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Moonshine Grape Wine Recipe
- Thread starter Kahuna
- Start date
Less Sugar??
If you are useing Welches juice it already sweet. You could use no extra sugar. Or Cut recipe amount of sugar in half. Then the yeast will eat up more sugar makeing alcohol and it will be dryer(les residual sugar).Kahuna
If you are useing Welches juice it already sweet. You could use no extra sugar. Or Cut recipe amount of sugar in half. Then the yeast will eat up more sugar makeing alcohol and it will be dryer(les residual sugar).Kahuna
draino said:
Capping the Gallon....
Oldyaker, I have actually done the bottling both ways. When the alcohol percentage gets high enough it will kill the yeast. The dead yeast will settle to the bottom. Sometimes..the dead yeast can give an off taste if not gradually racked off. If you are going to drink the wine as a "Fresh" wine. Not a problem. :lol: Filtering thru a coffee filter probably not work...the dissolved yeast will go right thru the filter. Then your wine will be cloudy again. I usually just carefully pour off into a sterilized gallon. Wait a week or less at it will settle out. To be honest. I have made wine in a 5 gallon carboy. Before... I never racked it. :lol: I just siphoned off what I needed and sealed the carboy back up. I wasn't worried about long term storage.. :lol: Kahuna
Oldyaker, I have actually done the bottling both ways. When the alcohol percentage gets high enough it will kill the yeast. The dead yeast will settle to the bottom. Sometimes..the dead yeast can give an off taste if not gradually racked off. If you are going to drink the wine as a "Fresh" wine. Not a problem. :lol: Filtering thru a coffee filter probably not work...the dissolved yeast will go right thru the filter. Then your wine will be cloudy again. I usually just carefully pour off into a sterilized gallon. Wait a week or less at it will settle out. To be honest. I have made wine in a 5 gallon carboy. Before... I never racked it. :lol: I just siphoned off what I needed and sealed the carboy back up. I wasn't worried about long term storage.. :lol: Kahuna
oldyaker said:
Kahuna
What would you say is the alcohol content or proof on the results of your original recipe?
What would you say is the alcohol content or proof on the results of your original recipe?
Mike, Are you Ernest or Julio? Eitherway I'll happly be the other.
I had so much fun I had to buy a book on this stuff, I still dont own a book on camping or paddlin!
Now I dont have the book in front of me, but alcohol production stops at 12 or 14 % The little yeasties are too stoned to procreate. The sugar content can still be high. Just making alcohol without flavor is not what I'm after, but with store wine I don't like the tannins or the raisin flavor, sometimes I think its too much like vinegar.
OY, I'm thinking that if ya wanted to reduce the sugar in wine already made you could ferment it again, the problem is that the alcohol content is already at 12% or greater so what I'd do is take a 1/2 gallon of the wine and dilute it with a quart of water then ferment again. That should dry it up a bit and the fermentation wont take as long either.
OOPs, Last night I add sulfites to the White wine I have here to kill the yeast production , Although I still may try to referment a half gallon of it.
Thats my 2%, Draino(Julio)
I had so much fun I had to buy a book on this stuff, I still dont own a book on camping or paddlin!
Now I dont have the book in front of me, but alcohol production stops at 12 or 14 % The little yeasties are too stoned to procreate. The sugar content can still be high. Just making alcohol without flavor is not what I'm after, but with store wine I don't like the tannins or the raisin flavor, sometimes I think its too much like vinegar.
OY, I'm thinking that if ya wanted to reduce the sugar in wine already made you could ferment it again, the problem is that the alcohol content is already at 12% or greater so what I'd do is take a 1/2 gallon of the wine and dilute it with a quart of water then ferment again. That should dry it up a bit and the fermentation wont take as long either.
OOPs, Last night I add sulfites to the White wine I have here to kill the yeast production , Although I still may try to referment a half gallon of it.
Thats my 2%, Draino(Julio)
OK, Ernest and Julio, Thanks. I'm going to make more red and cut the sugar by about 1/2. I'm also going for a gallon of white this go around.
