Welch's Concentrate Wine

[jsmahoney]

Seem's like I keep trying and Friday the 13th has followed me through the weekend on all my wines.
I started a Welch's Concentrate Wine yesterday,Saturday. Followed this recipe: 2 tsp. Acid, 1 tsp. Pectic enzyme, 1 tsp. Nutrient, Campden tablets, (I used 1/4 tsp. sodium metabisulphite), 2 pounds of sugar, 1 can grape juice concentrate. Mix all but the yeast, full with enough water for one gallon, and add sugar to bring it to 1.090. Add yeast and let ferment.
Yeast:Red Start Montrachet. www.mywinerecipes.com


At the end of the recipe was a statement saying: in retrospect, it seems quite thin, so next time I will add more than just 1 can of grape juice concentrate. I like a full bodied wine so:


So, I used a total of two cans of grape juice concetrate. I carefully checked the S.G. and ended up with 1.085, with a temp of 70 degrees. By adding the extra can of juice I only used one pound of sugar. Stirred vigorously, and added the yeast. This morning there is nothing happening. In fact the yeast looks like it is at the bottom of the batch. I checked the temperature and it had dropped to 65, and the S.G. was at 1.010.


I've taken a heating unit and placed it in the room to heating the room and have place a electricpad on the bottom of the gallon bucket. I've reached the temperature of wine at 75, wrapped the bucket and turned off the electric heating pad. I've reached a temperature of 78-80 in the room.


Is there something I'm missing? Should I have added the other pound of sugar? I was afraid to get to much sugar. The grape concentrates are the 100 percent grape juice.


I just haven't had any luck this week. (1) I have one 5 gallonon a slow Primaryfermentation. fith day 1.060, sixth day 1.050, today ?, but it's working.
(2) my raspberry winecould be used for gasoline, I'm getting help in this forum for that. (used juicer to juice) won't do that again!
(3). my grape winejust sits there.
(4). started a new raspberry wine today, so far all is well. (NO I didn't use the juicer!)


Any suggestions will be appreciated on the Welch's Concetrate Wine. I really do appreciate all your help. Maybe I should stick to the wine kits? Naaaa! I'm having to much fun!

Thanks!

 

[masta]

1/4 tsp of sodium metabisulfite added to 1 gallon of must will give you ~225-250 ppm of free SO2 which is 5 times the amount you need and most likely lethal to the yeast.


You have enough sulfite in there to increase the batch to 5 gallons and then repitch yeast.


Potassium metabisulfite, 1 gram = 150 ppm in 1 gallon, 30 ppm in 5 gallons
Potassium metabisulfite, ¼ teaspoon = 225 ppm in 1 gallon, 45 ppm in 5 gallons
Potassium metabisulfite, 1½ tablespoon to 1 gallon water makes ½% solution for washing equipment
Potassium metabisulfite, 2 oz. to 1 quart water makes 5% solution for sterilizing must (1 teaspoon solution per gallon of must)
1 Campden tablet contains 0.55 grams potassium metabisulfite, yielding 75 ppm SO2 to one gallon of must or wine

 

[jsmahoney]

So, now what do I do?

I read on the packet 1/4 tsp. per gallon of must? I've done this with my raspberry wine's also.

I was thinking when it called for 1 campden tablet, it was 1/4 tsp of sodiummetabisulphite.

I see also in this forum under yeasts, you have helped another with possiable the same issue.


So, with my welches, what can I do?


Also, I've done this with my raspberry wines (2), can they be helped? I think I'll stick to kits, or "NO" substitues!

Where's my goat!?Edited by: jsmahoney

 

[Wade E]

jsmahoney, I'm sorry to hear about this, this is exactly what I did to
a 6 gallon batch of of Marionberry and a 1 gallon batch of grape juice
and everyone told me to stir the snot out of it for several days to get
the gas out of it but I dumped it down the drain because it tasted so
bad and because I didnt want to play around with a batch that was so
screwed up right from the beginning. I stick to Campden tablets now so
I dont evber make this mistake again and use the powder for sanitizing
everything.

 

[jsmahoney]

Thank you for your kind words of wisdom. I too will throw out the batches and start from fresh. And, buy the Campden tablets, and not change the recipe.


There went my fresh picked raspberries. But, live and learn! Thanks for your time and I will make sure being the newbie, that I have all the correct ingredients for the wine.


I just wish I had a store close to me for the shopping. But, the service I get from FVW is fast and reliable. Patients!


Do it right the first time! YES!

 

[Wade E]

How did you even get the other batch going is what I'm wondering.

 

[jsmahoney]

You know I thought the same thing. I had used the red yeast Montrachet, the temperature was a little warmer than I wanted 78+. But, it seemed to sizzle just like all kits I've done. Taking the S.G. it did ok until about the fourth day and fith, then it was really lower than they called for. As I put it into the second fermetation, I could see the action it had. I was excited! I could really see the motion in the glass carboy. But,when after three weeks transferred it into another gallon carboy, it was so terriable tasting I couldn't believe how bad it was. Maybe the reason is because I used the juicer and the crushed seeds made the difference. I don't know. But, I have learned from it and will laugh it off. Thanks again for your knowledge and help. Edited by: jsmahoney

 

[Wade E]

Which Welches did you use, the purple(concord) or the white(Niagara).

 

[jsmahoney]

I used the purple! But, I have dumped all the wines I was making in the gallon jugs and will try again next weekend! Work keeps me to long of hours, 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. until 6:00p.m. or7:00 p.m. so I will gathera new recipe and try again. Thank you! All is not lost, for I have learned and became knowledgable on what "not" to do.

Now I need to make my shopping list for FVW to ship for my next attempt.Edited by: jsmahoney

 

[Wade E]

Ouch, those are some nasty hours there js.

 

[jsmahoney]

Yes! But, some day I'm hoping to become normal and have an eight hour job. Right now, I do love my job, and just wish it was shorter hours. So, when the weekend comes around, like this one, I spent all my time working on this new hobby of wine making and mistakes!

Edited by: jsmahoney

 

[Wade E]

Thats how we all learn. I did the same thing like I said afew weeks
ago. Masta probably just copied and pasted his post from what he said
to me and reposted it to you.

 

[Bill]

So, now what do I do?

I read on the packet 1/4 tsp. per gallon of must? I've done this with my raspberry wine's also.

I was thinking when it called for 1 campden tablet, it was 1/4 tsp of sodiummetabisulphite.

I see also in this forum under yeasts, you have helped another with possiable the same issue.


So, with my welches, what can I do?


Also, I've done this with my raspberry wines (2), can they be helped? I think I'll stick to kits, or "NO" substitues!

Where's my goat!?

God i hate to see wine go to waste, can't you experment with 1 gal.
throw something strang into it. How about ground up anise,Garlic for cooking wine?
Bill