Welch's concord with the super-sugar method

[chasemandingo]

So I had a premonition that I better check this thread as I used to be a regular on here and have not been posting lately do to a health/fitness binge and lack of wine making. Anyway I had a feeling I better check this thread to see if anyone has been posting on it and what do I find? The 4 page thread that I knew so well has expanded over four fold! Anyway, I don't like my wines too sweet. Why hasn't anyone just set OG to achieve 15 percent alcohol which is the upper limits for rc212 anyway. Ferment dry then back sweeten to desired FG. I prefer 1.02 max. I would also be doing at least one tannin addition and some oak. Anyone think medium heavy toast would be good in this? Gonna start a batch soon.

 

[chasemandingo]

Also, to quote Randy Quaid in Independence Day. I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[wineforfun]

Anyway, I don't like my wines too sweet. Why hasn't anyone just set OG to achieve 15 percent alcohol which is the upper limits for rc212 anyway. Ferment dry then back sweeten to desired FG. I prefer 1.02 max. I would also be doing at least one tannin addition and some oak. Anyone think medium heavy toast would be good in this? Gonna start a batch soon.

Because that is not the concept behind the "Super Sugar Method".

The recipe you speak of is just a general juice run dry, then backsweeten. That is fine, but not how this one is set up to work. And if you don't like sweet wines, you will definitely not like this one as it typically ends up around 1.025-1.035, with 13-14% ABV.

I have oaked with some success, but don't use it anymore.
But I, like you, don't prefer an overly sweet wine so I make this for my wife and her friends and they don't like oak.

 

[chasemandingo]

I guess it wouldn't technically be the super sugar method....however, is there any evidence that fermenting dry then back sweetening would result in an overtly different flavor profile than letting the yeast putter out in the sugary must?

 

[BeginnerMark]

Left the wine to clear for about 3-4 weeks... How long have you guys seen it take to completely clear and be ready to bottle?

 

[chasemandingo]

By around the 30 day mark my wines fall clear. Buy that doesn't mean that it still wont drop sediment in the bottle. If you really wanted to be sure you would degas thoroughly, add superkleer, wait for it to clear up then run through a filtering system.

 

[wineforfun]

I guess it wouldn't technically be the super sugar method....however, is there any evidence that fermenting dry then back sweetening would result in an overtly different flavor profile than letting the yeast putter out in the sugary must?

I would assume it would be similar if you backsweetened up to the 1.025-1.035 area.
I know for me, this wine is a little heavier/thicker than a normal wine. I am sure it is do mostly to all the residual sugar, which could probably be attained by what you are proposing.

It really is a very simple recipe and wine to make. Sugar to 1.145-1.150, ferment, stops where it stops, done. 13-14% ABV. Welchs grape juice on steroids. Great stuff.

 

[BeginnerMark]

I love it!!! Tastes sooo good! I'm in love with this recipe! Going to wait till the 30 day Mark and we'll see how it goes

 

[JimmyT]

Just bottled another 3 gallons on Saturday. I ferment then rack off gross lees. Let sit for a month then bottle. It's not crystal clear looking through it but I think that's just how it is. I use bentonite and pectic enzyme during primary also. I don't care to filter seeing how this is meant to be a cheap quick wine. Everyone I give some to loves it and they keep wanting more!

 

[BeginnerMark]

Hey jimmyT is it a problem if I leave the lees in the carboy for another week? It's about half an inch thick on the bottom. I don't want lees taint or anything after working so hard!

 

[chasemandingo]

My local meijer has old orchard juice concentrates on sale for a dollar a piece....may be time to do the super sugar method after all

 

[JimmyT]

Hey jimmyT is it a problem if I leave the lees in the carboy for another week? It's about half an inch thick on the bottom. I don't want lees taint or anything after working so hard!

Usually after the one month mark I have 1/4"-1/2" at most and it turns out fine. I'd say your probably good. The lees stay compacted pretty well but I'm still pretty careful not to suck any up. I transfer to another carboy then bottle from the new carboy.

 

[BeginnerMark]

I'm going to transfer to another carboy and let it sit for another week just to be sure... Thanks jimmy

 

[JimmyT]

That's what I do with my cheap mist kits. Do as per the directions then rack carefully off sediment into clean carboy. Then instead of bottling I let sit for atleast 2-3 months. I add more kmeta and bottle after transferring into a clean carboy at that point.
Glad I could help!

 

[chasemandingo]

So I used 23 cans for 5.5 gallons. Added sugar to 1.14 O.G. Right now I'm around 1.08 S.G. Hope it turns out good! Im gonna rack around 1.035 onto some medium heavy toast American oak and let it ferment till it fizzles out!

 

[jwcooper]

I just racked my second 5 gallon batch of this. I can't make it fast enough so I have actually been toying with upping my setup to 10+ gallons. I use essentially the same recipe but I started this recipe for my dad, he insisted it be high alcohol and sweet. This batch turned out almost perfect, the only exception is that it is far too sweet for my palate. I must admit that up until now I didn't use a hydrometer as I just figured out how to use one, I'm certainly going to employ it on the next batch. The recipe I use is 2 cans of concord grape and 1 can of apple per gallon, 2lbs of sugar per gallon and your basic wine additives. I however use Redstar Pasteur Red yeast and it ferments rather quickly and produces great flavor with very little off smells or tastes. I plan on trying this again this week but switch it to 3 cans white grape and 1 can concord per gallon and Redstar Cuvee Premier yeast to make a sort of blush and I'm certainly bringing the sugar and alcohol levels down.

 

[chasemandingo]

My batch started at 1.140 and fizzled out at 1.055.....I think due to temp around being around 60 the whole time.....got itpushing 80 right Now and have a little activity.....down to 1.46 currently with gravity adjusted for temp....gonna try to get it down to 1.03.....

 

[wineforfun]

My batch started at 1.140 and fizzled out at 1.055.....I think due to temp around being around 60 the whole time.....got itpushing 80 right Now and have a little activity.....down to 1.46 currently with gravity adjusted for temp....gonna try to get it down to 1.03.....

Were you using RC-212? If so, that would be my guess as to why it fizzled. I have to keep heat on it when using that yeast.

Mine always finishes between 1.020-1.030.

 

[chasemandingo]

Yep I was using RC 212. I bought a heating pad and taped it to the primary. Then I picked up one of those foil emergency blankets they sell in the camping departments and wrapped that around the primary along with a couple bath towels. I can easily bring it up to 75-80 even when my house is in the 60's. I hope I can coax the gravity down. The lower it goes the more the acid shines through. That is obviously a product of using 4 cans per gallon. So the more my S.G. drops the more wine like -- and less juice like -- this becomes. Im really excited to see where some oak and tannin take this wine just hoping fermentation continues.

 

[wineforfun]

My house temp. is usually set around 68-70 so whenever I use RC-212 I automatically get the heating pads out to get things going. After fermentation starts, I usually turn them on for a couple hours a day to keep it moving. Always works out for me.

Curious to see what you think of the oak and tannin. I have oaked it before(not a ton, and not for very long) and it turned out ok. I am not a big fan of oaked concord.