Creating your own recipe

[kazoo20]

The first time I made wine I used a kit I purchased but wasn't really all too satisfied with it. I guess it was alcohol is all I can say. I've been thinking now Id like to try to make a recipe from scratch, also keeping costs down too. Just for experimental purposes to see what it would turn out like. I have read many people making a simple wine from welches white grape juice, no preservatives of course. I was wondering if anyone else has tried this and what there thoughts are on it ? Also, my main question here is if I used the white grape juice I was thinking of adding some flavorings too it such as like raspberry flavoring or blueberry flavoring or maybe a combination of some together. Winemakers depot. has different flavorings in 4 oz. bottles good to flavor 6 gallons of wine I was wondering if anyone has use them or what u think it would turn out like if I added these flavorings to wine made from the simple white grape juice ? Any tips you may have I do appreciate. I already know about the other additives to use but its the part of flavoring the wine Im not sure how to go about. How many flavors could I used together ? What flavors would work good together or is it best to just use a certain one alone?

 

[Minnesotamaker]

If you do some searching on this forum, you'll find that there is A LOT of experimenting going on. People have made wine out of just about everything you can imagine; not all of them turned out good. Things like candy cane wine, cola wine, coffee wine, hot pepper wine, kool-aid wine, horse radish wine, and chocolate wine have all been discussed here. You might check out Jack Keller's wine recipes, there are lots of ideas there.

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/recipes.asp

 

[roblloyd]

Give skeeter pee a try! It's cheap and works well and doesn't need aging. Huge hit with just about everyone. You can also do different types with concentrates.

 

[Airplanedoc]

I was thinking of adding some flavorings

Just use the Welchs White Grape Raspberry. I have a batch of Welchs white grape peach Mango fermenting now the previous batch was delicious.

There are plenty of options with Welchs. There are recipes to follow at Jack Kellers website. Just measure your own sugar

The fruit juice aisle at walmart will become very interesting to you next time you are there.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Absolutely browse the grocers or the discount marts for their line of frozen 100% juices. Pick a flavor and do it. Below is a link for my blueberry pomegranate wine from concentrate.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/blog.php?b=15

and yes there is a lot of experiments going on. Skeeter pee is a fantastic wine that's quick and simple. You can make a wine from concentrate and use the slurry for a s.p. 2 wines from 1 batch of juice. Just adjust for flavor.

Definitely use a hydrometer and follow the basic procedures.

Have fun and let us know what you choose.

 

[BobF]

A note(s) on Keller's recipes:
- Keller's recipes aren't all his

- A lot of people consider his recipes to be high ABV, low fruit flavor

- Read Keller's entire site. All req'd steps aren't incl. in all recipes

- Rather than add sugar and acid according to the recipes, measure and make additions according to your own targets.

 

[RedNeckWino]

Agree with BobF, don't be afraid to play with ideas. Any questions can always find an answer here.

 

[kazoo20]

skeeter pee and adding flavors

Give skeeter pee a try! It's cheap and works well and doesn't need aging. Huge hit with just about everyone. You can also do different types with concentrates.

The skeeter pee recipe caught my attention, I am curious though since lemmon is such a strong taste to begin with has anyone experimented with adding other kinds of flavoring to it ? What do you think of throwing in a can of 100% raspberry frozen concentrate to it ?

 

[Lizerdking]

I added a large bottle of cranberry blend (64oz, maybe more?) (100% Juice, mostly grape) to the last batch of SP, and didn't adjust the lemon juice at all.

You can barely taste the cran, but it made it pink

SP doesn't come out the acidic in the end, i wound up adding another 32oz of lemon juice when i was backsweetening.


I have yet to do a kit, so far i've done three batches from juice/fruit mixed together. They've all turned out to what i think to be tastey... Sangria-ish thing i made turned out rather well, and is very drinkable at only a month or so of ageing.

 

[TomMonger]

I recently bottled my 2nd batch of "Skeeter Pee" and it continues to be a huge hit! Simple, inexpensive and delicious!

 

[xcaret]

Yes experiment all you can, I'm sipping some peach wine ,it still has the sediment in the bottom of the 750ml bottle, and it tastes good to me.
My very first batch ever , about 2 months or so back I dumped some concentrated grape juice into a 2 1/2 gallon pail from dairy queen ( they are food grade and D.Q. sells em for a buck or so if you ask). I kinda guessed at what amounts to put in , cause I had no 2 1/2 gallon recipe. Anyway I made some real good wine, at least I think so. If you google "28 day wine" you will probably find a recipe for the grape juice you are going to use. I agree with you ,the kits are more for conisuers and high class folks, Me ,I'll drink with the Indians any day. I would advise you of one thing, and thats write down the recipe you use and dates you started and added stuff and so on. That way you can reproduce what you made. This peach wine is tasting good ,I have no recollection of what exact amounts I put into the must etc. and I really dont care . I drink it cause I like the feeling of getting a bit of a buzz, I never liked the taste of store bought stuff and always mixed it with club soda ,but this home made wine seems to go down nice , and for me ,I'm not striving for perfection.
My 2 cents worth, Neil