whino-wino
Senior Member
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- Feb 15, 2008
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I just whipped up a batch of Black Currant wine using the Vintner's Harvest fruit base. It says that one can will make a full bodied 3 gallon batch or a lighter bodied 5 gallon batch. I didn't want full bodied, but I didn't want light bodied either and I do not have a 4 gallon carboy. I dabbledwiththe idea of breaking it up between a 3 gallon and 1 gallon carboy, but in the end I decided to go 5 gallons, adding some grape juice concentrate to help add back a little body.
Here's what I went with:
1 Can V.H. Black Currant fruit base
4 cans Old Orchard frozen grape juice concentrate (thawed, of course)
3 tsp acid blend (to .60 tartaric)
4 tsp yeast nutrient
2 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
6 1/2 lbs sugar (13 cups - starting S.G. 1.082)
Water to 5 gallons
I am using Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast simply because I have a ton of it in the refridgerator.
One thing I noticed on the recipe given on the can. It calls for 12 POUNDS of sugar. I hope nobody has ever made the mistake of actually following this recommendation. That would be a whopping 24 cups in a 5 gallon batch and would give you a S.G. completely off the charts. You probably wouldn't end up with a high alcohol wine simply because the fermentation would likely never get started. You would have some awfully sweet juice though. All the more reason to use your hydrometer!!
Here's what I went with:
1 Can V.H. Black Currant fruit base
4 cans Old Orchard frozen grape juice concentrate (thawed, of course)
3 tsp acid blend (to .60 tartaric)
4 tsp yeast nutrient
2 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
6 1/2 lbs sugar (13 cups - starting S.G. 1.082)
Water to 5 gallons
I am using Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast simply because I have a ton of it in the refridgerator.
One thing I noticed on the recipe given on the can. It calls for 12 POUNDS of sugar. I hope nobody has ever made the mistake of actually following this recommendation. That would be a whopping 24 cups in a 5 gallon batch and would give you a S.G. completely off the charts. You probably wouldn't end up with a high alcohol wine simply because the fermentation would likely never get started. You would have some awfully sweet juice though. All the more reason to use your hydrometer!!