So I bought a home brew kit from Amazon and started making my own wine. One of the recipes in the book it came with Was to make it from grape concentrate, so I tried it. It asked for acidic powder, tannin, grape concentrate, sugar, water and yeast. When the wine was ready to bottle I tried some. It was a very clear red color which I don't like. I like mine darker looking like a Malbec , and it was too sweet. So how do I keep it dark and how do I make it taste more darker and richer? I don't like my wines sweet.
Just finished my first batch from concentrate... Need help!
- Thread starter Yamadeen
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My guess is that the grape concentrate that you used was designed to give you that result. I am assuming that you fermented it to dry so you didn't have any sugar left in it. Also, if you used too much sugar and ended up with a high alcohol content that can give the sensation of sweet in a dry wine. My suggestion is that next time you get a Malbec kit instead of grape concentrate.
It was Concord grape concentrate I bought from the store. The kit was just the tools. So higher alc % means sweeter wine? Also is it the tannin that's clearing the wine?
2 gallons of wine
Starting sg was around 1.1 ish. Still learning to read it accurately
I put 4 1/2 cups per gallon
I used red star Montrachet yeast
1 packet per gallon
Julie
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I don't think you are going to get the taste you want from a concord concentrate. Also, the sg was too high, it was not able to finish to dry. I would suggest you buy a kit and make that to get you started into winemaking.
And welcome to winemakingtalk.
And welcome to winemakingtalk.
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wineforfun
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Julie is right on, you probably had the SG too high in the beginning and the yeast didn't use up all the sugar. Concord is used more for a sweet wine.
No, higher alcohol does not mean sweet wine. Look at all your high alcohol dry reds and you will see they are 13% - 15% ABV, in general.
Look at buying a Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet, etc. kit if you want the darker, dryer red wine.
What concentrate can I buy? I have a full kit just need to know what grapes to be looking for to get that taste.
Thank you!
Well isn't that what the campden tablets are for? To stop fermentation and prevent bacteria correct?
Noontime
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I think a very basic understanding of fermentation and wine making will answer a lot of your questions. We've all started where you are so there was no judgement intended there. 
The fruit or juice you start with will determine the quality of your finished wine, and only juice that has had the skins soaking in it will be a dark red color (zinfandel is a perfect example... zinfandel is big and rich from the skins soaking, while white zinfandel is the same grape but has not soaked). The skins also add a lot more than color, and depending on the grape might not be good if kept in contact with the juice (white wine grapes are a good example).
Concord is a very "grapey" tasting grape and does not have any ability to add complexity to a wine. It could be that your yeast couldn't get through all that sugar (as others have said) and left some residual sugar (although Montrachet is supposed to be able to go to 15%). Or it could be the combination of acidity, alcohol (which can add a slight sweet flavor but nowhere near like sugar), and the grapey berry flavor to give the impression of sweet.
As others have said, you might want to purchase a kit of a vinifera grape (malbec, cab sauv, etc) if you want something bigger. Non-vinifera grapes like table grapes, muscadine, concord, etc, aren't as popular for wine for the reasons you've stated. Very good wines can be made from anything in my opinion, but it takes a lot of knowledge and experience.
The fruit or juice you start with will determine the quality of your finished wine, and only juice that has had the skins soaking in it will be a dark red color (zinfandel is a perfect example... zinfandel is big and rich from the skins soaking, while white zinfandel is the same grape but has not soaked). The skins also add a lot more than color, and depending on the grape might not be good if kept in contact with the juice (white wine grapes are a good example).Concord is a very "grapey" tasting grape and does not have any ability to add complexity to a wine. It could be that your yeast couldn't get through all that sugar (as others have said) and left some residual sugar (although Montrachet is supposed to be able to go to 15%). Or it could be the combination of acidity, alcohol (which can add a slight sweet flavor but nowhere near like sugar), and the grapey berry flavor to give the impression of sweet.
