Cranberry Wine from Juices

[Vinobeau]

I've been making Cranberry wine since 1976, usually with fresh cranberries. I've occasionally added some Cranberry juice cocktail and every so often I've made it with canned cranberries. I'm not sure, but I don't believe that a pure Cranberry juice exists. It seems like you would need 50 pounds of berries for a gallon of juice....
I use between 3 to 5 pounds of berries / gallon, start with a sg of about 1.1, and always back sweeten. I've tasted some locally made dry Cranberry wine and it is atrocious. IMHO there are VERY few good dry fruit wines. If you've never made cranberry wine, start out with a Jack Keller recipe. After you've made it and critiqued it, try changing it. Use more fruit and add some cranberry cocktail, and try pure juice; but don't try straight juice on your first batch.

 

[Cellar Vader]

I did one using 100% juice cocktail / premier curve yeast. Back sweetened s.g. 1.012 for a 1 1/2 gal batch.
Came out pretty good !!

Bill

So you did not use berries? Only the Juice cocktail? Also, was that SG 1.012 your final AFTER you back sweetened? I imagine that I will slowly add sugar, taste, and repeat until it's right where I'd like it. Is that what you did?

 

[Cellar Vader]

I've been making Cranberry wine since 1976, usually with fresh cranberries. I've occasionally added some Cranberry juice cocktail and every so often I've made it with canned cranberries. I'm not sure, but I don't believe that a pure Cranberry juice exists. It seems like you would need 50 pounds of berries for a gallon of juice....
I use between 3 to 5 pounds of berries / gallon, start with a sg of about 1.1, and always back sweeten. I've tasted some locally made dry Cranberry wine and it is atrocious. IMHO there are VERY few good dry fruit wines. If you've never made cranberry wine, start out with a Jack Keller recipe. After you've made it and critiqued it, try changing it. Use more fruit and add some cranberry cocktail, and try pure juice; but don't try straight juice on your first batch.

Great info and advice. Yes, I understand Jack is "da man." Thank you!

 

[wpt-me]

Cellar Vader: No I just used juice, no berries. Start was 1.100 s.g. and yes final was 1.012 s.g.
Yes added slowly to get final.

Bill

 

[G259]

I have 1 gallon of Langers Cran-Grape from the end of August, and a 3 gallon going, from November. I plan to back-sweeten, but 1.012 sounds too sweet for me, I'll probably go to 1.000. I do like drier wines though.

 

[TyYoda]

Anybody use a Vinter's Best Cranberry Fruit Wine Base to make Cranberry wine? I was given a can by my daughter. I would be interested in your experience.

 

[HymnandHerd]

I just began a cranberry wine from concentrate. I'm afraid its too acidic. I'll work on that after its fermented.
I used 72oz frozen cranberry concentrate
60oz frozen concord concentrate
5 pounds of sugar to take it to 1.080
Added water to 6 gallons. It is still in the primary but it smelt good.

 

[G259]

1.080 sounds a little low to me, but it's not my wine! I try for 1.100, the extra alcohol helps to preserve it, I'm told. Also, topping up is easier, if I want to use water it'll lower the ABV a tad each time anyway. I'm a fan of saying 'It's easier to lower ABV, that to raise it (other than fortification). My table says 10.4% alcohol, 1.1 = 13%