multi fruit wine and cordial wine question

[Spanderholic]

hey, I bought an enormous amount of fruit recently at the shops. They were "seconds" but pretty much fantastic. I made a bunch of apple juice, some orange juice, some apple pear juice and some kiwifruit pear juice. I was thinking about combining the apple, orange and apple pear juice, along with some store bought pineapple juice to make some form of wine. Would this work? How much sugar should I add to get a decent alcoholic content? I have 2 types of wine yeast, one which can get up to 14% and one which can get to 17%ish. Which one do you think would be best to use? Would 1/4 of a tsp of marmite and a squirt of lemon juice be enough to feed the yeast?

Also, I got some raspberry cordial. If I boil this for a while can I use this? And what quantities of other stuffs should I add?

Thanks!

(complete newbie here lol)

[MKG]

Generally speaking, the more different ingredients you get into a wine, the better the wine will be. That doesn't always work, though - so I'd be wary of the kiwifruit (but I'm only saying that because I know sod all about kiwi fruit).

How much sugar? Well, how much sugar is in the juice already? There are always natural sugars to consider (if you're making wine from grapes in a wine-growing region, it's ALL natural sugars). You'll get to know how to use a hydrometer eventually, and that will give you a good idea how much natural sugar you're starting out with. In the meantime, a rough but accurate-enough approximation is that I lb of sugar (both natural and additional) in one gallon of liquid (in a gallon, not added to a gallon) will produce 5% ABV. Two lbs is 10% ABV. So a kilo is 11% etc. Nine times out of ten, I just stick a kilo in and end up, after taking those natural sugars into account, with something between 12 and 14% ABV.

The addition of lemon juice doesn't feed the yeast, but yeast won't like working in an environment which is too low in acid. You're using orange juice, which is high in citric acid. I wouldn't add any other acid, so the lemon juice is out. Same applies to pineapple juice. If you were making wine from apple juice alone, I'd advise to to add the juice of half a lemon.

Use whichever yeast you like (but remember that just because a yeast is CAPABLE of producing 17% ABV doesn't mean that it's going to do that under normal circumstances).

A quarter teaspoon of Marmite is fine - but make it a not-very-generous quarter. Better still, buy yourself some yeast nutrient.

The raspberry cordial will make wine and yes, boil it to get rid of anything which might slow that process down. But take a careful look at the ingredients (unless, it's home-made, of course). Some cordials make horrible wine - especially those which have never set eyes on the fruit they're named after. Artificial sweeteners can leave you with an over-sweet wine and/or one which is very bitter. I can't tell you anything else about the cordial at this point because I don't know how much fruit it's made from.

Did I miss anything?

Mike

[Spanderholic]

You are te awesome :D
While I was waiting for someone to respond on here I started some of your fruit tea wine, its so exciting! My first wine!!! :)
Thanks! :D

[greenorelse]

Making wine is one of those ambitions of mine; my neighbour's always got wine on the go, though I have to admit, some of it is an acquired taste. But then....

I got a case of 12 bottles from a local brewer (viniculturalist?) (website here, a bit far away for most of you!) and I thought, "What's the point in me making it?" Reason: it is superb. He has six types and they're all quite amazing. The elderberry beats just about any red wine I've ever had and the OH loves the 'strawberry blush'.

He even delivered the case himself, as he was passing this way.

I hope no-one minds me giving him a bit of an advert. One-person businesses need all the help they can get. Cheers!

[MKG]

Nail on head, Greenorelse

Some of my wines aren't very popular - but then they're designed purely for my tastes. You can't do that with the majority of commercial wines. But whoever this is looks interesting. And I'm SOOOOOO glad to finally hear someone else say that an elderberry wine - a good, well-thought-out, balanced elderberry, can compete with the best of the grape wines.

Elderberries are, chemically, virtually identical to grapes. They're higher in tannin and can't compete with the natural sugar content, but once you've taken that into account you're in for some excellent wines.

Have a go - you've already said you want to. What have you got to lose if you stand a very good chance of making wines like those you admire from Wine of the Glen?

Mike

[greenorelse]

And I'm SOOOOOO glad to finally hear someone else say that an elderberry wine - a good, well-thought-out, balanced elderberry, can compete with the best of the grape wines.

Elderberries are, chemically, virtually identical to grapes. They're higher in tannin and can't compete with the natural sugar content, but once you've taken that into account you're in for some excellent wines.

This guy has been at it for years and he concentrates on a very narrow range: that's probably why all six are excellent. The elderberry is, to me, perfect. There's no tannic edge to it.

Have a go - you've already said you want to. What have you got to lose if you stand a very good chance of making wines like those you admire from Wine of the Glen?

Mike

Oh, I will. Just, you know, time.

[MKG]

Whenever you're ready. I have a set of elderberry recipes which have been consistent for a decade and have never, ever, failed. Just shout.

Mike

[frozenthunderbolt]

Whenever you're ready. I have a set of elderberry recipes which have been consistent for a decade and have never, ever, failed. Just shout.

Mike

GRAAAAHHHHHHGGGGRRRRRR


(I shouted)