Lack of WGJ: Pineapple and Apple juice WOW?

[winingkiwi]

In this benighted land (actually it's quite lovely in most respects) it does seem difficult to get cheap supermarket no-added-sugars-or-preservatives WGJ. So I find myself contemplating the bottle of cheap pineapple and WGJ blend I bought the other day, plus the other bottle of apple juice. And the yeast sachet in the fridge.

What say the brains trust - can these be the basis of a passable WOW-style wine?

 

[Moley]

Read the labels and assess the juice content.

Your juice drinks are probably going to be around 50-75% water so just fill your fermenter with those and throw in some yeast and a bit more sugar.

 

[screamlead]

I cant get WGJ either where i am so i use red instead and it still turns out superb and a lovely amber colour. :

 

[winingkiwi]

Read the labels and assess the juice content.

Your juice drinks are probably going to be around 50-75% water so just fill your fermenter with those and throw in some yeast and a bit more sugar.

Ta. Was more concerned about the unholy alliance of pineapple, apple and grape with regard to flavour, but anyway. As it happens they are dodgy South African juices and a bit vague about labelling generally, but sugars are 30/250 in the apple and 27/250 in the pineapple/GJ blend, so scaling to 4.5l or so and assuming I add 800g sugar that's about... um... carry the one... 228g/l total so 1.08summat OG? Should be fine.

You ever done a pineapple-influenced blend?

 

[winingkiwi]

I cant get WGJ either where i am so i use red instead and it still turns out superb and a lovely amber colour. :

Thanks for that. I can get dark red grape quite easily, and my local homebrew shop sells proper grape juices (you know, the ones with names like Cabernet and Shiraz etc), just for a bit more money. They do also sometimes have whites in, it's just the reds are more popular, and of course the supermarkets are cheaper!

 

[Moley]

You ever done a pineapple-influenced blend?

Yes, frequently.

Grape & Pineapple works well, probably best as a fruity medium wine, either a white or a rosé.

Grape & Apple works best as a crisp dry white, or as a fairly neutral base wine for adding other flavouring ingredients later in the process.

Not sure if I've ever combined all three :wha:


It sounds like you've got a distinct advantage over us as far as red wines are concerned though, we can get varietal grape concentrates from homebrew shops but they are rather expensive. The RGJ which we (and I assume you) buy from the supermarkets is a great substitute for water in a recipe but lacks oomph.

 

[winingkiwi]

Not sure if I've ever combined all three :wha:

It sounds like you've got a distinct advantage over us as far as red wines are concerned though, we can get varietal grape concentrates from homebrew shops but they are rather expensive. The RGJ which we (and I assume you) buy from the supermarkets is a great substitute for water in a recipe but lacks oomph.

I'll let you know how it works out then! Might have to be tomorrow that I start it as I'm short of DJs and think I'll have to rack the rice and raisin again and I couldn't be bothered tidying the kitchen so I can sterilise up another DJ. Besides, it's bed time. :)

The homebrew shop varietal starter sets (although they are good juices) are quite expensive here too: 1.25l Cab Shiraz plus a few camdens and a Lalvin 71B yeast is about the equivalent of 13 quid if xe.net is to be believed.

 

[KeithS]

Hi
Was going to make some off this myself but unsure of what acids to add
(I have Citric. tartaric and malic at hand) which one would you recommend for 15L batch
4L wgj
1L pineapple
1L apple
topped up to 15L with water and sugar to give sg 1.090
Also would 1/2L strong tea (3bags) be enough tannin.
How about glycerine

Thanks
Keith

 

[winingkiwi]

Update: I made this in the end and added in some dried apricots too, after mincing and soaking them in hot water. Fermented it until dry, and racked it for the second time last week. Had to have a little taste to see of course, and it's quite lovely. Will rest it awhile yet but it'll be good. Just a hint of pineapple taste. Another success!