Yooper wine?

[ron,ar]

I make lots of beer but very little wine. Some, but not much. I found a recipe in my notes from several years ago called Yooper Wine. This is what it said. (Don't know where I got it but off the 'net I'm sure.)
>
> Yooper Wine
Yeast: wine yeast
Batch size 3 gallons
Original Gravity 1.095
Final Gravity .996
Primary fermentation: 30days
Secondary fermentation: 30 days
additional fermentation : rack until clear

Welches frozen grape juice wine
6 cans (11.5 oz welches 100% frozen grape concentrate
3.75 lbs granulated sugar or test SG to 1.095
6 tsp acid blend
3 tsp peptic emzyne
3 tsp yeast nutrient
water to make 3 gallon
wine yeast
Bring one gallon water to boil, disolve the sugar into the water. Remove from heat and add frozen concentrate, add additional water for 3 gallons. Add additional ingredients except yeast. Cover with napkin, set aside for 12 hrs. Add activated yeast and recover with napkin until active fermentation slows down (about 5 days), fit air lock. When clear, rack, top off and refit airlock. After additional 30 days, stabilize, sweeten if desired and rack into bottles.
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That was the recipe and directions.....which I modified for some reason which escapes me.
I started this wine on 1/13/13
I used:
6-11.5 oz cans of welches frozen grape juice
2-11.5 cans frozen Pinapple juice
approx 5 lbs sugar or test to 1.095 (I tested to 1.095)
Add water to make 4 gallons...my primary bucket is 4 gallons
I followed all the above directions.
Racked 3 times. I just racked into glass secondary and checked SG, it is now at .995 and has not bubbled in 2 weeks.
My question is this...did I add enough water to begin with to compensate for the additional 2 cans of frozen juice concentrate and what effect is the larger head space in the 5 gallon carboy going to have on the finished product? I don't have a 4 galllon glass carboy and want to pull a vacuum on this wine to de-gas it this week. Should I go ahead and add campden tablets or add Potassium Sorbate?
How long should I wait to de-gas and again, what effect will the added headspace have on the wine. I have another 4 gallon plastic fermenter but I don't think I can de-gas with the vacuum pump on it. I plan to use my electric vacuum pump, it is the same type that pulls vacuum on ac systems.
Sorry this is so long but I am kinda lost on wine making.
ron,ar

 

[Unferth]

You are doing a country wine, not a kit, so forget about degassing and look for a way to reduce headspace in your carboy. If you don't wanna buy a 4 gallon carboy, you might use marbles or something similar to take up space in your carboy. If you don't reduce headspace it very well may get oxidized, which tastes nasty.

Rack every 30 to 60 days until clear and stable.

 

[DSorenson]

With my wine experience you should keep the water line to the neck line. Most if not all wines do not need headspace. This is especially true for racking. You're going to have to top it off with water. Pineapple comes out a bit watery and flat. Nothing like its fruit counterpart. This wine will be dry and not much like what you'd find in the store. The body will be huge, but there will be little to no mouth feel. Think alcoholic juice. Worth the experience though! I've made several wines like this.

 

[Glynn]

its one of yoopers recipes
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f79/welchs-grape-juice-wine-21093/

 

[ron,ar]

thanks folks, I just racked into the glass carboy yesterday so I'll do somethinh about the headspace tonight. I may runto the lhbs and buy a 3 gallon carboy and have a 3 gallon and 1 gallon batch. I still am not sure about wheather toadd campden or potassium sorbate. This wine is nearly finished anyway. DSorenson, you are right about the alcholic juice part, I tasted it last night and that aptly described it. Thanks again.
ron

 

[Yooper]

Since you have four gallons of wine, you could use a 3 gallon carboy and a 1 gallon jug. It needs to have the headspace reduced (topped up to within an inch of the bung).

Don't degas- it will should degas on its own especially since it's been racked more than once. From now on, rack only when you have lees after 60 days. Add one crushed and dissolved campden tablet per gallon at every other racking and at bottling. I'd add some right now, since you haven't added any and it's been in a bucket with huge headspace and still with headspace. It might be too late to save it from oxidation, but I'd give it a try right away.

If you really want to rush it, and degas, make sure you use campden first (one tablet per gallon, crushed and dissolved in some of the wine and then added).

You don't need sorbate until the very end, and that's only if you want to sweeten the wine before bottling.

If you follow the directions (top up as directed), it turns out pretty good.

 

[Unferth]

I was disappointed when I read the OP, because from the title I thought he was making wine out of Yoopers. I was going to warn him that such a wine would probably turn sour no matter how well he took care of it.

 

[ron,ar]

Yooper, thanks for the recipe and the advice again. This wine has been in a 4 gallon plastic fermenter since the beginning with little headspace. I have several of these buckets and use them as fermenters. The wine has only been in a larger fementer for 2 days and I hope to remedy this tonight. So maybe oxidation won't be the problem it could be. If I transfer to smaller container tonight I will add 4 crushed campden tablets. I am concerned that I did not have enough water for the amount of juice as the wine seems fairly thick to me. However, I used the concept that if 6 cans of concentrate make 3 gallons, then an additional 2 cans will make an additional gallon. Maybe topping off would have kept the liquid volume at the correct concentration.
One other question....is filtering worth the extra trouble and expense? The other wine Imade had great taste but also seemed to have too much sediment on the bottom...or the side whenstored horizontally. What is the most economic filtering device to buy? Thanks again:
ron

 

[novalou]

I was disappointed when I read the OP, because from the title I thought he was making wine out of Yoopers. I was going to warn him that such a wine would probably turn sour no matter how well he took care of it.

Hahahaha! I would think that Yopper wine would be quite good back sweetened!

 

[ron,ar]

a few minutes ago I transferred this batch to a 4 gallon carboy, added 4 crushed campden tablets and topped off to within 1" of bung as directed. I had to add almost 1 gallon to top off, and used boiled, then cooled water for this. Maybe it will be drinkable.
My grandaughter requested this wine for her graduation from college and what she wants, she usually gets from the Pa-Pa....
time will tell..

 

[Unferth]

Yooper, thanks for the recipe and the advice again. This wine has been in a 4 gallon plastic fermenter since the beginning with little headspace. I have several of these buckets and use them as fermenters. The wine has only been in a larger fementer for 2 days and I hope to remedy this tonight. So maybe oxidation won't be the problem it could be. If I transfer to smaller container tonight I will add 4 crushed campden tablets. I am concerned that I did not have enough water for the amount of juice as the wine seems fairly thick to me. However, I used the concept that if 6 cans of concentrate make 3 gallons, then an additional 2 cans will make an additional gallon. Maybe topping off would have kept the liquid volume at the correct concentration.
One other question....is filtering worth the extra trouble and expense? The other wine Imade had great taste but also seemed to have too much sediment on the bottom...or the side whenstored horizontally. What is the most economic filtering device to buy? Thanks again:
ron

Most economical filtering device? Easy: multiple rackings and time. If you are going to rush it, use som bentonite and rack off the lees. Do you have a bottom guard on your racking tubing? Welches wine seems to clear after 3-4 months in my experience probably faster if you use bentonite and cold crash it.

Good luck, Pops, and congrats on your granddaughters graduation and her taste in homemade wine.

 

[Unferth]

Hahahaha! I would think that Yopper wine would be quite good back sweetened!

Haha, maybe... But I doubt it :cross:

Actually, I don't think you could get a Yooper wine to start, her ABV has to be pretty high as it is!!