First Concentrate

[s w]

After several batches of fruit and kit wine I've decided to try a wine concentrate. The general directions that came with the concentrate don't say whether or not to stir during primary or note the use of K-meta for anything. I've been stiring all my musts at least once daily and haven't had a problem, in fact, stiring seemed to get rid of a couple of off oders. I always add K Meta at bottling.
Are there any tips or considerations that would be helpful as I start this new winemaking endeavor? I'm appreciative of all the feedback I've received from members and everyone's response has been very helpful in building my knowledge and confidence base.
I am contacting the supplier, Homewinery.com. for additonal directions as well.

 

[s w]

After several batches of fruit and kit wine I've decided to try a wine concentrate. The general directions that came with the concentrate don't say whether or not to stir during primary or note the use of K-meta for anything. I've been stiring all my musts at least once daily and haven't had a problem, in fact, stiring seemed to get rid of a couple of off oders. I always add K Meta at bottling.
Are there any tips or considerations that would be helpful as I start this new winemaking endeavor? I'm appreciative of all the feedback I've received from members and everyone's response has been very helpful in building my knowledge and confidence base.
I am contacting the supplier, Homewinery.com. for additonal directions as well.

Homewinery.com has responded with clarification. First thing is that the concentrate already has been K Meta'd so just pour it in. And stirring isn't necessary with a concentrate. "Dawg" , (Thank you!) recommended Homewinery.com as a resource for wine making and they have been great. Ordered this morning and it's already shipped and very affordable prices and shipping. In a few days I'll be onto the next winemaking adventure with concentrates. And another strawberry in the bucket.

 

[hounddawg]

Homewinery.com has responded with clarification. First thing is that the concentrate already has been K Meta'd so just pour it in. And stirring isn't necessary with a concentrate. "Dawg" , (Thank you!) recommended Homewinery.com as a resource for wine making and they have been great. Ordered this morning and it's already shipped and very affordable prices and shipping. In a few days I'll be onto the next winemaking adventure with concentrates. And another strawberry in the bucket.

check out www.colomafrozen.com click on products then on both brewers and vintners as well as concentrates
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

the lower site is all single fruit, as soon as my apple is done I'm doing a peach and a pear, that's if i don't run out of carboys, i can't buy more carboys unless i demo the wall that's between 2 bedrooms, and that other bedroom is full of some really nice tools, which means I'd need to pull up a 48 foot convex to put my tools in, but if i build shelving above my carboys and keep my carboys up higher beings i run everything through a special carboy, so bottling would not be a problem, FMAR, there is no end to my addiction to crafting more wines and bulk aging, Grrrrr, WMT is killing me, lol.
Dawg

 

[Darrell Hawley]

the lower site is all single fruit, as soon as my apple is done I'm doing a peach and a pear, that's if i don't run out of carboys, i can't buy more carboys unless i demo the wall that's between 2 bedrooms, and that other bedroom is full of some really nice tools, which means I'd need to pull up a 48 foot convex to put my tools in, but if i build shelving above my carboys and keep my carboys up higher beings i run everything through a special carboy, so bottling would not be a problem, FMAR, there is no end to my addiction to crafting more wines and bulk aging, Grrrrr, WMT is killing me, lol.
Dawg

Dawg, did you ever get around to try brown sugar with cherries or another fruit ? We talked about it earlier this year. I'm going to try another round of it next year when the cherries get ripe around here in Wisconsin.

 

[Scooter68]

As Dawg said beware - Homewinery is mixing the fruits. Their grapes varieties may not be mixed but they don't state what is in them so they could be mixing grape varieties. Other fruits like Blackberry, Black Raspberry etc are mixed - Grape juice/extract and ? And there is no indication nor have they stated what percentages they are mixing. AVOID them if you can. I've made one batch with their stuff and it will be my last batch - horribly weak and not a true black raspberry taste - you can taste the grape juice in it. If I wanted a blend I would do it myself I would NEVER allow someone else to do that.
Their labels were so poor that they apparently got cited by the state of Michigan for it - no idea if or when they will fix that.

 

[hounddawg]

HUM , with single depth shelving at bare minimum i could add at least 12# more 6-gal carboys on the 14 inch deep shelving leaving me room to put a toe strip/bull noise.... so nothing could vibrate off the shelf, that would be closing in on 40 carboys, OH MY GAWD I'M SO TWISTED,,,, being single I've already started using the living room to store bottles of wine, shoot that leaves me with plenty, utility room, kitchen .dining room, master bedroom and 2 complete bathrooms,
Dawg

 

[winemaker81]

A few tips:

The difference between a kit and a concentrate, is the kit contains all consumables necessary to make a batch of wine. The concentrate typically is just the fruit, e.g., the bag inside the kit. In general, concentrates can be made using the same process as kits with the exception that you need to buy the K-meta, sorbate, fining agent(s), etc separately.

During fermentation, stir the wine every day. If there is a cap (from fruit, grape or otherwise), push the cap down and break it up. Bacteria and mold can grow on the cap if it isn't broken up. If the wine is juice, stirring is still good. I read recently that the fruit solids which precipitate can start rotting relatively quickly, so stirring the wine prevents this from occurring during fermentation.

Fermentation does not take a set amount of time. The duration depends on the fruit, the sugar level, the yeast, the temperature, and a number of lesser factors. The hydrometer tells you when fermentation is done, e.g., for most fruits the SG is below 0.998 and has not changed for several days.

After fermentation, the time frames in the kit instructions are minimums. Everything can go longer -- some folks bulk age kits for 12+ months. A 4 week kit does NOT have to be bottled on day 28.

 

[hounddawg]

A few tips:

The difference between a kit and a concentrate, is the kit contains all consumables necessary to make a batch of wine. The concentrate typically is just the fruit, e.g., the bag inside the kit. In general, concentrates can be made using the same process as kits with the exception that you need to buy the K-meta, sorbate, fining agent(s), etc separately.

During fermentation, stir the wine every day. If there is a cap (from fruit, grape or otherwise), push the cap down and break it up. Bacteria and mold can grow on the cap if it isn't broken up. If the wine is juice, stirring is still good. I read recently that the fruit solids which precipitate can start rotting relatively quickly, so stirring the wine prevents this from occurring during fermentation.

Fermentation does not take a set amount of time. The duration depends on the fruit, the sugar level, the yeast, the temperature, and a number of lesser factors. The hydrometer tells you when fermentation is done, e.g., for most fruits the SG is below 0.998 and has not changed for several days.

After fermentation, the time frames in the kit instructions are minimums. Everything can go longer -- some folks bulk age kits for 12+ months. A 4 week kit does NOT have to be bottled on day 28.

Amen

Dawg