Why be normal

[scotty]

I want to make something that resembles a hard cider for the community halloween party.
This is just a wild shot but seems like it will be fun and easy if it works.
I am going to take one gallon of water and add sufficient sugar to produce a 12-14 alcohol result.
Then i will transfer it to a jug to allow fermenting to stop.

My intention is to add 2 gallons of apple juice to the result into a 3 gallon carboy and see what it tastes like.

I want the alcohol content to be low.

Comments please.

 

[masta]

Why not just ferment the apple juice as is without adding any sugar and this will result in a low alcohol apple wine?


I would think diluting 2 gallons of juice with a gallon of water would result in a very watery product!


You could also test your theory and take a small amount a neutral grain alcohol and dilute with water to the 12-14 % ABV and then add the proper proportion of apple juice to it.

 

[scotty]

Why not just ferment the apple juice as is without adding any sugar and this will result in a low alcohol apple wine?


I would think diluting 2 gallons of juice with a gallon of water would result in a very watery product!


You could also test your theory and take a small amount a neutral grain alcohol and dilute with water to the 12-14 % ABV and then add the proper proportion of apple juice to it.

I usually do things backwards. This started by my wondering ifi could just add sugar to water and then pitch yeast to get a 14% anything to which i would add some sort of extract for flavoring.
I have to do crazy things while i have2-6 gaLLON CARBOYSOF WINE AGING IN BULK FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.
yOUR WAY WOULD BE THE SENSABLE WAY but im just trying to learn how to do diferent operations..
If this tastes awfull then ill do the apple juice fermentation as you suggest. Its for a haloween party in a seniors mobile home park.

Think anyone will know the diference

NOTE It just sunk in about the product being watery. I will be very conscious of thatwhen this conglomeration is finished

Edited by: scotty

 

[NorthernWinos]

Do you think water and sugar will ferment?????Thought the yeast needs more than sugar to live on....?

 

[grapeman]

You can make alcohol with water sugar and yeast like you say. They have special yeast you can get(like Turbo Yeast) for making high alcohol content. But then you need to filter it with charcoalto get impurities out. Also I have found some people get sick or have headaches from the impurities if you don't get them all out.

The higher the content, the worse it is. That's why breweries distill the stuff. I don't think I would fool around with elderly people. Do like Masta says and get some plan neutral booze or some Vodka and mix it with the juice to taste. The old folks will thank you.Edited by: appleman

 

[scotty]

Im not making alcohol im just fermenting the sugarin some water. I did add nutrient.
I will continue my experiment. People make wine with water and parcly so what does the parcly/dandelions-- wild flowers etc.have except some flavor. That sort is mostly fermented flavored water.
I dont see this as trying to make alcohol as in distilling.




Thanks for any comments.

PS i'll test it on me first

Edited by: scotty

 

[Joanie]

Scotty, your experiment makes me thing of this website. I thought it was pretty funny! Scroll down to the bottom.

http://www.warpbreach.com/6/6.html

 

[sangwitch]

That's a crazy website Joan.

I'm all for some experimentation, but I'm worried about those seniors too. It's gonna be quite theparty.You should take some pics of the processand keep us informed of how it goes.









instead of apple juicewhy not just throw some kool-aid mix in the finished product then pour everythinginto individual brown-bag wrapped 40oz bottles?Maybe serve them with a straw. Cost about .40 a bottle


Edit: I just read more of the website and they actually suggest the kool-aid trick! Their estimate is $0.18 a bottle though!Edited by: sangwitch

 

[Waldo]

I think I would have to advise against this experiment with the elderly involved scotty. Using yourself as a test I don't believe would suffice as to how someone else, especially an elderly person would react from it. Also, there is much, much more than flavors being extracted from the flowers, fruits, plants that we all make our wines from. Don't want to dampen your creativity but I think i would reserve it for another occasion after testing it out first. I think Masta has the right answer...ferment the Apple juice !!

 

[grapeman]

Im not making alcohol im just fermenting the sugarin some water. I did add nutrient.

