Adding flavor extracts to Niagara???

[blueflint]

I am finishing a batch of Niagara wine (Welch's concentrate) for my son's upcoming wedding. Everything has went smooth, it has cleared, had k meta and sorbate added and has been back sweetened to 1.006. Ph is 3.6 and acid is 0.75%. It seems a little flavorless though. I used 3 1/2 cans of concentrate per gallon as I have done in the past. I am thinking about adding a small amount of fruit flavoring, either strawberry or peach. Has anyone tried these flavors with a Niagara?

Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[grapeman]

I have never seen a Niagara come out flavorless. It may just need some time in the bottle. I'm not sure how adding unnatural flavors would work.

 

[Runningwolf]

Can you simmer another Niagara concentrate down on the stove and just add that or maybe just a partial can?

 

[Julie]

I really hate to say this because JohnT is going to be all over this BUT a Welch's Niagara really does not have a lot do flavor. You really need to do a niagara that is made for wine making. Try getting a concentrate from home winery.com

And in the meantime, I think either the strawberry or the peach would be good to add.

 

[grapeman]

I'm used to making Niagara from grapes and it is always full of flavor.

 

[Julie]

I did a batch with Welches, one with Homewinery and one with Walkers. The one from Walkers had the best flavor, hands down.

Not sure how Welches processes their garages, but I believe Homeinery uses seconds to make their concentrate and Walker's, well it is just straight juice.

 

[blueflint]

I have made a couple other batches of Welch's Niagara before, but they were the white Niagara + Peach. These came out with a nice Niagara flavor...no peach though but made a very nice wine.

This time I used straight Welch's Niagara. Everything has went smoothly with fermentation, etc. It has no Niagara flavor and has a tartness to it. I back sweetened it just a little, maybe helped balance it some. It is hard to put my finger on it, maybe more of a sour than tart, like a Grapefruit. Nose is pretty good. I am trying to balance it out then get a little more flavor in it before I bottle it.

I might try to reduce a can of Niagara concentrate, add a little of this and see what happens but I am worried about concentrating the acids too......Any other ideas?

 

[Julie]

I have made a couple other batches of Welch's Niagara before, but they were the white Niagara + Peach. These came out with a nice Niagara flavor...no peach though but made a very nice wine.

This time I used straight Welch's Niagara. Everything has went smoothly with fermentation, etc. It has no Niagara flavor and has a tartness to it. I back sweetened it just a little, maybe helped balance it some. It is hard to put my finger on it, maybe more of a sour than tart, like a Grapefruit. Nose is pretty good. I am trying to balance it out then get a little more flavor in it before I bottle it.

I might try to reduce a can of Niagara concentrate, add a little of this and see what happens but I am worried about concentrating the acids too......Any other ideas?

Reducing the concentrate is a good idea.

 

[Turock]

We do a lot of blending with Niagara---but made from grapes. However, a couple of our blended flavors are done with concentrates. So why not just take a couple--or maybe as many as four--cans of the Niagara concentrate and add to the wine? You haven't backsweetened it too much, so the added sweetness of doing this may be OK. But if you like it drier, it might make it too sweet for you. But adding concentrate at bottleing will always increase the flavor.

Julie---I'd also be interested in how Welch's processes their garages!!! LOL--it's always great when spelling mistakes work out so well!!

 

[Kraffty]

Just this weekend I simmered a jar of smuckers apricot preserves with 2 cups of sugar and wine then strained and chilled to drop some of the solids out. Added it with some additional pectic enzyme to a niagara concentrate. I think it improved the taste, it gave it a very subtle fruit flavor. Will taste again next weekend and see.
Mike

 

[blueflint]

I added 1 can of Welch's White Grape Peach concentrate and that made a good difference. I think I am ready to bottle. thanks, Tony