Hello from Alabama!

[alabama-wineO]

Hi,
My husband and I just got re-interested in wine making. We have about a gallon of grape-apple wine working in the primary at the moment. It has an ~18% Et-OH/vol potential. High I know, but the first batch we made several years ago with muscadines had virtually no alcohol content or flavor. We were working off an untried recipe, so who knows. This recipe is from a better source, and we have done more homework this time. So here's to a better batch!
~alisha
alabama-wineO

 

[Runningwolf]

Alisha, welcome to WMT. The grape apple sounds good. Are you using Muscadines again this year? Could you post your recipe please. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Welcome aboard!!!

 

[Julie]

Hi Alisha

Welcome to winemakingtalk

 

[olusteebus]

You know you could get arrested don't cha?

Just kidding, I could too. Welcome. I am here in Northeast Jefferson County.

 

[Duster]

Welcome, Glad to have ya on board.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

Welcome to the board. Great group of people here, for sure! If this place doesn't light your fire then your wood's wet!

 

[Flem]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[alabama-wineO]

Thanks everyone for the welcome! I am planning on trying another batch of muscadine wine later this year. Our current grape-apple batch is just from frozen concentrates. We will probably do a couple of batches from frozen concentrate and getting our method "down pat" before moving on to whole fruits.

The first attempt with muscadines a few years ago was only with 5 lbs of muscadines and 5 lbs of sugar for a 5 gallon batch. It was what the recipe we found called for, but after a little more investigating...there should have been no suprise that there was no flavor or alcohol produced. I have found a new recipe that calls for 30 lbs of muscadines, 9 lbs of sugar, 5 tsp yeast nutrient, 1 tsp pectic enzyme, and 1 tsp of wine tannin for 5 gallons, which seems more reasonable.

Current working batch is a simple recipe of 2 juice concentrates (I used apple and red grapes) and about 1 & 1/4 lb of sugar with 2 tsp of aid blend, 1 tsp of pectic enzyme, and 1 tsp of yeast nutrient. I actually used about 2 lbs of sugar which ended with a SG of 1.13. I hope it turns out well, but if it doesn't at least I didn't waste my valuable muscadines.

 

[tatud4life]

Awesome!! What variety of muscadines are you growing? I should be able to start my first batch of muscadine wine this fall after mine ripen. I have 1 Carlos vine and 2 Ison's patent vines. The Carlos is bronze and the Ison's are black. I am going to make some skeeter per this summer to the hang off fermenting juice before I risk my fresh grapes. I have spent too much time, effort, blood, and sweat to risk them haphazardly. . Good luck with yours!!! Post pics and updates!!

 

[tatud4life]

Oh yeah. Welcome to the family!!! I have learned a lot so far. Good people here!!