My grandad used to make Dago (I can say that, I am one) Red in oak barrels, I used to help him and he never put sugar in, just yeast. It was too dry for most folks. I'm trying to reach a happy medium. I guess with experimentation and fermentation I should attain my goal. You know what, it sure is fun talk'n about with you fellas...
My grandad used to make Dago (I can say that, I am one) Red in oak barrels, I used to help him and he never put sugar in, just yeast. It was too dry for most folks. I'm trying to reach a happy medium. I guess with experimentation and fermentation I should attain my goal. You know what, it sure is fun talk'n about with you fellas...
Draino(Julio)
thanks for that info and if this next batch comes out too sweet I'll try that dilution trick. The batch I made from that web site I put up came out nice and semi dry...liked it... and had a nice kick to it that kinda snuck up on you :shock:
thanks for that info and if this next batch comes out too sweet I'll try that dilution trick. The batch I made from that web site I put up came out nice and semi dry...liked it... and had a nice kick to it that kinda snuck up on you :shock:
oldyaker
Look at it this way ... the more experimentation you do trying to make the perfect wine the more you will have for the table at supper time. Just think what it would be like if you are not able to hit the perfect batch, darn ....... all that wine to drink, can't let it go to waste. :lol: :wink:
Chuck.
Look at it this way ... the more experimentation you do trying to make the perfect wine the more you will have for the table at supper time. Just think what it would be like if you are not able to hit the perfect batch, darn ....... all that wine to drink, can't let it go to waste. :lol: :wink:
Chuck.
Julio here, Just a little poll, asking who is using fleshmans yeast. I'm havn't used it yet but soon I wll try. I'm asking because some of ya are saying you having a 6 day fermentation, No, I dont need to stepup production or have Jack stop by for an intervention, I'm just curious.
Ciao, Julio
Ciao, Julio
OK Julio, Yakus Fermentus reporting in here. yes I used Fleishmans cake on the recent batch. Big time fermentation for about a week, than it slowed down in the second week big time but was still fermenting, I let it set two more weeks before racking. Turned out well but I need to cut back on sugar.
You know this is fun but my dream has always been to have my own vinyard overlooking the sea with buxom damsels in bare feet smashing the grapes in their bare feet in big oak barrels smiling and singing to me while I take samples from the barrels. Than one would say, "La Mattina buona Blocca, lei guarda il molto begli oggi ed il virile!" :wink:
Ahhhhh dreams........ 8)
It sure is fun mak'n wine with y'all but I'd leave it in a second if that dream could come true!
You know this is fun but my dream has always been to have my own vinyard overlooking the sea with buxom damsels in bare feet smashing the grapes in their bare feet in big oak barrels smiling and singing to me while I take samples from the barrels. Than one would say, "La Mattina buona Blocca, lei guarda il molto begli oggi ed il virile!" :wink:
Ahhhhh dreams........ 8)
It sure is fun mak'n wine with y'all but I'd leave it in a second if that dream could come true!
draino said:
I used it cause it was the only one I could find at the grocery store , besides I use it to make my bread here at the house. I do like home made bread.......
Used two packs out of the three they sell .... no wounder why it is still cooking. It will be something when done.
Home made bread , home made wine and sgetti from scratch....... Wow I will be walking tall.........if not getting wider but what is life for if not for the simple pleasures.
Chuck.
% of Alchyhol
Never used my hygrometer to measure it. All I know it had kick. :shock:
Kahuna
]
Never used my hygrometer to measure it. All I know it had kick. :shock:
Kahuna
]
PALADIN said:
How about Yeast???
