New to this game - a couple of questions

[Bennyboy]

Having been given a book on wine making by my grandchildren I decided my first way forward was to read this forum. At first it was my intention to read all the posts before starting but I soon realised I would get a telegram from Her Majesty before I finished that!! So, I read quite a few and thus found a couple of questions I would like to ask you experts.
(i) I have come across recipes (like elderberry or blackberry e.g.) which say they will need a couple of years to mature and others (WOW?) which say they will be ready to drink it two weeks! I find those two things difficult to reconcile - have I missed something or is that right?
(ii) If I need a SG of say 1.085 but test the must and it is 1.060, is there a way to now how much sugar will make up the 0.025?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

(i) I have come across recipes (like elderberry or blackberry e.g.) which say they will need a couple of years to mature and others (WOW?) which say they will be ready to drink it two weeks! I find those two things difficult to reconcile - have I missed something or is that right?

WOW or Supermarket juice wine as i call it is made from 100% juice so all the hard work has already been done it doesnt need ageing so most are finished and bottled within two weeks. and you can drink then straight away.

If you are going to make juice wine aim for 1100g of sugar total for 13% ABV.


Have a look at the videos in the first post in this thread -

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...ne-recipes-and-wurzels-orange-wine-wow.49462/

 

[Bennyboy]

Thanks for your swift reply Chippy!
Does the supermarket juice wine seem like 'real' wine after such a short time?
What hydrometer reading will show a total of 1100g of sugar?
Do you aim for the same amount of sugar if making a 'country wine'?

Sorry for all the questions!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Does the supermarket juice wine seem like 'real' wine after such a short time?

I don't know how you would compare it to "real win" but I find if you use at least one litre of 100% grape juice it does the trick.

What hydrometer reading will show a total of 1100g of sugar?

I think its 1090 but i may be wrong to be honest i stopped using my hydrometer years ago, make it with 1100g of sugar including what is in the cartons leave it until its only bubbling once per minute and its done.

Do you aim for the same amount of sugar if making a 'country wine'?

I have never made one i am far too bone idle to do all that picking and stuff.

 

[Bennyboy]

Thanks again Chippy

Love your attitude to making it harder than it needs to be

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I couldn't make it easier

I stopped using my hydrometer years ago, make it with 1100g of sugar including what is in the cartons leave it until its only bubbling once per minute and its done.

 

[DavieC]

Hi Bennyboy, I'm certainly no expert but have made some WOW and also some hedgerow blackberry wine.As Chippy says the Wow is simple to do ,quick and makes great easy drinking Rose' and white wines.(amongst many others which I haven't made yet)
Probably best for you to get a couple of Wows on the go and as you get more into it begin to make the country hedgerow wines...then some Cider, beer etc etc...

 

[Bennyboy]

Sorry, what I meant was I love that your attitude to making things harder than they need to be is - 'I'm too bone idle for that'
I'm all for an easy life.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Sorry, what I meant was I love that your attitude to making things harder than they need to be is - 'I'm too bone idle for that'
I'm all for an easy life.

 

[Drunkula]

If you pick the right blackberries then the wine can be gorgeous straight after fermenting. My friend's grandparents were babysitting and I said if you want some blackberry wine just have it - they chuffed down two bottles and were more pissed than we were when we got back.

It was just as well because I sat down and as I hit the seat let out this huge fart that came from nowhere and I was trying to rein it in and it sounded like somebody squeekily letting down a balloon.

So you didn't need to know that but yeah, I'm going to make tons of blackberry wine this year.

Elderberry wine does take ages.

 

[Bennyboy]

Thanks DavieC. I assume they have to be rose as white grape juice seems very hard to find

 

[DavieC]

I bought some concentrated white grape juice from local homebrew shop, used 250ml as substitute for the elusive 1ltr supermarket grape juice and this has made a lovely White wine,also made white with apple and pineapple juice which made an easy drinking White,although I think some folks can taste the pineapple but I cant at all.The good thing with the Wow is you are able to experiment and get results quickly. Ive got 10 ltrs of Rose bubbling away nicely at mo..(and 20ltrs of Elderflower champagne ready for bottling)

 

[Bennyboy]

Sounds great !!

 

[Viamphie]

I too was overwhelmed by all the science that I read goes into brewing. I suppose it’s like most things in that, it’s as complicated as you want it to be. I’ve brewed many bottles of wine now. These range from the first few batches of supermarket wine from cordial to proper Pinot and Merlot kits. Beer kits are going down well and I’ve also started playing with hops. I’m clearly only a beginner Bennyboy but if I can do it anyone can