Any suggestions to make plastic bottle juice wines better?

[ruhbarb76]

Following Paw Paw’s, You Tube instruction:
Select a 64-ounce bottle of pure juice (apple, grape, cranberry, etc.) without any preservatives. Remove 2 cups of the juice to make room for sugar
Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of yeast (Fleischmann’s Active Dry [or wine]). Tightly screw cap closed and shake bottle to dissolve sugar.

Now, either leave the lid screwed on (slightly jiggle loose) or use an airlock and store in a cool place -- although others suggest a warm place. It's ready to drink when the top surface is glass smooth (no bubbles). [6 weeks to three months]

I am wondering what other adjustments/additions could be made that would make this a better drink. e.g. Camden tablet, Multivitamin pill, shake at intervals to dispel CO2, other(?)

All-in-all, I like the simplicity of the basic formula for the quick turn around. But then again, I feel there could be something else that could be easily incorporated and make the wine still better. Suggestions are welcomed!

Thank you

 

[Scooter68]

Step 1) IGNORE those instructions.

Step 2) Find a good book or invest in a starter kit for home wine making. Most kits will have a booklet or basic guide to wine making at home.

Step 3) PATIENCE - If you are going to be successful you will need to be patient. First of all in preparing. Many folks post questions on her after they have already started a fermentation and in most cases they successfully end up with wine. Some, much better than others but those who take some time before they start, normally enjoy the process more and end up with something they not only enjoy but can proudly share.

My personal suggestion is to ignore those "Make homemade wine in 3 easy steps" videos whether on YouTube or elsewhere. Wine making is NOT rocket science but best results are achieved when you realize that the process takes a few pieces of equipment, some time and Patience. The concept of opening a gallon bottle of Grape Juice, waiting an hour then placing balloon over the top and waiting 3 weeks may give you an alcoholic beverage but it's a long way from a real "wine" that you will be proud of.
Now and then folks pop up here and it's pretty evident by their question they are looking for a cheap fast way to make something alcoholic to drink. Those folks normally don't post here more than a few times. There are also MANY who jump on here ask a ton of questions, get worried and in the end, we see them post pictures of great looking wine they made. That's what this site is all about. Helping each other achieve success and in the end make a wine that is fun to show off and to drink.

You can make a decent wine in 4-8 weeks using recipes on here for things like "Dragon's Blood" and "Skeeter Pee" and you can find recipes on here for wines that will mature somewhere around 18-24 months. AND many other wines anywhere in-between those extremes. I started out 5 1/2 years ago expecting to have a nice blueberry wine in around 6 months. At 4 1/2 months I had a decent wine and shared it with friends - not great but certainly not shabby. That same wine, at 10 months was totally different and GREAT!

So the question to you is what are your goals? Welcome to WMT and we hope you are here for the long run. It's lots of fun and there are plenty of folks on here willing to help you through the process.

 

[winemaker81]

The concept of opening a gallon bottle of Grape Juice, waiting an hour then placing balloon over the top and waiting 3 weeks may give you an alcoholic beverage but it's a long way from a real "wine" that you will be proud of.

This is absolutely true.

 

[Bossbaby]

I'm curious about the multivitamin pill?

 

[hounddawg]

I'm curious about the multivitamin pill?

where do they grow ?
hehe
Dawg

 

[NorCal]

Step 1) IGNORE those instructions.

Step 2) Find a good book or invest in a starter kit for home wine making. Most kits will have a booklet or basic guide to wine making at home.

Step 3) PATIENCE - If you are going to be successful you will need to be patient. First of all in preparing. Many folks post questions on her after they have already started a fermentation and in most cases the successfully end up with wine. Some, much better than others but those who take sometime before they start normally enjoy the process more and end up with something they not only enjoy but can proudly share.

My personal suggestion is to ignore those "Make homemade wine in 3 easy steps" videos whether on YouTube or elsewhere. Wine making is NOT rocket science but best results are achieved when you realize that the process takes a few pieces of equipment, some time and Patience. The concept of opening a gallon bottle of Grape Juice, waiting an hour then placing balloon over the top and waiting 3 weeks may give you an alcoholic beverage but it's a long way from a real "wine" that you will be proud of.
Now and the folks pop up here and it's pretty evident by their question they are looking for a cheap fast way to make something alcoholic to drink. Those folks normally don't post here more than a few times. There are also MANY who jump on here ask a ton of questions, get worried and in the end, we see them post pictures of great looking wine they made. That's what this site is all about. Helping each other achieve success and in the end make a wine that is fun to show off and to drink.

You can make a decent wine in 4-8 weeks using recipes on here for things like "Dragon's Blood" and "Skeeter Pee" and you can find recipes on here for wines that will mature somewhere around 18-24 months. AND many other wines anywhere in-between those extremes. I started out 5 1/2 years ago expecting to have a nice blueberry wine in around 6 months. At 4 1/2 months I had a decent wine and shared it with friends - not great but certainly not shabby. That same wine, at 10 months was totally different and GREAT!

