Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Homebrew => Topic started by: Casey76 on June 26, 2012, 10:28

Title: My wine making kit has arrived... (fruit juice question)
Post by: Casey76 on June 26, 2012, 10:28

So, as I have aaaages before my grapes will be remotely ready, I thought I'd try a run or two of fruit juice wines.

I have a question about which fruit juice is suitable?

*pasturised/unpasturised

*from concentrate / pure juice

etc

Just wondering because I keep seeing people mention that this is cheap and cheerful, but 1L of pure grape juice is just under 2€... which is not quite so cheap lol!

Title: Re: My wine making kit has arrived... (fruit juice question)
Post by: Lardman on June 26, 2012, 11:09

Any old 'long life' juice will do just check it doesn't contain preservative which would prevent fermentation and stay away from what's called over here "juice drinks" which are basically water with a hint of juice.

I'm not sure what you have available over there but I've been using thse  Trashco WJG  (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=252575768) and  Del monte OJ (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=266583184)

£2.25 in total for the juice, which will make 5 ltrs = 6 bottles of wine.

Title: Re: My wine making kit has arrived... (fruit juice question)
Post by: Casey76 on June 26, 2012, 11:18

Oooh, thanks Lardman... that really opens up my options :)

Title: Re: My wine making kit has arrived... (fruit juice question)
Post by: Lardman on June 26, 2012, 11:45

If you have an hour or so free I can recommend reading this thread  Juice based wine  (http://www.homewinemaking.co.uk/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1319488304/all) The chaps enthusiasm for his new hobby is great, he goes at it like a bull in a china shop  :D

Lots of ideas on combinations there too, but you can't go far wrong with WOW / POG or Wine No 1.  Dry White Table Wine No1 (http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?1562-Wine-number-1-Dry-Table-wine-%28As-featured-on-the-BBC!%29)


Im playing with a fizzy apple/blueberry/elderflower at the moment  8)

Title: Re: My wine making kit has arrived... (fruit juice question)
Post by: GrannieAnnie on June 26, 2012, 12:53

I just buy the el cheapo own brand juice, not the juice drink, but its only about 55p for 1litre.

I have just used 1litre for a gallon, but for this lot I have in now, I've used 1.5l per gallon, so I've got 2 gallons of apple juice bubbling away and 2 gallons of orange juice.  With the sugar, that comes to about 34p a bottle, but add a little for the yeast and other bits.   :) :)

Title: Re: My wine making kit has arrived... (fruit juice question)
Post by: Casey76 on June 26, 2012, 16:28

Woah, Lardman... I checked the other thread, and you're right... a lot of lovely ideas; I'm just gobsmacked at how much he (and his mrs) get through!

thanks GA... off to the shops tonight :)

Title: Re: My wine making kit has arrived... (fruit juice question)
Post by: GrannieAnnie on June 26, 2012, 16:37

Yeah, I looked at that link too!  He 'saved' himself £199 in the first month?  Gosh I don't spend that on alcohol in a year!!!!    :) :)

Title: Re: My wine making kit has arrived... (fruit juice question)
Post by: Lardman on June 26, 2012, 19:36

Quote from: GrannieAnnie on June 26, 2012, 16:37

Yeah, I looked at that link too!  He 'saved' himself £199 in the first month?  Gosh I don't spend that on alcohol in a year!!!!    :) :)

It's really easy to do.

A reasonable bottle of table wine is going to cost at least £6. If there are 2 people, 2 medium glasses each and the bottles gone  :ohmy:  I'm told by my French friend it's civilised and good for your health to have a glass of wine or 2 with dinner, so that a bottle a night or £186 a month.

(It's the same French friend who drinks Real Ale in pints, cooks pigs ears and trotters and asks the butcher for squirrel/pigeon  ::) She's great  :D )