Oh, Quick! Free Wine Grapes for Me!

[DellaMyDarling]

I definitely don't have some things I need...

Unless home beer brewing uses the same kinds of tops/vent things for the carboys?

Looks like a good week until I'd need the supplies other than bucket and tshirt...
But a bag. What can I use if I don't have a fermentation bag?

 

[CrealCritter]

I definitely don't have some things I need...

Unless home beer brewing uses the same kinds of tops/vent things for the carboys?

Looks like a good week until I'd need the supplies other than bucket and tshirt...
But a bag. What can I use if I don't have a fermentation bag?

All mine are food grade sewn mesh bags. I think they are made of muslin but I'm not a sewer so I can't say for sure.

Don't forget to add 1 crushed campden tablet per gallon. And wait 24 hours before you pitch the yeast. DO NOT add sorbate until your ready to bottle the finished wine.

I use a lot of my beer gear for wine. Like my hydrometers, racking cane, bottle wand, etc...

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm not a sewer

Thank goodness!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I leaned something too. I thought a person who sews is called a seamstress. So, someone who sews can be called a sewer too, lol!

 

[DellaMyDarling]

Ok, ok, big deep breath.

Pretty sure we got concords.
They are delicious!

I actually filled a huge tote and barely did 1/4 of the arbor. Returning tomorrow for the rest.
Maybe 600sqft? Good goddesses what a gift.

So, I definitely can't get all into wine.
Need some ideas for other uses!

 

[DellaMyDarling]

Ok, definitely something in a jar for later, have lots of jelly jars awaiting!

Anyone make juice before? Would my vintage apple press work for that? Seems too easy to be true...what about juice canning? Is grape acidic enough for a water bath?

We have a beer and winemaking supple store nearby. I think I can get to it tomorrow.
Before placing grapes into fermentation buckets, they need to be gone through and cleaned up, right? Or does that really matter at all? Part of me says ancient people's discovering wine didn't bother to remove sad grapes and every impurity so why should i?

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Thanks for posting that recipe, @CrealCritter . I've saved it to my recipe file, but was not able to print it out. I don't have any concords this year, but the vine is showing promise for next year. I harvested my Summersets, and they were delightful. super sweet.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

So I've got a financial strain, lack of enough canning jars for my unexpected early harvests, and the local brew store closed.

How can I really low tech continue with wine?
Should I give up on wine for the time being and can everything to save the startup costs?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Maybe you can freeze the juice until later? I guess you can make wine from frozen juice. I seem to remember that my former in-laws made wine from Welch's frozen juice a bunch of years ago. Their only equipment was a big water jug and a balloon!

It definitely wasn't "fine wine." But, it was decent tasting - mostly because it was really sweet, lol.

 

[CrealCritter]

So I've got a financial strain, lack of enough canning jars for my unexpected early harvests, and the local brew store closed.

How can I really low tech continue with wine?
Should I give up on wine for the time being and can everything to save the startup costs?

You could can the grapes for later use.