Using Welches White Grape Juice and Corn Sugar to increase ABV?

[WinoDave]

Thanks. I'm gonna give that a try this weekend

That’s exactly what I do, pour in a 4 pound bag of sugar and use my wine de gasser wand to stir it up good. Island Mist kits are great wine for the $$$$

 

[JR52]

No need to spend the extra money on corn syrup, sugar is a great way to increase your starting sg and hence alcohol. Some people will make a simple syrup of 1 part water, 2 parts sugar, bring nearly to a boil, then cool before adding. I just add the sugar. I know in an Island Mist type kit 4 lbs of sugar raises the alcohol to about 10% and helps to balance it out pretty good.

When you add the 4 lbs of sugar, do you use the yeast that comes with the kit? I've heard of people saying that when you add sugar sometimes you have to change the type/amount of yeast. Is this true?

 

[cmason1957]

When you add the 4 lbs of sugar, do you use the yeast that comes with the kit? I've heard of people saying that when you add sugar sometimes you have to change the type/amount of yeast. Is this true?

Most of these kits (the Island Mist style) come with EC1118. You aren't looking for a lot of varietal character from the base wine, most of the taste comes from the flavoring pack added at the end. So I have never suggested changing the yeast for this type of kit. For other higher end kits, even if you change the yeast, as long as you keep your starting SG in a range that the yeast can handle, no need to change the yeast. And most wine is better in the 12-14% ABV anyway, except for port style wines.

 

[JR52]

Most of these kits (the Island Mist style) come with EC1118. You aren't looking for a lot of varietal character from the base wine, most of the taste comes from the flavoring pack added at the end. So I have never suggested changing the yeast for this type of kit. For other higher end kits, even if you change the yeast, as long as you keep your starting SG in a range that the yeast can handle, no need to change the yeast. And most wine is better in the 12-14% ABV anyway, except for port style wines.

Great, thanks. I'm also doing a eclipse red kit so a lot of the information I'm getting is from that where this would be more important.

 

[cmason1957]

Great, thanks. I'm also doing a eclipse red kit so a lot of the information I'm getting is from that where this would be more important.

I thought that might be the case, stay in the ABV range for the yeast you are substituting and you are fine, BUTTT you may need to give the must some extra nutrients. EC1118 doesn't have big nutritional needs, RC212 tends to need more. I tend not to swap yeasts, but that's just me. At the two or three year mark, I am not convinced it makes that much difference.