General fruit Wine question - canned juices

[Jblyth]

Please forgive my 'newbie' question.
'Ive made some kit wine with great results, and want to take the plunge into fruit wine making. I'm curious however, about the canned fruit juices that are sold at the HB stores such as "Vintner's Harvest Elderberry Base". Are they worth the price (around $32) and do they make decent wine, or am I better off finding fresh or frozen fruit, crushing etc?

I realize that either way I'd need to find and follow some recipes which are wonderfully abundant in the forums and elsewhere.

Thanks

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

a lot of people have great results with the caned juice, just stick with the 3 gallion recipe on the can. Going with a 5 gallon will make your wine too thin.

 

[ARKRITE]

i am going to have a crack at tinned fruit wine, looks like using the three gallon rule best for starters but am concerned about what quantity of yeast and type, is there a simple rule of thumb.
any help or tips appreciated.
cheers me dears
big baz

 

[djrockinsteve]

Used them a few times. Agreed with Doug either use the 3 gallon version or as I did add some fruit to create a 6 gallon batch.

When all finished I get 5 plus gallons of good wine.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Here is a link to help you folks. It's one of my tutorials on here. If you add fruit remove around 1.050

The directions on the cans are a little vague.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f5/basic-juice-fermentation-wine-18266/

Don't be afraid to ask questions if you have any.

P.S. I didn't sulfite up front before adding yeast. All my fruit was frozen and clean.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

i am going to have a crack at tinned fruit wine, looks like using the three gallon rule best for starters but am concerned about what quantity of yeast and type, is there a simple rule of thumb.
any help or tips appreciated.
cheers me dears
big baz

One packet of EC-1118 will work well for you. As you progress along you can try other yeasts and see the difference they make.
One packet will do 6 gallons.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Hi, newbie here so don't take my word for things but based on my limited hands on experience and my reading knowledge it seems that the Lalvin EC-1118 yeast is one of the toughest yeasts out there. Easy to start and pretty much foolproof or fail proof in my own experience. I haven't used any other strains yet but am about to try. I have used that yeast without a single hitch on grape wine, dandy lion wine, sparkling apple cider, and currently elderberry. Touch wood, I have not had a 'stuck' fermentation or anything yet. Hope that was what you are asking rather than which yeast would yield you the best flavor, aroma or mouthfeel!

 

[Sammyk]

We added bananas to each Vinter's Harvest and made 3 gallons from one can. When we bottled we did some blending with other Vinter's Harvest because we did 2 kits each time. Peach and Red Raspberry was really good.

 

[BernardSmith]

I've used the cans to make gooseberry and rhubarb wine. I'm down to my last couple of bottles of the rhubarb and just about ready to bottle the gooseberry. No complaints from me. I would agree with the others on this thread. Go for 3 gallons and not 5. At $32 dollars for 3 gallons (15 bottles) it's a hair more than $2.00 a bottle.

 

[ARKRITE]

thanks for all the advice that sounds like the yeast for me,
i am not using a tinned fruit kit i am having a go using tinned fruit instead of fresh fruit as its not seasonal and i can get it cheap from work.