orange pulp and pectic enzymes

[Tall Grass]

I've been thinking about starting a batch of supermarket orange juice but it has me wondering whether to go with the very pulpy OJ or low pulp. Will it eventually settle out of the wine naturally (how long will it take?)

Would adding pectic enzyme at the start of fermentation help speed it up? I'm slightly worried about how it might adversely affect the taste. Is the pulp as bitter tasting as the inside skin of an orange peel?

Appreciate any thoughts on this especially if you've tried the same thing before!

 

[Tom]

I would get the pulp free OJ. Pectic enzyme should be used. Are you planing on 100% fresh or concentrate?
What yeast? How much .. 3 gallon?

 

[arcticsid]

Tall, I have(and currently am) made several batches of pineapple orange mango(Dole 100% Juice) and it is extremely pulpy. I found by adding pectin enzyme and allowing it to sit 24 hours before pitching the yeast was phenomenal in breaking down the pulp. I was amazed! Thats the way to go. And while were at it, as long as you are interested in making orange wine, I would recommend the Dole frozen concentrate, they make a few varieties and it makes excellent wine. With any frozen concentrate most have found 3 cans per gallon is the magic number. Use 3 cans and water TO MAKE a gal.

Troy

 

[Tall Grass]

Thanks for the advice! I haven't made wine from a concentrate yet but that's definitely on the short-list. I managed to grab four 5-gallon carboys today for $15/pc so I'm kind of anxious to get moving but they were heavily stained on the inside so I'm letting them sit for a day soaking in b-brite.

 

[Tall Grass]

Tall, I have(and currently am) made several batches of pineapple orange mango(Dole 100% Juice) and it is extremely pulpy. I found by adding pectin enzyme and allowing it to sit 24 hours before pitching the yeast was phenomenal in breaking down the pulp.
Troy

Did you have to do any initial acidity adjustments with this orange mango juice?

 

[arcticsid]

No, in fact all I added was yeast nutrient and yeast energizer. No tannins or acid blend though I suspect you probably should. In what amounts, I don't know. But I have made 5 or 6 batches and it turns out nice, and that was drinking it 3 weeks or so after the fermentation was done.(yeah I admitted it!!) If it was allowed to age the way it was suppose to, I have no doubt it would be excellent. This current one WILL make it into bottles. Acold dark broke Alaskan winter brught on the temtation to break into it early. I realize some of the senior members will frown at me by admitting that. And I wouldn't, though you could, ferment in a carboy, use a bucket covered in cheese cloth, wine really likes air in the begining. After it comes down than you could transfer it to a carboy with an airlock. Wade posted a recipe in the recipe section on making wine with frozen concentrate that will give you a basic guideline. Feel free to ask what you want to know, everyone will be happy to help you along the way.Cheers.

Troy

 

[arcticsid]

My orange wine failure

This winter I got a hell of a deal on fresh oranges, they were nice, firm and sweet. I peeled them and than smashed them up in the cuisinart. Added this and that etc. I did not remove the thin white skin before doing this and I ended up with an extremely bitter result. I didn't dump it but gave it to a neighbor who had no drink, he said he liked it. What a disaster! If I would have removed that "membrane" it would have been fabulous.

 

[St Allie]

Troy,

Removing pith off actual oranges is a huge, labour intensive job... don't do it!

unless you are able to endure hours and hours of mindless tedium..


just juice them, or buy juice

seriously!

Allie

 

[arcticsid]

Yeah I realize that now G, I was quite disappointed, it was a nice batch, smelled great fermented nice, etc. Yeah I should have juiced them for sure. I will make orange wine again, but most certainly will go with a different method. Live and learn, and keep living and keep learning.
Troy

 

[St Allie]

hehehe..

I have some hot! hot! chilli wine base in the freezer I can send you Troy

we all make bad decisions!

Allie

 

[arcticsid]

Yeah, no kidding G, I may need something like that come December when its -50F LOL.

 

[Tall Grass]

Did a little nosing around today including a wine shop that I had not been to before and picked up a few things, just for kicks. Including this sanitizer,

I'm not entirely sure what the vitamin E is there for but I don't think it will hurt anything. I haven't seen this before.

 

[Tall Grass]

I did a little experiment on sunday morning... bought 4 litres of the super-pulpy orange juice from the local market and just poured it into a jug, added some sugar and then some yeast (didn't bother making a starter this time.)

This afternoon it wasn't bubbling anymore so I ran the whole gallon through a strainer and the hydrometer showed .998. All gone !

It tastes terrible.. I mean, the aftertaste is really bitter. And the ABV is pretty HIGH, nearly rocket fuel !

Now I think it's time to do this properly

 

[arcticsid]

You should have added the pectin enzyme and allowed it to sit before pitching the yeast. And make sure you dissolve the sugar completely before adding ANYTHING. You got the right idea though Tall. I quarantee you everyone in here gained something from experimentation, but they have already did the work. Listen to them and you will be just fine.
Best of luck.
Troy

 

[Tall Grass]

Here's a picture of my very first batch that I started last week. It's a store bought fruit juice called, Fruitopia (strawberry flavoured but thats really a lie.. just tastes like a lab created fruit of some sort.)

It had been there for 7 days and was bubbling pretty good so I decided to transfer it to another carboy and top it off. Hydrometer shows there is a lot of sugar left (1.048) Tried it out and it tastes very good except for the sweetness. (this was probably a terrible mistake and should have left it bubbling like it was for a few more days.)

Problem being that the airlock that I have on there now hasn't really bubbled at all since putting it on (about an hour ago.) Should I just wait for it or should I pitch another packet of yeast in there to finish off whats left of the sugar ?

 

[Tom]

1st What was the reading when you transfered?
2nd I would have added sugar to bring it to 1.085
3rd this may have less that 10% juice and the rest well..
There is very little sugar so very little alcohol. Thare may be preservitives in it as well. I'm not sure how that will turn out.. Cant say anything @ yeast as you need to take a reading. Some wines ferment out in 4-6 days.

 

[Tall Grass]

Initial reading was 1.105. I added 3 kilos of sugar at the start to bring it up to that level (looks like the yeast ate all of that up because the hydrometer reading is almost back to where it was originally (just a bit above that now.)) And there are no preservatives in it... pasteurized product I believe.

 

[St Allie]

What's in the carboy next to the fruitopia? The dark red wine one?

Allie

 

[Tall Grass]

I just started that last night around midnight from 7 bottles of Paul Newman's concord grape juice (from Costco.) The yeast have just started to really kick into gear. Using lalvin ec-1118 on both batches.

 

[Tom]

What yeast did you you use on the fruitopia? I suggest add some nutrient. Still think it was sorbated @ the factory. Maybe try the 1118 yeast