stir up the yeast and they'll get very active, add to that a smaller air space and you'll need to watch out for spewing wine.


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## burningalive (Jan 11, 2010)

ok, sounds good. Does the rest as far as racking and aging sound like a good plan?


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## burningalive (Jan 13, 2010)

Got down to about 1.011 yesterday and racked to carboy last night. Had a little taste and was suprizingly good! Here's a few pics from the process!


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## vcasey (Jan 13, 2010)

That looks delicious! I would let it sit for at least 2 months. I know the lees can look nasty but they'll also add mouth feel and depth to the wine, my reason for covering it up and walking away. Out of sight ............


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## burningalive (Jan 13, 2010)

Sounds good, I planned on letting this sit for a while anyways. That way I can start a couple more kits in the mean time. I was planning on racking this one more time after a few months....is that nessesary or does it not make since? Also when will I need to degas and will I need to use a clearifier? Sorry for all the questions! I normally do kits and this is a bit different!


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## vcasey (Jan 13, 2010)

I would top it off and just let it sit until about 2 months or so until you bottle. Who knows it may just clear and degas on its own.


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## burningalive (Jan 13, 2010)

lol.....ok, sounds good. Thanks.


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## JohnnyK68 (Jan 16, 2010)

Going to put a batch of this together tonight. The only yeast I have is champagne yeast will that work?


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## vcasey (Jan 16, 2010)

Sure. Just really watch the SG and keep the alcohol level around 10% and you should be good to go.


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## JohnnyK68 (Jan 16, 2010)

Its together. What is the biggest reason for the 12HOUR wait to pitch the yeast? Being that I was waiting I made a yeast starter out of some consintrate water and yeast nutrient in a mason jar. I will wait 12 hours and pitch that. I quadrupled the recipe to make 4 gals. SG was 1.092 so I was pretty happy with that.


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## JohnnyK68 (Jan 16, 2010)

also decided to go grab a cotes de blanc instead of the champagne. I didnt want it to go as dry as the champagne would probably take it.


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## vcasey (Jan 16, 2010)

The reason for the wait is to give first the kmeta time to make sure you are starting with the yeast you actually want to work on your wine. When working with fruit wines I,ll add the kmeta in first, 12 hours later add the P/E and then the yeast 12 hours later.


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## JohnnyK68 (Jan 16, 2010)

The Kmeta? In the original post I did not see it call for any campden tabs or KMeta, I didnt add any at all. Its still early enough to do so, should I? How many? I have 4 gals of juice right now.


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## vcasey (Jan 16, 2010)

You'll be fine. On my meads I like them to get started fast so I'll mix up the starter a day or 2 in advance and add it right after I mix the rest together with no kmeta.
VC


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## JohnnyK68 (Jan 16, 2010)

OK So I will let it go for about 5 days and check it. Rack it and then stabalize in 30 days. Its been a while, how much K-Meta and Sorbate to stabalize?


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## Fly*guy (Jan 16, 2010)

I use 1/8 tsp/ gal K-meta &amp; 1/4 tsp K-Sorbate/ gal - adjust by multiplying x # of gal.

I have made many of the welch's concentrates now and have found that the Jack Keller recipe that was listed at the beginning of this thread is good but I actually like it even better when I use 3 cans of concentrate/gal instead of 2, and keep the abv in line at about 10%, much over 12% and it takes a long time to mellow out and IMO stuns the flavor of the finished wine.
I clear most of my Welch's with sparkoloid, but keep the temps at above 70F if you use it so it will settle at its best, it usually clears in about a week and 1/2 then I filter and bottle and enjoy it young at about 1 month old. I have some that are more then a year old at this point and taste better then the younger ones but it is an early drinking wine.

My favorite so far is the peach/Niagara, followed closely by the raspberry/Niagara. but just Niagara is very good as well. Haven't tried to oak any of them yet so I have no opinion on that end.
Will be starting a Concord grape concentrate very soon to try and make a wine that resembles a wine I found in NY - Lakewood Winery's "Borealis"
this is an ice wine but I'm hoping to copy the flavor of it anyway.


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## JohnnyK68 (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks for the reply.


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## scotty (Jan 17, 2010)

3 cans per gallon is one od the secrets fow welches--yes keep abv below 10---hey you peeked


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## JohnnyK68 (Jan 17, 2010)

To keep the abv at 10 or below how soon are you stopping fermentaion? I would think 3 cans of concentrate and and abv of 10 or below would be a little to on the sweet side for my likings. I was thinking of stopping it at about 1.01 which would give me and abv of about 11.5. Is that too hot for this wine?


