Welch's recipe found - questions

I ran across this recipe and have started it, but I have a couple of questions as a beginner.


http://makinghomemadewineandbeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/welchs-grape-juice-wine.html

Question 1. He lists the yeast as 1/2 packet Cotes de Blanc and Narbonne. Does that mean that he mixed two yeast types together for the batch?

He mentions that the initial gravity was 1.10 and that then he racked January 12, 2003, Gravity was 1.020, 4 ounces of sugar, 1 campden tablet and potassium sorbate added..

Question 2. Does this likely mean that fermentation was complete, or did he stop the fermentation early and also sweeten, probably to taste, at the same time?


I'm guessing the campden tablet listed in the recipe list of ingredients is an initial tablet used 12-24 hours prior to pitching the yeast. At least, that's what I've done. In the morning, I'm going to use only Cotes de Blanc, as that is all I have.


Brian


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I ran across this recipe and have started it, but I have a couple of questions as a beginner.

http://makinghomemadewineandbeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/welchs-grape-juice-wine.html

Question 1. He lists the yeast as 1/2 packet Cotes de Blanc and Narbonne. Does that mean that he mixed two yeast types together for the batch? I would assume so also but mixing yeasts isn't the best idea since the dominate one with normally take control and over power the weaker one.

He mentions that the initial gravity was 1.10 and that then he racked January 12, 2003, Gravity was 1.020, 4 ounces of sugar, 1 campden tablet and potassium sorbate added..

Question 2. Does this likely mean that fermentation was complete, or did he stop the fermentation early and also sweeten, probably to taste, at the same time? Adding K-meta (campden tablet) and potassium sorbate to a active fermentation will not stop it. Adding the K-meta and sorbate only works to prevent fermentation from re-starting after sweetening. The addition of 4 oz of sugar to to a gallon of wine will raise the SG by roughly 0.012 so even it had completed fermentation to dryness it would not be enough sugar to raise the SG back to 1.020. It is possible he misplaced the decimal point and meant to write 1.002 instead of 1.020.

I'm guessing the campden tablet listed in the recipe list of ingredients is an initial tablet used 12-24 hours prior to pitching the yeast. At least, that's what I've done. In the morning, I'm going to use only Cotes de Blanc, as that is all I have.


Brian


Good luck and keep us posted!

I racked to the secondary today, so I took a few pictures. Not much in the bottom of the bucket....



Filled to the brim....I probably could have filled the 4-Liter Carlo Rossi, but I used my 1 Gallon from finevinewines.



The SG has dropped from an initial 1.092 down to 1.010, but it's still going.

Although I did finally break down and buy some potassium metabisulfate for sanitizing, I didn't mix it up today. So, this batch is probably my last batch done with bleach sanitization. I found a solution to how to soak some of the longer items. The only thing that doesn't fit in a wallpaper tray is my long plastic spoon.





Brian

6 gal Winexpert Selection Pinot Noir - Clearing
1 gal Welch's White Grape/Raspberry - Racked to secondary
2 1/2 gallon Peach from Oregon Fruit Products Fruit Puree - all ingredients bought from George and awaiting free vessels</font>

Welcome BrianD


Looks like you've got off to a good start and the Welches whitegrape &amp; Raspberry is a really good wine , I made 12 750ml bottles for our 50th wedding aniverery parte and it was a big hit along with the Welches concord grape.


Harry

Looks Great Brian, Did you use the Cotes Des Blanc? What was your
initial and tell me what your finished is when its done please.

The wine looks great and I love the wall paper tray idea.

I don't add campden to Welches or wait 24 hours, the juice is sterile allready and if you know your water is clean, I just pitch the yeast right away and have never had any problem, I just add campden and wait on fresh fruit wines. I do dip juice bottles or frozen cans in sanitizer in case any bacteria is on the outside of the package before opening.

wade said:

Looks Great Brian, Did you use the Cotes Des Blanc? What was your
initial and tell me what your finished is when its done please.

Click to expand...

Wade, I just stirred my secondary and the SG reading was 0.998. I plan on racking it into another jug tomorrow. Yes, 1/2 packet of Cotes Des Blanc.

I had bought the whip stirrer...the one with the little plastic bucket stopper that is all made out of plastic. I don't like it for the big carboy, but it is nice for the gallon jugs where you don't have to worry about the plastic-on-plastic friction.

I don't have much to compare things to yet, but compared to the Winexpert Selection Pinot Noir, this Welch's batch is a gas machine. Since I moved it to the secondary there have been steady CO2 bubbles running up the side and forming a collar of foam at the neck. The airlock has been burping almost every minute. When testing today, if I tapped the bottom of the hydrometer vessel on the counter, a lot of bubbles would be generated and quickly rise to the surface. Even though I took out a full wine glass from the jug before stirring, I generated several foam fountains in my carelessness.

I forgot to taste it, but from licking out the hydrometer it tastes pretty good....

My peach nectar batch was at 1.022 (from 1.090 on 4/13/2007) and is fermenting pretty slowly. Probably partly because I only used the other 1/2 packet of Cotes Des Blanc from the above batch for this 2.5 gallon batch. I've only stirred it about every three days though instead of daily. I gave it a good stir today and hope to move it to the secondaries this weekend. Two Carlo Rossi 4 liter jugs.

Anybody have any suggestions as to how best to rack it? I see that it is quite clear in the top half and then progressively murky from that point down. I'm not real clear on what I want to leave behind under those circumstances.

Brian


Edited by: BrianD