Welches (I tried, but...)

So I made a 1 gallon batch of welches back in May, cleared, added 1/4 oz of dark American oak, back sweetened (to semi sweet), bottled.
I tired a bottle in July, did not like it.
Tried another last night, never made it past a second sip.
It is not that is was undrinkable, it was just that it is Concord grape.
I grew up drinking Manischewitz and welches tastes like a poor substitute.

So I gave my last few bottles to a friend who has started her own journey of wine making (oddly enough her 1st batch is welches).

But I just wanted I document that I tried it and have it my best go, but it just was not for me!



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John will be glad to have won one over. I have to say I have a batch of red made from my backyard table grapes. I added just one can of welches concentrate along with sugar getting the SG up. It's been over a year and that Welches flavor is still there.
Might have to dump this one.
Mike

you know i cant keep quiet here.

i have mixed feelings.. i feel bad about it not working out for you, but it all comes down to ingredients....

I think that 'welches' has its place: as sangria
Really sweet or in sangria are the only way I can drink it.

Seriously Elmer, you tried it at one month and then at two months????????? I do not know of any wine that is going to taste good in that short of time.

I won't even try my concord until 10 to 12 months. The white I might try at 6.

Julie said:

Seriously Elmer, you tried it at one month and then at two months????????? I do not know of any wine that is going to taste good in that short of time.

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Even at 1 or 2 months, there was a taste that screamed "Concord"!!! And no amount of aging was going to turn it into a something that would drink over any of my big reds.

Like I said in the OP, I grew up on concord, I guess I should have known better.

But I tried!


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First off, Concord is an easy drinker, it is not a Big Red. Why would you compare it to that? And if you do not like concord wine why did you make some and then complain about it?

Julie said:

First off, Concord is an easy drinker, it is not a Big Red. Why would you compare it to that? And if you do not like concord wine why did you make some and then complain about it?

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I am not comparing one to the other, I am simply saying that under no circumstance would I open a bottle of welches instead of a big red.
If it was a hot day I would go with SP or a beer!

I like Concord grape, but as grape juice.
My problem with manischewitz was always it was either too sweet or dry. I was using this as an opportunity to make something in-between.
But alas it was simply not for me.

I also made it, because I believe you try everything once!
And my complaint was not as much a complaint against welches as it was an effort to dispel the myth found in another thread, where I was called a snob.

Like I said, I tried it. Not for me.
But I also like dipping Oreos in Guinness!
Not everything is for everyone!



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thank you, that explanation makes more sense.

I guess it is time I come clean on this, too. I made one batch of Concord (and one batch of Skeeter Pee, for that matter) a while back. Neither was horrible and neither will I ever try again. I did ferment the Concord to dry and bulk aged it with oak. I believe I back sweetened it with simple syrup to about SG 1.000. I also added about 5 pounds of frozen mixed berries (blueberry, red raspberry and black berry) in the primary fermenter. That ameliorated the heavy Concord taste quite a bit. I think I made about 30 bottles and there may be 5 or 6 left in the cellar. It is not bad on an afternoon to sip without food. The Skeeter Pee was from "Real Lemon" lemon juice. It was a nice summer cooler served over ice.

As Elmer said, it was educational and instructive to try it once and that was enough for me in both cases.

Need to stop oaking concord and try it.

Hmmmm. Oreoes inGuinness..... have you ever tried dipping a roastedmarshmallow in Bailey's?? Yum!

JohnT said:

Hmmmm. Oreoes inGuinness..... have you ever tried dipping a roastedmarshmallow in Bailey's?? Yum!

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Nope, but I did my wife read some recipe, from a food magazine that called for - roastin. A marshmallow, hallow out a portion of center and add a shot of khalua.

This was a horrific disaster. Kahulua did nothing but squirt to the back of your throat when you chomped on the marshmallow.
And the 2 flavors did not mix well.
My wife, myself and 2 neighbors all tried and agreed it was a failure.

I will give baileys a try!


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I don't remember ever drinking Manischewitz. However, I made two 1-gal. batches of wine from two different flavors of Welch's grape juice a year ago, and fermented them to dry. Last time I tried them, this summer, they tasted more like wine and less like must, so they ought to be good to drink in a month or so. At least I hope so.

Thought I would give this one a bump.

Ok, I'm an Aussie. We don't have Welch's over here...
Or so I thought, until I found a shop(USA foods in Moorabin). I found some Welch's Juice and got excited.
I don't know why. I don't know how you guys can drink that stuff. Yuk!!!

A bit like giving Vegemite (a yeast extract) to a "Yank" I guess. You have to grow up with it.

none wines???

I'm all for experimentation but Welch's???I'll just read about it.

WellingtonToad said:

Thought I would give this one a bump.

Ok, I'm an Aussie. We don't have Welch's over here...
Or so I thought, until I found a shop(USA foods in Moorabin). I found some Welch's Juice and got excited.
I don't know why. I don't know how you guys can drink that stuff. Yuk!!!

A bit like giving Vegemite (a yeast extract) to a "Yank" I guess. You have to grow up with it.

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You're preaching to the choir mate!

Welch's is made from the native American concord grape which has not had the benefit of all of those centuries of cultivation that European wine grapes have been given. The concord grape was first cultivated in the mid 19th century in New England (an area of the country that is cold, wet and not favorable to viniculture) from a mix of native American grapes that could stand the harsh conditions.

Concord really should be considered as table grapes since the typical range of Brix is between 14 and 17 and as a native American grape, the flavor (IMHO) has a lot left to be desired! Today, the largest portion of Concord grapes grown is turned into grape jelly to be used as a compliment to peanut butter on a white bread sandwich.

Welches grape juice was originally designed as a non-alcoholic alternative to wine (remember that this is America, land of prohibition) and was not ever meant to be fermented. Between cooking the grapes (yes they cook the grapes) and the additives they use, Welch's takes steps to prevent fermentation.

Please, as a son of the land down under, it is your duty to prevent this evil practice of fermenting Welch's from ever spreading to your shores!

Thank you to all who despise Welchs, it leaves that much more for us who love it.

I love the wine that I get from Welch's Concord Red and the Niagara White. It's a matter of taste. I love Finger Lakes' Wines and hate CA wines. So there ya go.