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## scotty (Jan 17, 2010)

I use 1118 and ferment to completely dry. back sweeten to get the off dry taste. I use a 10 or even 8 percent PA to start with


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## burningalive (Jan 18, 2010)

Ok now I'm confused! I thought I could just leave it alone in the carboy for 2 months then bottle! VC, didn't you tell me that? So I should be stopping the fermentation? I'm probably at 11% now.....I thought it would just stop fermenting by itself and I could just leave it alone, am I wrong about that? Should I kmeta it now?


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## fivebk (Jan 18, 2010)

It's really hard to stop an active fermentation. Just let it finish to dry and then you will be able to backsweeten to your taste after you stabilize with sorbate of course.

I think what scotty is saying is he watches his starting SG so that the must only has enough sugar in it to equal 8-10 % by volume.

Hope this helps without cofusing you

BOB


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## burningalive (Jan 18, 2010)

I have never backsweetened a wine before. What will I need to do a 5 gallon batch of Niagra?


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## fivebk (Jan 18, 2010)

You could use Welchs White grape concentrate or if there is enough flavor already just use a simple syrup. ( 2 parts sugar to 1 part water heated to dissolve the sugar) add slowly and sample till you get it where you want. As the wine ages it will seem to get sweeter so don't over do.
The amount is up to you and how sweet a wine you like

BOB


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## burningalive (Jan 18, 2010)

But when you say stabilize with sorbate, what exactly does that mean?


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## vcasey (Jan 18, 2010)

Ok first take a really deep breath! 
I don't think I indicated you could let it sit in the carboy and then just bottle it in a couple of months. You need to let it finish fermenting and you'll be to see that its finished by taking the SG and the reading remaining the same for 3 days. Once that happens the you'll need to add sorbate &amp; kmeta to prevent re-fermentation, especially if you decide to back sweeten. If you don't add the sorbate and kmeta the yeast could wake up and start working again, especially if you backsweeten. While this is not that bad while in a carboy, it is not much fun when the bottles you have carefully corked suddenly start shooting corks across the room followed by a stream of your precious wine! 
Once your wine is stablized and you have sweetened it (and I think Bob told you how to do that) then you'll need to clear the wine. When you clear the wine you can just let it sit until it clears on its own or add a clairfier. After about 10 days or so the wine should be clear and you can rack to a new carboy and let age or bottle.
I'm sure I missed a step so ask away if you have more questions and someone will chime in.


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## fivebk (Jan 18, 2010)

K-Meta/ Campden tablets Kill bacteria and other nasties that could get in your wine so in terms they stabilize the wine.It also stuns any yeast left in suspention. Pottasium Sorbate keeps any live yeast left in your wine from multiplying thus it will allow you to add sugar or concentrate without having any refermentation occur so this too helps stabilize the wine

BOB


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## burningalive (Jan 18, 2010)

OK, Sorry for the seeming panic, lol. VC your right you didn't say that, it's just how I took it! So once the fermentation stops I can add kmeta (1/4 tsp for 5 gallons) and then sorbate. Or do I wait on that until the end? Also I sweeten then clairify? I'm sorry I feel like an idiot all the sudden! I've done like 5 kits I figure i'd have an easier time with this! Thanks for all your responses.


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## fivebk (Jan 18, 2010)

It does'nt matter when you add the sorbate as long as you do it before you backsweeten anything.

BOB


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## Fly*guy (Jan 18, 2010)

Burning.... at the beginning of this process (next time), when you start to mix your ingredients together, you want to be sure, as scotty and I were saying, you keep your starting SG around 1.060 - 1.075 - about 8 to 10% ABV. You do this by 1st - adding some of the water to the concentrate - and check the SG then more and check SG again adding water to your concentrate till you get a SG reading in this range. Then add your other ingredients to the must in the Fermentation bucket. You may very well end up ...in the bucket.... having a bit more volume then you would like, maybe as much as 1/4 to 1/2 gal, but that won't matter - it is the starting SG that you want to concern yourself with. Move your wine to a carboy when the SG falls under 1.020 - at this point you will be racking it off the heavy lees and at the same time you will lose a small part of your liquid - this is where a series of carboy sizes comes in handy - so you can protect your "extra" wine in them for topping up. After the fermentation process ends, (SG = .998 or less), you will then rack the "wine" into other clean carboy(s), and again lose a small portion of your liquid and more lees - top up with your "extra wine. By the time you get to bottling your wine you will be close to the volume of wine that you wanted at the beginning. 

As far as having your wine already at a possible 11% ABV, you will probably be OK at that if the flavor is heavy enough and you give it plenty of time to age in the bottle - my peach took more then 6 months to get its flavor to even come back a little, but is it ever good now



. The ABV on that was a bit over 12% but I learned not to allow that to happen any more as that is just to hot for a peach wine IMO.


