Caution about Alexanders Wine Concentrates

The product may be first rate but the advertising I've read is missing facts/misleading. They list the other ingredients needed EXCEPT for Sugar. It's a shame that all sellers I looked at had a list of other ingredients needed but failed to list sugar as one of them.

Adding sugar to grape wine is considered undesirable and is in fact forbidden for commercial wines in a number of countries and the state of California. Perhaps that's why sellers fail to mention that. Don't know but on the producers site and on the container sugar is listed as needed.

I'm not saying that needing sugar for this product to work right is a bad thing but come on when you list the "other things you'll need", why leave off the sugar? It's not a high cost thing - it really comes down to integrity of a seller's advertising.

No need for sugar, just add more concentrate.

I am not really sure, but if it is a concentrate, wouldn't it just be the grape juice with no additions, then simmer down or however they concentrate it? If so, the ingredient grape juice would contain whatever sugar was in the juice. Now it is up to you to measure it (with your hydrometer) and dilute it to whatever s.g. you wish to start with. Don't forget the ph/acid check also. Arne.

Its like 68 Brix so there is plenty of sugar. You may need two cans to make 6 gallons.

Can directions AND manufacturer's site ALL say add sugar even with 2 cans for 5 gallons. Additional sugar needed.

Again not a BIG deal but misleading.

Did the math:
1 can for 2.5 gallons on one site. (or 2 cans for 5 Gallons )
128oz (1 gal.) x 2.5 gals = 320oz / 46oz (qty in 1 can) = 7 (6.95 rounded up)
68 brix / 7 = 10 brix (9.71 rounded up)
10 brix = ABV of 5.2% Not going to work!

So ya gotta add sugar. Can directions use "cans of water" of 11 1/2 cans and Sugar amount of 5 cups for a 2 can, 5 Gallons batch


End result = I'll shoot for 2 galls finished and add sugar to get to 12% ABV. It should be fine but for a totally newcomer it could cause problems.

I chose this product based on price and fair-good reviews. Don't have my own vineyard here - still fighting deer and Japanese beetles to get grape vines established. Wine kit = too pricey and batches larger than I want. (Yeah I'm tight with the $ and short on space to work with)
IT will work just have to adjust. (note: I normally work with SG and pH (Electronic) vs Brix and Titration kit)

(Arne - They may have concentrated it but the sugar is still low for that much dilution)

Thanks for comments one and all - Always learning and open to new ideas!

The following recipe was taken from eckraus.com. Ultimately, the amount of concentrate and sugar is variable based on the level of body desired (as well as cost) of the finished wine. Some people desire a light bodied low cost wine, but the recipe below is for maximum impact, at least to the extent of the concentrate quality.


Type of Wine: Old Country Style, Red Wine, 12.5% Alcohol
Aging Time: 1 Year
Cans of Concentrate: 4
Cans Water: 9
Sugar: 0
Acid Blend: 0
Yeast Nutrient: 4 tablets or 4 tsp.
Pectic Enzyme: 3 tablets or 3 tsp.
Grape Tannin: 3 tsp.
Yeast: 1 pkg. All-purpose
Starting Specific Gravity: 1.096

See more at: http://www.eckraus.com/wine-making-alexander-directions#sthash.Cm9z1tO3.dpuf

Another thing to always remember, don't just dump in the amount of sugar that the recipe calls for, use your hydrometer. Recipes are to be guidelines not set in stone rules.

Julie said:

Another thing to always remember, don't just dump in the amount of sugar that the recipe calls for, use your hydrometer. Recipes are to be guidelines not set in stone rules.

Click to expand...

That's what the old hydrometer is for right? With most of my wine I aim a little high on the ABV - between 12-16%. This was just a little disappointment / bump in the road for an "easy" batch in new realm for me - Grape wine instead of Berry/fruit wines.

I've done 2 other wines from concentrate, Apricot (meh) and Black Currant (Love it even at 4 months!!!) The first, Apricot, just isn't yet a flavor I enjoy as much but time will tell on it. The black currant was done as a stouter dessert wine with an ABV of 16.75% and final SG of 1.004 I Reduced the batch size on both to increase the body - followed suggestions of others who reviewed those particular concentrates. I also use 4 liter carboys (Carlo Rossi bottles) From the local recycling center and that give's me at least a couple of glasses of 'new wine' after bottling. Again all measurements are adjusted to the actual needs of that batch instead of just blindly following recipes.

Acid levels are a little tougher for me than the SG levels because the different fruits very so much in their 'normal' acidity levels and acid types. I have just relied on a limited method with a good electronic pH meter but it's done pretty well for me. Every time I look into an alternate method (titration) the costs, materials, labor seems a bit much, but I'm still learning and open to improving my methods and of course improving the finished wine. No aspirations of competition, just trying to make wine that my family and friends can enjoy. Fruits of our homestead.

The nice thing is that I can't start any new wine right now since I'm limited to one arm while I recover from rotator cuff surgery. Even typing here is an adventure for a righty forced to go lefty for at least 4-6 weeks.

So inputs comments etc - are really appreciated as I have plenty of time to plan and reflect. Meanwhile my wines aging are getting a break from my hovering and eyballing them every week.