Cherry wine here is what I did and a QUESTION

[Sammyk]

7 18 oz Smuckers Cherry preserves - could not find jam- melted down on low heat
8 cans of red cherries in water
above in a mesh bag

64 oz of white grape and cherry no sugar
4 quarts of water
6 teaspoons of pectic enzyme

OG 1.085 (NO sugar was used)

I have it in a 5-gallon pail (from deli) and it is a little over half full. I am not sure how much juice is being displaced by the mesh bag. Pretty expensive wine. Cost does not matter too much as long as it tastes good.

I would like to get it up to at least 3.5 to 4.5 gallons without too much additional expense.

I am thinking of adding more of the white grape/cherry. I don't mind the white grape because I doubt it will add much flavor.

I am open to suggestions

 

[Arne]

You mite check the s.g. of the white grape cherry mix. Make sure it is around 1.085 also and you will not dilute your alcohol down. Arne.

 

[g8keeper]

well, i have noticed at my local wally world there is a 100% cherry juice in the dairy section that i am interested in making a wine out of....it's 5 bucks for a 1/2 gallon....just waiting til i have an extra 60 bucks laying around that i can invest and make a 6 gallon batch....comes in both sweet and tart cherry versions...

 

[Sammyk]

I will check out the cherry juice in the dairy case tonight. A gallon would put me volume wise where I would like to be. I wished I had thought to check the SQ of the white grape/cherry but I didn't. The label says no sugar...

Great suggestions and I do appreciate it.

 

[g8keeper]

I will check out the cherry juice in the dairy case tonight. A gallon would put me volume wise where I would like to be. I wished I had thought to check the SQ of the white grape/cherry but I didn't. The label says no sugar...

Great suggestions and I do appreciate it.

hey, no problem sammy.....like i said, just waiting til i have the extra cash to do an all juice version myself....

 

[Sammyk]

LOL, I am not a shopper, I have a list and get what I need and am out the door. I never spend time looking around unless I am looking for something specific.

I did see a post about cherry juice in MI (where I am from originally) and that was $47.00 for 2 quarts that makes 2 gallons, shipping included. I thought about it last night. I have been picking up the canned cherries a few each week because they were pricey.

 

[g8keeper]

LOL, I am not a shopper, I have a list and get what I need and am out the door. I never spend time looking around unless I am looking for something specific.

I did see a post about cherry juice in MI (where I am from originally) and that was $47.00 for 2 quarts that makes 2 gallons, shipping included. I thought about it last night. I have been picking up the canned cherries a few each week because they were pricey.

i'm not necessarily a shopper either....lol....i work at a supermarket, but well, when i can get a better deal some place else, i'll go there...(shhhh....don't tell my boss....lol...)...but anyways, i happened to be there looking at juices i could make an affordable wine out of, and i happened to spot the cherry juice....my eyes lit up and the lightbulb went off....lol...i'm from, and still currently in michigan as well, but unfortunately cherry country is in the northern part of the state....and the concentrate you are talking about definitely sounds pricey....but i remember back when i was with a club about 5 years ago, it still cost about 60 bucks for enough fresh cherries, pitted and destemmed, to make a 5 gallon batch....i think this juice might be a good alternative from wally world...

 

[DoctorCAD]

...I wished I had thought to check the SQ of the white grape/cherry but I didn't. The label says no sugar...

SG is NOT a measure of sugar (brix is) it is only a measure of how much thicker a fluid is compared to water. That thickness CAN be sugar or anti-freeze or ants or sand. SG doesn't care.

We use it for sugar because thats what wine generally has added to it. The juice (no sugar added) still has sugars in it from the cherrys, so it would have a high SG.

 

[Sammyk]

Ken I know the area where you live. My sister lives in Sterling Heights. I was born and raised in Rochester and our garden center was in Ortonville. Moved here in 2000 when we got fed up with winter. When our girls were little we vacationed in the Traverse area during cherry season.

Doctor Cad, that is why I measured the SG. I know jam/preserves has a lot of sugar. I was surprised it did not need ANY sugar though especially with the canned cherries in water.

It was an interesting recipe I came up with and hopefully a wonderful wine.

 

[Sammyk]

OK I bought 96 oz and 64 oz white grape/cherry/ SG is 1.050. Can some one help me with the math please? I would like to add both bottles but am not sure how it will taste because that is a lot of juice.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Julie]

the 96 oz and 64 oz together? Add whatever you want, you are not going to go over 1.085. Put the amount of juice in to bring the level up to what you want, then take a reading and now add sugar to bring the sg up to the 1.08 level.

 

[Sammyk]

It only took about half a quart of inverted sugar and I added both bottles. Added some and tasted, added more juice and tasted. So it still tasted like cherry.

I keep inverted sugar in the fridge in quart jars and used 1/2 quart to get the sg to 1.080

Thanks again Julie!

 

[stujol]

LOL, I am not a shopper, I have a list and get what I need and am out the door. I never spend time looking around unless I am looking for something specific.

I did see a post about cherry juice in MI (where I am from originally) and that was $47.00 for 2 quarts that makes 2 gallons, shipping included. I thought about it last night. I have been picking up the canned cherries a few each week because they were pricey.

I bought a gallon of pure cherry juice last fall for $10.00 at a fruit stand here in Michigan. I have not sampled or back sweetened yet but it smells wonderful. Probably will get to it this week, It has been ready for a while now, I've just been too busy. I think I am going wish I'd bought more.