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## JohnnyK68 (Jan 18, 2010)

Thanks flyguy for the last post. I just bought 18 more cans of concentrate to start another 6 gal batch of this wine. What I have decided to do, being that the first 3 gals is going to take a while to mellow out, I have decided to rack it onto some American house toast oak and let it age a little and see how good it is after bulk aging for 6-9 months. The 6 gals I put together tomorrow I will start ata SG 1.075 and will look to make it an earlier drinker.


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## burningalive (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks for all the info!


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## JohnnyK68 (Feb 9, 2010)

WOW this stuff is pretty good. I ended up backsweetening both the 3 gals and the 6 gals. I racked the 3 gals yesterday and I was pretty suprised how good it is. I am not a sweet wine drinker at all, but I can see where this wine would definately have its place. Another 45 days or so and I will botlle the 3 gals. The 6 will follow shortly after. Then my wife and her friends will have plenty of sweet wine. I have to admit though, I can see myself drinking a few glasses of this on more then one occasion.


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## Fly*guy (Feb 9, 2010)

One of the nice things about this wine, Welch's white grape, and this hobby is that you can make any of these wine what *YOU* want it to be!

The Niagara grape seems to me to have a very nice, sharp flavor to it and therefore, IMO, you can afford to have it a little on the sweet side and keep it nice enough for a lot of your friends to enjoy, even those that prefer something semi-sweet or even on the dry side.
I have one that I 1st made that is very high in ABV, about 12% and even that one is OK but after about 9 months it still has that alcohol kick to it and I'm not sure if it will total fade away as time goes on..... but still drinkable....On a friday evening by the pool or after a hard week



.

Most of these wine types just seem to have better flavor and taste at between 8% to 10% ABV. 
So be carefull when making them that you watch your starting SG and have some fun experimenting with different combinations of other welch's juices or flavors and always, always, always keep good notes or you may never get to make the ones you like again, but you can easily duplicate the ones that you never want to make again





Now, I'm going back to enjoying my first glass of MY Gewurtztraminer. 
Smells and tastes like another keeper!






.... RJS Cru Select Gewurztraminer..... Darn tasty even after only a month ( I know, I know... Patients, Patients, Patients, more time better wine)


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## K5MOW (Nov 9, 2012)

Well I made the Weches today. I got a SG of 11.05. Is this to high of a SG or will it be ok. 

Roger


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## dralarms (Nov 9, 2012)

K5MOW said:


> Well I made the Weches today. I got a SG of 11.05. Is this to high of a SG or will it be ok.
> 
> Roger



Should be fine. Just won't get to dry. But you want to sweeten it most likely anyway.


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## K5MOW (Nov 9, 2012)

dralarms said:


> Should be fine. Just won't get to dry. But you want to sweeten it most likely anyway.



Thanks do much. 

Roger


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## K5MOW (Nov 9, 2012)

K5MOW said:


> Thanks do much.
> 
> Roger



Sorry I met thanks so much. Having some great mead. 

Roger


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## K5MOW (Nov 10, 2012)

Hi all. One more question. What kind of red wine would you call this. I got mine happily fermenting and just wanted to no what kind of wine this is. 

Roger


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## dralarms (Nov 10, 2012)

Its a concord grape. My local winery called his Athenian, told me all I had to do to duplicate his recipe was to make the wine out of concentrate and ferment it out. Of course I like mine a little sweet so my recipe is different than his was.


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## g8keeper (Nov 10, 2012)

as dralarms said, if it was red, it is concord, BUT if using the white grape, then it is niagara....


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## K5MOW (Nov 11, 2012)

Has any one done oak aging with this recipe. If so how did it come out. 

Roger


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## K5MOW (Apr 12, 2013)

Just got another batch started. 

Roger


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## jswordy (Apr 12, 2013)

Up it to 4 cans if you want real flavor.

Link: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f6/welchs-concord-super-sugar-method-36379/

Yes, I have oaked it. It benefits from a few days of medium toasted oak. I would not want to oak 2 can batches, but the 4 can batches can stand up to it. I keep the oak in from 8-14 days. Not enough to really make it oaky but enough to add character and body. Take taste samples along the way, and stop just short of where you think it would be perfect if you left it another few days.

I'm very close to a truly outstanding bottle of this type of wine.


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## K5MOW (Apr 13, 2013)

jswordy said:


> Up it to 4 cans if you want real flavor.
> 
> Link: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f6/welchs-concord-super-sugar-method-36379/
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info. I used on this new batch 2 1/2 cans. The nexed batch I will try 4 cans and no sugar. 

Roger


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