Concord grape wine

[Deafcone]

I have about 25 pounds of destemped and washed Concord grapes I want to make wine with? I'd like to make about 4 to 5 Gallons and backsweeten if needed to make a sweet wine. I will be using a 5 gallon Carboy. I plan on crushing the grapes and putting them in the Carboy.
Need help with the recipe. I don't know what the OG will be. All help is appreciated.
I have a list of questions. I've made wine in past but it's been 3 years so want to be sure I have it down right.

1) add crushed grapes to Carboy,
2) Dissolve sugar in water (1 to 2 pounds sugar per gallon of wine), add 4 crushed Camden tablets, then add to Carboy,
3) add water to bring to 4 gallon mark
4) stir grapes and water.
5) place airlock on Carboy
Is this right so far? Also, how long do I let it rest before adding the yeast? 1-2 days?
Only plastic bucket I have is a bottling bucket with a spigot but no lid. So thought I'd use a Carboy.

Recipe:

25 pounds grapes
4 to 6 pounds sugar
Water to bring to 4 or 5 gallons
Yeast energizer
Campden tablets pre and post fermentation
Wine yeast
Grape concentrate to backsweeten

Advice??????

 

[garymc]

I vote for using the bucket. You need to be able to stir and punch down the cap (floating hulls and stuff.) You can lay a towel over the opening of the bucket to keep insects out. The initial stage of fermentation needs oxygen, and you want to press it and transfer to the carboy near the end of the initial brisk fermentation. When the sg gets below 1.030, more or less, the fermentation will start to slow and it won't be as likely to blow through the airlock on the carboy.

 

[kevinlfifer]

Absolutely use the bucket. I would not use water, but get concord juice or concentrate to get to the desired volume. Cover with a towel and siphon it out to the carboy. I would use a 5 gal paint strainer bag (from Home Depot) to contain the grapes. You can force it down and squeeze it (massage it) by hand as its fermenting. When its time to remove the bag of remaining skins it will wring out to about 4-5 lbs if that.

 

[Deafcone]

Ok, here's what I did, aiming for 2.5 to 3 gallons of wine. Used a recipe I found as basis for mine.

25 pounds crushed Concord grapes
1 gallon hot water
1.25 pounds sugar
2.5 crushed Camden tablets
1 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient
2 1/2 tsp pectin enzyme

Sanitized bucket with iodophor
Grapes are in cheesecloth, tied off, in bucket.
OG is 1.070, maybe higher, hard to stir as grapes in cheesecloth take up most of room.
Lid with airlock is on bucket.
Will add cuvée yeast in about 24 hours

 

[menerdari]

I have not done it myself but I have heard of others taking the bag out and squeezing it and put it in a clean bowl while you stir, then place the bag back in.