Side project: Hooch

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philpom

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Feb 16, 2023
392
1,100
Denton, TX.
We have been doing this for years, fermenting fruit juice for joy. We have it down to an art. I consider it a useful skill :emoji_sunglasses:

It was time to rack a batch so I grabbed some pics. Depending on the juice you use, some will be more dry than others. I prefer the dry variety but the past few years we have it down and they are great. While typically we get between 12% and 16% ABV, I have jacked it to over 80 proof... wow!

We remove 16oz from the bottle, add 1.5 cups of sugar, 1 ts of wine yeast, 1/2 ts of yeast nutrient, and shake the devil out of it until it's all dissolved. The airlock goes on and it sits in a dark place for 6 months before we rack it. Usually 4 to 6 bottles at a time.

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The nutrient we use
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The yeast we use
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The airlock we use
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The next round
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White cranberry strawberry was a tab sweet and delicious while white cranberry peach was more dry and strong! We rack one bottle a night because there are 2 sample glasses left from each session that doesn't fit in the bottle. That's enough. From pre ious batches I can say the cran-tropical is darn delicious also. Apple is bottom of my list as in not worth it but to each his own.

Useful, fun, interesting? I hope at least one of those!

Cheers
 
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Reactions: 02ebz06 and BigW.
Cool!

A long time ago, me and Hubs brewed beer for a couple of years (well, I brewed it and he drank it). It was fun and, according to Hubs, it was pretty darn good!

I might try this! I'm not much of a wine drinker, but my Mom loves the stuff!
 
I remember back in the day bottles sitting around along side the piano, the couch, the China hutch with ballons expanded. Lot of chokecherry wine and dandylion.
 
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Cool!

A long time ago, me and Hubs brewed beer for a couple of years (well, I brewed it and he drank it). It was fun and, according to Hubs, it was pretty darn good!

I might try this! I'm not much of a wine drinker, but my Mom loves the stuff!
You should give it a whirl, super easy and fun. Since you have brewed beer before I'll assume you have the racking cane already.
 
I see that you use the juices labeled as cocktail.
Stick with the 100% juice blends,like the grape in one of your pics,and your product will come out much better and more flavorful.
 
You should give it a whirl, super easy and fun. Since you have brewed beer before I'll assume you have the racking cane already.
I haven't even looked at my brewing equipment in years (seriously...about 20!), but IIRC, I used an auto-syphon. I'd have to go dig through the dreaded "haven't touched this stuff in FOREVER and am scared to look" closet. :emoji_fearful:
 
I haven't even looked at my brewing equipment in years (seriously...about 20!), but IIRC, I used an auto-syphon. I'd have to go dig through the dreaded "haven't touched this stuff in FOREVER and am scared to look" closet. :emoji_fearful:
After our move over a yr ago, half of my garage fits into this category. :emoji_confounded: :emoji_laughing: :emoji_laughing:
"haven't touched this stuff in FOREVER and am scared to look"
 
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I learned about hooch in prison...(I worked for DOC. My wife says I have to say that. 😂). But always smelled awful. Yours sounds good though. I'd try it.
 
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