NEVER AGAIN ! This is "Black Raspberry" Flavored Concentrate? I don't think so!!!

[Scooter68]

Now that's the sort of label that good commercial product will have.

Sounds great - Keep us posted on how it goes. Yeah, Sounds like someone mislabeled a bottle.

 

[reeflections]

Another update:

So, as it turns out, all 12 of the quarts I got were mislabeled apple juice. Someone there messed up but they went beyond the norm by telling me I could keep the 12 qts of apple and they already shipped 12 qts of peach with apologies. Class act.

I find that impressive, but add to that, everything with this company has been top shelf. Fast to ship, fast in email communication, and pure juice concentrate at a reasonable price.

More updates when I get the peach and taste it.

 

[Scooter68]

You said the one was a diffrent color completely - sound like it's something other than apple juice.

 

[reeflections]

Well, one qt was much lighter in color was the original problem I had. I didn't want to open it and break the seal until I heard what they would do about it. When he told me to go ahead and taste it and he would credit me. So I opened it, and one of the darker ones for reference. I diluted both at the recommended dilution for peach but when I tasted them, they were both apple juice. The lighter one was at a much lower concentration. But both were apple. So I tried another one - same thing. My guess was that someone pulled the order from some kind of reject bin, but I don't know and they are investigating. They included an "inspected and shipped by" slip so they know who made the mistake and I'm sure they will remedy it.

When I told him that they were all apple, and all mislabeled, and there were 3 different "use by" dates (all in 2022) he immediately apologized and shipped 12 qts of peach and told me to enjoy the apple. This was all done via email, but then he called to make sure I was happy. I am.

You can see the difference in the regular concentrate and the light.

I will update again when I receive the peach, but I'm sure it will be good. The apple is very good although the light one was pretty weak. Except for that one, it was just a labeling error.

I feel more than compensated for the week delay in getting the peach. Eleven qts of apple concentrate that can use with other wines and no shipping.

All companies make errors. It's how they rectify them that really counts. Barring another issue with the peach, I still have faith that this is a good company to deal with.

 

[Scooter68]

Agree fully - Mistakes happen even with "Automated" assiatance these days BUT the true test is how a company responds. Gushing over the top isn't neccessary but good old honesty is what we should receive. You received the right responses.

Do we hear talk of a hard apple cider with Cinnamon in your furture plans? Started now it could be ready before Christmas (Hard cider doesn't have to be aged that much anyway.)

 

[dralarms]

I stopped by the local hws and picked up a gallon of vineters elderberry thinking it was 100% juice. NOT. It’s got apple and pear juice in it.

 

[Scooter68]

I stopped by the local hws and picked up a gallon of vineters elderberry thinking it was 100% juice. NOT. It’s got apple and pear juice in it.

Yeah,. The two brands are very different. Vintners Harvest (VH) is 100% the variety on the label. Vintners Best (VB) is blended with.apple & pear along with sugar already added. I've been pretty happy with VH but nothing beats the fresh wild berries. I'm going to look into the ,Volume )
(SP) brand someone mentioned on this thread. Price seems about in line with.most other suppliers.

 

[opus345]

And updates on the Coloma Concentrates? I ordered a quart of their Blackberry and Strawberry for use in some Dragon Blood variants.

 

[Scooter68]

UPDATES on your Wine from Columna Concentrates?

I'm looking at Plum and Peach 1.5 gallons of each perhaps. Going to 3 or 4 would be a better deal but I can't make that much at a time and freezer space isn't available for that much even it was soft bags.

So by now somebodys batch must be nearing or at bottling time ?????

Oh Yeah anyone used this brand product and bottled/tasted the finished wine yet???
https://asepticfruitpurees.com/products/11-lb-plum-aseptic-fruit-puree-bag#

 

[reeflections]

And updates on the Coloma Concentrates? I ordered a quart of their Blackberry and Strawberry for use in some Dragon Blood variants.

So far, I have made 35 gallons of the Coloma peach using 4 quarts per 5 gal..