As others have said, you might want to purchase a kit of a vinifera grape (malbec, cab sauv, etc) if you want something bigger. Non-vinifera grapes like table grapes, muscadine, concord, etc, aren't as popular for wine for the reasons you've stated. Very good wines can be made from anything in my opinion, but it takes a lot of knowledge and experience.
Noontime
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SO2 (campden tablets) won't stop a fermentation. Only a toxic environment (like too much alcohol, 15% to 20%) will stop them, or sorbate is used to stop them from multiplying (so it doesn't actually stop the fermentation, it just allows the existing yeast to finish their short life cycle and no new yeast cells are created).
It does help prevent other molds and bacteria from getting established, and also helps prevent oxidation.
Noontime
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The wine ingredient kits are the ones we've mentioned, like Winexpert, Cellar Craft, RJ Spagnols. Google them and you'll have all the info you need.
I think a very basic understanding of fermentation and wine making will answer a lot of your questions. We've all started where you are so there was no judgement intended there.
Concord is a very "grapey" tasting grape and does not have any ability to add complexity to a wine. It could be that your yeast couldn't get through all that sugar (as others have said) and left some residual sugar (although Montrachet is supposed to be able to go to 15%). Or it could be the combination of acidity, alcohol (which can add a slight sweet flavor but nowhere near like sugar), and the grapey berry flavor to give the impression of sweet.
As others have said, you might want to purchase a kit of a vinifera grape (malbec, cab sauv, etc) if you want something bigger. Non-vinifera grapes like table grapes, muscadine, concord, etc, aren't as popular for wine for the reasons you've stated. Very good wines can be made from anything in my opinion, but it takes a lot of knowledge and experience.
First of all thanks for all this info, second do you happen to know a good recommendation on a video that explains all the fermentation process?
@Yamadeen
Welcome to the hobby, as well as the forum.
I have a great, although detailed, guide that I use for making red wine from juice or grapes:
http://morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/wredw.pdf
I agree with the other posts that you might want to try a wine kit for making a dark, dry, big red. I have made a Super Tuscan that I liked a lot, you could start with one of those.
Otherwise, I would suggest getting a concentrate that is the kind of wine you like, such as Malbec, in lieu of the concentrate you made.
The nice thing about the kits is they have step-by-step instructions and all the ingredients you need to make the wine.
Hydrometers are tricky to read at first. There's a sticky about them in the forum, so if you search for hydrometer you may find some good tips.
Good luck and keep at it, every batch will get easier as you learn the process.
Welcome to the hobby, as well as the forum.
I have a great, although detailed, guide that I use for making red wine from juice or grapes:
http://morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/wredw.pdf
I agree with the other posts that you might want to try a wine kit for making a dark, dry, big red. I have made a Super Tuscan that I liked a lot, you could start with one of those.
Otherwise, I would suggest getting a concentrate that is the kind of wine you like, such as Malbec, in lieu of the concentrate you made.
The nice thing about the kits is they have step-by-step instructions and all the ingredients you need to make the wine.
Hydrometers are tricky to read at first. There's a sticky about them in the forum, so if you search for hydrometer you may find some good tips.
Good luck and keep at it, every batch will get easier as you learn the process.
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I'll look for the hydrometer sticky, but as far as the guide you linked; do you know of a good video? I'm a visual learner, have a horrible time taking in info I read.
I have learned a lot from this site. Matt has podcasts you can listen from iTunes as well as from the site itself and a lot of articles. From my perspective perfect site for beginners. He has some videos too.
http://winemakersacademy.com
http://winemakersacademy.com
NorCal
Senior Member
Yama, I made my first batch from welches and suffice it to say your results were better than mine. I watched every YouTube video out there, but most will yield low cost, low quality wine, like you experienced.
There is a saying that you can make bad wine from good grapes, but you can't make good wine from bad grapes. I only do wine from local grapes, but if that is not available, I'd recommend a good quality kit.
There is a saying that you can make bad wine from good grapes, but you can't make good wine from bad grapes. I only do wine from local grapes, but if that is not available, I'd recommend a good quality kit.
