need help on wine making, it has no alcohol content, what did I do wrong?

O.K. I made wine, I put 1 gal. of concord grapes in a bucket and mashed them, then I poured in 3 gal. of distilled water and 1 pkg of yeast, I let this set for 24 hours and strained off the fruit bits, then I poured in 8 lbs. of sugar and I let it set for about 7-8 weeks until the mixture quit bubbling and then I strained it again in bottles, I got a nice light red color and it tastes like wine (really good wine) but it does not seem to have much of an alcohol content. I drank two full goblets and did not even get a light buzz. Does it have to sit for awhile before it has a kick? What did I do wrong?

How big was the package of yeast?

Yeast and sugar are the key.

Yeast eats sugar, and pees out alcohol.

Iv always read that you should have equal yeast and sugar.

If someone uses 8lbs. of sugar, there is no way they should use 8 lbs. of yeast. Unless they are making pea-soup booze

Thats just what I read on a few places

Iv never made it...of course...cuz that would be illegal...and I would NEVER do that

Dead Kennedy's are so Rule!!

It's not illegal, btw. A person can make up to so many gallons a year for personal consumption.

Im underage....only 14.

Originally posted by nathraq
How big was the package of yeast?

Yeast and sugar are the key.

Yeast eats sugar, and pees out alcohol.

The recipe we used called for only one regular package of yeast and that must have been enough since the brew bubbled from Aug.23 to Oct.11. Is there anyway to tell if it has any alcohol in it. We made this in a 5 gal. plastic bucket, I put a t-shirt over it to keep any critters out like gnats. and to let the yeast breathe.

For research sake of course I'm drinking quite a bit I've had my second drink and will let you know if I ever get a buzz.

Pour a litre or two of vodka in it.... that'll give it some kick (its cheating but who's to know)

Originally posted by specialasianX
Pour a litre or two of vodka in it.... that'll give it some kick (its cheating but who's to know)

I'm beginning to think thats what I am going to have to do. I've got another batch that I made on 9/11/04, I think maybe I should put more yeast in, I made it the same way except I used wild grapes. Its called muskatell, sorry for spelling, thats the way you say it not sure about spelling it.

Goose,
I've had my share of fortified wine!
You can put in a little grain alcohol, Like they do with those delicious, 2 dollar screwtop "wines".

Try this website for further instructions.

Winemaking

Originally posted by spacedoubt
Goose,
I've had my share of fortified wine!
You can put in a little grain alcohol, Like they do with those delicious, 2 dollar screwtop "wines".

Try this website for further instructions.

Winemaking

Thanks, great website. I will be definitely reading up more on this website.

Hi .....

Quote./Does it have to sit for awhile before it has a kick?
What did I do wrong?

I bet you forgot to '''TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF''


....just kidding!

Good luck!

helen

Making 'basement wine' results in extremely variable alcohol content.

It came out nice tho??

It came out very well, . Maybe I should get a license and make lots of it so I can sell it in stores and restaurants. What I made was just for my family but everyone like it. Its all gone now!

We had a bumper crop of beautiful red plums one year, so decided to make some plum wine.....my husband read me the recipe, while I measured and stirred. Everything was looking good, and we were ready to siphon it out of the barrel and into bottles........when I accidentally got a 'snoot' full, while trying to get the siphon going..........strangling on it and getting it all up my nose.

Within a few minutes, I was beginning to feel a buzz......just from that little "snort"!

That's when we took a second look at the recipe......when the instructions had said cups of sugar, my husband had read out to me, pounds of sugar!!!LOL Needless to say, the alcohol content was considerably more than the usual for wine.........I think we may have made plum brandy instead!!

I still have a couple of bottles left.......it's about 10 years old......maybe just aged vinegar by now, but the last bottle I open a year or so ago, was actually better, taste wise, than it was originally........still, no one had the urge to drink it, but it makes a good marinade!

Please don't tell my grand father how to make wine...i whent on two sepate trips with him when i was younger. one when i was nineish i whent with him , my grand mother, my older sister, older half sister and a older half brother, well he had an old army canten that he took with him all over the place filled with wine. And when i when with my grand parents and my mother to europe one of his suit cases was nothing but boxes or wine. you none the ones in the big box the has the pull out nosal? yea...

Actually since I now have several bottle of the stuff ageing in the cupboard I drink less of it now than before.