Wine from fruit fillings.

[dizzyswimmer]

I told someone at work they could make Blueberry wine from Oregon canned fruit. I gave her a pack of yeast & the recipe. She bought Lucky Leaf instead of the Oregon. She said the yeast didn't want to start it so she thru in some bread yeast . I know this fruit filling is much different from the one I told her to use. She has 6 gallons going in a primary that I loaned her. I don't even know if you can really ferment the lucky leaf fillings. I told her I would post this and see what others thought. Hope she doesn’t have to pour her money down the drain.

 

[smurfe]

Was it fruit filling such as blueberry pie filling or blueberries packed in water in the can? The pie fillings contain sorbate if I remember correct and other fillers and are not suitable for wine. The bread yeast was a bad idea as well and will probably not ferment the wine to a suitable alcohol level. It is a much weaker yeast than the average wine yeast. It goes to show that you should have a plan before you make your wine. They will probably be dumping this wine although I hope it works out for them.

Smurfe

 

[dizzyswimmer]

Yes, it was a blueberry pie filling. I don't know why she bought it she said it was $.23 cheeper per can. That is going to be a mighty expensive lesson. The Oregon caned fruits are very similar to the Vinters Harvest. These pie fillings are some nasty goo with a few berries thrown in. I think it is a doomed project. Thanks for the input Smurf.

 

[smurfe]

You are correct. The Oregon Fruit is quite suitable for wine. My retailer sells it in his shop. Just keep on making wines the right way and let your friend live and learn. If she wants to learn how to make wine, have her sign up here so she can ask questions and get answers for situations like this. It might of stopped her from opening those cans and she could of took them back for the right stuff.

Smurfe

 

[Caplan]

Canned fruit fillings (as I can buy in the UK in supermarkets etc) can be used for making wine as long as they don't contain any preservatives other than ascorbic acid and are just chopped or whole fruits (cooked or not), sugar and water as Smurfe mentioned.

The fact wine yeast didn't start to ferment indicates it may have been heavily preserved, however without knowing exactly what's in 'lucky leaf' cans I can't comment further.

The one tip I will say with canned fruit products (i.e. not sold as a wine making ingredient) is be careful with pectin.
It's what (with heat) 'sets' fruit and sugar into jams/conserves/jelly (I'm not sure what the US term for it is!) - But NOT needed in wine.
It makes for a cloudy wine that won't clear easily. Use pectinase (pectin destroying enzyme) in the primary (1tsp per gallon) to ensure you get a clearer finish.

 

[smurfe]

Caplan, are you referring to fruit fillings packed in water? Yes, you can use those. I don't know if you have Hostess Fruit pies over there but if you do, the filling inside those is the fruit it sounds like they used. It is heavily preserved with Sorbate as well as the gelatin that thickens the fruit. The Oregon fruits are basically while fruit in water. I to am not sure about the Lucky brand.

Smurfe

 

[dizzyswimmer]

Well she dumped it. She will start over with the correct cans.

 

[smurfe]

I normally encourage someone to ride the wine out and see what develops, but that one sounded doomed from the beginning.

Smurfe

 

[Caplan]

It is heavily preserved with Sorbate as well as the gelatin that thickens the fruit.

The canned fruit fillings I know that can be used for brewing may contain pectin but don't have sorbates or contain gelatin - that's a definate NO!

 

[bloomd]

i just got some cans of blueberry pie filling from the dollar tree store... i figured what the hell its only a dollar and 3 cans to do a 1 gallon test batch ... why not... ingredients read blueberries, water, sugar, vitamin c... so everything in there should be ok to ferment... i guess buying the cheap stuff sometimes means that they didnt spend the money on preservatives... ill let y'all know how it goes

 

[bluesok]

Quick question I have a blueberry pie filling that I thought about using, then I found this forum. Would it be ok if the ingredients read

Blueberries
Water
Sugar
Modified corn starch
Salt
Citric acid

Just wondering if I need to go and exchange or if it would be safe to use.

