Frozen Concentrate vs Jam wine

[steviepointer]

hi all,
Tried searching, but couldn't find a related thread.

I would like to try making a cheap concord wine. I see some people do this from frozen concentrate and some from jams.

What is the difference in the end product?
Are there advantages to using either?

Thanks!

 

[Julie]

hi all,
Tried searching, but couldn't find a related thread.

I would like to try making a cheap concord wine. I see some people do this from frozen concentrate and some from jams.

What is the difference in the end product?
Are there advantages to using either?

Thanks!

I have made several jam wines but not concord and I have made concord plus other flavors from frozen concentrate. I not sure if there would be a difference except possibly price. One maybe cheaper to do than the other and one maybe more accessible than the other but I don't think there is much difference.

Hopefully someone who has done both can chime in.

 

[sjo]

I've done the frozen concentrate route and am currently trying to coax more fermentation from concord grape jam. The concentrate worked out very good. The concord jam does not seem to be working out. It has been fermenting very slowly and sometimes not at all. I've added more yeast, made starters, added yeast slurry, yeast nutrient and energizer and it is slowly moving towards sg 1.00. currently at 1.004. (3 months) Currently considering tossing this batch, but not because of the problems I encountered. Because this wine tastes like concord grape jelly. It has a strong jelly flavor that has not subsided or even diminished. I have ttried to think of ways to rescue it but am out of ideas. Ph 3.4 acid 7.5. Any thoughts befor it gets dumped. I can't imagine aging will diminish the jelly taste.
Scott

 

[djrockinsteve]

I started last night 6 gallons of a Blueberry Pomegranate from cans of Old Orchard frozen 100% juice. I used 12 cans and man is it potent. It smells great. I'll back sweeten with a can or two.

They also had cans of Kiwi Apple. I believe this will turn out good. I'll let everyone know. The cans were only about a $1.50 each.

 

[Racer]

I've done the frozen concentrate route and am currently trying to coax more fermentation from concord grape jam. The concentrate worked out very good. The concord jam does not seem to be working out. It has been fermenting very slowly and sometimes not at all. I've added more yeast, made starters, added yeast slurry, yeast nutrient and energizer and it is slowly moving towards sg 1.00. currently at 1.004. (3 months) Currently considering tossing this batch, but not because of the problems I encountered. Because this wine tastes like concord grape jelly. It has a strong jelly flavor that has not subsided or even diminished. I have ttried to think of ways to rescue it but am out of ideas. Ph 3.4 acid 7.5. Any thoughts befor it gets dumped. I can't imagine aging will diminish the jelly taste.
Scott

If you have carboy space consider using it for blending. If you dont add too much to another wine you can use it up with out dumping it. I make a 50/50 blend of concord grape wine and a cheap chardonay kit that doesn't taste bad at all. But I do agree with you concord wine can be a bit over the top with that grapey taste.

 

[Wade E]

I would say youll need a binch of pectic enzyme for using jelly diue to the use of the pectins to make it thick like that but Im just guessing here as Ive never done this before.

 

[Dennis_S]

The recipe I was going to use with jelly, calls for 5 tsp of pectic enzyme per gallon.

 

[rawlus]

do the wines made from jam/jelly end up with a more cooked fruit profile/flavor? i know that straight jam has a distinctly different, less fresh, more cooked taste than it's fresh juice counterpart - fruit for fruit.
never made either so i'm curious.

 

[arcticsid]

dj I have made lots of wine from frozen cons. O>Orchard is a good brand. I like DOLE and Hawaiis Own brands also. 12 cans may be a bit weak. I wouldn't use no less than 3 cans per gallon. (Take 3 cans and add enough water to make a gallon). Sugar is going to increase the overall volume in the fermenting bucket, keep that in mind.

I pay about the same and then the sugar cost($2.50/4#), so if you use 3 cans per gallon x 5 and roughly 8# sugar, you have 5 gallons for about $28.00, plus the chemicals(minimal).

Pretty good route to go, and good juice obviously will make you a pretty decent wine you can be proud of.