Wines from drinking juices, frozen concentrates?

[MrFruitwines]

I've got the wine making itch. I'd like to make a nice fruity reddish wine, but I've got an open mind. Almost anything other than the run of the mill "kit" wine will appease me.

I'm reading about people making wines from drinking juices and frozen juice concentrates. (Not to be confused with the real grape concentrates.)I'm intrigued by this, specifically making them from the frozen concentrates.

Its unclear to me from the other posts how successful people have been with using these products as wine bases. I'd like to hear from people that have made wines from drinking juices or frozen juice concentrates.

How did they taste ?

What recipe did you use ?

How long did they take to ferment and age ?

Confession time. I've only made one wine from a "kit", although in desperation I have another one fermenting right now. All my wines have been from raw fruit and I much prefer them that way. How does making wine from fruit juices or frozen concentrate compare to making wine from the real fruit or from a wine kit ?

Thanks

 

[MrFruitwines]

I'm kicking myself for not making wine from fruit this summer. We had a baby and I was a bit too busy to make wine when the fruit was available.

 

[Wade E]

I have few of the frozen concentrates bulk aging right now but have not
bottled or tasted one yet. I have made a Langers grape juice not from
concentrate and must say it tated like a Syrah. I have a Orange Banana
Strawberry , a Welches Niagara White Grape being oaked, and a Welches
Concord Melomel. Others say that they are excellent though and thats
why I'm trying some. I usually do the Vintners Harvest Wine bases which
are very good.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I'm kicking myself for not making wine from fruit this summer. We had a baby and I was a bit too busy to make wine when the fruit was available.

Just for fun try a Welch's Concord or Welch's Niagara using recipes from Jack Keller's web Site....


I have made 2 batch's of Concord...it's quite popular...I added two 500 mil of WinExpert Red grape concentrate to mine....but the next batch is going to be right by the recipe to see if there was much difference.Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Waldo]

I have never made any from just the concentrate but a friend of mine makes all of his wines exclusively from the concentrates and most of them are rally pretty decent wines. A little sweet for my liking but as he should be, he is making them to his liking.

 

[dizzyswimmer]

I'm starting 6 gallons of white grape/peach today. I'll try to post it's progress.

 

[pkcook]

MrFruitWines,


First off, WELCOME!


I've made wine from Welches Red Grape Juice and it tasted pretty much like a concord wine, but a little lighter in color. I've made a White Grape/Raspberry that was pretty good, but the raspberry flavor was light; it was still very good. I made acherry (Juicy Juice)that was pretty much the same as the raspberry, but the cherry was a little more notable. I made a gallon of Niagara and this I didn't like! I added oak and that may be what is turning me off. Others have raved about their Niagara, so I'm not the one to ask on this one. And I've made the White grape/peach (my personal favorite) and it turned out wonderful. All of these were from bottled juice except the last batch of peach. I made 6 gallons and used 5 gallons of bottled juice and added 4 cans of frozen white grape/peach concentrate for added flavor and BOY did it add flavor! I only have 2 bottles left of 30. You could use straight frozen concentrate to make it all. If you do, add an additional can or two without the added water to boost the flavor.


Bottom line is you can make some pretty good wine from this type of juice. What I have also tried is adding some canned oregon fruit to the mix (Cherry and raspberry)for some added body and flavor with very good results.


Give it a try and see how it works out. I usually make a gallon of something and if it is good, make a larger batch. Good luck!

 

[jsmahoney]

I am experimenting too with the frozen concentrates in gallon jugs. One is the Welches Red Grape recipe from FVW, in which I added an extra can of concentrated grape and a can of apple juice. I read somewhere that someone liked the apple in it. So, I thought I'd try it. (was afraid I'd end up with Morgan David wine too) not to my tasting.


The local store had frozen fruit on saleso I purchased several bags of raspberries and blackberries. I have a blackberry one gallon jug aging now. I think pkcook had some interesting batches going. the grape/peach sounds really good! I need some more carboys!

 

[Funky Fish]

I've made wine from welch's frozen niagra (white) and concord (red). I also have made a batch from Old Orchard's Apple-Strawberry-Kiwi. The last I entered into a contest where it received a bronze medal.


All in all, I'd say they make, at worse, a very palatable table wine. If your local supermarket has some on sale, I'd definitely recommend it. It's also a good bridge between making kit wines and making wine from fresh fruit or grapes.

 

[jojo]

My Naked Pomegranate/Blueberry juice wine is turning out better than most of the raw fruit wines I have made. It tastes wonderful - very aromatic and bright. I made my own recipe based on stuff learned from others here. It's still aging in bulk. I plan to leave it that way until at least next summer.

 

[Wade E]

So far I'm not crazy about any of the concentrate but I DO NOT like dry
wines either. AS a matter of fact I'm not crazy about any of my wines
until they have been sweetened up a little. But I must say that the
Orange Strawberry Banana and the Concord Melomel smell incredible.

 

[Funky Fish]

One thing about making wine from concentrates is that after it has fermented dry, you can stabilize the wine w/ k-meta and sorbate and then use some more concentrate to sweeten it back up as you prefer. Plus, the using the concentrate to sweeten (as opposed to using sugar) gives the added burst of flavor ofthe concentrate.

 

[NorthernWinos]

One thing about making wine from concentrates is that after it has fermented dry, you can stabilize the wine w/ k-meta and sorbate and then use some more concentrate to sweeten it back up as you prefer.  Plus, the using the concentrate to sweeten (as opposed to using sugar) gives the added burst of flavor of the concentrate.

Does it cloud the wines??? Have been thinking about adding some apple concentrate to apple wines at the end...?

 

[jsmahoney]

wadewade, I would like to know what recipe you used for the Orange, strawberry, banana wine. I think that would be a nice wine. I'm not real sure of myself when venturing out making wine, so I usually like to follow a recipe. My first venture at making wine from fresh raspberries ended up with a really nice gasoline tasting wine ( I boo booed!). Some said to throw it out, and others said to save it and give it time. I'm giving it time. I'm still looking at that gallon jug, wondering if it will every become more than jetfuel. But would like to try your Orange, banana, strawberry!

 

[CajunTim]

Northern, I added some to my apple wine night before last and I can not tell a deference at all. Mine is still as clear as before I added it. <at this time anyway>

 

[Wade E]

Jsmahoney

Orange Strawberry Banana Recipe

4-cans of frozen concentrate

Sugar to appropriate SG which for me was about 1.25 lbs. but always varies a little

1- campden tablet

1.25- tsp. acid blend

1.25- tsp. nutrient

4- drops of liquid pectic enzyme

.75 - tsp. yeast energizer

water to 1.25 gallon so that when you rack you still have a gallon

Red Star Cotes Des Blanc yeast to finish sweeter for me.

 

[dizzyswimmer]

Orange Strawberry Banana , Where did you find this concentrate? and who makes it? I'll try and find some.

 

[Wade E]

Oops I dble. posted.

Edited by: wadewade

 

[Wade E]

Local grocery store and its made by Dole.

 

[pkcook]

Hey dizzy,


Try visiting this place: http://www.brownwoodacres.com. These folks have pure concentrated fruit juice. I have used them repeatedly and have had nothing but good results.I've used Cherry, Raspberry, and Concord for wine and all have turned out very good. Onboth the Raspberry and Cherry winesIadded canned Oregon fruit to the primary; the concord I made strictly from the concord concentrate.Although a little on the high price side, the quality is incredible!