Ribena wine

[Chippy_Tea]

I have been toying with the idea of making a Ribena wine as my first ever standard wow tastes like over watered orange and is not what i expected (i am hoping letting it mature for a couple of months changes that)

I know the boiling part to get rid of the preservatives has been discussed many times but i fancy giving it a try, the video guide i watched mentions 1 tsp citric acid, he uses youngs, i have not got any so is there anything else i can use instead? (i will be making 4.5 litres)

I don't have any Glycerine, can it be added at any time or has it to go in the original mix?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Intelekt]

I'm doing a strawberry Ribena wine at the mo and I used the juice of 1 lemon :thumb:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks for that info, i am new to wine making so can i ask why acid is required, i have made orange and apple versions of wow's and they didn't call for it?

 

[Intelekt]

Someone will be along with more detailed info soon,
But from my limited knowledge it needs citric acid because the Ribena lacks a sufficient amount, and the orange wow is full of citrus fruit so doesn't need any.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks, do you use Glycerine ?

 

[Intelekt]

In most of my wines I do, I've been told it improves mouth feel :thumb:

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

Someone will be along with more detailed info soon,
But from my limited knowledge it needs citric acid because the Ribena lacks a sufficient amount, and the orange wow is full of citrus fruit so doesn't need any.

Apple juice is also relatively high in malic acid.

Acid is needed for two things: Firstly, it restricts the growth of unwanted bacteria during fermentation, helping ensure that the yeast becomes and remains dominant.

Secondly, the amount and type of acids in the wine/cider has a big effect on the final flavour. There are three main acids in wine-making - malic, citric and tartaric - each with a slightly different taste. Other less common acids include oxalic, lactic and succinic.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I'm doing a strawberry Ribena wine at the mo and I used the juice of 1 lemon :thumb:

I could not get any citric acid so have taken your advice and used a lemon.

When i watched the "how to" video the guy that made it said after 24 hours it had started but it was a "slow bubbler" mine has been fermenting approx 15 hours and i am seeing one bubble every 23 seconds, does this seem right and did you find it a slow bubbler compared to kits and WOW's?

Edit to add -

I have read this post below in another forum, have i wasted a couple of quid and an hour of my time?

Ribena wine is a bit of a dead-loss, neither potassium sorbate nor sodium benzoate can be effectively removed by boiling and any attempt to ferment Ribena will only result in an oversweet and understrength "wine"

 

[Intelekt]

Ignore that other forum

I first made a Ribena wine 20 odd years ago and it was gorgeous from CJJs book. Now I'm back into wine making again I'm trying the strawberry flavour.

Whatever happened to the blueberry flavour, or did I imagine that?

Mine took about 3 days to get started but got there in the end :thumb: now since top up its bubbling away steadily.

I boiled mine for 20 mins, and the preservatives may have been the cause of the slow start, but it works, it ferments nicely.
I think some people don't even bother to boil and still get lovely wine.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Mine took about 3 days to get started but got there in the end now since top up its bubbling away steadily.

Thanks, When you say "bubbling away steadily" could you tell me how often you get a bubble through the airlock so i know when mine is going steadily.

 

[Intelekt]

Well I like to fill my airlocks right up and I'd say it was bubbling between 2 and 7 seconds.

It tends to change once it is topped up, before top up with a gap at the top it sort of bloops, after top up it a regular blip blip blip.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have mine filled to the shoulder, when should i top up to the bottom of the neck?

 

[Intelekt]

I top up when I think it's safe, sometimes about 5 days later and sometimes over two weeks later
Basically when the foamy mess disappears and you can see the top of the wine thru the bubbles :thumb:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks again. :thumb:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Update.

The Ribena wine started slow as i was expecting and the next morning it was bubbling at 20 seconds, by the end of yesterday it was down to 7 seconds and this morning it is down to 3 seconds, the kitchen is at 18c so i am impressed so far as i wasnt expecting it to speed up that much.

I followed the guide which said boil for 10 minutes then add the sugar and bring back to the boil and give it another five minutes.

I took this video below yesterday afternoon, as you can see it is doing a mini version of the WOW lava lamp -

http://tinyurl.com/agasjue




.

 

[ScottM]

Better off using the fresh Ribena rather than the concentrated stuff. No boiling etc required :)

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I used the one below and the guide in the video which says you need to boil it, if you don't that is great news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq4kQ1vlwzE

 

[ScottM]

I used the one below and the guide in the video which says you need to boil it, if you don't that is great news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq4kQ1vlwzE

Yeah, that's because it's concentrated. The fresh stuff comes in cartons :)

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks for the tip, have you got a link or a picture of the fresh type you mention above so i know what to look for?

 

[Intelekt]

Wow what yeast did you use I have yet to have a lava lamp effect, I didn't even get one with my WOW and everyone else seemed to :nah:

As for the Ribena, it comes in 1 litre cartons just like apple juice and stuff, probably with the juices or where Ribena is usually.