Ok, I've made wine before, but I've always used fresh fruit to do it. I'd like to make a White Zinfandel, and I see this Alexander's Wine Concentrate, but I've got no idea how much I'd need for a 5 gallon batch, and how much sugar to add. Any idea?
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products ... rodID=4421

Cheers,
Dave


Tags: alexander wine concentrate

Do you have a hydrometer?

The recipe for Alexander's concentrates is on the can. They assume you have a hydrometer to set the sugar level. A good ballpark SG is between 1.090 and 1.095 and that will give you alcohol of approx 12 to 13%. They recommend acid blend, for example 6 tsp + or - 2. So it kind of leaves you hanging a little bit unless you have an acid titration kit. If I didn't measure acid I would go on the lighter side and add more later to taste if the wine was a little blah. Since it is white Zinfindel I am assuming you like sweet wine so back sweeten after everything clears and is close to bottling time. Alexander's recommends 2 cans for 5 gallons. I like a heavier body wine so I use three cans for 5 gallons but 2 cans makes a pretty good wine. I have never made the white zinfindel but I have used a lot of their concentrates and they are pretty good.

I haven't looked at that white zinfindel recipe but normally they call out adding the campden after mixing everything up in the primary. They suggest bentonite in some wines and pectic enzyme in others. Sometimes they call out wine tannin. Also yeast nutrient.

If they call out bentonite or wine tannin make a slurry first. Those items usually make a mud ball when added. I draw out a little wine and get it mixed first. In fact bentonite is a clay dirt. Helps clear wine. Pectic enzyme also clears wine. If you have made wine with juice you won't have any trouble with Alexander's.

Thanks for the tops Wyo.
The reason I'm asking is because I haven't purchased it yet, and I would've hate to make an online purchase and not get everything I need. Also, I wanted to know if it made a decent wine before I spent the dough on it. I live in South Louisiana, and yes, it seems like most southerners like sweet wine. So, you recommend 3 cans for a 5 gallon batch? I'm guessing that's what I'll end up going with.
Thanks again wyo.

Cheers,
Dave

You may want to try it with 2 cans. I like wines that are heavy like merlot or cabernet. You may like a lighter wine. If you are ordering from midwest they will answer questions about the chemicals required. Are you buying local or from Midwest online? I see that you are a beer brewer. The items that you really need on hand when you make wine are:

Campden tablets: since we don't boil, after it all gets mixed up we add 1 campden tablet, crushed, per gallon to kill bacteria. We add yeast 24 hours later.
Acid blend: brings the acid with the proper range. Fruit wines about .60% and grape wines about .70%. I posted some info about chemicals on this forum.
Yeast nutrient: Like vitamin pills for the yeast. Don't need it but he helps fermentation.
Pectic Enzyme: helps clear the wine. Pectic enzyme, if put into apple sause can turn it into apple juice. About 1/2 teaspoon per gallon.
Bentonite: helps clear the wine. Clay dirt. Makes a mud ball if you don't mix it into a slurry first. About 1 tsp per gallon.
Tannin: Gives the wine a little bit of a bite. Tannin is on the skins of grapes. Tannin not only helps the flavor of wine but will help the wine keep longer in the bottle. 1/4 tsp per gallon

Some people make their wine like beer and don't stir the primary. They also use an airlock on the primary. I don't, I use an open container and place a dish towel over the top. I stir the wine 2 times a day. It helps get oxygen to the yeast if it falls to the bottom. Higher flocuation yeast will fall to the bottom before it ferments and some of the must will not ferment and you will have a higher sugar level when it stops fermenting called attenuation.

I'll send you a PM on the titration acid kit.