First go at Welch's Concord Wine

cakristan · Dec 30, 2015

Hi all!

Well, first batch isn't even done clearing yet and my husband and I came home with a new primary fermenter, carboy, and all the ingredients to make up some Welch's Concord Wine..Concord is his favorite so after reading about it on here I figured we should give it a shot. Got the bug for sure. Anyways, any last minute tips?? The Reisling we have clearing at the moment was a juice kit, so everything was pre measured and instructions were very clear

This recipe was found on here from Jack Keller...for 1 gallon batch that we're turning into a 6 gallon batch...so multiplying all but the yeast by 6.

2 cans Welch's 100% frozen grap concentrate
1-1/4 lbs granulated sugar
2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
water to make 1 gallon
wine yeast
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.

We're jut multiplying everything by 6 except for the yeast. Packet says good for 1-6 gallons so that's all we need is the one pack, right? Advice, tips, encouragement are all welcomed

cmason1957 · Dec 30, 2015

I always wait for about 2 days, before adding the yeast nutrient and then add only half the amount I plan to use. Other half goes in when about 1/2 the sugar has been consumed. (if I start with an sg reading of about 1.090, I add the second half at about 1.060, that's a little bit high, but seems to work for me).

Also, I would bring the water just to a boil, then remove from the heat when adding the sugar and I would add about 1 capful of lemon juice to the water for each 3 pounds of sugar, the lemon juice (acid) breaks the bonds of the sugar. Also, I would leave out about a pound or two of the sugar and only add it if it is required and you may have to add more. 1.090 is a good Starting sg to shoot for.

And I would measure the Ph of the mix, rather than just add an amount of acid blend, that probably more applies to other fruits, Welch's grape juice is probably fairly consistent in existing acid.

ceeaton · Dec 30, 2015

I've made that recipe but have found that three cans of frozen concentrate per gallon gives a better flavor. Also +1 with not going above 1.090 to 1.095 starting gravity, unless you really want to taste the alcohol.

My first attempt used the equivalent of two cans per gallon and the body wasn't enough to support the alcohol with a SG of 1.100.

cakristan · Dec 30, 2015

Thanks for the quick responses, guys. Our SG was pretty much 1.100 on the money :ib

Wish I would've seen cmason's response before we started! Oh well, live & learn. If we top up after fermentation with more juice versus water do you think that'll help a bit?