full bodied red

[pablo71]

I want to make a full bodied red wine
has anyone made one, or is there a kit out there

 

[Chippy_Tea]

You cannot make a red wine from supermarket carton juice as it always turns out like a Rose wine.

There are many wine kits in the A - Z review here - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=37180

 

[tonyhibbett]

All of the many red wine kits I have tried either require and/or include sugar and while most have proved satisfactory, I wouldn't describe any as being 'full bodied'. However, by combining grape juice concentrate with cherry syrup and elderberries, keeping the added sugar to an absolute minimum, it is possible to produce a full bodied wine, particularly if matured in oak.

 

[pablo71]

Have heard elderflower gives it body and oak chips will try it, when you say keep the sugar to a min, I just don't add as much brewing sugar ?
Won't that weeken it ?

 

[tonyhibbett]

Elderflowers won't add body and their flavour would be lost in red wine. Oak chips don't add body but deepens the flavour. Reducing the proportion of added sugar helps, but more fruit must be added to compensate. Apple juice is an inexpensive 'body builder'. Using it instead of water, say 2 litres per gallon, will also reduce the need for added sugar. The higher the alcohol, the more body, as it is thicker than water. 13% abv is significantly 'thicker' than 11%. Glycerine will also help, at the rate of up to 25 ml per gallon of wine. Another good substitute for adding sugar is minced dried fruit. Currants are particularly useful for red wine as they are in fact dried black grapes. Half a kilo per gallon will provide 350 g of the total sugar required, plus all the other stuff that grapes provide which white sugar lacks.

 

[pablo71]

That's great, I have a better knowledge of it all now hopfilly I can make something a bit more tastier

 

[tonyhibbett]

The resulting flavours are often somewhat unusual and change over time. I find it essential to keep notes of ingredients used. The last thing you want is to produce something special and have no way of repeating it. The same applies to stuff you would not want to recreate!