So the question to you is what are your goals? Welcome to WMT and we hope you are here for the long run. It's lots of fun and there are plenty of folks on here willing to help you through the process.

Great response @Scooter68 !

 

[winemaker81]

Following Paw Paw’s, You Tube instruction:

I watched the video, the guy is very entertaining. His process works to make quick-n-easy alcohol.

I am wondering what other adjustments/additions could be made that would make this a better drink. e.g. Camden tablet, Multivitamin pill, shake at intervals to dispel CO2, other(?)

The target audience of the video is folks that want to make quick-n-easy alcohol with no special equipment. His process works, and for all the shortcuts it makes in the general winemaking process, the result comes out as expected. Given the expected time frame until consumption, 6-13 weeks, there's not much that can be done to improve the process. The short time frame makes Campden unnecessary. A human-intended multivitamin does not contain anything that will benefit yeast -- it's certainly not nutrient. Shaking will expel CO2, but in the short time frame the wine will still taste raw and unfinished.

This post got me thinking, so I wrote a procedure for making a quickie wine from commercial juice. Note that this minimal process is designed to use minimal hardware, typically things people have in their homes.

https://wine.bkfazekas.com/making-quick-wine-from-commercial-juice/

 

[Scooter68]

That's a pretty quick and simple way to make a wine. There are of course some variables that could be resolved with two tools. A hydrometer, (With a testing tube) and an airlock. (I question how long a balloon will last in the presence of alcohol vapors or if it could potentially sweat condensation and contribute a rubber flavor to the wine.) Other than that that looks like a pretty short and sweet description of how to do it with minimal investment.

 

[winemaker81]

@Scooter68, thanks! I had to fight with myself to keep my visualization through the eyes of the target audience, which is not the average WMT member.

It's been noted that we keep answering the same questions, over and over. For simple questions, I'm ok with that. But with things that deserve a more complete answer that is not a quick one? It makes a lot sense to write it once, in detail, then point people to it. I've been writing white papers as things like this occur to me.

BTW: I agree with you about the balloons, but couldn't think of a better alternative. If someone has one, I'll update the post.

 

[ruhbarb76]

In his 1974 book,* H E Bravery has this to say about wine making using extracts: “….it is the simplest, the least troublesome and the most rewarding of all adventures of all wine making.”

The above extract wine making is identical to today’s ‘In-The- Bottle’ wine making except, Bravery requires 1/8 teaspoon of citric acid and a nutrient. **

*Successful Wine Making at Home
**I recalled someone at WMT noted that a multivitamin can be used as a nutrient. This was verified by using the WMT Search Forum.

PS I do make wine using standard procedures one gallon at a time. So far, I have this in the basement: three-year-old Blueberry and younger: Dandelion, Blueberry/Spearmint, Black Raspberry, Corn, Raisin, Carrot, and Rhubarb. But I’m still interested in experimenting with In-The-Bottle wine making.

 

[ruhbarb76]

I'm curious about the multivitamin pill?

Check WMT Search Forum

 

[Scooter68]

BTW: I agree with you about the balloons, but couldn't think of a better alternative. If someone has one, I'll update the post.
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, IF the balloon is rubber there might be an issue but who knows what they are made of these days.
The other idea I've seen is taking a little syphon tubing and running it from a drilled stopper down to the bottom of a coke bottle half full of water,

 

[hounddawg]

Yeah, IF the balloon is rubber there might be an issue but who knows what they are made of these days.
The other idea I've seen is taking a little syphon tubing and running it from a drilled stopper down to the bottom of a coke bottle half full of water,

yup. or a five gallon bucket with the lid drilled for many tubes, IF making several wines at once, do with what you got,,,,
Dawg

 

[winemaker81]

In his 1974 book,* H E Bravery has this to say about wine making using extracts: “….it is the simplest, the least troublesome and the most rewarding of all adventures of all wine making.”

What book do you have? Is it the fifth printing of "Successful Wine Making At Home", originally copyright 1961? Oddly enough, the 5th printing is available on Amazon.

Why is this odd? I purchased the 11th printing in paperback in January 1984. It's interesting that the 5th printing is being sold nearly 40 years after the 11th printing.

I also have a hardback printing by Gramercy Publishing Company, that lists no revision or date, just the original copyright date (1961). I have no memory of when I acquired this book, but I'm guessing it was 30+ years ago.

**I recalled someone at WMT noted that a multivitamin can be used as a nutrient. This was verified by using the WMT Search Forum.

I searched as well. Folks stated they used a multivitamin, but there is no authoritative source that states it's beneficial. I searched the net generally and found nothing other than "I used a multivitamin and it worked". Given what yeast nutrient is composed of, it's highly unlikely that evidence a multivitamin can replace it will be found.