Bottled 10 gal adding a tad of peach extract while back sweetening. About 9 months old today. Drinking it and enjoying it as I write this. Big hit with friends and family..

Bottled 15 gal adding a tad of apricot extract while back sweetening. Between 7 and 8 months today. Even better than the peach above.

5 gal bulk aging and 5 gal in the primary.

I've also made 30 gallons of Coloma Cherry. Some sweet cherry, some tart, some mixed. None of them reached 1.000 and I still don't know why. All in bulk aging now. ranging from 6 1/2 months to 2 months. Will sorbate b4 bottling. Nice strong flavor so far.

I had them send me some samples and I think I will try the tangerine and or blackberry next. The samples were delish.

 

[reeflections]

Oh Yeah anyone used this brand product and bottled/tasted the finished wine yet???
https://asepticfruitpurees.com/products/11-lb-plum-aseptic-fruit-puree-bag#

I've been eying this company too. I'll be watching for answers too.

 

[opus345]

So far, I have made 35 gallons of the Coloma peach using 4 quarts per 5 gal..

Fantastic!

Mind sharing your peach recipe and yeast used?

Have you had any issues with the peach fermentations?

opus

 

[silverbullet07]

Just rack my Coloma peach today. Started in April 2021. Taste good. Looks clear. However I used 4 qts for 4.5 gals. in primary. After a couple racks I have 4 gals and a qt. aging.

All of my Coloma concentrates or any concentrate I have used have not been fermenting below 1.010. four different so far. Don't know if it is because I do not add as much water or extra solids. Been using good yeast and good temps. Maybe it is the extra solids due to me not mixing the correct ratio. We discussed this in another one of my threads for some time. When tasted, they are all dry and sour. all need back sweeten. So Since I know they do not ferment below 1.010 I start my OG 1.110. This has been working for me.

I also racked a Coloma Blackberry today Started it in April 2021. It has been 3 months on Hungarian toasted oak. Taste real nice. Still ageing but it is going to be good.

 

[reeflections]

Mind sharing your peach recipe and yeast used?

Have you had any issues with the peach fermentations?

No problem with the peach fermenting down to .995 or lower. All cherry ended at anywhere from 1.005 to 1.020. Peach was from 3 separate Coloma batch numbers, cherry was from 2.

Peach recipes have varied a bit for my experimentation, but basically for 5 1/2 gal primary I have used:
4 qts concentrate
7 to 8 # sugar (experimenting with ABV)
2TBS to 2 1/2TBS acid blend depending on pH reading
1 tsp pectin enzyme (probably not necessary)
1 TBS energizer (after a couple days of the yeast pitch)
K1-V1116 yeast
1.6 oz peach or apricot extract when back sweetening. Using extracts from OliveNation | Bakery, Brewery & Restaurant Ingredients Supplier

Coloma doesn't offer the solids property of their concentrates. I have been thinking about asking them to. Then maybe @Rice_Guy can help us deal with that issue if that's what it is. I'm thinking it must vary from batch to batch, but of course I am guessing about something I know nothing about.

 

[reeflections]

So Since I know they do not ferment below 1.010 I start my OG 1.110. This has been working for me.

Good idea. I might try that. Problem is that my cherry have ended all over the board. 1.005 to 1.020. No telling until it's done.

 

[opus345]

No problem with the peach fermenting down to .995 or lower. All cherry ended at anywhere from 1.005 to 1.020. Peach was from 3 separate Coloma batch numbers, cherry was from 2.

Peach recipes have varied a bit for my experimentation, but basically for 5 1/2 gal primary I have used:
4 qts concentrate
7 to 8 # sugar (experimenting with ABV)
2TBS to 2 1/2TBS acid blend depending on pH reading
1 tsp pectin enzyme (probably not necessary)
1 TBS energizer (after a couple days of the yeast pitch)
K1-V1116 yeast
1.6 oz peach or apricot extract when back sweetening. Using extracts from OliveNation | Bakery, Brewery & Restaurant Ingredients Supplier

Thank you! Looks very much like my frozen fruit (Blackberry/Strawberry/Blueberry) process. I think it is time for me to jump into a Peach batch.