Grape Juice concentrate

I've found that grape juice, water, sugar and a little yeast will make something that tastes the same as Lancers rose wine.

And an awful lot cheaper.

Ah yes. This is the link I found to produce my first batch of Welches wine. Instead of sugar (sucrose), I added corn syrup--that makes for a better batch. I will try elderberries and less hfcs next time.

Also, I tried the Wal-Mart brand of 100% grape juice and it came out better. Looking at the label, I found they didn't add the ascorbic acid to it like Welches. It was less tart and about $5 cheaper to make.

Has anyone made wine from grape juice concentrate? I have hear you can use a 100% grape concentrate to end up with a nice batch. I am a beer brewer so I am familiar with the "basics."

-- DUSTIN

Has anyone made wine from grape juice concentrate? I have hear you can use a 100% grape concentrate to end up with a nice batch. I am a beer brewer so I am familiar with the "basics."

-- DUSTIN

Dumb question, but is grape (or apple) concentrate sold frozen like orange juice concentrate, or is it something else? (I never really look in that section of the grocery store).

Yes, it is being sold frozen in a small 11 oz cans. I saw white Niagara and red Concorde made by Walsh (Welsh?). Jack gives recipe on his web site. Tee

-- Verba volant, scripta manent.

Here is my experiences with frozen grape concentrates:

The Welch's has a fair amount of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and citric acid (to add tartness and preserve). It makes a more tart wine.

I have found that the Wal-mart brand frozen concentrate (100% grape--not cocktail) is not processed with citric acid, only ascorbic acid. The wine tastes less tart. I get a more true concord grape flavor as well. Plus, you can save about $2.50 per batch.

Joe, not really a dumb question, but one you yourself can best answer by visiting your supermarket. I say this because, although my supermarkets carry dozens of various frozen concentrates, different chains carry different brands and some brands are strictly regional. I was surprised to find that Welch's brand is not available everywhere in the U.S., simply because certain chains have a local monopoly and do not carry it.

Basically, one should be able to find the following frozen concentrates at one supermarket or another in any large town or small city in the U.S.A.: red grape juice, white grape juice, apple juice, cranberry-apple cocktail, apple-white grape cocktail, apple-pear cocktail, lemon juice, orange juice, apple-peach cocktail, white grape-peach cocktail, raspberry-red grape cocktail, strawberry-white grape cocktail, strawberry-apple cocktail, passion fruit juice, and many, many more. The word "cocktail" is not always prominent in the name, but look for it. It indicates that fruit juice ingredients other than what is in the name are also present, usually pear, apple, grape, aronia, citrus, pineapple, and mango.

Few frozen concentrates contain preservatives other than ascorbic acid, used to retard browning and oxidation. However, for some reason I have never discovered, quite a few of the "cocktails" contain sorbic, benzoic or other stabilizers that prevent fermentation. Read the ingredients label carefully before attempting to make wine from one.

Jack Keller, The Winemaking Home Page

Thanks for a great post Jack.

Hi....yes here in eastern canada the frozen welches grape is a cocktail......made of grape juice,concentrate grape juice ,ascorbic acid.....does not mention sorbates or the presence of any other juice such as pear, which is usually the juice of choice in cocktails.....I tried a batch and had serious problems with slow fermantation.....andy j.