Using flavor extract after fermentation

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Hi all! Awhile back someone mentioned using a specific brand of extract for flavoring wine. It may have been @KCCam??? Anyway, I'm making a straight Dragon Blood white wine but want to add some flavor after fermentation either in the form of a syrup or extract. Anyone have a specific brand suggestion of other ideas? TIA!

 

[Rocky]

I have used this brand:

https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Living...id=1602361452&sprefix=extracts,aps,169&sr=8-2
I found this on line but I have never tried it.

https://www.olivenation.com/set-of-...m_term=4584688613964692&utm_content=Catch All
Either of these would give you a lot of flexibility. Check the contents. They are usually natural flavors and alcohol.

 

[KCCam]

Hi all! Awhile back someone mentioned using a specific brand of extract for flavoring wine. It may have been @KCCam??? Anyway, I'm making a straight Dragon Blood white wine but want to add some flavor after fermentation either in the form of a syrup or extract. Anyone have a specific brand suggestion of other ideas? TIA!

It wasn’t me, but 2 brands I’ve seen mentioned are “OliveNation” as @Rocky said, and “Brewers Best”. I have no experience with extract though.

 

[Scooter68]

Extracts may be a good way to add in some flavor but being an crotchety and suspicious old guy, I always wonder what process was used to get the extract. How many chemicals and what of the original fruit flavor was destroyed to get the extract. It may be absolutely perfect but... I just would personally rather use a concentrate where only the water was removed in simple process (No chemicals).

 

[Rice_Guy]

Testing with the 4oz extracts that are available at the beer and wine toy store has produced harsh/ unbalanced results. Scooter is correct that the volatiles can be lost but a good product condenses them and puts them back in the finished product. “Natural” will mean an alcohol or a liquid CO2 extract.

There are excellent extracts which are used in the food chain, I would do a bench trial or a bottle of tea to test one before using it on a carboy. We “industry” use them frequently to adjust the label. ex the handy one on the bench here is called:
“SWEET WATERMELON . .sweet grape wine with natural watermelon flavor”.
I would be surprised if there was 1% watermelon in it.

It is easier to build a product with a winning flavor using a good extract or concentrate as the final tweak at bottling than to deal with flavor loss in a primary fermentor.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

It is easier to build a product with a winning flavor using a good extract or concentrate as the final tweak at bottling than to deal with flavor loss in a primary fermentor.

That was my thinking. I want something that will give a very flavor forward and distinctive taste. For example, with the Island Mist kits you can definitely taste, say, the strawberry and watermelon in that particular kit. So I'm shooting for something like that.

 

[MiBor]

I have used the Brewer's Best extracts a couple of years ago and I don't recommend them. The flavor war really artificial and my brew tasted more like cough syrup than real fruit. I suggest you stay away from that brand.

 

[Scooter68]

I understand the commercial world has to do what it has to do to get a saleable product. That's the advantage home wine making offers. We can choose to go that way or not to. We can find other ways to get to the end result of great flavors. AND unless the budget is already stretched, we can simply add more of the real fruit (If available) and know that what we have in our wine is 100% natural and involved no processes that might have added elements to the wine that could be detrimental to our health. (Yeah, I know alcohol has some negatives - but that's more in terms of over consumption)
I say this last part as I only recently realized that that stuff called "Round Up" known to be seriously bad stuff, that is used on Wheat and other food stuffs to better dry it out before harvest. Yeah, now I believe California has gone a little nutso on their consumer and environmental laws but this.... this is scary stuff. (Link to side confirming the use of Round Up on wheat: List of Crops Sprayed with Preharvest Roundup | Healthy Home Economist

Sorry if this is hi-jacking a thread - I won't continue on this thread but if some one wants to discuss via DM or another thread - please do so.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Hi all! Awhile back someone mentioned using a specific brand of extract for flavoring wine. It may have been @KCCam??? Anyway, I'm making a straight Dragon Blood white wine but want to add some flavor after fermentation either in the form of a syrup or extract. Anyone have a specific brand suggestion of other ideas? TIA!

Hi Val, could it have been me when I spoke of using 8 oz. jars of Amoretti fruit concentrates? I add them for increased flavor during primary F. Good luck on finding what you are looking for!...............BTW.....................Just what is White Dragon's Blood?.............................Dizzy

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Hi Val, could it have been me when I spoke of using 8 oz. jars of Amoretti fruit concentrates? I add them for increased flavor during primary F. Good luck on finding what you are looking for!...............BTW.....................Just what is White Dragon's Blood?.............................Dizzy

It may have been you! I'll check those out

As for my white wine Dragon Blood...I make the DB recipe using all grapes instead of other fruits/berries. I've done it with Concord grapes (one of our favorites) and also with any other grapes that I get my hands on. This batch is being made from the grapes picked off my son's vine (we have no idea what the variety is ) but it comes out a pale, pale yellow.