I always use regular wine yeast. You will notice a big difference in taste. I'm not saying bread yeast is bad. But it is a special strain for bread. I have a local source for wine yeast. Some people use champaign yeast because of the way it works. Others use regular wine yeast. I'll find my favorite wine sites. ALSO....go to the newsgroup....it's rec.winemaking or something like that. Kahuna
I always use regular wine yeast. You will notice a big difference in taste. I'm not saying bread yeast is bad. But it is a special strain for bread. I have a local source for wine yeast. Some people use champaign yeast because of the way it works. Others use regular wine yeast. I'll find my favorite wine sites. ALSO....go to the newsgroup....it's rec.winemaking or something like that. Kahuna
WWW Winemaking Site
Guys...This site is my favorite and voted best of the WWW for Winemaking. Jack Keller is the guy. He is very helpful. Kahuna
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/winemake.asp
Guys...This site is my favorite and voted best of the WWW for Winemaking. Jack Keller is the guy. He is very helpful. Kahuna
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/winemake.asp
Too dry??? Not Sweet enough?? Is one enough?? Is 2 to many?
You can always sweeten your wine if it is to dry. After it has fermented out. You have to stabilize it(there are additives to do this). It kills any remaining yeast left in the wine. Then you can make a simple syrup to sweeten, to taste. Check out Jack Kellers site. STUDY IT....then you will realize what I am talking about. Kahuna
You can always sweeten your wine if it is to dry. After it has fermented out. You have to stabilize it(there are additives to do this). It kills any remaining yeast left in the wine. Then you can make a simple syrup to sweeten, to taste. Check out Jack Kellers site. STUDY IT....then you will realize what I am talking about. Kahuna
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Anonymous
Guest
oldyaker said:
Friend oldyaker,
I been followin' this homemade wine talk with a careful eye. I'm in fer the barefooted damsels. Ocean view sounds okay too. Reckon we kin call it the Hooters Winery? :mrgreen:
regards,
bearridge
bodine winery
I am not young enough to know everything.
Oscar Wilde
Italian Red {:O)
My grandfather was a wine maker also. I didn't have the luck/pleasure to be alive when he did this. I have been told many stories. I was given his favorite wine glass when I turned 16. I keep it in a velvet bag and only use it for special occasions. My dad still has some of the smoked glass bottles he used. He made Grapa, Brandy and other liquors also.
My father was brought up in an Italian neighborhood so he was brought up in this rich environment. The men in the neighborhood wood buy a carload of grapes every year. That is a railroad car full. They would all get together and press the grapes. They also made wine vinegar. Salami, salameats, everything! Every Spring my dad said my grandfather would buy a young goat. Butcher it and cook it in a big brick oven that was outside that all the women would take turns bakeing bread it. They would have a big party....oh the days......... Kahuna
My grandfather was a wine maker also. I didn't have the luck/pleasure to be alive when he did this. I have been told many stories. I was given his favorite wine glass when I turned 16. I keep it in a velvet bag and only use it for special occasions. My dad still has some of the smoked glass bottles he used. He made Grapa, Brandy and other liquors also.
My father was brought up in an Italian neighborhood so he was brought up in this rich environment. The men in the neighborhood wood buy a carload of grapes every year. That is a railroad car full. They would all get together and press the grapes. They also made wine vinegar. Salami, salameats, everything! Every Spring my dad said my grandfather would buy a young goat. Butcher it and cook it in a big brick oven that was outside that all the women would take turns bakeing bread it. They would have a big party....oh the days.........
Kahunaoldyaker said:OK, Ernest and Julio, Thanks. I'm going to make more red and cut the sugar by about 1/2. I'm also going for a gallon of white this go around.
My grandad used to make Dago (I can say that, I am one) Red in oak barrels, I used to help him and he never put sugar in, just yeast. It was too dry for most folks. I'm trying to reach a happy medium. I guess with experimentation and fermentation I should attain my goal. You know what, it sure is fun talk'n about with you fellas...
Different types of yeast will affect the amount of sugar needed, and the yield of alcohol. Main difference between "regular" beer and "lite" beer is the yeast. Some yeasts will digest more of the sugar than others. Therefore, they require less sugar to be added in the first place.
Chuck
I followed your lead and added a couple packets of yeast to a new batch, cut the sugar to 2 cups and it is bubbling like crazy...let me know how yours came out as you are almost there!
I followed your lead and added a couple packets of yeast to a new batch, cut the sugar to 2 cups and it is bubbling like crazy...let me know how yours came out as you are almost there!