No criticism intended here, but when you ferment sugar with water with yeast- you are making alcohol. The alcohol and toxin level should be low enough so no harm is done to anyone. I did make a couple batches of the stuff and most people did enjoy it. I filtered it with a charcoal snake to clean it up all I could. But- a couple people complained of severe headaches from the stuff and one even said he thought he was having a heart attack- and he wasn't 40 yet. I dumped 10 gallons of the stuff out. No more experiments for me- I'll stick to time tested wine and beer brewing.


Please do keep making your wines, but enjoy the end product( the stuff I made was pretty discusting tasting).

 

[scotty]

Waldo
This stuff would be basicly sugar wine with juice added to dilute the alcohol content and add some flavor. I actually see no diference -chemically only -than making wine from juice. What am i missing???Edited by: scotty

 

[scotty]

I will ferment the juice then although i dont see how fermenting sugar in water is diferent than fermenting juice.


At this point, Ill take it as a word to the wise. Edited by: scotty

 

[scotty]

Scotty, your experiment makes me thing of this website. I thought it was pretty funny! Scroll down to the bottom.

http://www.warpbreach.com/6/6.html

JOAN
How did you get a photo of my wine room

 

[scotty]

Im not making alcohol im just fermenting the sugarin some water. I did add nutrient.

No criticism intended here, but when you ferment sugar with water with yeast- you are making alcohol. The alcohol and toxin level should be low enough so no harm is done to anyone. I did make a couple batches of the stuff and most people did enjoy it. I filtered it with a charcoal snake to clean it up all I could. But- a couple people complained of severe headaches from the stuff and one even said he thought he was having a heart attack- and he wasn't 40 yet. I dumped 10 gallons of the stuff out. No more experiments for me- I'll stick to time tested wine and beer brewing.


Please do keep making your wines, but enjoy the end product( the stuff I made was pretty discusting tasting).

I have one other question about this if you care to help me understand further.


First of all, i would like to thank you and all the others for taking the time to reply.

The question is why are there toxins in "sugar wine" and not in wine made from fermenting juice with sugar added to reach the desired potential alcohol result.?Edited by: scotty

 

[scotty]

I think I would have to advise against this experiment with the elderly involved scotty. Using yourself as a test I don't believe would suffice as to how someone else, especially an elderly person would react from it. Also, there is much, much more than flavors being extracted from the flowers, fruits, plants that we all make our wines from. Don't want to dampen your creativity but I think i would reserve it for another occasion after testing it out first. I think Masta has the right answer...ferment the Apple juice !!

Hey waldo
Im 65 years old. Isnt that elderly enough.

 

[Waldo]

I thought you was just a young whipper snapper there Scotty.....Just "Beam Me Up" buddy !!Edited by: Waldo

 

[paubin]

Scotty, the stuff that someone mentioned earlier that can get people sick is commonly refered to in distilling circles as the forshot. It is basically methyl alcohol (the stuff that makes you go blind). All fermented wines, beers, ect.contain some of it, but it is dangerous in distilled because it is concentrated. It evaporates at a lower temp than good old drinkin alcyhol so it is the first to come out of the condencing coil, hense...foreshot. I will say that sugar wine will probably taste horrible, just an alcohol taste. Trash can punch would be a better bet.


PeteEdited by: paubin

 

[scotty]

Scotty, the stuff that someone mentioned earlier that can get people sick is commonly refered to in distilling circles as the forshot. It is basically methyl alcohol (the stuff that makes you go blind). All fermented wines, beers, ect.contain some of it, but it is dangerous in distilled because it is concentrated. It evaporates at a lower temp than good old drinkin alcyhol so it is the first to come out of the condencing coil, hense...foreshot. I will say that sugar wine will probably taste horrible, just an alcohol taste. Trash can punch would be a better bet.


Pete

I dont expect it to taste good. All i care about is that it is not pure alcohol from a distillery/still
Just a note here THE STUFF SMELLS AND LOOKS WORSE THAN YOU SAY IT WILL TASTE

ill make the apple juice wine in a week or two any way.Edited by: scotty

 

[earl]

Scotty
I say go for it. You may have come across a great way to make a wine. Instead of Apple juice, I would add frozen apple concentrate and the juice. I may increase the body a bit.


earl