Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Adding wine to fermentation  (Read 1360 times)

Offline Curtis Tutak

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Adding wine to fermentation
« on: July 18, 2019, 10:50:34 am »
I want to do a Saison or maybe a Belgium Ale with a white wine. I know nothing about wine but I read that if the wine is preserved with XX????? it will prohibit fermentation and bottle carbonation. Another option would be to put grape concentrate into first or second fermentation, but not sure I can get high quality wine concentrate in smaller quantities. Any thoughts and any of the above?

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27129
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2019, 11:06:43 am »
It's usually done with juice, not finished wine.  Alesong is famous for it.  Drew has a saison vin recipe that's quite well received. 
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline dbeechum

  • Global Moderator
  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • *****
  • Posts: 2915
  • Pasadena, CA
    • Experimental Brewing
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2019, 01:38:28 pm »
I usually use the Alexander' Sun Country concentrate for my Saison Vin (if I don't have access to fresh fruit or spent fruit from a vintner)

https://www.grapeandgranary.com/winemaking/wine-kits-concentrates/alexanders-sun-country.html
Drew Beechum - Maltosefalcons.com
- Vote in the AHA GC Election! - http://bit.ly/1aV9GVd  -
-----
Burbling:
Gnome is in the Details
*Experimental Brewing - The Book*
Tap:
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
Tupelo Mead
Farmhouse Brett Saison

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27129
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2019, 02:43:10 pm »
I usually use the Alexander' Sun Country concentrate for my Saison Vin (if I don't have access to fresh fruit or spent fruit from a vintner)

https://www.grapeandgranary.com/winemaking/wine-kits-concentrates/alexanders-sun-country.html

The recipe for Drew's beer isn't online, but it's in Experimental Homebrewing if you have a copy.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Pinchart

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 11
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2019, 02:50:45 pm »
I want to do a Saison or maybe a Belgium Ale with a white wine. I know nothing about wine but I read that if the wine is preserved with XX????? it will prohibit fermentation and bottle carbonation. Another option would be to put grape concentrate into first or second fermentation, but not sure I can get high quality wine concentrate in smaller quantities. Any thoughts and any of the above?
Most wines are preserved with sulfite that prevents refermentation in bottle. You may find wine without. Not easy. Maybe in organic shops.

Offline Curtis Tutak

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2019, 07:29:55 am »
Thanks for the good information!

Offline goose

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1289
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2019, 07:38:16 am »
I want to do a Saison or maybe a Belgium Ale with a white wine. I know nothing about wine but I read that if the wine is preserved with XX????? it will prohibit fermentation and bottle carbonation. Another option would be to put grape concentrate into first or second fermentation, but not sure I can get high quality wine concentrate in smaller quantities. Any thoughts and any of the above?
Most wines are preserved with sulfite that prevents refermentation in bottle. You may find wine without. Not easy. Maybe in organic shops.

^^^^^   This.

The sulfites will kill your yeast,
Goose Steingass
Wooster, OH
Society of Akron Area Zymurgists (SAAZ)
Wayne County Brew Club
Mansfield Brew Club
BJCP Certified

Offline reverseapachemaster

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3780
    • Brain Sparging on Brewing
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2019, 08:36:23 pm »
Whether the sulfite load is enough to kill your yeast depends a lot on how much wine you intend to add. If you are adding a fairly small amount then you should be fine because the beer is diluting the sulfites. I have seen several people add 20-30% wine and be fine. I've done less without problems personally. Of course, if you are kegging the beer it doesn't really matter if the yeast are alive.

There are several home winemaking kits now that make smaller batches and you can buy smaller containers of grape must in one gallon volumes sold to enhance home winemaking kits if you want to ferment out the fruit rather than just blend in wine.
Heck yeah I blog about homebrewing: Brain Sparging on Brewing

Offline AzBruin

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 43
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2019, 07:20:31 am »
Whether the sulfite load is enough to kill your yeast depends a lot on how much wine you intend to add. If you are adding a fairly small amount then you should be fine because the beer is diluting the sulfites. I have seen several people add 20-30% wine and be fine. I've done less without problems personally. Of course, if you are kegging the beer it doesn't really matter if the yeast are alive.

There are several home winemaking kits now that make smaller batches and you can buy smaller containers of grape must in one gallon volumes sold to enhance home winemaking kits if you want to ferment out the fruit rather than just blend in wine.

Check out your LHBS. The one here sells winemaking kits, and also juice concentrates.

Offline Kevin

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 732
  • Great beer. Less work. More fun.
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2019, 08:36:22 am »
I seem to remember an episode of Basic Brewing Video where they did something like this. It didn't turn out well.
“He was a wise man who invented beer.”
- Plato

Offline jeffy

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4223
  • Tampa, Fl
Re: Adding wine to fermentation
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2019, 08:45:55 am »
I made a Belgian Wit once and added pinot noir must to it after fermentation was underway.  It was interesting, but not something I'd like to have every day.
I have to assume that the op meant to add must rather than wine, right?
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995