Alcohol Ban

[stefmeister]

My order for a number of cases of Kaalvoet Meisie from Hermanuspietersfontein has been caught on the wrong side of this ban. Having spent the money with an indefinite delay of enjoyment leaves a bitter taste, but I have a plan!

 

4 liters of fresh red grape juice sans preservatives from Woolies, a cup of sugar and a packet of yeast ( try get brewers yeast other wise you have bakers bouquet). Make sure to release the gas build up twice a day and 14 days later you have a lovely Rose which you can decant into the empty wine bottles and stick a Kopdoek Feeks label on it and enjoy.

 

I would be interested to see that label.

It's 3 - 4 months since the last grapes were harvested - the Fresh juice is a bit of an oxymoron here, as even at below zero deg storage, the juice will still start fermenting without preservatives. So my best guess is it's concentrate that's been diluted (reconstituted) again and went through microfiltration.

 

This one?

https://www.woolworths.co.za/prod/Food/Beverages-Juices/Fruit-Vegetable-Juices/Still-Juice/100-Red-Grape-Juice-1L/_/A-6009101252343

Edited July 17, 2020 by stefmeister

[River Rat]

I would be interested to see that label.

It's 3 - 4 months since the last grapes were harvested - the Fresh juice is a bit of an oxymoron here, as even at below zero deg storage, the juice will still start fermenting without preservatives. So my best guess is it's concentrate that's been diluted (reconstituted) again and went through microfiltration.

 

This one?

https://www.woolworths.co.za/prod/Food/Beverages-Juices/Fruit-Vegetable-Juices/Still-Juice/100-Red-Grape-Juice-1L/_/A-6009101252343

That's the one, dam are you suggesting that my next batch will differ from the first? We'll have to start a Platter's guide to grape juice soon!

[forkie]

i use liquifruit for my apple cider. have you tried their grape juice?

[stefmeister]

That's the one, dam are you suggesting that my next batch will differ from the first? We'll have to start a Platter's guide to grape juice soon!

 

No, "quality" should be consistent, as that would be the process their juice is made.

Evaporation (juice concentrate) is a means to preserve juice, as the sugar content becomes to high for microbial growth (yeast specifically, not for something like acetic acid bacteria).

 

Fermenting juice ex-concentrate has it's benefits though compared to fermenting pineapples and other whole fruit - the juice will most likely be protein stable and all pectin removed, so your fermented product will not be cloudy with unwanted stuff floating about. If you leave it to stand a week or so after fermentation, the yeast will settle to the bottom and your wine should have relative clarity and be more pleasing on the eye.

Ferment cold (~12 deg C). It'll take longer, but you'll have a better fruit profile, but I suppose most of the volatiles would've been lost in the boiling process.

 

But you don't make Platter 5 stars by starting with reconstituted juice.

[River Rat]

No, "quality" should be consistent, as that would be the process their juice is made.

Evaporation (juice concentrate) is a means to preserve juice, as the sugar content becomes to high for microbial growth (yeast specifically, not for something like acetic acid bacteria).

 

Fermenting juice ex-concentrate has it's benefits though compared to fermenting pineapples and other whole fruit - the juice will most likely be protein stable and all pectin removed, so your fermented product will not be cloudy with unwanted stuff floating about. If you leave it to stand a week or so after fermentation, the yeast will settle to the bottom and your wine should have relative clarity and be more pleasing on the eye.

Ferment cold (~12 deg C). It'll take longer, but you'll have a better fruit profile, but I suppose most of the volatiles would've been lost in the boiling process.

 

But you don't make Platter 5 stars by starting with reconstituted juice.

Nice, always good to get a proper insight. Look  the Kopdoek Feeks attracts a certain clientele mostly motivated by need as opposed to quality so perhaps a Beggar's guide would be more appropriate under the circumstances.

 

[Grebel]

My order for a number of cases of Kaalvoet Meisie from Hermanuspietersfontein has been caught on the wrong side of this ban. Having spent the money with an indefinite delay of enjoyment leaves a bitter taste, but I have a plan!

 

4 liters of fresh red grape juice sans preservatives from Woolies, a cup of sugar and a packet of yeast ( try get brewers yeast other wise you have bakers bouquet). Make sure to release the gas build up twice a day and 14 days later you have a lovely Rose which you can decant into the empty wine bottles and stick a Kopdoek Feeks label on it and enjoy.

 

Same thing happened to use in March.... That was a VERY long 14 weeks. When the transport/sale ban etc was finally lifted and couriers could collect and transport, there was a further 2 week delay to process and dispatch all the orders. 

[stefmeister]

Same thing happened to use in March.... That was a VERY long 14 weeks. When the transport/sale ban etc was finally lifted and couriers could collect and transport, there was a further 2 week delay to process and dispatch all the orders. 

 

On Sunday we gave away 5 cases of wine to family/friends.

Sunday evening...my fellow South Africans happened again.

 

D'oh!

[River Rat]

i use liquifruit for my apple cider. have you tried their grape juice?

Not yet but it looks like we have some time to test this. Perhaps there's an undiscovered Blinde Eekhoring in the mix

 

[Grebel]

On Sunday we gave away 5 cases of wine to family/friends.

Sunday evening...my fellow South Africans happened again.

 

D'oh!

 

Eina.... I will never underestimate the value of the stock of wine that I carry at home again.

[forkie]

On Sunday we gave away 5 cases of wine to family/friends.

Sunday evening...my fellow South Africans happened again.

 

D'oh!

i wish we were friends