Variations of WOW!

[Banksy]

Hi there,

I have just sterted my first batch of WOW. I think I'm correct by saying that you can susbtitute the orange for other juices. Can I have a brief idea of what people have tried and what the outcome was.

I am concidering the following:

2 x red grape juice
1xwhite grape juice and 1x passion fruit juice
1x white grape juice and 1x red grape juice


If I want to add some real fruit, will this recipe cope - do I just add a little extra pectinase?

Also, will I get a better flavour by using a higher proportion of juice, and just adding less sugar and water to balance the sums?

Finally, how much does the falvour of the original juice come through in the wine? Will my first batch of WOW taste like oranges, have only a suble hint, or taste similar to normal wine.

Sorry if these questions are typical or a nieive newbie, but I'm just sooooooo excited at my newly discovered hobby and I can't wait to taste my creations.

Oh, finally, are there any really BAD combintations that I should avoid? :nono:

Thanks for any help with the above. Have a good weekend everyone.

Banksy :

 

[Moley]

Acceptable or worthwhile variations are usually 1 grape+ 1 other.

For example, WGJ + apple, WGJ + pineapple, RGJ + cranberry or RGJ + blueberry.

Supermarket grape juices on their own won't make much of a wine as they are pressed from mostly dessert (eating) grapes, unless you go upmarket to the Welch's purple grape juice which uses Concord, a bit of a second-rate wine grape.

If you want to make grape only wines you need to be looking to add Grape Juice Concentrate (or “wine enhancer” :twisted: ) which is sold in quite expensive little tin cans, but is pressed from mostly wine grape varieties.

Little of the original juice flavour will carry through to the finished wine unless you add it later in the process when topping up.

Avoid Lidl's peach or pear Nectars as they throw colossal sediments, be very wary of prune juice and go easy with grapefruit unless you like dirt cheap Hocks or Liebfraumilch.

 

[Banksy]

Thanks moley,

I put on my first bach of WOW on Wed, and have only got round not to getting hold of some glycerine. Is it too late to shove some in? I figure the glycerine won't change much, and it'll prob get mixed throughout the wine after a couple of racks, diffusion, bottling etc. I quite like the idea of improved 'mouth feel', but I also appreciate that it was optional in the recipe.

Have you ever hears anyone trying passion fruit wine? I think the juice is only about 16% passion fruit juice anyway. I'm not sure whether it will work of not.

Final question, testing the SG of the wine seems like a bit of a hassel (sterelising everyhting again, syphoning out sine into the testing chaber, testing it, pooring it back) and also prob puts the wine at risk of infection. What is normal practice? Is there an easier way, or do peeps just test sparingly to confirm that fermentation has ended? Is it work taste testing wine at the end of fermentation even if it couldy?

Now, I know I wrote 'final question' followed by about five different questions, but once I start they seem to flow out of my confused brain. Thank you for your help wise ones. :

 

[anthonyUK]

If I want to keep it slightly 'sparkling' can I assume I just don't degas it?
I added the campden powder and stabiliser a couple days ago and just added some clearing agent.
I'm thinking of bottling in clear 500ml ale bottles with crown caps.

 

[Moley]

Banksy: Glycerine is optional, and you can add it at any point up to and including bottling.

I've never tried passion fruit.

Get yourself a turkey baster, under a quid from Wilkinson's. With that, draw out the smallest trial sample you need (try the tube the hydrometer came in), test your sample and then drink it. I tend to calculate my OGs and only usually take one reading at the end to confirm where it has finished. I may have a little taster through a drinking straw from time to time, and can usually guess the gravity quite closely.


anthonyUK: It will gradually de-gas on its own anyway, but clearing may take just slightly longer. If you've stabilised then the only way to get a sparkle is to inject one. No problem with your choice of bottles and caps, although I prefer Weston's 660ml cider bottles which look a bit closer to a wine bottle.

 

[Banksy]

Aaaaaaaaaah, that makes perfect sense, and will save me lots of time in the long run.

Thanks Moley.

 

[metalmickey]

when you say inject sparkle do you mean a "soda stream" injection.

mm

 

[Moley]

Yes, or Cornelius keg.

 

[sueelleker]

For the 2x1L red grape, google 'Richards Red'. He has worked out a recipe for this.

 

[Moley]

Here's the link, don't ask me if it's any good because I've not yet made it.

Richard's Red

 

[Banksy]

Hi there,

I have a couple more questions I'm afraid...

I have just tied making passion fruit wine. I later (typical of me to look after I set it going) discovered that the passion fruit juice is made of 19% juice from concentrate :shock: , plus sugar, stabiliser (pectin), Vit C, Flavourings and colour (Beta-Carotene). Now, the orange and grape are both 100% juice from concentrate. I'm guessing this will be a problem, probably making the wine a bit thin, but I'm not sure of the best way to fix it. Perhaps I could add 800mls of WGJ rather than topping up with cold boiled water? :hmm: Problem is I didn't leave a huge amount of space in the DJ (perhaps only 400mls).

In addition to the above I just put on my 2nd WOW and I put in a tsp of tanin. I'm assuming i won't be a disaster, but should I consider making another batch and spliting the ingredients?

Any advice on the above would be most welcome. Thanks folks! :drink:

 

[Moley]

I've never used passion fruit myself but would assume that many of the juice drinks would be just too powerful if they came full strength. For example, cranberry is rarely more than 25% juice but that works just fine.

Doubling the tannin shouldn't present a problem.

 

[Banksy]

Thanks moley,

I am in awe of your knowledge :clap:

This morning it had formed a kind of gelatinous cloud at the top of the mix and looks pretty rank. I'm sure all will turn out well.

Banksy

 

[Cussword]

Done a couple with tinned pears recently. So today tried 3 tins of fruit cocktail + 1litre WGJ + 800grams sugar.
SG 1090.
I don't usually put Tannin in white wine but I did this time. I haven't got a clue why :wha:

 

[hairybiker]

Tried one with the Aldi passion fruit juice - not very good soon returned to OJ.

 

[Banksy]

That doesn't sound good about the passion fruit. I'll let you know how it goes...

My first batch of WOW is STILL bubbling away (small bubbles at the neck). I still haven't a turkey baster so I'm just leaving it. It has been going almost 2 weeks though. Do you think I should be stopping the yeasties perpetual party?

 

[Moley]

Do you think I should be stopping the yeasties' perpetual party?

No, let them have their fun.

 

[Banksy]

Ok, thanks!

I have to say, I am yet to even try ANY home made wine, and I have9 gallons on then go.

I hope I like it...

 

[Banksy]

Right,

I have used kwikCLEAR on my first batch of WOW. There was quite rapic settling of sediment, but the wine is still cloudy a week later. The instructions say it could be pectin, or may just need a double dose of kwikCLEAR. I did put in the recommended dose of pectinase at the start (actually, 1tsp as per recipe rather than 2tsp as per instructions on tub). I am using Ritchies pectolase. The ingrediencts are pectin enzyme and glucose.

My feeling is pectin. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

[Premium Dave]

OK guys I have a question,

What is WOW?

I have seen the term but cant figure it out please help!!