Ribena Wine

graysalchemy · Mar 21, 2012

The only thing I have ever got close to a red wine for body is elderberry wine made with 3lb of elderberries, 2 lb of blackberries and about 1lb of raisins and 1kg of sugar per gallon. However you need to leave it for a few years so that the tannin dissipates. However even this was more like a light red wine, no Cabernet sauvignon.

NathanJR · Apr 21, 2012

With the wherry well on its way I thought I'd give this a go. SWMBO has just about finished her wine so there are plenty of DJs lying around unused.

Tesco have litre bottles of Ribena for Â£1.49 so I picked up a blackcurrant and a strawberry.

Not sure whether to just make one blackcurrant and one strawberry or to go for a mix of the two with one of the DJs to see how it goes.

Couldn't see any white grape juice so had to settle for Tropicana red instead.

Couple of questions:

1. The yeast I'm using is from Wilkos, in sachets. Would a full sachet be too much for one DJ of wine?

2. We don't usually bottle our [kit] wines, just put them into a fresh DJ. Is that a problem?

Looking forward to getting started on this today!

BrotherMalice · Apr 25, 2012

I am brewing 23l of the strawberry at the moment, the instructions on my yeast (from wilco's) was 1tsp per gallon.

What temp are people brewing this at?

graysalchemy · Apr 25, 2012

below 21c But I would go lower 18-19c

BrotherMalice · Apr 25, 2012

Mine is at 22 using a brew belt, is there a way to adjust the temp using a belt? - put it higher or lower?

graysalchemy · Apr 25, 2012

Take it off :lol:

Or use it with a temp controller clicky

BrotherMalice · Apr 25, 2012

That link looks intereesting, shame they are out of stock

BeerEagle · Apr 25, 2012

BrotherMalice said:
...is there a way to adjust the temp using a belt? - put it higher or lower?

Exactly that, move it higher for cooler, lower for hotter. It's a bit hit and miss though. See previous replies.

NathanJR · Apr 26, 2012

I kept mine in the kitchen where it is fairly cool but the fermentation struggled to get going. Moved it to the airing cupboard and it's now bubbling along nicely.

BrotherMalice · Apr 26, 2012

Do you know how warm it is in there?

NathanJR · Apr 26, 2012

Warm

Gingerbrewer · May 18, 2012

Hi all,

Just put a gallon of Ribena wine in the airing cupboard, temperature in there is a steady 20-22 degrees according to my maxi-mini thermometer! It has started bubbling 5 hours free casting.

OG of 1.066 at 80f so if I am correct about 8.5-9% if I let it go all the way!

NathanJR · Jun 6, 2012

6 bottles of Strawberry & 6 bottles of blackberry Ribena bottled at the weekend.

They'd been in for about 5 weeks or so and activity had ground to a halt so i assumed they were done. Took the FG on bottling and it appears they weren't quite there - 1.10 & 1.00 respectively (expected 0.90 ish?).

Will this be a problem or am I just left with a sweeter wine?

Tasted them both and the Strawberry was very nice (despite the overpowering fresh alcohol taste which I expect to disappear slowly).

sgandtg · Jun 6, 2012

blinkey said:
Hi all i have a ribena wine going at the mo (i did make it years ago after i found the recipe below in one of my grandads many binders of hand written recipes and notes) it was very nice and really got my mum sloshed she says it had a after kick lol

Ribena

1ltr ribena (not artificially sweetened must be 'Original').
1 teaspoon of citric acid or juice from one lemon.
1 sachet of winemaking yeast.
1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient.
680g of sugar.

Method

Empty bottle of Ribena into glass one gallon demijon (sterilised).
Top up to the shoulder of the demijon with cold water.
Pour Contents into large Pan add sugar and boil
Wait for it to cool add citric acid and stir
Pour into demijohn
add yeast and yeast nutrient.
Shake, Fit airlock and leave.
Takes about 2-3 months depending on room temperature.

To make 5 gallons of this, is this correct and what % (approx) is it likely to be?

5ltr ribena (not artificially sweetened must be 'Original').
5 teaspoon of citric acid or juice from 2.5 lemons.
1 sachet of winemaking yeast.
1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient.
3.4kg of sugar.

ingypingy2 · Jun 7, 2012

I would go a bit easy on the citric acid, I did a 4 gallon batch of strawberry ribena and usually use lemon juice, but had no lemons and used 4tsp citric acid instead, ended up very very sharp and acidic, and despite taking 5 months to ferment out, clear and bottle, and after being in the bottle for 3 months now, is still really sharp, but drinkable. I would certainly be reverting back to lemon juice next time as it seems to mellow a lot quicker :)

H0N3YoM0N5T3R · Jun 14, 2012

i followed the recipie on the OP. can any one tell me if ita any good. Reason i ask is 7kg is alot of sugar to use and 2ltrs or ribena dont seem enough.

cheers

ScottM · Jun 14, 2012

H0N3YoM0N5T3R said:
i followed the recipie on the OP. can any one tell me if ita any good. Reason i ask is 7kg is alot of sugar to use and 2ltrs or ribena dont seem enough.

cheers

Remember that the ribena is concentrated so it will make up a good 5L juice per litre (4 parts water 1 part concentrate). That equates to around 10L per 25, or 2L per 5.... which is the same as most wine recipes.

H0N3YoM0N5T3R · Jun 16, 2012

cheers for the replie mate : cheers:

H0N3YoM0N5T3R · Jun 28, 2012

do i need to let thios clear once i rack it

ScottM · Jun 28, 2012

H0N3YoM0N5T3R said:
do i need to let thios clear once i rack it

If you want it clear and not leave any sediment in the bottle then yes.

Ribena Wine

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