Welch's concentrate

[myakkagldwngr]

Just for S's & G's I started a batch from Welch's concorde concentrate. Well that and also because I didn't have anything fermenting now for almost a month. I had hoped to start a kit wine by now but with this recession, bills come first.
Anybody ever tried one from Welchs?
I don't even care if it turns out to be a batch of Mad Dod 20 20.

 

[Tom]

OMG ! ! ! ! ! !

myakkagldwngr do you realize you are going thru fermentation WITHDRAWAL ? ?

 

[MN-winer]

myakkagldwngr,

You can get a good recipe for Concord on Jack Keller's website

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques10.asp

 

[MN-winer]

Sorry - I gave you the wrong link

Here are the recipes using concentrate.

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques65.asp

 

[arcticsid]

I've made several batches of wine using frozen concentrate and it works wel, as long as it is 100% juice. I particularily like to use Dole, or Hawaiis own products. Pineapple Orange Mango from Dole was my very first wine and I have made it a couple times since. It's great. Usually runs about 2 dollars a can and I use 3 cans to make a gallon.

 

[myakkagldwngr]

Can you believe it...
Addiction in only four months.
Well I also like the fact that I'm drinking what I make.
The concentrate I used was 100% juice but I didn't use as many cans as you are talking about.
I know it's going good right now in the primary so I'll see what develops here a another couple days when I check it again for SG.
I know that the head in the primary is foamy and redish colored from the juice.
What the heck, you can't go wrong when you've only got about $20 in it.

 

[arcticsid]

It certainly is addicting, I am a full blown addict, and admit it. The gang in here has had a big influence on it. And I am thankful to them for it.

When using concentrate 3 cans to make a gallon is a good general rule.

Then of course, add the amount of sugar needed to bring it up to the SG you want.

As a general practice, this is what I do. It may not be correct but it has been working.

For 4 gallons, I add 3 tsp pectin enzyme and allow it to sit for 12 hours.

I add: 2 tsp yeast nutrient, 1/4 tsp Tannin, and 1/4 tsp Acid blend, and 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulphite and allow it to sit for 12 more hours. I then pitch the yeast (I have found Cotes de Blanc to be my yeast of choice), but yeast is a subject all on it's own, and one frankly I am not that familiar with.

I always ferment in a bucket with a cloth covering it and rack it to the secondary around 1.010.

Others may chime in and offer a more "qualified way", but I have made quite a few batches using concentrate using the above method and it has always worked.

Speaking of MD 2020, I like it when apple cider comes on sale, add enough sugar to get it up there around 18% PA, I use champagne yeast. This wine is definitely not a before, nor is it an after dinner wine!!LOL But it will get you whistling a happy tune.

Let us know how it turns out.

Troy

 

[St Allie]

since when are you not qualified Troy?

hehehe



you're our resident alaskan wine connoisseur!

Allie

 

[Tom]

myakkagldwngr ,
If you think YOU have the bug. Wait till you get Fresh Juice there and youstart making Fresh Fruit wines.

 

[myakkagldwngr]

I just want to you all to know that it's a pleasure getting hooked on something that is so much fun.
I appreciate all the advice I get and hope one day to make something that I can give to friends with pride, not just drink myself and sit back with that SEG on my face.

 

[Wade E]

I agree with the 3 cans per gallon. I made 2 batches of the Concord and 2 batches of the Niagara. The first 2 were 2 cans per and the taste was thin on both, especially the Niagara. The second was 3 cans per and was much better. I dont see myself making anymore at this point but if I did Id try 4 cans per gallon and cut down on the sugar.

 

[mmadmikes1]

or you realiize the 6 carboys you got last month are already spoken for and you need more....tomorrow of you will die of withdrawl

 

[patrick c.]

How hazy will this be if I leave out the pectic enzyme? Would there be any other problems besides haze?

 

[arcticsid]

I use concentrates simply because fresh fruit here can be so damn expensive. So I figure if I can spend $6/ga for the "base" I am within my budget. Sometimes you can find fruit here for a good price, $2/lb. or less and that too is affordable. A few months back we had peaches for $1.2/lb, I was able to buy enough to make 4 gallons and it was close to what frozen con would have costed. So if you're trying to keep the costs down and still have the pleasure of making your own, be flexible, wait for a sale, pop in here and look or ask for a recipe for that particular fruit. We'll steer you right.

When using concentrate or even premixed bottled juice, just make sure it is 100% juice, and read the label. You don't want to see "sulphite" or presevative in the ingredients. It can really inhibit the fermentation or prevent it alltogether. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is okay.

Don't hesitate to mix different flavors together. Experimentation is one of the fun parts about this hobby(addiction). Just look at some of the "strange" wines some in here make.

You can also use some fresh fruit and augment it with a concentrate or premixed fruit. There are certain procedures and steps in making your own wine, but there are no rules on what it can be made of. I was threatening to make wine out of grass clippings, just to show the doubters around me it can be done.

Good luck, have fun, be patient.

Troy

 

[Tall Grass]

I know a lot of people won't even consider wine made from Welch's as "real" but I've been making it for a while now and its my favourite, even more than the kit wines. It all comes down to ones personal tastes. I didn't grow up drinking $20 bottles of french cabernet so I think that has a lot to do with it.. but make sure the acidity level is in the correct range.

 

[myakkagldwngr]

Yep, personal taste is what it all comes down to. I really enjoy the blackberry I made, I would call it semi-sweet having added berries to flavor it two times.
But then I also like to enjoy a good glass of merlot or other store bought wine just to see what the others taste like.
With work so slow, wine making gives me something to do. At 54, you just can't chase the wife all the time.

 

[arcticsid]

MY, be sure not to make it too strong or drink too much of it or you may not be able to chase her at all!!! On the other side of the coin, as soon as you start taking over the house with carboys, equipment and bottles, not to mention that wonderful smell of fermenting wine, it may be you who is being chased!

If shes not a wine drinker already, better start finding a way on getting her hooked, just to be on the safe side.

Troy

 

[Midwest Vintner]

OMG ! ! ! ! ! !

myakkagldwngr do you realize you are going thru fermentation WITHDRAWAL ? ?

we had this same issue, but worse. 8 months and no wine at all.

now, in 2 weeks, we've made 5 batches. for a total of 32 gals for this year in that time! gonna do 20 more gallons before the end of the year. we've gotta make our quota of ~50 gal a year we normally make!

 

[Daisy317]

Regular, store bought juice concentrate is definitely cheap and takes less effort to do. I've used 1 can concentrate of Welch's with juicy juice instead of water (since it's so thin) for different flavors.

Being a recent-ish grad, I can attest to the fact that making your own wine can really save you money for more important things... like paying off all that college debt

 

[arcticsid]

"Cheap" sounds like just that. I think less expensive would give these wines more justice. I know there are some dedicate fruit and kit makers in here, and not to take anything away from that, but some really nice wine can be made from frozen concentrate or pre mixed juice. And all of is in't all that cheap. The dole brand I like to use is usually $2/can x 3 cans/gallon, thats $6 for a gallon of "base". Sometimes enough fresh fruit can be bought for that price to make a gallon of must. And not only that I like some of the exoctic flavors from dole, Pineapple/ Mango/ Strawberry,etc. For me here to buy enough of those 3 kinds of fruit to make a gallon could never be had for $6, so in defense of us who sometimes use these concentrates..."if it tastes good, do it!!!"
Troy