% juice to water

[tgc]

In muscadine wine making, what % juice to water would you add? I've made some with probably 80% juice and I think it will be a long wait to drinkability, it's real acid.

I've got more juice and think I would like to go with about 50% water to 50% juice this time. What is your best experience with this?

 

[jamesngalveston]

try making a muscadine port, with all juice....the sugar left after the fermentation is stopped will make it less acidic.
i try to use as less water as possible, unless i use concentrate from cans.

 

[dralarms]

Taste the straight juice, does it have too much flavor? If so then a little water won't hurt. But if yiu taste it and it's "perfect" then no water. Muscadine is one that can stand a little dilution, but not 50 50. The one I did last year I added about 3/4 gallon to a 5 gallon batch. Its wonderful. This year I added NO water, I did steam juice them but did not add any water.

Its better to adjust the ph than it is to diluted.

 

[tgc]

GREAT! So my 80% juice will probably be OK.
I guess acid is not really the right word. It is a bit acid but I think "tart" would be a better description.
Thanks!

 

[jamesngalveston]

yea, i think 80 20, are maybe 90 10 would be good....muscadine is in a class of its own...i love it.

 

[dralarms]

Use calcium carbonate to adjust the acid, shoot for a ph of 3.4 to 3.5.

 

[mmadmikes1]

100% is my grape rule

 

[tgc]

100% is my grape rule

Yea, in my example of 80-20, the 20% water comes from dissolving sugar and topping off.
Have a great day!

 

[garymc]

100% is my grape rule

Muscadines are not vinifera grapes. They have some similarities, but you can't always take vinifera experience and apply it to muscadines. They have enough acid you might want to either use water or an alkali chemical like calcium carbonate to reduce the acidity. I've done both, and had better results with water. I'm trying blending with elderberry juice, but it also is so strong flavored that it needs dilution.

 

[mmadmikes1]

Ok its not just my grape rule. Unless I am making a mead it is 1005 on all fruits and berries. It has not always been so and I made a lot of real good wines when water was added. Just think they are better now. Ya PH can be a b1tch and what ever you choose to do that works is cool

 

[Julie]

I think Garymc has given some great advice on doing muscadines, I would do make it the way he suggests. I don't think you can just go with a x amount of water to an x amount of muscadines. Take an acid reading and adjust accordingly.