Hobo Wine from grape juice

[Stephen_D]

Last night I watched a video about making hobo wine from grape juice, and made a batch. I didn't do any research other than finding other similar videos on youtube. I've never tried making wine before.

Here's what I did:

72 oz grape juice from concentrate, no preservatives, room temperature
2½ cups sugar added and dissolved by shaking
2 tsp Red Star yeast dissolved in warm water, added and shaken
cracked the cap just a bit
Put the bottle in a bowl and a closed box

This morning I checked it and there was a good smell, but it was barely active. Just a ring of tiny bubbles around the edge of the bottle. It didn't have the big bubbles that were described in the video.

Was it a bogus recipe? Did I do something wrong? Or is everything ok?

Steve

 

[sour_grapes]

Please buy yourself a hydrometer (which measures the specific gravity, and, by inference, measures the amount of sugar in your must). Measure the specific gravity each day; if it is decreasing, your fermentation is proceeding okay. It should go down to less than 0.996 or so. When the SG has the same value for 3 days in a row, your wine is probably finished.

 

[Stephen_D]

I'm gonna stay low-tech for now.

So, back to my questions:

1) Was it a bogus recipe?
2) Did I do something wrong?
3) Or is everything ok?

Steve

 

[ibglowin]

Sounds like you need a Hobo.

As I am not one, I can't help.

 

[BernardSmith]

Whether the "recipe" is bogus or not if you mix yeast and water and sugar then you get alcohol and carbon dioxide. If you don't have any way of preventing air from getting into the bottle then you are likely to have spoilage - not perhaps in the first day or two but sooner rather than later. If you don't have any way to enable the CO2 (the carbon dioxide) to escape then you are likely to create enough pressure to create a mess as the bottle can only take so much pressure. If you don't have any means to measure the amount of sugar remaining in the bottle then you have no idea when the fermentation is completed. If there is no space in the bottle to allow for active fermentation then you are going to have a volcano of what beer makers call krausen that will shoot out the neck of your bottle.
There is low tech and then there is no tech.
You might want to check out other videos on Youtube or read some quality material on wine making. If what you are looking for is help in making a drinkable wine that is one thing but if all you want is a buzz from alcohol then there are plenty of videos online that provide that kind of information. I cannot speak for others on this forum but it strikes me that members here tend to be passionate about wine making and are generally disinterested in looking ways for a cheap buzz.
So in in answer to your questions:
1. No idea- you have not really provided a recipe so no one can say how bogus or otherwise the "recipe" might be.
2. If you followed the instructions then presumably you are doing what the instructions asked you to do.
3. If the videographer said that what you are doing will produce what you want then you are OK. I am sure that there will be lots of comments at the site that applaud the technique and others that dismiss it. Yer pays yer money and yer makes yer choice. In my opinion, most folk here will be in the second group.

 

[Stephen_D]

Bernard Smith, I'm just expanding into more DIY stuff. I start at the crude level and don't invest much at the start. I'll keep reading while waiting for the 1st batch.

Of course I'm in it for the alcohol. Who here isn't? This isn't a soda pop forum. But, I do want something that tastes good. I'll get there.

 

[peaches9324]

uh almost everyone! We're here to make the best possible wine we can and I think I speak for most

 

[seth8530]

Bernard Smith, I'm just expanding into more DIY stuff. I start at the crude level and don't invest much at the start. I'll keep reading while waiting for the 1st batch.

Of course I'm in it for the alcohol. Who here isn't? This isn't a soda pop forum. But, I do want something that tastes good. I'll get there.

Stephen,

Most of us on this forum are on this board are here for the art and science of winemaking not the buzz. If we want to get buzzed, most of us will go to the store and buy something. That being said, their are a few recipies on here that are quick easy drinkable 'wines" that are quite tasty. They would not be a bad starting point for learning about wine making with little cost.

That being said, I do not think you will find much support here if you do not try to pick up the basics. The hydrometer is a wine makers fundamental tool and it is cheap.. Cheap enough to break one and buy two more at the store.


Best of luck

 

[Runningwolf]

I start at the crude level and don't invest much at the start.
Of course I'm in it for the alcohol. Who here isn't? This isn't a soda pop forum. But, I do want something that tastes good. I'll get there.

I think you're in the wrong forum. As said above we are in it for the art, science ad quality of good wine. Good wine does not mean high alcohol. Go buy some grain alcohol and add some kool aid to it.

 

[Stephen_D]

There seems to be some conclusion jumping here, and maybe a loss of memory.

Go back and read only what I wrote, skip the responses. Then read the responses. The responses are way off.

I never said anything about just going for a high alcohol buzz. I'm just honest about liking the idea of making alcohol. There's a bit of the rebel in me. I also said that I wanted something that tastes good and that I'll get there, and that I'll keep reading. That was a clue that I intend to progress in the hobby. Why did you not read that part?

And I'm certain that many of you started out just like me with hobo wine. Remember that? Or would you rather forget it, like it was wrong or something?

This is the beginners forum. There should be some tolerance.

My first post and I get responses that make me feel unwelcome. I wonder how many came here to get involved, were honest about their efforts, and were basically told to leave by the whine nazis?

Steve (at the hobo level, and proud of it)

 

[ibglowin]

Sorry when you don't even want to spend $5 for the most basic of winemaking tools you will not get much help on this forum. Even if it is the "beginners" wine making forum. Also you may want to work on your own "social skills" before calling other members on this board including the Moderators "nazi's".

Time for you to leave.