 

[dralarms]

Quick question I have a blueberry pie filling that I thought about using, then I found this forum. Would it be ok if the ingredients read

Blueberries
Water
Sugar
Modified corn starch
Salt
Citric acid

Just wondering if I need to go and exchange or if it would be safe to use.

Sounds like it would be fine.

 

[cmason1957]

Quick question I have a blueberry pie filling that I thought about using, then I found this forum. Would it be ok if the ingredients read


Modified corn starch
Salt
Citric acid

Just wondering if I need to go and exchange or if it would be safe to use.

Modified corn starch may be an issue. I don't really know what that means, but corn starch doesn't seem like an ingredient that should be in wine.

 

[bluesok]

Sounds like it would be fine.

Thank you for a quick response to my question I'll have to check with hubby, again thanks for all replies

 

[Johnd]

Modified corn starch may be an issue. I don't really know what that means, but corn starch doesn't seem like an ingredient that should be in wine.

Isn’t the starch is like a sugar, and will be converted to alcohol by the yeast, but it needs to be broken down first?

 

[Rice_Guy]

modified corn starch means: a cross linked waxy (high amylopectin) starch, this has been chemically modified in a alkaline solution of dimethyl sulfoxide (which is however toxic, but washed out) such that it WILL NOT break down in a retort at 121C in an excess water acidified environment.

have a blueberry pie filling that I thought about using, . . Would it be ok if the ingredients read: Blueberries, Water, Sugar, .......Modified corn starch. .....Salt, Citric acid
Just wondering if I need to go and exchange or if it would be safe to use.

* pie filling is not efficient, you will get more flavor by using a Vinters Harvest fruit purée from the wine toys store.
* the cross linked starch is food grade so it will not kill you, it will increase the viscosity much the same as if you added gum Arabic, when used at normal percentage it will make a cloudy looking solution, it should be possible to remove this with amylase (beer enzymes)
* we usually don’t add salt to wine
* canned fruit where there is piece identity ALWAYS has a liquid filled with it, it is not efficient for flavor unless it is fruit juice. Metal cans are processed at 121C, there is a lot of flavor breakdown in the retort.

If I was looking for an inexpensive berry flavor I would start with frozen juice concentrate (Old Orchard/ Welches/ etc)

 

[BernardSmith]

I am curious. I would have thought that pie fillings would have had added pectins but there is apparently no mention of this in the list of ingredients you posted. I wonder if the modified corn starch is used to thicken the fruit so it acts more like a jam rather than a juice in the pie?

 

[Rice_Guy]

Starches that are called “waxy” have a long texture (AKA snot like). They never set up to form a firm gel like a wheat or long grain rice. Pectin has some ability to gel with time but break the structure when shear is applied (ie thixotropic)

thought that pie fillings would have had added pectins but . . .I wonder if the modified corn starch is used to thicken the fruit so it acts more like a jam rather than a juice in the pie?

Pectin in a pie would become thin if it was stirred, might also in shipping. I am not aware of any pie filling with pectin.
Home pie makers should always use a non modified starch (I blend 1:1 waxy & normal). Canning with an acidic fruit hydrolyzes much of the chain into glucose syrup (like corn syrup) Which is thin (low viscosity) therefore ADM chemically changes the structure, (with epichlorohydrin? gosh that was 30 years ago)

A side note on wine; pectin is extracted from the cells with heat. In making wine (clear juice) my preference is always minimize turbidity and freeze test fruit. Rarely do I use heat before pressing (metal cans &jars of fruit are heated).

 

[Scooter68]

Sounds like folks need to do a little research It only takes a few seconds to find appropriate answers.
I've watched my wife and others add cornstarch when cooking so...

I googled* "what does corn starch do in gravy"

First result was: How to Thicken Gravy With Cornstarch, Flour, and More

Believe that should answer the posters question about is it safe.
* Actually I use Duck Duck Go but you get the idea.