Help Needed: Wine from Fresh Grapes

[Winemanic]

Juice grapes are not the same as wine grapes, in fact, lots of wine grapes taste pretty bad as grapes.

If all you are trying to do is make alcoholic grape juice that tastes pretty good, you will be fine, but if you are expecting "wine" you will be disappointed with your results.

Hey Doc,

I would be as perfectionist as you if I lived where I could get all I needed. Unfortunately, I live where no wine grapes are cultivated; where wine is not made at all, except by creeps like me in their homes. I hope you understand I am trying to make the best of what I can get.

I am sure you would agree a carefully made drink from fruit is not the same as hooch.

Cheers!

 

[Winemanic]

Keep experimenting and keep us posted on your progress. As for freezing, it damages the cells by bursting as the water expands so I guess in theory it will increase your yield. I'd try what grapes you can find and see what makes what you like.

Grape juice would be a "safer route" but much less interesting. In my opinion, wine grapes are those traditionally used for wine. So, if you can get them, cool as things like acid and sugar should be workable. If not, go with what you find. Generally wine grapes have more sugar than table grapes and other fruits - maybe that is why the are "wine grapes". Just random thoughts tonight

Hey John,

I agree, and I like experimenting, no matter what the result. Perhaps, I can try and develop a strong flavor by mixing different types of grapes and juice? If table grapes have less sugar and acid, these two can easily be added to get a stronger juice. I am sure it would require years to come to the correct formula, but I fail to understand why good wine cannot be made from table grapes with some effort - You certainly do not have wine strawberries and wine plums and wine whatnots! Having said that, I totally agree that wine grapes are the best bet.

Some of our white grapes have exquisite flavours and are very sweet. Is it possible to mix white and red grapes?

Cheers!

 

[NorCal]

WM, were you able to get a starting brix, pH reading? I'd destem, lightly crush, do any adjustment with water, acid, sugar and bring the grapes to room temp. Add 1/2 your yeast nutrient and introduce your starter to the must. Monitor on a daily basis as it ferments dry. Good luck.

 

[Winemanic]

WM, were you able to get a starting brix, pH reading? I'd destem, lightly crush, do any adjustment with water, acid, sugar and bring the grapes to room temp. Add 1/2 your yeast nutrient and introduce your starter to the must. Monitor on a daily basis as it ferments dry. Good luck.

Hey NorCal,

No, I do not have equipment for taking the PH reading, and it was too small a sample to get a hydrometer to work. For now, I have only started to cultivate yeast. Going to get some juice and see how it goes. I am still looking for the most suitable grapes I can get. The ones I made this starter with were too mildly flavored. Thanks!

Cheers!

 

[DoctorCAD]

You can ferment any kind of fruit or juice once you get the yeast going. Doesn't need to be grapes...think outside the juice box!

 

[Winemanic]

You can ferment any kind of fruit or juice once you get the yeast going. Doesn't need to be grapes...think outside the juice box!

That's great. We've got a harvest of juicy, deliicious plums, and they are laden with yeast on the surface! How would plum wine be? I would add peaches and apricots, but without any pectic enzyme at hand, I doubt such a wine would ever clear out!

 

[Winemanic]

BTW, I believe I have struck gold. The natural yeast I got from the grapes seems to be a good strain for wine making. It is aggressive, fermented the handful of grapes almost dry (no sweetness left) within 2-3 days, and it tasted great without the stupid bread yeast smell. Above all, I had a strawberry wine that was too sweet but would ferment no more. My current yeast from the grapes has restarted the fermentation! I am really very hopeful. Thinking of starting some Ed Wort's apfelwein apart from the red wine I have planned.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Good news!

Keep that starter.

 

[Winemanic]

Okay... Today I am getting 7 kg (15 lb grapes)
I have a starter, and I also have K-Meta now. What should I do? Should I add K-Meta to the crushed grapes/juice?

How much K-Meta powder to add, and how long to wait before pitching in the starter?

I'm excited!!!

 

[NorCal]

15 lbs should be around a gallon of must. If you were using engineered yeast you would want 50ppm; 1/5 of 1.5g of SO2 or .3 grams...not a whole bunch.

I might think about 1/2 that amount, wait 24hours, because the SO2 could kill the yeast you are using.

The other thing I would do would be to aerate the must right before pitching the yeast. It will cause some of the free SO2 to bind up and hopefully it did its job killing bacteria, but still allow your fermentation.

 

[Johny99]

15 lbs should be around a gallon of must. If you were using engineered yeast you would want 50ppm; 1/5 of 1.5g of SO2 or .3 grams...not a whole bunch.

I might think about 1/2 that amount, wait 24hours, because the SO2 could kill the yeast you are using.

The other thing I would do would be to aerate the must right before pitching the yeast. It will cause some of the free SO2 to bind up and hopefully it did its job killing bacteria, but still allow your fermentation.

Generally I'd agree with NorCal. However, I'd try going without meta until after fermentation. It sounds like you have a good yeast growing. I'd be more worried about the meta harming it than bacteria at this point. There a re lots of debates about the initial meta addition. I don't do it anymore unless I'm doing an extended cold soak before pitching. Keep everything clean and go for it.

Enjoy the excitement, that is all part of it