 

[Raptor99]

What book do you have? Is it the fifth printing of "Successful Wine Making At Home", originally copyright 1961? Oddly enough, the 5th printing is available on Amazon.

I have that book! Mine is the 5th printing, dated June 1968. When my dad passed away, my mom gave me a a box of his old wine making stuff, including this book.

 

[hounddawg]

What book do you have? Is it the fifth printing of "Successful Wine Making At Home", originally copyright 1961? Oddly enough, the 5th printing is available on Amazon.

Why is this odd? I purchased the 11th printing in paperback in January 1984. It's interesting that the 5th printing is being sold nearly 40 years after the 11th printing.

I also have a hardback printing by Gramercy Publishing Company, that lists no revision or date, just the original copyright date (1961). I have no memory of when I acquired this book, but I'm guessing it was 30+ years ago.


I searched as well. Folks stated they used a multivitamin, but there is no authoritative source that states it's beneficial. I searched the net generally and found nothing other than "I used a multivitamin and it worked". Given what yeast nutrient is composed of, it's highly unlikely that evidence a multivitamin can replace it will be found.

whew way over my head,,,,, biggest thing i caught was @winemaker81 seems to have a first printing, ditto to that
Dawg

 

[Rice_Guy]

come on @Scooter68 , take the recipe for what it is, something one might enjoy when in county jail or if eighteen. Sweet, Fast and easy

Following Paw Paw’s, You Tube instruction:
Select a 64-ounce bottle of pure juice (apple, grape, cranberry, etc.) ke this a better drink. . . . . . I like the simplicity of the basic formula for the quick turn around. But then again, I feel there could be something else that could be easily incorporated and make the wine still better. Suggestions are welcomed!

Your question is a good learning exercise on what is quality. ,, as a reference to see what is missing I look at grape wines.
Your grocery juice will be lacking tannin, so some of this or possibly a second juice with long lasting flavor notes as cranberry or grapefruit. Aroma is probably low so it is worth while adding fruity notes, frozen concentrate could be used as an F pac and back sweeten. Grocery juice will be lower on TA so adding acid is worth while. Grocery juice runs high on water therefore fruit solids or glycerine or gum Arabic are worth while. Nutrients are low and I favor a natural one as Fermaid. Finally bread yeast aren’t very good use a wine yeast. , , , All in all, If you can make a good store juice wine you have the skills to make a good flower petal wine.

The flavor concentrates I have seen at the wine toys store aren’t as good as commercial size natural flavor extracts. Virginia Dare is good but their smallest unit is a gallon jug, if you purchase a grape wine which is labeled “natural flavor” as the last ingredient it probably is a natural juice concentrate.

 

[ChuckD]

I watched the video, the guy is very entertaining. His process works to make quick-n-easy alcohol.


The target audience of the video is folks that want to make quick-n-easy alcohol with no special equipment. His process works, and for all the shortcuts it makes in the general winemaking process, the result comes out as expected. Given the expected time frame until consumption, 6-13 weeks, there's not much that can be done to improve the process. The short time frame makes Campden unnecessary. A human-intended multivitamin does not contain anything that will benefit yeast -- it's certainly not nutrient. Shaking will expel CO2, but in the short time frame the wine will still taste raw and unfinished.

This post got me thinking, so I wrote a procedure for making a quickie wine from commercial juice. Note that this minimal process is designed to use minimal hardware, typically things people have in their homes.

https://wine.bkfazekas.com/making-quick-wine-from-commercial-juice/

That’s some high-grade prison hooch your making there! But Hey, everyone starts somewhere and there’s plenty of room to upgrade their game!

 

[hounddawg]

Following Paw Paw’s, You Tube instruction:
Select a 64-ounce bottle of pure juice (apple, grape, cranberry, etc.) without any preservatives. Remove 2 cups of the juice to make room for sugar
Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of yeast (Fleischmann’s Active Dry [or wine]). Tightly screw cap closed and shake bottle to dissolve sugar.

Now, either leave the lid screwed on (slightly jiggle loose) or use an airlock and store in a cool place -- although others suggest a warm place. It's ready to drink when the top surface is glass smooth (no bubbles). [6 weeks to three months]

I am wondering what other adjustments/additions could be made that would make this a better drink. e.g. Camden tablet, Multivitamin pill, shake at intervals to dispel CO2, other(?)

All-in-all, I like the simplicity of the basic formula for the quick turn around. But then again, I feel there could be something else that could be easily incorporated and make the wine still better. Suggestions are welcomed!

Thank you

check out these links
www.colomafrozen.com ,, sorry ,i post again later i'm crashing my sugar jis to low gotta fix it
Dawg

 

[ruhbarb76]

Check WMT Search Forum