[rrawhide]

Now more questions on black currant wine. After reading and re-reading the posts on black currant it sure sounds good so will get one started. Ordered a VH base from George and ready to go.

I, too, will use Northern Winos recipe but still have couple of questions.

I have both EC-1118 and 71B-1122 yeasts - why should I pick one over the other?

I will be using 1 can of VH base and 2 bottles of red Grape concentrate then a friend, last night, gave me 25 little boxes of raisins. 25x1.5 oz gives a little over 2#'s. Since I have these, should I use also? What will this do, if anything? or will it conflict with the red grape concentrate?

The reference to adding sugar (on the VH can shows 12#) seems like way too much - Should I put in about 9# and let her go for awhile or just check the S.G. and add accordingly up to 1.090-1.095?

Thanx for your help and advice.
(gotta stay away from George's website (for a little while)- this will make 11 going now!!)(now I know what my wife means when she says "Sale - Sale - Sale" hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!

rrawhide

[grapeman]

Either of those yeasts will be fine. The currant flavor will overpower any nuances imparted by the yeast variety. I think I prefer the 71B-1122 myself but it will start slower. My favorite currant wine is one mixed half and half with cherry wine- but then I made 2 cans in the batch-too strong alone, but makes a GREAT mixer. Everybody liked it so much I dodn't get very many myself. I'm hoping I will get enough Black Currants this year to try a batch out of my own to see how it compare to the fruit base.


12 # sugar is probably too much if you add 2 cans concentrate. You have the right idea of starting conservatively and adding until it is where you want it.

[Wade E]

I would go with the 2 cans of concentrate and probably leave out the raisins. As for the sugar I would add all juices and check SG and then slowly adjust to reach your gravity as even 9 lbs might be to much.

[NorthernWinos]

The recipe on the cans are kind of out of whack.....they state too many cans of water and too much sugar...So keep your hydrometer handy.

We really like the wine with 1 can of fruit base and 2 bottles of red grape concentrate.....It's your wine,.....Do what you personally think you'd like to try....But...write it all down and see if you like it...then go from there on the next batch.

Good luck and keep us Posted on your venture.

[moose]

We are in the process of letting our Black Currant age with 2 oak spirals in it. Will start tasting next week. We used Northern Winos recipe as well. Ended up using approx. 9 to 9 1/2 lbs of sugar and ended up at a starting SG of 1.090. We did it the way everyone has suggested and kept our hydrometer handy and checked many times while adding the sugar mixture. Good luck, keep us up to date and add some pictures if possible.

[K&GB]

Moose,


What kind of oak are you using, and did you use a clarifier?


I've also recently finished fermenting a 4-gal batch. Used one can of the VH fruit base and one bottle of the red grape concentrate. Same yeast, and a starting SG of 1.085. The batch fermented slowly, despite temps in the high 70s. I racked andstabilized itthis past weekend. Very nice flavor.I plan to use a single medium toast american oak spiral for a few weeks.

[moose]

K & GB,


We used the American White Oak Medium Toast. Used both the spirals that were in the package. It will be 2 weeks tomorrow since I added the oak and it will be the first taste since adding. Looking forward to it. Waldo suggested the Medium Toast to match with the Black Currant as I have never done this part of wine making before.


We also used SuperKleer after the degassing.


Good luck with yours K & GB

[K&GB]

Thanks Moose. Good luck with yours too. Keep us posted.


Ken