WineXpert RED GRAPE CONCENTRATE

[NorthernWinos]

I use WinExpert bottled concentrates in my fruit wines to add body, color and flavor....Anyone ever had a bottle that was fermenting in the bottle??? I had a bottle that the bottom was pooched out a bit and when I opened it had it a bit foamy...What's going on??

 

[Bert]

I've just started using it in the last year and have had no problems with it....But it does sound strange, I don't think I would use that bottle....You maybe adding some unwanted yeasts to your wine.. Edited by: PolishWineP

 

[NorthernWinos]

I know...I am going to take it back to the store.

 

[jsmahoney]

Northern Winos, I also have purchased two bottles of the grape concentrate. I have left them in my wine storage room when the other day I found that one of them was leaking and the other one is pooching at the bottom as your's. I cleaned up the bottle and found that the plastic/foamish cardboard top had a crack in it. I tasted it and it seemed to be OK, the other one with the protruding bottom I never opened, but placed them both in the refrigerator. I thought they might have gotten to warm in the supply room.

Let me know what or why this is happening if you find out at the store. Weather I need to throw them out or they are safe to use.
Thanks!

 

[NorthernWinos]

I put mine in the fridge and they quit pooching and foaming.


I wonder if you could kill that wild yeast when you use Campden tablets at the begining of fermentation???

 

[geocorn]

Those products are made by WE and they did have a problem. I have replaced over 20 bottles, so far.


Northern, when you take yours back, let me know what your supplier says.


Janet, I will send you 2 replacements as soon as I get some more. I had to throw all of mine away.

 

[jsmahoney]

Thanks George! Your the greatest!

 

[NorthernWinos]

George, what do you suppose happened to that batch of grape concentrate...a wild yeast???


I used 2 bottles from the same store in a batch of wine yesterday...they weren't pooched out like the others....but came off the same shelf....hope my wine is okay???

 

[dfwwino]

I have used the 500 ml red and white Winexpert concentrates for several years when making fruit wines, but have never had the problem you experienced. I agree you should return the bottle because you don't know whether a good yeast has caused the fermentation.

 

[geocorn]

They started fermenting in the bottle. Why that happened, I don't know, but I am withe dfwwino. I would not use it. It is most likely contaminated in some respect and I would not want it ruining my wine or ME!

 

[Waldo]

Are they identified by batch numbers where they would know which ones are potentially unsafe to use?

 

[Bert]

I checked my supply ....what I have in my stock and the bottles seem alright....Was it just the red or problems with both???

 

[NorthernWinos]

Well....I called the gal at the Co-op where I get some winemaking stuff, she said to just bring the bottles back for refund....I had bought all she had on the shelves the other day..She called her source and they said they won't ship any more out till the manufacturer gets raw stock in for processing....so my order for a case or two is on hold for awhile....I have a few bottles on hand from last winter so can make up a couple batches of wine before I feel the crunch....I have lots of the white grape concentrate on hand and apparently the white was not affected with what ever caused this problem....I find the white concentrate gives a more foxy [grapey] flavor to the wines.


As for the wine I mixed up using two bottles that I bought at the same time as the leaky ones...it is fermenting away...smells and looks normal. The seals were not broke on those 2 bottles...so hopefully they were okay.


Hope everyone has good stock on hand and that you make some good wines this summer...

 

[NorthernWinos]

So...I was toying with the idea of using a cheap wine concentrate in cans instead of the WinExpert product till some stable product is avaiable...another person suggested using a low-end wine kit and using some of the juice in several batches...


I see that SunCal has some inexpensive concentrates in cans...I was thinking maybe ordering some Merlot and use half a can or all of a can in a batch of Raspberry wine....


Any thoughts on that???


It couldn't be any worse in quality than the WinExpert Red Grape Concentrate could it???

 

[PeterZ]

Northern, using half a can could be a problem - what do you do with the other half?

 

[NorthernWinos]

That's a good question...I figured I would start two batches at a time....


I have used partial bottles of the WinExpert concentrate before and refrigerated it for a short time to add to the next batch...didn't seem to be a problem....


I looked up the Alexander's Sun Cal Concentrate and it is 68*Brix as is the WinExpert Grape Concnetrates...so the product is about the same strengh...with the SunCal you can choose the grape type you'd like...with the WinExpert product it is an unknown [unpublished] grape, possibly of Canadian source. The cost wouldn't be too much more per batch...


Still mulling this over as I will be needing some sort of grape concentrate to add to my fruit wines this summer.


I used the Welch's frozen Concord concentrate before and found it to be very foxy [grapey] Concord flavor, so wouldn't want to add that to a strawberry wine.


Any other ideas out there????

 

[dfwwino]

When my local retailers carried Alexanders, that was what I would use for my fruit wines. I'd add 32 oz. per a five gallon batch. I think either the Winexpert or Alexanders is preferable to the Welch's grape concentrate, though I've used the latter ina pinch.

 

[Waldo]

That's a good question...I figured I would start two batches at a time....


I have used partial bottles of the WinExpert concentrate before and refrigerated it for a short time to add to the next batch...didn't seem to be a problem....


I looked up the Alexander's Sun Cal Concentrate and it is 68*Brix as is the WinExpert Grape Concnetrates...so the product is about the same strengh...with the SunCal you can choose the grape type you'd like...with the WinExpert product it is an unknown [unpublished] grape, possibly of Canadian source. The cost wouldn't be too much more per batch...


Still mulling this over as I will be needing some sort of grape concentrate to add to my fruit wines this summer.


I used the Welch's frozen Concord concentrate before and found it to be very foxy [grapey] Concord flavor, so wouldn't want to add that to a strawberry wine.


Any other ideas out there????

Might look at this source NW..They offer both a Red and White concentrate
http://www.naturesflavors.com/default.php?cPath=14

 

[NorthernWinos]

When my local retailers carried Alexanders, that was what I would use for my fruit wines. I'd add 32 oz. per a five gallon batch. I think either the Winexpert or Alexanders is preferable to the Welch's grape concentrate, though I've used the latter ina pinch.

Thanks df...will be trying that till the source of the WinExpert becomes more stable...who knows..it might be better...I think it's sounding better all the time....Strawberry Merlot------Raspberry Merlot------Strawberry Cabernet-----It all sounds good to me...An inexpensive kit would have more ounces to play around with too...Maybe start 2 or 3 batches blended with various fruits....'Tis the Season'...fruits are a plenty for blending.

 

[Joanie]

AAArrrrgh!! George, the red grape concentrate I bought from you the order before last had a poofed out bottom of the bottle when I unpacked the box. I didn't think anything of it until I read NW's post about the problem. I haven't used it. What should I do with it?